Joshua 19:1-51 - Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Reader Related Verse
Bible Comments

Joshua 19:12. Chisloth-tabor, a town at the foot of mount Tabor; as on Hosea 5:1.

Joshua 19:29. The strong city of Tyre. Hebrews צר sor, or rock. See note on Isaiah 23:1.

Joshua 19:35. The fenced cities Hammath, a small city, where hot springs rose, and near Rakkath, so as afterwards to become one city. Herod rebuilt Rakkath, and called it Tiberias, in honour of Tiberias Cæsar. Hazor, Joshua 11:1. This city was situate near the north-east point of the lake of Mezom or Semechon. The Canaanites recovered this city, and grievously oppressed the Israelites for twenty years. Judges 4.

Joshua 19:49. Israel gave an inheritance to Joshua. Joshua sought the people's good, but left himself and his house without any lot. He coveted no inviting abode: none among the murmurers could murmur against the servant of the Lord. Happy Israel, to have a first magistrate so pure and disinterested. He left his family undistinguished in the fluctuating dust of the present world: he was by grace more than a Cincinnátus.

REFLECTIONS.

The lot of Simeon fell out intermixed with the lot of Judah on its western border. Thus the curse of their father Jacob fell on them for the massacre of the Shechemites. “I will divide them in Jacob, and will scatter them in Israel.” It is a long time before wicked men have done with the consequences of their crimes. God may forgive on repentance; but the effects of sin remain as a sort of immortal brand to awe the world.

Zebulun's lot turned up on the sea coast; for Jacob had said, “Zebulun shall be a haven of ships.” These districts were included in Galilee, where our Saviour was the most successful in the work of his ministry.

Issachar, strong and peaceful as the ass, had a pleasant rest. His line, reaching from the Jordan to the western sea, included Shunem, where Elisha lodged; Gilboa, where Saul and Jonathan fell; and Jezreel, where Ahab's palace stood. Judah, Joseph, Benjamin, Reuben, Simeon, Zebulun, Issachar, and the most of Levi having received their lot, we cannot but mark the divine hand of providence in causing the sons of Jacob's lawful wives, to inherit before the sons of the dotal maids. Surely this is an argument that the covenant blessings of heaven give a pointed preference to the children born in honourable marriage.

Asher's lot was happy in agricultural abundance; but little remarkable is said of him; except that Anna, the prophetess, who entered the temple when our Saviour was presented, was born of this tribe.

Naphtali had the northern lot; his bounds were not exactly fixed; in that view he was “a hind let loose.”

Dan's lot fell out in Philistia, and he was not able to conquer many of the towns repossessed by the heathen. Therefore part of this lot being wrested from him, and the best part too, Judges 1:34, he sent out after Joshua's death an armed colony to the north, as far as Leshem, at the foot of mount Lebanon, and called it Dan, after the name of his father. Hence came the phrase, “from Dan to Beersheba,” the one city being in the north, and the other in the south.

Lastly, we are struck with the disinterestedness of Joshua: like Moses, he sought nothing for himself. He amply rewarded Caleb, as the Lord had promised, and he equally rewarded Machir; but he overlooked himself to the last, and accepted a small gift in his own tribe on the side of a hill, whose town was destroyed. This town he was obliged to rebuild, and in great peace and quiet he spent the remains of life, making no higher figure in Israel than any other head of a great family. In this he was the more strikingly a figure of Jesus Christ, who made the people his portion, and Jacob the lot of his inheritance.

Related Commentaries of Joshua 19:1

Joshua 19:1-51

1 And the second lot came forth to Simeon, even for the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families: and their inheritance was within the inheritance of the children of Judah.

2 And they had in their inheritance Beersheba, or Sheba, and Moladah,

3 And Hazarshual, and Balah, and Azem,

4 And Eltolad, and Bethul, and Hormah,

5 And Ziklag, and Bethmarcaboth, and Hazarsusah,

6 And Bethlebaoth, and Sharuhen; thirteen cities and their villages:

7 Ain, Remmon, and Ether, and Ashan; four cities and their villages:

8 And all the villages that were round about these cities to Baalathbeer, Ramath of the south. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families.

