Ummah also ,.... Ummah is not mentioned any where else: and Aphek ; of which; see Gill on Joshua 12:18 , and Rehob ; of which; see Gill on Joshua 19:28 , twenty and two cities with their villages : there are more set down in the account, but some of them did not belong to the tribe, only were on the border of it. read more
Twenty and two cities - There are nearly thirty cities in the above enumeration instead of twenty-two, but probably several are mentioned that were but frontier towns, and that did not belong to this tribe, their border only passing by such cities; and on this account, though they are named, yet they do not enter into the enumeration in this place. Perhaps some of the villages are named as well as the cities. read more
The completion of the work. The reflections suggested by this chapter are identical with those which have already occurred to us. They are, perhaps, emphasised by Joshua 19:51 , in which the solemn public division of the land is once more, and yet more plainly, declared to have taken place with the assent of the heads of Church and State, and to have been attended with a religious ceremony. Without pretending to say whose fault it is, or how such a desirable state of things may be once... read more
Aphek (see Joshua 13:4 ). Twenty and two cities with their villages. The difficulty of tracing the boundary of Asher seems to be that it was traced, not by a line plainly marking out the territory, but less accurately, by a reference to the relative position of its principal cities. read more
These verses refer to the northern portion of the territory of Asher, on the Phoenician frontier. Some names may have dropped out of the text, the number Joshua 19:30 not tallying with the catalogue. Ramah still retains its ancient name, and lies about twelve miles southeast of Tyre. Achzib is the modern “Zib,” on the coast, eight or nine miles north of Acre. read more
Joshua 19:29-30. To Ramah From the north southward. To the strong city of Tyre This translation is questionable; for we never read one word of the city of Tyre (unless it be here) until the days of David; though we often read of Sidon in the books of Moses; even in the prophecy of Jacob. It is highly probable some other place is meant by Tzor, as the word is in the Hebrew. And the out-goings thereof, &c. That is, it ended at the country which belonged to Achzib; for so hebel, ... read more
The seven smaller tribes (18:1-19:51)Allotments were now finished for two and a half tribes on the east of Jordan (Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh) and two and a half tribes on the west (Judah, Ephraim and the other half of Manasseh). The next task was to settle the seven smaller tribes that remained. For this purpose the camp, including the tabernacle, was shifted from Gilgal to a more central location at Shiloh (18:1-2; cf. 5:10; 10:6,15,43; 14:6; 19:51; 22:9,12).Many of the people had by... read more
Ver. 30. Twenty and two cities, with their villages— If we take away Carmel, a mountain, and Jiphthah-el, a valley, there still remain more than twenty-two cities mentioned in the foregoing verses. read more
24-31. the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher—The western boundary is traced from north to south through the cities mentioned; the site of them, however, is unknown. read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Joshua 19:24-31
The lot of Asher lay upon the coast of the great sea. We read not of any famous person of this tribe but Anna the prophetess, who was a constant resident in the temple at the time of our Saviour's birth, Luke 2:36. Nor were there many famous places in this tribe. Aphek (mentioned Josh. 19:30) was the place near which Benhadad was beaten by Ahad, 1 Kgs. 20:30. But close adjoining to this tribe were the celebrated sea-port towns of Tyre and Sidon, which we read so much of. Tyre is called here... read more