1Y SALIÓ la suerte segunda por Simeón, por la tribu de los hijos de Simeón, conforme a sus parentelas: y estaba su herencia en medio de la herencia de los hijos de Judá. 2Obtuvieron pues por su herencia a Beer-seba, o Seba, y Molanda, 3y la Villa de Sual, y Bala, y Ezem, 4y Eltolad, y Betul, y Horma, 5y Siclag, y Bet-marcabot, y la Villa de Susa, 6y Bet-lebaot, y Saruhén: trece ciudades con sus aldeas: 7Ayin, Rimón, y Eter, y Asán: cuatro ciudades con sus aldeas; 8y todas las aldeas que estaban a la redonda de estas ciudades, hasta Balaat-beer, que es Ramá-del-Sur. Ésta es la herencia de la tribu de los hijos de Simeón, por sus parentelas. 9De entre la porción de los hijos de Judá fué tomada la herencia de los hijos de Simeón; porque la porción de los hijos de Judá era demasiado grande para ellos; por tanto obtuvieron herencia los hijos de Simeón en medio de la herencia de ellos. 10¶Y sacóse la suerte tercera para los hijos de Zabulón por sus parentelas, y la línea de su herencia alcanzaba hasta Sarid; 11luego subía su línea hacia el oeste, a Maralá, y tocaba en Dabéset; tocaba también en el torrente que pasa en frente de Jocneam: 12luego, dando la vuelta por Sarid al este, hacia donde nace el sol, hasta el confín de Kislot-tabor, salía a Deberat, y subía a Jafía. 13Luego de allí pasaba adelante hacia el oriente a Gat-hefer, y a Et-cazín; y salía a Rimón, la cual se extiende a Nea; 14a la que daba vuelta la línea, por la parte del norte, siguiendo hasta Hanatón: y alcanzaba sus extremos al Valle de Jefté-el: 15incluyendo también a Catat, y a Nahalal, y a Simrón, y a Idala, y a Betlehem: doce ciudades con sus aldeas. 16Ésta es la herencia de los hijos de Zabulón, conforme a sus parentelas; estas ciudades con sus aldeas. 17¶La cuarta suerte salió por Isacar, por los hijos de Isacar conforme a sus parentelas. 18Y era este su territorio: Jezreel, y Kesulot, y Sunem, 19y Hafaraim, y Shión, y Anaharat, 20Rabit, y Cisión, y Ebez, 21y Remet, y En-ganin, y En-hada, y Bet-pazez; 22y tocando la línea en Tabor y Sahazima y Bet-semes, los extremos de su territorio alcanzaban al Jordán: diez y seis ciudades con sus aldeas. 23Ésta es la herencia de la tribu de los hijos de Isacar, conforme a sus parentelas; las ciudades con sus aldeas. 24¶Y salió la quinta suerte por la tribu de los hijos de Aser, conforme a sus parentelas. 25Y era este su territorio: Helcat, y Halí, y Betén, y Acsaf, 26y Alamelec, y Amad, y Misal; y tocando la línea en el Carmelo, junto al Mar Grande, y en Sihor-libnat, 27y torciendo hacia donde nace el sol hasta Bet-dagón, tocaba en Zabulón, y en el Valle de Jefté-el, por la parte del norte, y en Bet-emec, y Neiel; y salía a Cabul, a la mano izquierda, 28y a Hebrón, y a Rehob, y a Hamón, y a Caná, hasta llegar a la gran Sidón. 29Y la línea torcía hacia Ramá, y hacia la plaza fuerte de Tiro: luego la línea torcía hacia Hosa; y alcanzaban sus extremos al Mar Grande, en el distrito de Aczib; 30y Uma y Afec y Rehob: veinte y dos ciudades con sus aldeas. 31Ésta es la herencia de la tribu de los hijos de Aser, conforme a sus parentelas; estas ciudades con sus aldeas. 32¶Por los hijos de Neftalí salió la sexta suerte; por los hijos de Neftalí conforme a sus parentelas. 33Y era su territorio desde Helef, desde el encinal de Zaananim, y Adami-neceb, y Jabneel, hasta Lacum, y llegaban sus extremos al Jordán. 34Luego torcía la línea hacia el oeste hasta Aznot-tabor, y pasando adelante de allí a Hucoca, tocaba en Zabulón, por el lado del sur, y tocaba en Aser por el lado del oeste, y en Judá del Jordán, de la parte donde nace el sol. 35Y las ciudades fortificadas eran Sidim, Ser, y Hamat, Racat, y Cineret, 36y Adama, y Ramá, y Hazor, 37y Cades, y Edrei, y En-hazor, 38y Jirón, y Migdal-el, y Horem, y Betanat, y Bet-semes: diez y nueve ciudades con sus aldeas. 39Ésta es la herencia de la tribu de los hijos de Neftalí, conforme a sus parentelas; las ciudades con sus aldeas. 40¶Por la tribu de los hijos de Dan, conforme a sus parentelas, salió la séptima suerte. 41Y era este el territorio de su herencia: Zora, y Estaol, Ir-semes, 42y Saalabin, y Ayalón, e Itla, 43Elón, y Timna, y Ecrón, 44y Elteque, y Gibetón, y Baalat, 45y Jehud, y Bené-berac, y Gat-rimón, 46y Me-jarcón, y Racón, con el territorio de enfrente de Joppe. 47Mas el territorio de los hijos de Dan salió más allá de éstas; porque subieron los hijos de Dan, y pelearon contra Lesem, y la tomaron, y la hirieron a filo de espada, y la tomaron en posesión, y habitaron allí; y llamaron a Lesem, Dan, según el nombre de Dan su padre. 