Gaza, the most southern city of the Philistines, was afterwards taken by the tribe of Juda, but lost again in a short time. It was particularly addicted to the worship of Jupiter, Marnas, or "the Lord." --- Geth was probably taken by David, who found a refuge with its king, 1 Kings xxi. After the reign of Solomon, it returned to its former masters. --- Azotus, or as the Hebrew writes, Asdod, on the Mediterranean, was noted for the temple of Dagon, (1 Kings v. 1,) which Jonathas destroyed. (Josephus, [Antiquities?] xxii. 8.) (Calmet) --- Wars, of a general nature. The different tribes had only to take some cities, chap. xv. 1. (Worthington) CHAPTER XI. Wilderness. Hebrew, "all the plain country on the east." Galaad. Sehon occupied from the middle of the torrent Arnon, as far as half of the mountains of Galaad, and the torrent Jaboc. (Calmet) --- Og possessed the other half of the mountains northward, while the Ammonites had the eastern parts. (Haydock) Bethsimoth is ten miles from Jericho, (Eusebius) near the Dead Sea, in the plains of Moab. (Calmet) --- Phasga. Asedoth lay at the foot of this mountain, being well supplied with water. Subjacet Acedoth usque Phasga, the southern limits of Sehon's dominions had "abundance of springs, as far as Phasga." (Haydock) Og. See Numbers xxi. 33., and Deuteronomy iii. 11. Seir. The same expression occurs, chap xi. 17. Hebrew, "from Baalgad, in the vale of Libanus, even unto Mount Halak, that goeth up to Seir." (Haydock) --- Halak means, "bald or naked." It is not know what mountain it denotes. Josue, (Calmet) or the Israelites, (Haydock) conquered "all the country beyond the Jordan, on the north from Baalgad, at the foot of Libanus, and from Hermon, where these mountains meet, as far as the mountains of separation," which divide the country of Chanaan from that of Seir, on the south of Judea. (Calmet) --- Baalgad was situated on the north western borders of this territory, not of the Jordan. (Haydock) Asedoth, or "in the springs," or valleys, ver. 3. Herma, "a curse," where the Israelites defeated king Arad, Numbers xiv. 45., and xxi. 3. Odullam, ten miles east of Eleutheropolis, and famous for the retreat of David. (Calmet) Bethel. Josue perhaps slew the king, but did not take the city, Judges i. 22. (Menochius) Aphec. A place of this name was in the tribe of Aser, another in that of Juda. --- Saron. Hebrew, "Lasharon;" probably Sarona, (Acts ix. 35,) or a canton near Joppe. (Eusebius) Madon, or Maron, Septuagint, chap xi. 1. This place is joined with Semeron, in Hebrew (ver. 20,) improperly. Perhaps it may be the Meros, (Judges v. 23,) or Maronia, a city of Ph\'9cnicia. Thenac, a city of the Levites, but seized afterwards by the Chanaanites, Judges i. 27. It was near the town of Legion, built by the Romans. --- Mageddo, where Josias was overcome, 2 Paralipomenon xxxv. 22. (Calmet) CHAPTER XII. Jachanan was near Mount Carmel. Sometimes Josue specifies both the city and the canton, where it was situated; at other times he only mentions the latter, as in the following verse. Galgal, not where the Israelites had encamped, but that part which was afterwards called the Galilee of the Gentiles, in some corner of which the king in question had fixed his residence. For we cannot suppose that he ruled over all that country, extending from Tyre to beyond the Jordan. His people might probably be a mixed multitude of various nations, as Strabo (xvi.) observes, that many parts of Palestine were peopled by men of this description. Thersa. Here the kings of Israel kept their court, till Amri built Samaria, (Calmet) about nine miles more to the north. (Brocard.) --- One. The two kings slain by Moses (Worthington) are not included. (Menochius) Age. Josue was now 100 years old. He lived ten more, (Calmet) having governed the people in all 17. (Haydock) --- During the first seven years, he had performed all that could be expected from an able general, and he probably designed to conquer the whole country before he divided it. But God, who chose to leave some of the ancient inhabitants in the country, to try the fidelity of his people, &c., ordered him to proceed to the distribution, that the different tribes might take care to exterminate those idolaters, who might be found in their territory. --- Lot. Hebrew, "to be possessed." Only the country east of the Jordan was yet divided. Galilee. As Josue had been making such conquests in that part lately, some would translate Geliloth, "the confines" of the Philistines, in which sense it seems to be taken, chap. xviii. 