Chapter 15:
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Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Deuteronomy Judges
Joshua 15
The bounds of the inheritance of Judah, ver. 1-12. The
assignment of Hebron to Caleb and his family, ver. 13-19. The
cities of Judah, ver. 20-63.
Verse 1. The lot - For the general understanding of this, it must be
known
1. That casting lots was transacted with great seriousness and
solemnity, in God's presence, with prayer and appeal to him for
the decision of the matter.
2. That although exact survey of this land was not taken 'till chap.
xviii, 4, 5, yet there was, and must needs be a general description
of it, and a division thereof into nine parts and an half; which, as
far as they could guess, were equal either in quantity or quality.
3. That the lot did not at this time so unchangeably determine each
tribe, that their portion could neither be increased or diminished;
as is manifest, because after Judah's lot was fixed, Simeon's lot
was taken out of it, chap. xix, 9, though after the land was more
distinctly known and surveyed, it is likely the bounds were more
certain and fixed.
4. That the lot determined only in general what part of the land
belonged to each tribe, but left the particulars to be determined by
Joshua and Eleazar. For the manner of this, it is probably
conceived, that there was two pots, into one of which were put the
names of all the tribes, each in a distinct paper, and into the other
the names of each portion described; then Eleazar or some other
person, drew out first the name of one of the tribes out of one pot,
and then the name of one portion out of the other, and that portion
was appropriated to that tribe. And with respect to these pots, in
the bottom of which the papers lay, these lots are often said to
come up, or come forth. Of Judah - Whose lot came out first by
God's disposition, as a note of his preeminency above his
brethren. Of Edom - Which lay southeast from Judah's portion.
Judah and Joseph were the two sons of Jacob, on whom Reuben's
forfeited birthright devolved. Judah had the dominion entailed
upon him, and Joseph the double portion. Therefore these two
tribes are first seated: and on them the other seven attended.
Verse 2. The bay - Hebrew. the tongue: either a creek or arm of that sea;
or a promontory, which by learned authors is sometimes called a
tongue. Every sea is salt, but this had an extraordinary saltness,
the effect of that fire and brimstone which destroyed Sodom and
Gomorrah: the ruins of which lie buried at the bottom of this dead
water, which never was moved itself by any tides, nor had any
living thing in it.
Verse 5. The end of Jordan - That is, the place where Jordan runs into
the salt-sea.
Verse 6. The stone of Bohan - A place so called, not from Bohan's
dwelling there, (for the Reubenites had no portion on this side
Jordan) but from some notable exploit which he did there, though
it is not recorded in scripture.
Verse 8. Went up - Properly; for the line went from Jordan and the salt
sea, to the higher grounds nigh Jerusalem; and therefore the line is
said to go down, chap. xviii, 16, because there it takes a contrary
course, and goes downward to Jordan and the sea. Valley of
Hinnom - A very pleasant place, but afterward made infamous. Of
the Jebusites - Of the city of the Jebusites, which was anciently
called Jebussi. Jerusalem - It may seem hence, that Jerusalem
properly, or at least principally, belonged to Benjamin; and yet it
is ascribed to Judah also; either because a part of the city was
allotted to Judah; or because the Benjamites desired the help and
conjunction of this powerful tribe of Judah, for the getting and
keeping of this most important place. And when the Benjamites
had in vain attempted to drive out the Jebusites, this work was at
last done by the tribe of Judah, who therefore had an interest in it
by the right of war; as Ziglag which belonged to the tribe of
Simeon, being gotten from the Philistines by David, was joined by
him to his tribe of Judah, 1 Sam. xxvii, 6.
Verse 10. Mount Seir - Not that of Edom, but another so called from
some resemblance it had to it.
Verse 13. He - Joshua. City of Arba - Or, Kirjath-arba. Not the city,
which was the Levites, but the territory of it, chap. xxi, 13.
Verse 14. Drove thence - That is, from the said territory, from their
caves and forts in it. These giants having either recovered their
cities, or defended themselves in the mountains. Three sons of
Anak - Either the same who are mentioned, Num. xiii, 33, and so
they were long-lived men, such as mainly were in those times and
places: or their sons, called by their father's names, which is very
usual.
