7 And the border H1366 went up H5927 toward Debir H1688 from the valley H6010 of Achor, H5911 and so northward, H6828 looking H6437 toward Gilgal, H1537 that is before H5227 the going up H4608 to Adummim, H131 which is on the south side H5045 of the river: H5158 and the border H1366 passed H5674 toward the waters H4325 of Enshemesh, H5885 and the goings out H8444 thereof were at Enrogel: H5883
Now Jonathan H3083 and Ahimaaz H290 stayed H5975 by Enrogel; H5883 for they might H3201 not be seen H7200 to come H935 into the city: H5892 and a wench H8198 went H1980 and told H5046 them; and they went H3212 and told H5046 king H4428 David. H1732
And Adonijah H138 slew H2076 sheep H6629 and oxen H1241 and fat cattle H4806 by the stone H68 of Zoheleth, H2120 which is by H681 Enrogel, H5883 and called H7121 all his brethren H251 the king's H4428 sons, H1121 and all the men H582 of Judah H3063 the king's H4428 servants: H5650
And they raised H6965 over him a great H1419 heap H1530 of stones H68 unto this day. H3117 So the LORD H3068 turned H7725 from the fierceness H2740 of his anger. H639 Wherefore the name H8034 of that place H4725 was called, H7121 The valley H6010 of Achor, H5911 unto this day. H3117
And the people H5971 came up H5927 out of Jordan H3383 on the tenth H6218 day of the first H7223 month, H2320 and encamped H2583 in Gilgal, H1537 in the east H4217 border H7097 of Jericho. H3405
And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Joshua, H3091 This day H3117 have I rolled away H1556 the reproach H2781 of Egypt H4714 from off you. Wherefore the name H8034 of the place H4725 is called H7121 Gilgal H1537 unto this day. H3117 And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 encamped H2583 in Gilgal, H1537 and kept H6213 the passover H6453 on the fourteenth H702 H6240 day H3117 of the month H2320 at even H6153 in the plains H6160 of Jericho. H3405
And Joshua, H3091 and all Israel H3478 with him, took H3947 Achan H5912 the son H1121 of Zerah, H2226 and the silver, H3701 and the garment, H155 and the wedge H3956 of gold, H2091 and his sons, H1121 and his daughters, H1323 and his oxen, H7794 and his asses, H2543 and his sheep, H6629 and his tent, H168 and all that he had: and they brought H5927 them unto the valley H6010 of Achor. H5911
And Joshua H3091 returned, H7725 and all Israel H3478 with him, to Debir; H1688 and fought H3898 against it: And he took H3920 it, and the king H4428 thereof, and all the cities H5892 thereof; and they smote H5221 them with the edge H6310 of the sword, H2719 and utterly destroyed H2763 all the souls H5315 that were therein; he left H7604 none remaining: H8300 as he had done H6213 to Hebron, H2275 so he did H6213 to Debir, H1688 and to the king H4428 thereof; as he had done H6213 also to Libnah, H3841 and to her king. H4428
And Sharon H8289 shall be a fold H5116 of flocks, H6629 and the valley H6010 of Achor H5911 a place for the herds H1241 to lie down in, H7258 for my people H5971 that have sought H1875 me.
For their mother H517 hath played the harlot: H2181 she that conceived H2029 them hath done shamefully: H3001 for she said, H559 I will go H3212 after H310 my lovers, H157 that give H5414 me my bread H3899 and my water, H4325 my wool H6785 and my flax, H6593 mine oil H8081 and my drink. H8250
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Joshua 15
Commentary on Joshua 15 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 15
Jos 15:1-12. Borders of the Lot of Judah.
