1The second lot came out for Simeon, for the tribe of the sons of Simeon according to their families. And their inheritance was within the inheritance of the sons of Judah. 2They had in their inheritance Beer-sheba (Sheba), Moladah, 3Hazar Shual, Balah, Ezem, 4Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah, 5Ziklag, Beth Marcaboth, Hazar Susah, 6Beth Lebaoth, and Sharuhen: thirteen cities and their villages; 7Ain, Rimmon, Ether, and Ashan: four cities and their villages; 8and all the villages that were all around these cities as far as Baalath Beer, Ramah of the south. This was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Simeon according to their families. 9The inheritance of the sons of Simeon was included in the portion of the sons of Judah, for the portion of the sons of Judah was too much for them. Therefore the sons of Simeon had their inheritance within their inheritance. 10The third lot came out for the sons of Zebulun according to their families, and the border of their inheritance was as far as Sarid. 11Their border went toward the west and to Maralah, went to Dabbasheth, and extended along the brook that is in front of Jokneam. 12Then from Sarid it turned eastward toward the sunrise along the border of Chisloth Tabor, and went out toward Daberath, going up to Japhia. 13And from there it passed along on the east of Gath Hepher, toward Eth Kazin, and extended to Rimmon, to Neah. 14And the border went around it on the north side to Hannathon, and ended in the valley of Jiphthah El; 15and included Kattath, Nahallal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem: twelve cities with their villages. 16This was the inheritance of the sons of Zebulun according to their families, these cities with their villages. 17The fourth lot came out to Issachar, for the sons of Issachar according to their families. 18And their territory went to Jezreel, and included Chesulloth, Shunem, 19Haphraim, Shion, Anaharath, 20Rabbith, Kishion, Abez, 21Remeth, En Gannim, En Haddah, and Beth Pazzez. 22And the border reached to Tabor, Shahazimah, and Beth Shemesh; their border ended at the Jordan: sixteen cities with their villages. 23This was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Issachar according to their families, the cities and their villages. 24The fifth lot came out for the tribe of the sons of Asher according to their families. 25And their territory included Helkath, Hali, Beten, Achshaph, 26Alammelech, Amad, and Mishal; it reached to Mount Carmel westward, along the brook Shihor Libnath. 27It turned toward the sunrise to Beth Dagon; and it reached to Zebulun and to the Valley of Jiphthah El, then northward beyond Beth Emek and Neiel, going past Cabul on the left, 28including Ebron, Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah, as far as Greater Sidon. 29And the border turned to Ramah and to the fortified city of Tyre; from there the border turned to Hosah, and ended at the sea by the region of Achzib. 30Included also were Ummah, Aphek, and Rehob: twenty-two cities with their villages. 31This was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Asher according to their families, these cities with their villages. 32The sixth lot came out to the sons of Naphtali, for the sons of Naphtali according to their families. 33And their border began at Heleph, from Allon to Zaanannim, Adami Nekeb, and Jabneel, as far as Lakkum; it ended at the Jordan. 34And the border turned westward to Aznoth Tabor, and went out from there toward Hukkok; it extended to Zebulun on the south side and Asher on the west side, and ended at Judah by the Jordan toward the sunrise. 35And the fortified cities are Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Chinnereth, 36Adamah, Ramah, Hazor, 37Kedesh, Edrei, En Hazor, 38Iron, Migdal El, Horem, Beth Anath, and Beth Shemesh: nineteen cities with their villages. 39This was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Naphtali according to their families, the cities and their villages. 40The seventh lot came out for the tribe of the sons of Dan according to their families. 41And the territory of their inheritance was Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir Shemesh, 42Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Jethlah, 43Elon, Timnah, Ekron, 44Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath, 45Jehud, Bene Berak, Gath Rimmon, 46Me Jarkon, and Rakkon, with the region near Joppa. 47And the border of the sons of Dan went beyond these, because the sons of Dan went up to fight against Leshem and took it; and they struck it with the edge of the sword, dispossessed it, and dwelt in it. They called Leshem, Dan, after the name of their father Dan. 48This is the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Dan according to their families, these cities with their villages. 49When they had made an end of dividing the land as an inheritance according to their borders, the sons of Israel gave an inheritance among them to Joshua the son of Nun. 50According to the mouth of Jehovah they gave him the city which he asked for, Timnath Serah in the mountains of Ephraim. And he built the city and dwelt in it. 51These were the inheritances which Eleazar the priest, Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the sons of Israel divided as an inheritance by lot at Shiloh before Jehovah, at the door of the tent of meeting. Thus they made an end of dividing up the land.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 THE LOT OF SIMEON. (
Josh 19:1-
Josh 19:9)
the second lot came forth to Simeon--The next lot that was drawn at Shiloh, gave the tribe of Simeon his inheritance within the territory, which had been assigned to that of Judah. The knowledge of Canaan possessed by the Israelites, when the division of the land commenced, was but very general, being derived from the rapid sweep they had made over it during the course of conquest; and it was on the ground of that rough survey alone that the distribution proceeded, by which Judah received an inheritance. Time showed that this territory was too large (
Josh 19:9), either for their numbers, however great, to occupy and their arms to defend, or too large in proportion to the allotments of the other tribes. Justice therefore required (what kind and brotherly feeling readily dictated) a modification of their possession; and a part of it was appropriated to Simeon. By thus establishing it within the original domain of another tribe, the prophecy of Jacob in regard to Simeon was fulfilled (
Gen 49:7); for from its boundaries being not traced, there is reason to conclude that its people were divided and dispersed among those of Judah; and though one group of its cities named (
Josh 19:2-
Josh 19:6), gives the idea of a compact district, as it is usually represented by map makers, the other group (
Josh 19:7-
Josh 19:8) were situated, two in the south, and two elsewhere, with tracts of the country around them.