48Ésta es la herencia de la tribu de los hijos de Dan, conforme a sus parentelas; estas ciudades con sus aldeas. 49¶Y cuando hubieron acabado de repartir la tierra en herencias, por sus términos, los hijos de Israel dieron herencia a Josué hijo de Nun, en medio de ellos: 50por mandato de Jehová le dieron la ciudad que él había solicitado, a saber, Timnat-sera, en la serranía de Efraim; y él reedificó la ciudad, y habitó allí. 51Éstas son pues las herencias que Eleazar el sumo sacerdote, y Josué hijo de Nun, y las cabezas de las casas paternas de las tribus de los hijos de Israel repartieron en herencia por sorteo, en Silo, delante de Jehová, a la entrada del Tabernáculo de Reunión. Así pues acabaron de repartir la tierra.
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary 1 Simeon's lot was drawn after Judah's, Joseph's, and Benjamin's, because Jacob had put that tribe under disgrace; yet it is put before the two younger sons of Leah and the three sons of the handmaids. Not one person of note, neither judge nor prophet, was of this tribe, that we know of.
I. The situation of their lot was within that of Judah (
Josh 19:1) and was taken from it,
Josh 19:9. It seems, those that first surveyed the land thought it larger than it was, and that it would have held out to give every tribe in proportion as large a share as they had carved out for Judah; but, upon a more strict enquiry, it was found that it would not reach (
Josh 19:9):
The part of the children of Judah was too much for them, more than they needed, and more, as it proved, than fell to their share. Yet God did not by the lot lessen it, but left it to their prudence and care afterwards to discover and rectify the mistake, which when they did, 1. The men of Judah did not oppose the taking away of the cities again, which by the first distribution fell within their border, when they were convinced that they had more than their proportion. In all such cases errors must be excepted and a review admitted if there be occasion. Though, in strictness, what fell to their lot was their right against all the world, yet they would not insist upon it when it appeared that another tribe would want what they had to spare. Note, We must look on the things of others, and not on our own only. The abundance of some must supply the wants of others, that there may be somewhat of an equality, for which there may be equity where there is not law. 2. That which was thus taken off from Judah to be put into a new lot Providence directed to the tribe of Simeon, that Jacob's prophecy concerning this tribe might be fulfilled,
I will divide them in Jacob. The cities of Simeon were scattered in Judah, with which tribe they were surrounded, except on that side towards the sea. This brought them into a confederacy with the tribe of Judah (
Judg 1:3), and afterwards was a happy occasion of the adherence of many of this tribe to the house of David, at the time of the revolt of the ten tribes to Jeroboam.
2Chr 15:9,
out of Simeon they fell to Asa
in abundance. It is good being in a good neighbourhood.
II. The cities within their lot are here named. Beersheba, or Sheba, for these names seem to refer to the same place, is put first. Ziklag, which we read of in David's story, is one of them. What course they took to enlarge their borders and make room for themselves we find
1Chr 4:39, etc.
10 This is the lot of Zebulun, who, though born of Leah after Issachar, yet was blessed by Jacob and Moses before him; and therefore it was so ordered that his lot was drawn before that of Issachar, north of which it lay and south of Asher. 1. The lot of this tribe was washed by the great sea on the west, and by the sea of Tiberias on the east, answering Jacob's prophecy (
Gen 49:13),
Zebulun shall be a haven of ships, trading ships on the great sea and fishing ships on the sea of Galilee. 2. Though there were some places in this tribe which were made famous in the Old Testament, especially
Mount Carmel, on which the famous trial was between God and Baal in Elijah's time, yet it was made much more illustrious in the New Testament; for within the lot of this tribe was Nazareth, where our blessed Saviour spent so much of his time on earth, and from which he was called
Jesus of Nazareth, and
Mount Tabor on which he was transfigured, and that coast of the sea of Galilee on which Christ preached so many sermons and wrought so many miracles.
