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Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
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Matthew Henry |
J O S H U A
CHAP. XV.
Though the land was not completely conquered, yet being (as was said in
the close of the foregoing chapter) as rest from war for the present,
and their armies all drawn out of the field to a general rendezvous at
Gilgal, there they began to divide the land, though the work was
afterwards perfected at Shiloh,
&c. In this chapter we have the lot of the tribe of Judah, which in
this, as in other things, had the precedency.
I. The borders or bounds of the inheritance of Judah,
II. The particular assignment of Hebron and the country thereabout to
Caleb and his family,
III. The names of the several cities that fell within Judah’s lot,
| The Lot of Judah. | B. C. 1444. |
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1 This then was the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah
by their families; even to the border of Edom the wilderness of
Zin southward was the uttermost part of the south coast.
2 And their south border was from the shore of the salt sea,
from the bay that looketh southward:
3 And it went out to the south side to Maaleh-acrabbim, and
passed along to Zin, and ascended up on the south side unto
Kadesh-barnea, and passed along to Hezron, and went up to Adar,
and fetched a compass to Karkaa:
4 From thence it passed toward Azmon, and went out unto the
river of Egypt; and the goings out of that coast were at the sea:
this shall be your south coast.
5 And the east border was the salt sea, even unto the end
of Jordan. And their border in the north quarter was from the
bay of the sea at the uttermost part of Jordan:
6 And the border went up to Beth-hogla, and passed along by the
north of Beth-arabah; and the border went up to the stone of Bohan
the son of Reuben:
7 And the border went up toward Debir from the valley of Achor,
and so northward, looking toward Gilgal, that is before the
going up to Adummim, which is on the south side of the river:
and the border passed toward the waters of En-shemesh, and the
goings out thereof were at En-rogel:
8 And the border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom
unto the south side of the Jebusite; the same is Jerusalem: and
the border went up to the top of the mountain that lieth before
the valley of Hinnom westward, which is at the end of the
valley of the giants northward:
9 And the border was drawn from the top of the hill unto the
fountain of the water of Nephtoah, and went out to the cities of
mount Ephron; and the border was drawn to Baalah, which is
Kirjath-jearim:
10 And the border compassed from Baalah westward unto mount
Seir, and passed along unto the side of mount Jearim, which is
Chesalon, on the north side, and went down to Beth-shemesh, and
passed on to Timnah:
11 And the border went out unto the side of Ekron northward:
and the border was drawn to Shicron, and passed along to mount
Baalah, and went out unto Jabneel; and the goings out of the
border were at the sea.
12 And the west border was to the great sea, and the coast
thereof. This is the coast of the children of Judah round
about according to their families.
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, Naphtali and Asher, to Joseph. These two were
first set up to be provided for, it should seem, before there was such
an exact survey of the land as we find afterwards,
It is probable that the most considerable parts of the northern and
southern countries, and those that lay nearest to Gilgal, and which the
people were best acquainted with, were first put into two portions, and
the lot was cast upon them between these two principal tribes, of the
one of which Joshua was, and of the other Caleb, who was the first
commissioner in this writ of partition; and, by the decision of that
lot, the southern country, of which we have an account in this chapter,
fell to Judah, and the northern, of which we have an account in the two
following chapters, to Joseph. And when this was done there was a more
equal dividend (either in quantity or quality) of the remainder among
the seven tribes. And this, probably, was intended in that general rule
which was given concerning this partition
to the more you shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer
you shall give the less, and every man’s inheritance shall be
where his lot falleth; that is, “You shall appoint two greater
portions which shall be determined by lot to those more numerous tribes
of Judah and Joseph, and then the rest shall be less portions to be
allotted to the less numerous tribes.” The former was done in Gilgal,
the latter in Shiloh.
In these verses, we have the borders of the lot of Judah, which, as the
rest, is said to be by their families, that is, with an eye to
the number of their families. And it intimates that Joshua and Eleazar,
and the rest of the commissioners, when they had by lot given each
tribe its portion, did afterwards (it is probable by lot likewise)
subdivide those larger portions, and assign to each family its
inheritance, and then to each household, which would be better done by
this supreme authority, and be apt to give less disgust than if it had
been left to the inferior magistrates of each tribe to make that
distribution. The borders of this tribe are here largely fixed, yet not
unalterably, for a good deal of that which lies within these bounds was
afterwards assigned to the lots of Simeon and Dan.
