Joshua 14:1-5 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

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Bible Comments

Joshua 14-19. The Division of the Land on the W. of Jordan.

Joshua 14:1-5 is P's introduction to the division of the land by lot, but instead of going on at once with his account of the inheritance of Judah the editor inserts (Joshua 14:6-15) a Deuteronomic account of Caleb's claim to Hebron in accordance with the promise given him by Moses in Nu. After this we get in Joshua 15:1-12, P's account of the boundaries of Judah. But before giving the names of the various cities of Judah, the editor inserted another account (Joshua 15:13-15) of Caleb's conquests from a source older than the Deuteronomic section just mentioned in Joshua 15:6-15. Then in Joshua 15:20 to Joshua 16:2 we get the names of the cities of Judah. In Joshua 6:3 we have an old fragment of genuine historical interest stating that the Jebusites maintained their ground in Jerusalem, a duplicate of which is found in Judges 1:21 with the erroneous alteration of Benjamin for Judah.

Related Commentaries of Joshua 14:1

Joshua 14:1-5

1 And these are the countries which the children of Israel inherited in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed for inheritance to them.

2 By lot was their inheritance, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes, and for the half tribe.

3 For Moses had given the inheritance of two tribes and an half tribe on the other side Jordan: but unto the Levites he gave none inheritance among them.

4 For the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim: therefore they gave no part unto the Levites in the land, save cities to dwell in, with their suburbs for their cattle and for their substance.

5 As the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did, and they divided the land.