Joshua 15:1-63

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Joshua 15:1-12

Judah and Joseph were the two sons of Jacob on whom Reuben's forfeited birth-right devolved. Judah had the dominion entailed on him, and Joseph the double portion, and therefore these two tribes were first seated, Judah in the southern part of the land of Canaan and Joseph in the northern part, and on them the other seven did attend, and had their respective lots as appurtenances to these two; the lots of Benjamin, Simeon, and Dan, were appendant to Judah, and those of Issachar and Zebulun,... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Joshua 15:13-19

The historian seems pleased with every occasion to make mention of Caleb and to do him honour, because he had honoured God in following him fully. Observe, I. The grant Joshua made him of the mountain of Hebron for his inheritance is here repeated (Josh. 15:13), and it is said to be given him. 1. According to the commandment of the Lord to Joshua. Though Caleb, in his petition, had made out a very good title to it by promise, yet, because God had ordered Joshua to divide the land by lot, he... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Joshua 15:20-63

We have here a list of the several cities that fell within the lot of the tribe of Judah, which are mentioned by name, that they might know their own, and both keep it and keep to it, and might neither through cowardice nor sloth lose the possession of what was their own. I. The cities are here named, and numbered in several classes, which they then could account for the reason of better than we can now. Here are, 1. Some that are said to be the uttermost cities towards the coast of Edom,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 15:1

This then was the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah by their families ,.... The land of Canaan was divided by lot to the several tribes, and the tribe of Judah had its lot first; of the manner of casting lots; see Gill on Numbers 26:55 ; It seems as if the lot was first cast for the tribes of Judah and Joseph, when the former had the southern, and the latter the northern part of the land for their portion, which was done in Gilgal; after this lots were cast in Shiloh for the other... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 15:2

And their south border was from the shore of the salt sea ,.... Sometimes called the dead sea, the sea of Sodom, and the lake Asphaltites, which, as Jarchi observes, was southeast of the land of Israel: from the bay that looketh southward ; or the "tongue", as the Hebrew, which the Targum and Kimchi interpret of a rock or promontory, the point that ran out into the sea, looking to the southeast. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 15:3

And it went out to the south side of Maalehacrabbim ,.... Or the ascent of Akrabbim, as it is called; see Gill on Numbers 34:4 , and passed along to Zin, and ascended upon the south side unto Kadeshbarnea ; which perfectly agrees with the southern border of the land, as described in Numbers 34:4 , and passed along to Hezron, and went up to Adar ; which two places being near to one another, as is very likely, are put together, as if one place, and called Hazaraddar, Numbers 34:4 ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 15:4

From thence it passed towards Azmon, and went out unto the river of Egypt ,.... In like manner is this coast described, Numbers 34:5 ; it is called by Jerom F24 De loc. Heb. fol. 87. K. Asemona, and said to be a city in the desert, to the south of Judah, dividing Egypt, and the lot of the tribe of Judah, leading to the sea: and the outgoings of that coast were at the sea ; the Mediterranean sea; or to the west, as the Targum; this was the utmost border of the tribe of Judah... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 15:5

And the east border was the salt sea, even unto the end of Jordan ,.... To the place where Jordan fell into it; so that this border was the whole length of the salt sea, which Josephus says F25 De Bello Jud. l. 4. c. 8. sect. 4. was five hundred eighty furlongs; and, according to Pliny F26 Nat. Hist. l. 5. c. 16. , an hundred miles: and their border in the north quarter was from the bay of the sea , at the uttermost part of Jordan ; this northern border began... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 15:6

And the border went up to Bethhoglah ,.... A place in the tribe of Benjamin, mentioned along with Jericho, and probably near it, Joshua 18:21 ; Jerom F1 De loc. Heb. fol. 87. G. speaks of a place called Betagla, in his time, which was three miles from Jericho, and two from Jordan, and perhaps is this same place: and passed along by the north of Betharabah ; another city belonged to Benjamin, Joshua 18:22 ; and lay in a as its name shows; or in a plain, as the Targum: and the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 15:7

And the border went up towards Debir ,.... This was neither the Debir in the tribe of Gad, on the other side Jordan, Joshua 13:26 ; nor that in the tribe of Judah near Hebron, Joshua 15:15 ; but a third city of that name, and was not far from Jericho: from the valley of Achor ; where Achan was put to death, and had its name from thence; which, according to Jarchi, lay between the stone of Bohan and Debir: and so northward, looking towards Gilgal ; not the place where Israel were... read more

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