1. This then was the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah—In what manner the lot was drawn on this occasion the sacred historian does not say; but it is probable that the method adopted was similar to that described in Jos 18:10. Though the general survey of the country had not been completed, some rough draft or delineation of the first conquered part must have been made, and satisfactory evidence obtained that it was large enough to furnish three cantons, before all the tribes cast lots for them; and they fell to Judah, Ephraim, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. The lot of Judah came first, in token of the pre-eminence of that tribe over all the others; and its destined superiority thus received the visible sanction of God. The territory, assigned to it as a possession, was large and extensive, being bounded on the south by the wilderness of Zin, and the southern extremity of the Salt Sea (Nu 34:3-5); on the east, by that sea, extending to the point where it receives the waters of the Jordan; on the north, by a line drawn nearly parallel to Jerusalem, across the country, from the northern extremity of the Salt Sea to the southern limits of the Philistine territory, and to the Mediterranean; and on the west this sea was its boundary, as far as Sihor (Wady El-Arish).
2. the bay—Hebrew, "tongue." It pushes its waters out in this form to a great distance [Robinson].
3. Maaleh-akrabbim—Hebrew, "the ascent of scorpions"; a pass in the "bald mountain" (see on Jos 11:17), probably much infested by these venomous reptiles.
5. the end—that is, the mouth of the Jordan.
6. Beth-hogla—now Ain Hajla, a fine spring of clear and sweet water, at the northern extremity of the Dead Sea, about two miles from the Jordan [Robinson].
Beth-arabah—"the house," or "place of solitude," in the desert of Judah (Jos 15:61).
stone of Bohan the son of Reuben—the sepulchral monument of a Reubenite leader, who had been distinguished for his bravery, and had fallen in the Canaanite war.
7. Achor—(see on Jos 7:26).
Adummim—a rising ground in the wilderness of Jericho, on the south of the little brook that flowed near Jericho (Jos 16:1).
En-shemesh—"the fountain of the sun"; "either the present well of the apostle, below Bethany, on the road to Jericho, or the fountain near to St. Saba" [Robinson].
En-rogel—"the fuller's fountain," on the southeast of Jerusalem, below the spot where the valleys of Jehoshaphat and Hinnom unite.
Jos 15:13-15. Caleb's Portion and Conquest.
13. unto Caleb he gave a part among the children of Judah—(See on Jos 14:6).
14. drove thence the three sons of Anak—rather three chiefs of the Anakim race. This exploit is recorded to the honor of Caleb, as the success of it was the reward of his trust in God.
15. Debir—"oracle." Its former name, Kirjath-sepher, signifies "city of the book," being probably a place where public registers were kept.
Jos 15:16-20. Othniel, for His Valor, Has Achsah to Wife.
16-20. He that smiteth Kirjath-sepher—This offer was made as an incentive to youthful bravery (see on 1Sa 17:25); and the prize was won by Othniel, Caleb's younger brother (Jud 1:13; 3:9). This was the occasion of drawing out the latent energies of him who was destined to be the first judge in Israel.
18, 19. as she came unto him—that is, when about to remove from her father's to her husband's house. She suddenly alighted from her travelling equipage—a mark of respect to her father, and a sign of making some request. She had urged Othniel to broach the matter, but he not wishing to do what appeared like evincing a grasping disposition, she resolved herself to speak out. Taking advantage of the parting scene when a parent's heart was likely to be tender, she begged (as her marriage portion consisted of a field which, having a southern exposure, was comparatively an arid and barren waste) he would add the adjoining one, which abounded in excellent springs. The request being reasonable, it was granted; and the story conveys this important lesson in religion, that if earthly parents are ready to bestow on their children that which is good, much more will our heavenly Father give every necessary blessing to them who ask Him.
Jos 15:21-63. Cities of Judah.
21-63. the uttermost cities of the tribe of the children of Judah—There is given a list of cities within the tribal territory of Judah, arranged in four divisions, corresponding to the districts of which it consisted—the cities in the southern part (Jos 15:21-32), those in the lowlands (Jos 15:33-47), those in the highlands (Jos 15:48-60), and those in the desert (Jos 15:61, 62). One gets the best idea of the relative situation of these cities by looking at the map.