9 Out of the portion of the children of Judah was the inheritance of the children of Simeon: for the part of the children of Judah was too much for them: therefore the children of Simeon had their inheritance within the inheritance of them.

10 And the third lot came up for the children of Zebulun according to their families: and the border of their inheritance was unto Sarid:

11 And their border went up toward the sea, and Maralah, and reached to Dabbasheth, and reached to the river that is before Jokneam;

12 And turned from Sarid eastward toward the sunrising unto the border of Chislothtabor, and then goeth out to Daberath, and goeth up to Japhia,

13 And from thence passeth on along on the east to Gittahhepher, to Ittahkazin, and goeth out to Remmonmethoar to Neah;

14 And the border compasseth it on the north side to Hannathon: and the outgoings thereof are in the valley of Jiphthahel:

15 And Kattath, and Nahallal, and Shimron, and Idalah, and Bethlehem: twelve cities with their villages.

16 This is the inheritance of the children of Zebulun according to their families, these cities with their villages.

17 And the fourth lot came out to Issachar, for the children of Issachar according to their families.

18 And their border was toward Jezreel, and Chesulloth, and Shunem,

19 And Hapharaim, and Shion, and Anaharath,

20 And Rabbith, and Kishion, and Abez,

21 And Remeth, and Engannim, and Enhaddah, and Bethpazzez;

22 And the coast reacheth to Tabor, and Shahazimah, and Bethshemesh; and the outgoings of their border were at Jordan: sixteen cities with their villages.

23 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Issachar according to their families, the cities and their villages.

24 And the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families.

25 And their border was Helkath, and Hali, and Beten, and Achshaph,

26 And Alammelech, and Amad, and Misheal; and reacheth to Carmel westward, and to Shihorlibnath;

27 And turneth toward the sunrising to Bethdagon, and reacheth to Zebulun, and to the valley of Jiphthahel toward the north side of Bethemek, and Neiel, and goeth out to Cabul on the left hand,

28 And Hebron, and Rehob, and Hammon, and Kanah, even unto great Zidon;

29 And then the coast turneth to Ramah, and to the strong city Tyre;a and the coast turneth to Hosah; and the outgoings thereof are at the sea from the coast to Achzib:

30 Ummah also, and Aphek, and Rehob: twenty and two cities with their villages.

31 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families, these cities with their villages.

32 The sixth lot came out to the children of Naphtali, even for the children of Naphtali according to their families.

33 And their coast was from Heleph, from Allon to Zaanannim, and Adami, Nekeb, and Jabneel, unto Lakum; and the outgoings thereof were at Jordan:

34 And then the coast turneth westward to Aznothtabor, and goeth out from thence to Hukkok, and reacheth to Zebulun on the south side, and reacheth to Asher on the west side, and to Judah upon Jordan toward the sunrising.

35 And the fenced cities are Ziddim, Zer, and Hammath, Rakkath, and Chinnereth,

36 And Adamah, and Ramah, and Hazor,

37 And Kedesh, and Edrei, and Enhazor,

38 And Iron, and Migdalel, Horem, and Bethanath, and Bethshemesh; nineteen cities with their villages.

39 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Naphtali according to their families, the cities and their villages.

40 And the seventh lot came out for the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families.

41 And the coast of their inheritance was Zorah, and Eshtaol, and Irshemesh,

42 And Shaalabbin, and Ajalon, and Jethlah,

43 And Elon, and Thimnathah, and Ekron,

44 And Eltekeh, and Gibbethon, and Baalath,

45 And Jehud, and Beneberak, and Gathrimmon,

46 And Mejarkon, and Rakkon, with the border beforeb Japho.

47 And the coast of the children of Dan went out too little for them: therefore the children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem, and took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and possessed it, and dwelt therein, and called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their father.

48 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families, these cities with their villages.

49 When they had made an end of dividing the land for inheritance by their coasts, the children of Israel gave an inheritance to Joshua the son of Nun among them:

50 According to the word of the LORD they gave him the city which he asked, even Timnathserah in mount Ephraim: and he built the city, and dwelt therein.

51 These are the inheritances, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, divided for an inheritance by lot in Shiloh before the LORD, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. So they made an end of dividing the country.