Counted to the Canaanite - It is generally allowed that the original possessors of this country were the descendants of Canaan, the youngest son of Ham. The Philistines sprang from Mizraim, the second son of Ham, and, having dispossessed the Avim from the places they held in this land, dwelt in their stead. See [Gen 10:13], [Gen 10:14].
Five lords of the Philistines - These dynasties are famous in the Scriptures for their successful wars against the Israelites, of whom they were almost the perpetual scourge.
Also the Avites - These must not be confounded with the Hivites. The Avites seem to have been a very inconsiderable tribe, who dwelt in some of the skirts of Palestine. They had been originally deprived of their country by the Caphtorim; and though they lived as a distinct people, they had never afterwards arrived to any authority.
Verse 4
The land of the Canaanites - This lay on the south of the country of the Philistines, towards the sea-coast.
Mearah - Supposed to be the city Maratha, on the Mediterranean Sea. - Calmet. Or the river Majora, which falls into the Mediterranean Sea, between Sidon and Berytus. See Pliny, Hist. Nat. lib. v., c. 20.
Aphek - See on [Jos 12:18] (note).
To the borders of the Amorites - Though the term Amorite is sometimes used to designate the inhabitants in general of the land of Canaan, yet it must be considered in a much more restricted sense in this place. As no Amorites are known to have dwelt in this quarter, Calmet supposes we should read Aramites or Syrians. Joshua, says he, proceeds from Sidon to Aphek, a city of Syria, between Heliopolis and Babylon where was the temple of the Venus of Aphek, and which is spoken of in [1Kgs 20:26]; [2Kgs 13:17], as the capital of the kings of Syria. From this Joshua passes on to the frontiers of the Syrians, towards Gebal or Gabala, which, according to Ptolemy, was situated in Phoenicia. This conjecture of Calmet is not supported by any authority either from the ancient versions or MSS. Houbigant, however, approves of it: the emendation is simple as it consists in the interchange of only two letters in the same word, הארמי haarammi, for האמרי haemori.
Verse 5
The land of the Giblites - This people dwelt beyond the precincts of the land of Canaan, on the east of Tyre and Sidon. See [Eze 27:9]; [Psa 83:7]; their capital was named Gebal. See Dodd.
All Lebanon - See on [Jos 11:17] (note).
Verse 6
Misrephoth-maim - See on [Jos 11:7] (note).
These will I drive out - That is, if the Israelites continued to be obedient; but they did not, and therefore they never fully possessed the whole of that land which, on this condition alone, God had promised them: the Sidonians were never expelled by the Israelites, and were only brought into a state of comparative subjection in the days of David and Solomon. Some have taken upon them to deny the authenticity of Divine revelation relative to this business, "because," say they, "God is stated to have absolutely promised that Joshua should conquer the whole land, and put the Israelites in possession of it." This is a total mistake.
1. God never absolutely, i.e., unconditionally, promised to put them in possession of this land. The promise of their possessing the whole was suspended on their fidelity to God. They were not faithful, and therefore God was not bound by his promise to give them any part of the land, after their first act of national defection from his worship.
2. God never said that Joshua should conquer the whole land, and give it to them; the promise was simply this: "Thou shalt bring them into the land, and thou shalt divide it among them:" both of which he did, and procured them footing by his conquests, sufficient to have enabled them to establish themselves in it for ever.
3. It was never said, Thou shalt conquer it all, and then divide it; no. Several of the tribes, after their quota was allotted them, were obliged to drive out the ancient inhabitants. See on [Jos 11:18] (note).
Verse 7
The nine tribes, and the half tribe of Manasseh - The other half tribe of Manasseh, and the two tribes of Reuben and Gad, had got their inheritance on the other side of Jordan, in the land formerly belonging to Og king of Bashan, and Sihon king of the Amorites.
Verse 9
From Aroer - See on [Jos 12:2] (note).
Verse 11
Border of the Geshurites - See on [Jos 12:5] (note).
Verse 17
Bamoth-baal - The high places of Baal, probably so called from altars erected on hills for the impure worship of this Canaanitish Priapus.
Verse 18
Jahaza - A city near Medeba and Dibon. It was given to the Levites, [1Chr 6:78].
Kedemoth - Mentioned [Deu 2:26]; supposed to have been situated beyond the river Arnon.
Mephaath - Situated on the frontiers of Moab, on the eastern part of the desert. It was given to the Levites, [Jos 21:37].
Verse 19
Kirjathaim - This city, according to Eusebius, was nine miles distant from Medeba, towards the east. It passed from the Emim to the Moabites, from the Moabites to the Amorites, and from the Amorites to the Israelites, [Gen 14:6]; [Deu 2:20]. Calmet supposes the Reubenites possessed it till the time they were carried away by the Assyrians; and then the Moabites appear to have taken possession of it anew, as he collects from [Jer 48:1] etc., and [Eze 25:9] etc.
Sibmah - A place remarkable for its vines. See [Isa 16:8], [Isa 16:9], [Jer 48:32].
Zareth-shahar, in the mount of the valley - This probably means a town situated on or near to a hill in some flat country.
Verse 20
Beth-peor - The house or temple of Peor, situated at the foot of the mountain of the same name. See [Num 25:3].
Verse 21
The princes of Midian - See the history of this war, [Num 31:1], etc.; and from that place this and the following verse seem to be borrowed, for the introduction of the death of Balaam here seems quite irrelevant.
Verse 23
The cities and the villages - By villages, חצרים chatserim, it is likely that moveable villages or tents are meant, such as are in use among the Bedouin Arabs; places where they were accustomed to feed and pen their cattle.
Verse 25
Half the land on the children of Ammon - This probably was land which had been taken from the Ammonites by Sihon, king of the Amorites, and which the Israelites possessed by right of conquest. For although the Israelites were forbidden to take the land of the Ammonites, [Deu 2:37], yet this part, as having been united to the territories of Sihon, they might possess when they defeated that king and subdued his kingdom.
Verse 26
Ramath-mizpeh - The same as Ramoth-gilead. It was one of the cities of refuge, [Jos 20:8]; [Deu 4:47].
Mahanaim - Or the two camps. Situated on the northern side of the brook Jabbok, celebrated for the vision of the two camps of angels which Jacob had there; see [Gen 32:2].