28 and Zelah, Eleph, and Jebusi (it `is' Jerusalem), Gibeath, Kirjath: fourteen cities and their villages. This `is' the inheritance of the sons of Benjamin, for their families.
and the border hath gone up the valley of the son of Hinnom, unto the side of the Jebusite on the south (it `is' Jerusalem), and the border hath gone up unto the top of the hill-country which `is' on the front of the valley of Hinnom westward, which `is' in the extremity of the valley of the Rephaim northward;
and bury the bones of Saul and of Jonathan his son in the land of Benjamin, in Zelah, in the burying-place of Kish his father, and do all that the king commanded, and God is entreated for the land afterwards.
`And ye have inherited the land by lot, by your families; to the many ye increase their inheritance, and to the few ye diminish their inheritance; whither the lot goeth out to him, it is his; by the tribes of your fathers ye inherit.
As to the Jebusites, inhabitants of Jerusalem, the sons of Judah have not been able to dispossess them, and the Jebusite dwelleth with the sons of Judah in Jerusalem unto this day.
and the border hath come down unto the extremity of the hill which `is' on the front of the valley of the son of Hinnom, which `is' in the valley of the Rephaim northward, and hath gone down the valley of Hinnom unto the side of Jebusi southward, and gone down `to' En-Rogel,
And his lord saith unto him, `Let us not turn aside unto the city of a stranger, that is not of the sons of Israel, thither, but we have passed over unto Gibeah.' And he saith to his young man, `Come, and we draw near to one of the places, and have lodged in Gibeah, or in Ramah.' And they pass over, and go on, and the sun goeth in upon them near Gibeah, which is to Benjamin; and they turn aside there to go in to lodge in Gibeah, and he goeth in and sitteth in a broad place of the city, and there is no man gathering them into the house to lodge.
And the man, the Levite, husband of the woman who hath been murdered, answereth and saith, `Into Gibeah (which `is' to Benjamin) I have come, I and my concubine, to lodge; and rise against me do the masters of Gibeah -- and they go round the house against me by night -- me they thought to slay, and my concubine they have humbled, and she dieth;
And Samuel riseth, and goeth up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin; and Saul inspecteth the people who are found with him, about six hundred men, and Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people who are found with them, are abiding in Gibeah of Benjamin, and the Philistines have encamped in Michmash.
And David saith on that day, `Any one smiting the Jebusite, (let him go up by the watercourse), and the lame and the blind -- the hated of David's soul,' -- because the blind and lame say, `He doth not come into the house.'
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Joshua 18
Commentary on Joshua 18 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 18
In this chapter we have,
Jos 18:1
In the midst of the story of the dividing of the land comes in this account of the setting up of the tabernacle, which had hitherto continued in its old place in the centre of their camp; but now that three of the four squadrons that used to surround it in the wilderness were broken and diminished, those of Judah, Ephraim, and Reuben, by the removal of those tribes to their respective possessions, and that of Dan only remained entire, it was time to think of removing the tabernacle itself into a city. Many a time the priests and Levites had taken it down, carried it, and set it up again in the wilderness, according to the directions given them (Num. 4:5, etc.); but now they must do it for good and all, not one of the stakes thereof must any more be removed, nor any of the cords thereof broken, Isa. 33:20. Observe,
Jos 18:2-10
Here,
Jos 18:11-28
We have here the lot of the tribe of Benjamin, which Providence cast next to Joseph on the one hand, because Benjamin was own and only brother to Joseph, and was little Benjamin (Ps. 68:27), that needed the protection of great Joseph, and yet had a better protector, for the Lord shall cover him all the day long, Deu. 33:12. And it was next to Judah on the other hand, that this tribe might hereafter unite with Judah in an adherence to the throne of David and the temple at Jerusalem. Here we have,