17 The lot of Issachar ran from Jordan in the east to the great sea in the west, Manasseh on the south, and Zebulun on the north. A numerous tribe,
Num 26:25. Tola, one of the judges, was of this tribe,
Judg 10:1. So was Baasha, one of the kings of Israel,
1Kgs 15:27. The most considerable places in this tribe were, 1. Jezreel, in which was Ahab's palace, and near it Naboth's vineyard. 2. Shunem, where lived that good Shunamite that entertained Elisha. 3. The river Kishon, on the banks of which, in this tribe, Sisera was beaten by Deborah and Barak. 4. The mountains of Gilboa, on which Saul and Jonathan were slain, which were not far from Endor, where Saul consulted the witch. 5. The valley of Megiddo, where Josiah was slain near Hadad-rimmon,
2Kgs 23:29;
Zech 12:11.
24 The lot of Asher lay upon the coast of the great sea. We read not of any famous person of this tribe but Anna the prophetess, who was a constant resident in the temple at the time of our Saviour's birth,
Luke 2:36. Nor were there many famous places in this tribe. Aphek (mentioned
Josh 19:30) was the place near which Benhadad was beaten by Ahad,
1Kgs 20:30. But close adjoining to this tribe were the celebrated sea-port towns of Tyre and Sidon, which we read so much of. Tyre is called here
that strong city (
Josh 19:29), but Bishop Patrick thinks it was not the same Tyre that we read of afterwards, for that was built on an island; this old strong city was on the continent. And it is conjectured by some that into these two strong-holds, Sidon and Tzor, or Tyre, many of the people of Canaan fled and took shelter when Joshua invaded them.
32 Naphtali lay furthest north of all the tribes, bordering on Mount Libanus. The city of Leshem, or Liash, lay on the utmost edge of it to the north, and therefore when the Danites had made themselves masters of it, and called it
Dan, the length of Canaan from north to south was reckoned from Dan to Beersheba. It had Zebulun on the south, Asher on the west, and Judah upon Jordan, probably a city of that name, and so distinguished from the tribe of Judah on the east. It was in the lot of this tribe, near the waters of Merom, that Joshua fought and routed Jabin,
Josh 11:1. etc. In this tribe stood Capernaum and Bethsaida, on the north end of the sea of Tiberias, in which Christ did so many mighty works; and the mountain (as is supposed) on which Christ preached,
Matt 5:1.
40 Dan, though commander of one of the four squadrons of the camp of Israel, in the wilderness, that which brought up the rear, yet was last provided for in Canaan, and his lot fell in the southern part of Canaan, between Judah on the east and the land of the Philistines on the west, Ephraim on the north and Simeon on the south. Providence ordered this numerous and powerful tribe into a post of danger, as best able to deal with those vexatious neighbours the Philistines, and so it was found in Samson. Here is an account, 1. Of what fell to this tribe by lot, Zorah, and Eshtaol, and the camp of Dan thereabouts, of which we read in the story of Samson. And near there was the valley of Eshcol, whence the spies brought the famous bunch of grapes. Japho, or Joppa was in this lot. 2. Of what they got by their own industry and valour, which is mentioned here (
Josh 19:47), but related at large,
Judg 18:7, etc.
49 Before this account of the dividing of the land is solemnly closed up, in the last verse, which intimates that the thing was done to the satisfaction of all, here is an account of the particular inheritance assigned to Joshua. 1. He was last served, though the eldest and greatest man of all Israel, and who, having commanded in the conquest of Canaan, might have demanded the first settlement in it for himself and his family. But he would make it to appear that in all he did he sought the good of his country, and not any private interest of his own. He was content to be unfixed till he saw them all settled; and herein is a great example to all in public places to prefer the common welfare before their particular satisfaction. Let the public be first served. 2. He had his lot
according to the word of the Lord. It is probable that, when God by Moses told Caleb what inheritance he should have (
Josh 14:9), he gave the like promise to Joshua, which he had an eye to in making his election: this made his portion doubly pleasant, that he had it, not as the rest by common providence, but by special promise. 3. He chose it in Mount Ephraim, which belonged to his own tribe, with which he thereby put himself in common, when he might by prerogative have chosen his inheritance in some other tribe, as suppose that of Judah, and thereby have distinguished himself from them. Let no man's preferment or honour make him ashamed of his family or country, or estrange him from it. The tabernacle was set up in the lot of Ephraim, and Joshua would forecast not to be far from that. 4. The
children of Israel are said to
give it to him (
Josh 19:49), which bespeaks his humility, that he would not take it to himself without the people's consent and approbation, as if he would thereby own himself, though
major singulis -
greater than any one, yet
minor universis -
less than the whole assemblage, and would hold even the estate of his family, under God, by the grant of the people. 5. It was a city that must be built before it was fit to be dwelt in. While others dwelt in houses which they built not, Joshua must erect for himself (that he might be a pattern of industry and contentment with mean things) such buildings as he could hastily run up, without curiosity or magnificence. Our Lord Jesus thus came and dwelt among us, not in pomp but poverty, providing rest for us, yet himself not having where to lay his head.
Even Christ pleased not himself.