1. The eastern border was all, and only, the Salt Sea,
v. 5.
Every sea is salt, but this was of an extraordinary and more than
natural saltness, the effects of that fire and brimstone with which
Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed in Abraham’s time, whose ruins lie
buried in the bottom of this dead water, which never either was moved
itself or had any living thing in it.
2. The southern border was that of the land of Canaan in general, as
will appear by comparing
So that this powerful and warlike tribe of Judah guarded the frontiers
of the whole land, on that side which lay towards their old sworn
enemies (though their two fathers were twin-brethren), the Edomites.
Our Lord therefore, who sprang out of Judah, and whose the
kingdom is, shall judge the mount of Esau,
Obad. 21.
3. The northern border divided it from the lot of Benjamin. In this,
mention is made of the stone of Bohan a Reubenite
(v. 6),
who probably was a great commander of those forces of Reuben that came
over Jordan, and died in the camp at Gilgal, and was buried not far off
under this stone. The valley of Achor likewise lies upon this border
(v. 7),
to remind the men of Judah of the trouble which Achan, one of their
tribe, gave to the congregation of Israel, that they might not be too
much lifted up with their services. This northern line touched closely
upon Jerusalem
(v. 8),
so closely as to include in the lot of this tribe Mount Zion and Mount
Moriah, though the greater part of the city lay in the lot of Benjamin.
4. The west border went near to the great sea at first
(v. 12),
but afterwards the lot of the tribe of Dan took off a good part of
Judah’s lot on that side; for the lot was only to determine between
Judah and Joseph, which should have the north and which the south, and
not immovably to fix the border of either. Judah’s inheritance had its
boundaries determined. Though it was a powerful warlike tribe, and had
a great interest in the other tribes, yet they must not therefore be
left to their own choice, to enlarge their possessions at pleasure, but
must live so as that their neighbours might live by them. Those that
are placed high yet must not think to be placed alone in the midst
of the earth.
| Caleb’s Inheritance. | B. C. 1444. |
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13 And unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a part among the
children of Judah, according to the commandment of the LORD to
Joshua, even the city of Arba the father of Anak, which city
is Hebron.
14 And Caleb drove thence the three sons of Anak, Sheshai, and
Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.
15 And he went up thence to the inhabitants of Debir: and the
name of Debir before was Kirjath-sepher.
16 And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjath-sepher, and taketh
it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife.
17 And Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it:
and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.
18 And it came to pass, as she came unto him, that she moved
him to ask of her father a field: and she lighted off her ass;
and Caleb said unto her, What wouldest thou?
19 Who answered, Give me a blessing; for thou hast given me a
south land; give me also springs of water. And he gave her the
upper springs, and the nether springs.
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
(v. 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 would not in this one single instance, no, not to gratify his old
friend Caleb, do otherwise, without orders from God, whose oracle, it
is probable, he consulted upon this occasion. In every doubtful case it
is very desirable to know the mind of God, and to see the way of our
duty plain.
2. It is said to be a part among the children of Judah; though
it was assigned him before the lot of that tribe came up, yet it
proved, God so directing the lot, to be in the heart of that tribe,
which was graciously ordered in kindness to him, that he might not be
as one separated from his brethren and surrounded by those of other
tribes.
II. Caleb having obtained this grant, we are told,
1. How he signalized his own valour in the conquest of Hebron
(v. 14):
He drove thence the three sons of Anak, he and those that he
engaged to assist him in this service. This is mentioned here to show
that the confidence he had expressed of success in this affair, through
the presence of God with him
(ch. xiv. 12),
did not deceive him, but the event answered his expectation. It is not
said that he slew these giants, but he drove them thence,
which intimates that they retired upon his approach and fled before
him; the strength and stature of their bodies could not keep up the
courage of their minds, but with the countenances of lions they had the
hearts of trembling hares. Thus does God often cut off the spirit of
princes
take away the heart of the chief of the people
(Job xii. 24),
and so shame the confidence of the proud; and thus if we resist the
devil, that roaring lion, though he fall not, yet he will flee.