18., and xxii. 10. (Calmet) --- Bonfrere suspects that St. Jerome wrote Galila. --- Gessuri, either near Mount Hermon, (Menochius) or bordering upon Arabia, 1 Kings xv., and xxvii. 10. Egypt. Hebrew, "from the Shicor, which is on the face, (or over-against) Egypt." Jeremias (ii. 18,) informs us that this river was in Egypt which is not true of the torrent of Rhinocorure; which the Septuagint and many commentators, understand in this place to be the boundary fixed for the promised land. Strabo, &c., attribute that torrent to Ph\'9cnicia; which they extend as far as Pelusium. St. Jerome (in Amos vi.) seems dubious whether the branch of the Nile passes by that city, or the aforesaid torrent be meant. David collected all his forces from the Sichor, or the torrent of Egypt, to the entrance of Emath, 1 Paralipomenon xiii. 5. Epiphanes constituted Lysanias governor of all the countries between the Euphrates and the river of Egypt, (2 Machabees iii. 32,) and he undoubtedly had extended his conquests as far as the Nile. Though the country beyond Gaza be now mostly barren, and therefore little inhabited or noticed, yet the Israelites were entitled to assert their right to it, as they seem to have done by taking possession of Gosen, chap. x. 41. Some parts were formerly well peopled, 1 Kings xxvii. 8. It is not unusual for the Nile, and other great rivers, to be styled torrents. The Hebrew nel, is often applied to rivers, Ecclesiastes i. 7. The troubled state in which the waters of the Nile generally appear, is very remarkable, as their taste is most excellent. The natives have discovered a method of rendering them clear, by the mixture of almond powder. The names of this river bear some relation to the Hebrew term which is here used. It was formerly called Sirius. The Ethiopians style it Schichri. Another name was Melas, or Egyptus, denoting "blackness." The people of the country idolized this river, because it supplied the want of rain. (Tibul, i. 8.) (Calmet) --- Accaron, the most northern city of the Philistian principalities, (Haydock) attributed to Juda or Dan, though neither held it for any length of time. Beelzebub was chiefly adored here, 4 Kings i. 2. --- Lords, who seem to have been independent. They are styled Sornim, as the next in dignity to the king of Persia was a Surena. (Marcellin. 24.) The Philistines took this country from the Chanaanites, or Eveans, (Calmet) who are a different people from the Hevites. (Bochart) Chanaan. From the south to Sidon was yet undivided, and thence eastward, (Haydock) to Apheca of Syria, were was the capital of the kings of that country, and a famous temple of Venus, 3 Kings xx. 26. (Sozom. i. 58.) --- Amorrhite, or perhaps Aramean, (Calmet) though we may understand that all the country of the Amorrhite on the south, as well as the northern parts of Chanaan, were to be divided, (Haydock) as far as Emesa. --- Will, &c., provided the Israelites observe their part of the covenant. (Calmet) With whom. That is, with the other half of that same tribe. Aroer, and part of the town of Dibon, belonged to Gad, Numbers xxxii. 34. Day. The Israelites were satisfied with what they had already conquered. (Menochius) --- But herein they deserved blame, as they were ordered to reduce them entirely, and never suffer them to continue their idolatrous practices in the country which God had chosen for his people. (Haydock) Victims. Hebrew, "the sacrifices of the Lord made by fire." Mephaath, near the desert, where the Romans afterwards kept a garrison. It was given to the Levites, but was seized by the Moabites after the reign of David. (Calmet) The princes of Madian. It appears from hence that these were subjects of king Sehon: they are said to have been slain with him, that is, about the same time, but not in the same battle. (Challoner) --- After the death of their sovereign, they looked upon themselves as independent. They had reigned before as viceroys of Sehon, being natives of the country, and not come from some other part, like the Amorrhites. (Calmet) Slain. Septuagint, "they slew Balaam....with the sword in the moment," Numbers xxii. 5., and xxxi. 8. (Haydock) CHAPTER XIII. Rabba, "the great," being a title of Ar, the capital of the Moabites. The Israelites thought themselves justified in keeping what had been taken from the children of Ammon, by Sehon, (Judges xi. 13.; Calmet) and the Amorrhites. (Worthington) Betharan, which was enlarged by Herod, and called Livias, or Julias, as the Greeks called Livia, the wife of Augustus, Julia. (Josephus) --- Saphon, or "the northern part of," &c. Towns, which were conquered by Jair, of the tribe of Juda; though he belonged, in some degree, to that of Manasses, by his grandmother, Numbers xxxii. 