10 OF ZEBULUN. (
Josh 19:10-
Josh 19:16)
the third lot came up for the children of Zebulun--The boundaries of the possession assigned to them extended from the Lake of Chinnereth (Sea of Galilee) on the east, to the Mediterranean on the west. Although they do not seem at first to have touched on the western shore--a part of Manasseh running north into Asher (
Josh 17:10) --they afterwards did, according to the prediction of Moses (
Deut 33:19). The extent from north to south cannot be very exactly traced; the sites of many of the places through which the boundary line is drawn being unknown. Some of the cities were of note.
17 OF ISSACHAR. (
Josh 19:17-
Josh 19:23)
the fourth lot came out to Issachar--Instead of describing the boundaries of this tribe, the inspired historian gives a list of its principal cities. These cities are all in the eastern part of the plain of Esdraelon.
24 OF ASHER. (
Josh 19:24-
Josh 19:31)
the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher--The western boundary is traced from north to south through the cities mentioned; the site of them, however, is unknown.
26 to Carmel . . . and to Shihor-libnath--that is, the "black" or "muddy river"; probably the Nahr Belka, below Dor (Tantoura); for that town belonged to Asher (
Josh 17:10). Thence the boundary line turned eastward to Beth-dagon, a town at the junction of Zebulun and Naphtali, and ran northwards as far as Cabul, with other towns, among which is mentioned (
Josh 19:28) "great Zidon," so called on account of its being even then the flourishing metropolis of the Phśnicians. Though included in the inheritance of Asher, this town was never possessed by them (
Judg 1:31).
29 and then the coast turneth to Ramah--now El-Hamra, which stood where the Leontes (Litany) ends its southern course and flows westward.
and to the strong city Tyre--The original city appears to have stood on the mainland, and was well-fortified. From Tyre the boundary ran to Hosah, an inland town; and then, passing the unconquered district of Achzib (
Judg 1:31), terminated at the seacoast.
32 OF NAPHTALI. (
Josh 19:32-
Josh 19:39)
the sixth lot came out to the children of Naphtali--Although the cities mentioned have not been discovered, it is evident, from Zaanannim, which is by Kedesh, that is, on the northwest of Lake Merom (
Judg 4:11), that the boundary described (
Josh 19:34) ran from the southwest towards the northeast, up to the sources of the Jordan.
34 Aznoth-tabor--on the east of Tabor towards the Jordan, for the border ran thence to Hukkok, touching upon that of Zebulun; and as the territory of Zebulun did not extend as far as the Jordan, Aznoth-tabor and Hukkok must have been border towns on the line which separated Naphtali from Issachar.
to Judah upon Jordan toward the sunrising--The sixty cities, Havoth-jair, which were on the eastern side of the Jordan, opposite Naphtali, were reckoned as belonging to Judah, because Jair, their possessor, was a descendant of Judah (1Ch. 2:4-22) [KEIL].
40 OF DAN. (
Josh 19:40-
Josh 19:48)
the seventh lot came out for the tribe . . . Dan--It lay on the west of Benjamin and consisted of portions surrendered by Judah and Ephraim. Its boundaries are not stated, as they were easily distinguishable from the relative position of Dan to the three adjoining tribes.
47 the children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem--The Danites, finding their inheritance too small, decided to enlarge its boundaries by the sword; and, having conquered Leshem (Laish), they planted a colony there, calling the new settlement by the name of Dan (see on
Judg 18:7).
50 THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL GIVE AN INHERITANCE TO JOSHUA. (
Josh 19:49-
Josh 19:51)
According to the word of the Lord they gave him the city which he asked--It was most proper that the great leader should receive an inheritance suited to his dignity, and as a reward for his public services. But the gift was not left to the spontaneous feelings of a grateful people. It was conferred "according to the word of the Lord"--probably an unrecorded promise, similar to what had been made to Caleb (
Josh 14:9).
Timnath-serah--or Heres, on Mount Gaash (
Judg 2:9). Joshua founded it, and was afterwards buried there (
Josh 24:30).
51 These are the inheritances--This verse is the formal close of the section which narrates the history of the land distribution; and to stamp it with due importance, the names of the commissioners are repeated, as well as the spot where so memorable a transaction took place.