2. How he encouraged the valour of those about him in the conquest of
Debir,
&c. It seems, though Joshua had once made himself master
of Debir
(ch. x. 39),
yet the Canaanites had regained the possession in the absence of the
army, so that the work had to be done a second time; and when Caleb had
completed the reduction of Hebron, which was for himself and his own
family, to show his zeal for the public good, as much as for his own
private interest, he pushes on his conquest to Debir, and will not lay
down his arms till he sees that city also effectually reduced, which
lay but ten miles southward from Hebron, though he had not any
particular concern in it, but the reducing of it would be to the
general advantage of his tribe. Let us learn hence not to seek and mind
our own things only, but to concern and engage ourselves for the
welfare of the community we are members of; we are not born for
ourselves, nor must we live to ourselves.
(1.) Notice is taken of the name of this city. It had been called
Kirjath-sepher, the city of a book, and Kirjath-sannah
(v. 49),
which some translate the city of learning (so the LXX.
Polis grammaton), whence some conjecture that it had been
a university among the Canaanites, like Athens in Greece, in which
their youth were educated; or perhaps the books of their chronicles or
records, or the antiquities of the nation, were laid up there; and, it
may be, this was it that made Caleb so desirous to see Israel master of
this city, that they might get acquainted with the ancient learning of
the Canaanites.
(2.) The proffer that Caleb made of his daughter, and a good portion
with her, to any one that would undertake to reduce that city, and to
command the forces that should be employed in that service,
Thus Saul promised a daughter to him that would kill Goliath
neither of them intending to force his daughter to marry such as she
could not love, but both of them presuming upon their daughters’
obedience, and submission to their fathers’ will, though it might be
contrary to their own humour or inclination. Caleb’s family was not
long honourable and wealthy, but religious; he that himself followed
the Lord fully no doubt taught his children to do so, and therefore
it could not but be a desirable match to any young gentleman. Caleb,
in making the proposal, aims,
[1.] To do service to his country by the reducing of that important
place; and,
[2.] To marry a daughter well, to a man of learning, that would have a
particular affection for the city of books, and a man of war,
that would be likely to serve his country, and do worthily in his
generation. Could he but marry his child to a man of such a character,
he would think her well bestowed, whether the share in the lot of his
tribe were more or less.
(3.) The place was bravely taken by Othniel, a nephew of Caleb, whom
probably Caleb had thoughts of when he made the proffer,
This Othniel, who thus signalized himself when he was young, had long
after, in his advanced years, the honour to be both a deliverer and a
judge in Israel, the first single person that presided in their affairs
after Joshua’s death. It is good for those who are setting out in the
world to begin betimes with that which is great and good, that,
excelling in service when they are young, they may excel in honour when
they grow old.
(4.) Hereupon (all parties being agreed) Othniel married his
cousin-german Achsah, Caleb’s daughter. It is probable that he had a
kindness for her before, which put him upon this bold undertaking to
obtain her. Love to his country, an ambition of honour, and a desire to
find favour with the princes of his people, might not have engaged him
in this great action, but his affection for Achsah did. This made it
intolerable to him to think that any one should do more to win her
favour than he would, and so inspired him with this generous fire. Thus
is love strong as death, and jealousy cruel as the grave.
(5.) Because the historian is now upon the dividing of the land, he
gives us an account of Achsah’s portion, which was in land, as more
valuable because enjoyed by virtue of the divine promise, though we may
suppose the conquerors of Canaan, who had had the spoil of so many rich
cities, were full of money too.
[1.] Some land she obtained by Caleb’s free grant, which was allowed
while she married within her own tribe and family, as Zelophehad’s
daughters did. He gave her a south land,
v. 19.
Land indeed, but a south land, dry, and apt to be parched.
