And ye shall point out your east border from Hazarenan to Shepham. From the place where the northern border ended, which Jerom says F21 Comment. ut supra. (cf. ver. 15.) the Hebrews call Apamia, as both the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem do here. Shepham was a city between Hazarenan and Riblah in the tribe of Naphtali, where Adrichomius F23 Theatrum Terrae Sanct. p. 114. places it. read more
And the coast shall go down from Shepham to Riblah ,.... Said to be in the land of Hemath, Jeremiah 52:9 , which, according to Jerom F24 Comment. ut supra. (cf. ver. 15.) , was Antioch of Syria; and both the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem understand by it Daphne, which was in the suburbs of Antioch; but this seems to be carrying the limits of the land too far: Jarchi remarks, that when the border goes from the north towards the south, it is said to go down: on the east side of... read more
And the border shall go down to Jordan ,.... A well known river to the east of the land of Canaan: and the goings out of it shall be at the salt sea ; the sea of Sodom; and though all sea water is generally salt, this was remarkably so, through the great quantity of bitumen and nitre in it; hence it was called Asphaltites; thus as the description of the borders of the land began with the salt sea, Numbers 34:3 , it ends with it: this shall be your land, with the coasts thereof round... read more
And Moses commanded the children of Israel, saying ,.... Strictly enjoining them to observe what he was about to say to them: this is the land which ye shall inherit by lot ; as above described and bounded: which the Lord commanded to give unto the nine tribes, and to the half tribe ; to the tribes of Judah, Simeon, Benjamin, Dan, Ephraim, Zebulun, Issachar, Asher, and Naphtali, and the half tribe of Manasseh; though this command is not before expressed, it is very probable it was... read more
For the tribe of the children of Reuben, according to the house of their fathers ,.... That tribe, and all the families belonging to it: have received their inheritance, and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance; that is, it was agreed they should have it on condition of their going along with the other tribes over Jordan into the land of Canaan, and assist them in the conquest of it, Numbers 32:1 . read more
The two tribes and the half tribe ,.... The tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh: have received their inheritance on this side Jordan near Jericho, eastward, toward the sun rising ; that is, they received the grant of it there, even in the plains of Moab, opposite Jericho, which lay to the east of the land of Canaan. read more
And the Lord spake unto Moses ,.... At the same time that he gave him the bounds of the land of Canaan, which was to be divided between the nine tribes and a half; and that this might be done in the most impartial manner, and to the satisfaction of them all, he gave orders to Moses: saying ; as follows. read more
These are the names of the men which shall divide the land unto you ,.... Or "inherit the land for you" F26 ינחלו לכם "haereditabunt vobis", Montanus; "qui haereditario jure accipient pro vobis", Tigurine not. ; that is, as Jarchi interprets it, they were to take possession of it in their name and stead, as their representatives, and then distribute it unto them, or divide it to be inherited by them; but whatever may be said for the princes of the tribes, as acting for their... read more
And ye shall take one prince out of every tribe ,.... That is, out of the nine tribes and the half, which are ten in all; of the tribes of Reuben and Gad none were taken, because they had had their inheritance granted them elsewhere; nor of the tribe of Levi, because they were to have no inheritance in the land: to divide the land by inheritance; who being men of honour, understanding, and probity, and naturally concerned for the good of the tribes to which they belonged, would take care... read more
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John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 34:9
And the border shall go on to Ziphron ,.... Which in the Jerusalem Targum is called Zapherin; and Jerom F19 Comment. in ver. 15. says, that in his time this city was called Zephyrium, a town in Cilicia; but this seems to be at too great a distance: and the goings out of it shall be at Hazarenan ; which was the utmost of the northern border, and so it is in Ezekiel 47:17 and there called the border of Damascus: Reland F20 Palestin. lllustrat. par. 1. l. 1. p. 123. takes it... read more