--- title: "Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 1: Genesis to Jeremiah" author: "Adam Clarke" languages: [en] shelf: "Commentaries" section: 237 of 914 url: https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-1-genesis-to-jeremiah/237/ cite: "Adam Clarke, Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 1: Genesis to Jeremiah, section 237. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-1-genesis-to-jeremiah/237/" --- # Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 1: Genesis to Jeremiah *Adam Clarke* Clarke's learned notes on the Hebrew and Greek, verse by verse, from Genesis to Revelation: volume 1 of 2. ## 237. Joshua · 23 of 30 Source: https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-1-genesis-to-jeremiah/237/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-1-genesis-to-jeremiah/237/#p-N ### Verse 9 [¶1] And described it in a book - This as far as I can recollect, is the first act of surveying on record. These men and their work differed widely from those who had searched the land in the time of Moses; they went only to discover the nature of the country, and the state of its inhabitants; but these went to take an actual geographical survey of it, in order to divide it among the tribes which had not yet received their portions. We may suppose that the country was exactly described in a book, that is, a map, pointing out the face of the country, accompanied with descriptions of each part. ### Verse 11 [¶3] And the lot - of Benjamin came up - On the manner of casting the lot, see on [Jos 14:2] (note), and [Num 26:55] (note). There were probably two urns, one of which contained the names of the seven tribes, and the other that of the seven portions. They therefore took out one name out of the first urn, and one portion out of the second, and thus the portion was adjudged to that tribe. ### Verse 12 [¶5] The wilderness of Beth-aven - This was the same as Beth-el; but this name was not given to it till Jeroboam had fixed one of his golden calves there. Its first name signifies the house of God; its second, the house of iniquity. ### Verse 16 [¶7] To the side of Jebusi - The mountain of Zion, that was near Jerusalem; for Jebusi, or Jebus, was the ancient name of this city. ### Verse 17 [¶9] En-shemesh - The fountain of the sun; a proof of the idolatrous nature of the ancient inhabitants of this land. [¶10] Geliloth - As the word signifies borders or limits, it is probably not the proper name of a place: And went forth towards the Borders which are over against the ascent to Adummim. ### Verse 19 [¶12] The north bay of the Salt Sea - As the word לשון leshon signifies the tongue, it may here refer to the point of the Dead or Salt Sea. Of these tongues or points it had two, one on the north, and the other on the south. ### Verse 21 [¶14] Now the cities - Some of these cities have been mentioned before, and described; of others we know nothing but the name. ### Verse 24 [¶16] And Gaba - Supposed to be the same as Gibeah of Saul, a place famous for having given birth to the first king of Israel; and infamous for the shocking act towards the Levite's wife, mentioned [Jdg 19:16-30], which was the cause of a war in which the tribe of Benjamin was nearly exterminated. Judges 20:29-48. ### Verse 25 [¶18] Gibeon - See before, [Jos 10:1-14] (note). This place is famous for the confederacy of the five kings against Israel, and their miraculous defeat. Ramah, a place about six or eight miles north of Jerusalem. Beeroth, i.e., wells; one of the four cities which belonged to the Gibeonites, who made peace with the Israelites by stratagem. See [Jos 9:3-15]. ### Verse 26 [¶20] And Mizpeh - This place is celebrated in the sacred writings. Here the people were accustomed to assemble often in the presence of the Lord, as in the deliberation concerning the punishment to be inflicted on the men of Gibeah, for the abuse of the Levite's wife. [Jdg 20:1-3]. Samuel assembled the people here to exhort them to renounce their idolatry, [1Sam 7:5], [1Sam 7:6]. In this same place Saul was chosen to be king, [1Sam 10:17]. It was deemed a sacred place among the Israelites; for we find, from 1 Maccabees 3:46, that the Jews assembled here to seek God, when their enemies were in possession of the temple. ### Verse 28 [¶22] And Zelah - This was the burying-place of Saul, Jonathan, and the family of Kish. See [2Sam 21:14]. [¶23] Jebusi, which is Jerusalem - We often meet with this name, and it is evident that it was the ancient name of Jerusalem, which was also called Salem; and was probably the place in which Melchizedek reigned in the days of Abraham; though some think a different place is meant; for that there was another place of the same name, is evident from [Joh 3:23]. This place, called Salim by the evangelist, is said to be near to Enon, and there John baptized, because there was much water in the place. This, however, must not be confounded with the Salem mentioned above; for that this was a name of Jerusalem, is evident from [Psa 76:1], [Psa 76:2] : In Judah is God known: his name is great in Israel. In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling-place in Zion. This must refer to Jerusalem, where the temple was situated. Whether Jebus or Jebusi had its name from the Jebusites, or the Jebusites from it, cannot be ascertained. ### Introduction [¶25] The lot of Simeon, [Jos 19:1-9]. Of Zebulun, [Jos 19:10-16]. Of Issachar, [Jos 19:17-23]. Of Asher, [Jos 19:24-31]. Of Naphtali, [Jos 19:32-39]. Of Dan, [Jos 19:40-48]. Joshua's portion, [Jos 19:49], [Jos 19:50]. The conclusion of the division of the land, [Jos 19:51]. ### Verse 1 [¶27] The second lot came forth to Simeon - In this appointment the providence of God may be especially remarked. For the iniquitous conduct of Simeon and Levi, in the massacre of the innocent Shechemites, [Gen 34:25-31], Jacob, in the spirit of prophecy, foretold that they should be divided in Jacob, and scattered in Israel, [Gen 49:7]. And this was most literally fulfilled in the manner in which God disposed of both these tribes afterwards. Levi was scattered through all Palestine, not having received any inheritance, only cities to dwell in, in different parts of the land; and Simeon was dispersed in Judah, with what could scarcely be said to be their own, or a peculiar lot. See the note on [Gen 49:7]. ### Verse 2 [¶29] Beer-sheba - The well of the oath. See the note on [Gen 21:31]. ### Verse 3 [¶31] Hazar-shual - For this and several of the following places, see the notes on [Jos 15:32]. ### Verse 5 [¶33] Beth-marcaboth - The house or city of chariots. Probably a place where their war-chariots and cavalry were laid up. ### Verse 6 [¶35] Beth-lebaoth - The house or city of lionesses. Probably so called from the numbers of those animals which bred there. ### Verse 8 [¶37] Baalath-beer - The well of the mistresses. Probably so called from some superstitious or impure worship set up there. ### Verse 13 [¶39] Gittah-hepher - The same as Gath-hepher, the birth-place of the prophet Jonah. ### Verse 15 [¶41] Shimron - See on [Jos 12:20] (note). [¶42] Beth-lehem - The house of bread; a different place from that in which our Lord was born. ### Verse 17 [¶44] The fourth lot came out to Issachar - It is remarkable, that though Issachar was the eldest brother, yet the lot of Zebulun was drawn before his lot; and this is the order in which Jacob himself mentions them, [Gen 49:13], [Gen 49:14], though no reason appears, either here or in the place above, why this preference should be given to the younger; but that the apparently fortuitous lot should have distinguished them just as the prophetic Jacob did, is peculiarly remarkable. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning: he has reasons for his conduct, which in many cases are too great for any of his creatures to comprehend, but he works all things after the counsel of his own will, which is ever right and good; and in this case his influence may be as easily seen in the decision by the lot, as on the mind of the patriarch Jacob, when he predicted what should befall his children in the latter days, and his providence continued to ripen, and bring forward what his judgment had deemed right to be done.