[2.] She obtained more upon her request; she would have had her husband
to ask for a field, probably some particular field, or champaign
ground, which belonged to Caleb’s lot, and joined to that south land
which he had settled upon his daughter at marriage. She thought her
husband had the best interest in her father, who, no doubt, was
extremely pleased with his late glorious achievement, but he thought it
was more proper for her to ask, and she would be more likely to
prevail; accordingly she did, submitting to her husband’s judgment,
though contrary to her own; and she managed the undertaking with great
address. First, She took the opportunity when her father brought
her home to the house of her husband, when the satisfaction of having
disposed of his daughter so well would make him think nothing too much
to do for her. Secondly, She lighted off her ass, in
token of respect and reverence to her father, whom she would honour
still, as much as before her marriage. She cried or
sighed from off her ass, so the LXX. and the vulgar Latin read
it; she expressed some grief and concern, that she might give her
father occasion to ask her what she wanted. Thirdly, She calls
it a blessing, because it would add much to the comfort of her
settlement; and she was sure that, since she married not only with her
father’s consent, but in obedience to his command, he would not deny
her his blessing. Fourthly, She asks only for the water,
without which the ground she had would be of little use either for
tillage or pasture, but she means the field in which the springs of
water were. The modesty and reasonableness of her quest gave it a great
advantage. Earth without water would be like a tree without sap, or the
body of an animal without blood; therefore, when God gathered the
waters into one place, he wisely and graciously left some in every
place, that the earth might be enriched for the service of man. See
&c. Well, Achsah gained her point; her father gave her what she
asked, and perhaps more, for he gave her the upper springs and the
nether springs, two fields so called from the springs that were in
them, as we commonly distinguish between the higher field and the lower
field. Those who understand it but of one field, watered both with the
rain of heaven and the springs that issued out of the bowels of the
earth, give countenance to the allusion we commonly make to this, when
we pray for spiritual and heavenly blessings which relate to our souls
as blessings of the upper springs, and those which relate to the body
and the life that now is as blessings of the nether springs.
From this story we learn,
1. That it is no breach of the tenth commandment moderately to desire
those comforts and conveniences of this life which we see attainable in
a fair and regular way.
2. That husbands and wives should mutually advise, and jointly agree,
about that which is for the common good of their family; and much more
should they concur in asking of their heavenly Father the best
blessings, those of the upper springs.
3. That parents must never think that lost which is bestowed upon their
children for their real advantage, but must be free in giving them
portions as well as maintenance, especially when they are dutiful.
Caleb had sons
and yet gave thus liberally to his daughter. Those parents forget
themselves and their relation who grudge their children what is
convenient for them when they can conveniently part with it.
| The Lot of Judah. | B. C. 1444. |
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20 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of
Judah according to their families.
21 And the uttermost cities of the tribe of the children of
Judah toward the coast of Edom southward were Kabzeel, and Eder,
and Jagur,
22 And Kinah, and Dimonah, and Adadah,
23 And Kedesh, and Hazor, and Ithnan,
24 Ziph, and Telem, and Bealoth,
25 And Hazor, Hadattah, and Kerioth, and Hezron, which is
Hazor,
26 Amam, and Shema, and Moladah,
27 And Hazar-gaddah, and Heshmon, and Beth-palet,
28 And Hazar-shual, and Beer-sheba, and Bizjoth-jah,
29 Baalah, and Iim, and Azem,
30 And Eltolad, and Chesil, and Hormah,
31 And Ziklag, and Madmannah, and Sansannah,
32 And Lebaoth, and Shilhim, and Ain, and Rimmon: all the
cities are twenty and nine, with their villages:
33 And in the valley, Eshtaol, and Zoreah, and Ashnah,
34 And Zanoah, and En-gannim, Tappuah, and Enam,
35 Jarmuth, and Adullam, Socoh, and Azekah,
36 And Sharaim, and Adithaim, and Gederah, and Gederothaim;
fourteen cities with their villages:
37 Zenan, and Hadashah, and Migdal-gad,
38 And Dilean, and Mizpeh, and Joktheel,
39 Lachish, and Bozkath, and Eglon,
40 And Cabbon, and Lahmam, and Kithlish,
41 And Gederoth, Beth-dagon, and Naamah, and Makkedah; sixteen
cities with their villages:
42 Libnah, and Ether, and Ashan,
43 And Jiphtah, and Ashnah, and Nezib,
44 And Keilah, and Achzib, and Mareshah; nine cities with their
villages:
45 Ekron, with her towns and her villages:
46 From Ekron even unto the sea, all that lay near Ashdod,
with their villages:
47 Ashdod with her towns and her villages, Gaza with her towns
and her villages, unto the river of Egypt, and the great sea, and
the border thereof:
48 And in the mountains, Shamir, and Jattir, and Socoh,
49 And Dannah, and Kirjath-sannah, which is Debir,
50 And Anab, and Eshtemoh, and Anim,
51 And Goshen, and Holon, and Giloh; eleven cities with their
villages:
52 Arab, and Dumah, and Eshean,
53 And Janum, and Beth-tappuah, and Aphekah,
54 And Humtah, and Kirjath-arba, which is Hebron, and Zior;
nine cities with their villages:
55 Maon, Carmel, and Ziph, and Juttah,
56 And Jezreel, and Jokdeam, and Zanoah,
57 Cain, Gibeah, and Timnah; ten cities with their villages:
58 Halhul, Beth-zur, and Gedor,
59 And Maarath, and Beth-anoth, and Eltekon; six cities with
their villages:
60 Kirjath-baal, which is Kirjath-jearim, and Rabbah; two
cities with their villages:
61 In the wilderness, Beth-arabah, Middin, and Secacah,
62 And Nibshan, and the city of Salt, and En-gedi; six cities
with their villages.