Verse 15. Debir - The same mentioned above, ver. 7. The name was
Kirjath-sepher - This clause seems to be added to distinguish this
from the other Debir subdued by Joshua, chap. x, 38, 39.
Verse 16. To wife - Which is to be understood with some conditions, as,
if he were one who could marry her by God's law; and if she were
willing; for though parents had a great power over their children,
they could not force them to marry any person against their own
wills. He might otherwise be an unfit and unworthy person; but
this was a divine impulse, that Othniel's valour might be more
manifest, and so the way prepared for his future government of
the people, Judg. iii, 9.
Verse 18. As she came - Or, as she went, namely, from her father's
house to her husband's, as the manner was. She moved him - She
persuaded her husband, either,
1. That he would ask: or rather,
2. That he would suffer her to ask, as she did. She lighted - That
she might address herself to her father in an humble posture, and
as a suppliant, which he understood by her gesture.
Verse 19. A blessing - That is, a gift, as that word signifies, Gen. xxxiii, 11. A south land - That is, a dry land, much exposed to the south
wind, which in those parts was very hot and drying, as coming
from the deserts of Arabia. Springs of water - That is, a field,
wherein are springs of water, which in that country were of great
price; she begs a well moistened field, which also might give
some relief to that which was dry and barren. Upper and nether
springs - Or two fields, one above and the other below that south
and dry ground which she complained of, that by this means it
might be watered on both sides.
Verse 32. Twenty nine - Here are thirty seven or thirty eight cities
named before; how then are they only reckoned twenty nine?
There were only twenty nine of them, which either,
1. properly belonged to Judah; the rest fell to Simeon's lot; or
2. Were cities properly so called, that is, walled cities, or such as
had villages under them, as it here follows; the rest being great,
but unwalled towns, or such as had no villages under them.
Verse 48. The mountains - That is, in the higher grounds called
mountains or hills, in comparison of the sea-coast.
Verse 55. Ziph - Which gave its name to the neighbouring mountains, 1
Sam. xxvi, 1.
Verse 62. City of salt - So called either from the salt sea, which was near
it; or from the salt which was made in, or about it.
Verse 63. Inhabitants of Jerusalem - For though Jerusalem was in part
taken by Joshua before this; yet the upper and stronger part of it,
called Zion, was still kept by the Jebusites, even until David's
time; and it seems from thence they descended to the lower town
called Jerusalem, and took it so that the Israelites were forced to
win it a second time; yea, and a third time also: for afterwards it
was possessed by the Jebusites, Judg. xix, 11; 2 Sam. v, 6, 7.
Could not drive them out - Namely, because of their unbelief, as
Christ could do no mighty work, because of the peoples unbelief,
Mark vi, 5, 6 Matt. xiii, 58, and because of their sloth, and
cowardice, and wickedness, whereby they forfeited God's help.
The children of Judah - The same things which are here said of
the children of Judah, are said of the Benjamites, Judg. i, 21.
Hence ariseth a question, To which of the tribes Jerusalem
belonged? It seems probable, that part of it, and indeed the
greatest part, stood in the tribe of Benjamin; and hence this is
mentioned in the list of their cities, and not in Judah's list; and part
of it stood in Judah's share, even mount Moriah, on which the
temple was built; and mount Sion, when it was taken from the
Jebusites. To this day - When this book was written, whether in
Joshua's life, which continued many years after the taking of
Jerusalem; or after his death, when this clause was added by some
other man of God. But this must be done before David's time,
when the Jebusites were quite expelled, and their fort taken.
Chapter 15:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Deuteronomy Judges
This version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible is a derivative of an electronic version, Copyright 1997, by Sulu D. Kelley. All rights reserved. Used by permission. It may not be modified or used commercially without permission of Wesleyan Heritage Publishing and Sulu Kelley. A special thanks to Mr. Kelley and Wesleyan Heritage Publishing for permission to create and post this version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible.
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