63 As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the
children of Judah could not drive them out: but the Jebusites
dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day.
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,
v. 21-32.
Here are thirty-eight named, and yet said to be twenty-nine
(v. 32),
because nine of these were afterwards transferred to the lot of Simeon,
and are reckoned as belonging to that, as appears by comparing
&c. therefore those only are counted (though the rest are named) which
remained to Judah.
2. Others that are said to be in the valley
(v. 33)
are counted to be fourteen, yet fifteen are named; but it is probable
that Gederah and Gederathaim were either two names or two parts of one
and the same city.
3. Then sixteen are named without any head of distinction,
and nine more,
4. Then the three Philistine-cities, Ekron, Ashdod, and Gaza,
5. Cities in the mountains, eleven in all
(v. 48-51),
nine more
(v. 52-54),
ten more
(v. 55-57),
six more
(v. 58, 59),
then two
(v. 60),
and six in the wilderness, a part of the country not so thick of
inhabitants as some others were.
II. Now here,
1. We do not find Bethlehem, which was afterwards the city of David,
and was ennobled by the birth of our Lord Jesus in it. But that city,
which at the best was but little among the thousands of Judah
(Mic. v. 2),
except that it was thus dignified, was now so little as not to be
accounted one of the cities, but perhaps was one of the villages not
named. Christ came to give honour to the places he was related to, not
to receive honour from them.
2. Jerusalem is said to continue in the hands of the Jebusites
(v. 63),
for the children of Judah could not drive them out, through
their sluggishness, stupidity, and unbelief. Had they attempted it with
vigour and resolution, we have reason to think God would not have been
wanting to them to give them success; but they could not do it, because
they would not. Jerusalem was afterwards to be the holy city, the royal
city, the city of the great King, the brightest ornament of all the
land of Israel. God has designed it should be so. It may therefore be
justly looked upon as a punishment of their neglect to conquer other
cities which God had given them that they were so long kept out of
this.
3. Among the cities of Judah (in all 114) we meet with Libnah, which
in Joram’s days revolted, and probably set up for a free independent
state
and Lachish, where king Amaziah was slain
it led the dance in idolatry
(Mic. i. 13);
it was the beginning of sin to the daughter of Zion. Giloh,
Ahithophel’s town, is here mentioned, and Tekoa, of which the prophet
Amos was, and near which Jehoshaphat obtained that glorious victory,
&c., and Maresha, where Asa was a conqueror. Many of the cities of this
tribe occur in the history of David’s troubles. Adullam, Ziph, Keilah,
Maon, Engedi, Ziklag, here reckoned in this tribe, were places near
which David had most of his haunts; for, though sometimes Saul drove
him out from the inheritance of the Lord, yet he kept as close to it as
he could. The wilderness of Judah he frequented much, and in it John
Baptist preached, and there the kingdom of heaven commenced,
The riches of this country no doubt answered Jacob’s blessing of this
tribe, that he should wash his garments in wine,
Gen. xlix. 11.
And, in general, Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall
praise, not envy.
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