41. Princes, whose names are given, Numbers xxxiv. 17. There were 12, including Josue and Eleazar. The tribes of Ruben and Gad sent none of their princes, as they were not concerned in this distribution. Tribe. God regulated the lots, as he had authorized Jacob and Moses to foretell how the country should be divided. By this method, he precluded every pretence of discontent among the tribes. Each of them drew a ticket, on which a certain portion of land was described; or perhaps in one urn the names of the tribes, and in another the lands were specified, (Calmet) and the tickets were drawn by two persons of irreproachable character, probably by Eleazar and Josue. (Haydock) (Numbers xxvi. 54.) ---Only the tribes of Juda and of Joseph received their portions at Galgal, chap. xviii. Suburbs. A certain quantity of ground, which the Levites were not allowed to till or plant with vines. (Grotius) (Numbers xxxv. 4.) --- The tribe of Manasses, which was divided, fell heir to the portion which would have been allotted to Levi, who was also scattered among his brethren. (Haydock) --- Thus Joseph obtained the birth-right of Ruben. (Calmet) --- Twelve portions were made, as Jacob had adopted Ephraim and Manasses, Genesis xlviii. (Worthington) Land: or they were making all necessary preparations for the work, when Caleb came to remind Josue of what had been promised to him. No doubt land-measurers would be sent through the country. Jephone was the father of Caleb. Esron and Cenez probably some of his ancestors, 1 Paralipomenon ii. 18., and Numbers xxxiii. 12. What Caleb here asserts, must have been delivered by word of mouth, in the hearing of the people, Deuteronomy i. 36. Moses declared not that Caleb was to have the whole country but that he should enter into it, and possess the environs of Hebron. (Calmet) March. Hebrew, "to enter and to go out." Septuagint add, "to war." Me. He trusts not in his own strength, but in the assistance of God, which he modestly acknowledges is not due to him. (Calmet) --- God's promises are indeed sure on his part; but being conditional, and the will of man being free, he adds perhaps. (Worthington) Blessed him, wishing him all success. --- Gave him. Some think that Josue himself attacked the giants of that country with all the forces, as it is mentioned by anticipation, chap. x. 28. But there seems to be no need of this, as Caleb might attack them a second time with his own family and the assistance of the tribe of Juda, after they had seized those places again, while Josue was in the north. Hebron was granted to him without drawing lots. When he was besieging Cariath Sepher, he promised his daughter to the person who should first enter; and Othoniel, his brother, or nephew, obtained her in marriage, chap. xv. 17., and Judges i. 10. It seems, therefore, that this family carried on this war, as the Fabii did at Rome, without the interference of the commonwealth, though Grotius asserts the contrary. (Calmet) Hebron belonged, &c. All the country thereabouts, depending on Hebron, was given to Caleb; but the city itself, with the suburbs, was one of those that were given to the priests to dwell in. (Challoner) --- Caleb might also dwell, (Calmet) and be lord of the city, (Salien) though the profits (Haydock) or the town belonged to the priests, chap. xxi. 11. (Worthington) Cariath Arbe, "the city of Arbe," and ancient giant; or "of four," which the Jews explain of four great patriarchs, who were buried there. --- Adam, &c. St. Jerome seems to favour the opinion that Adam was one of these, whose tomb ennobled Hebron, though many of the Fathers think he was buried on Mount Calvary. Others think that his body, or skull at least, was translated thither. But we cannot depend on any of these traditions. Most commentators explain the Hebrew, "The ancient name of Hebron with Cariath Arbe; (Calmet) he was a man great among the Enacim." (Haydock) --- Adam is often put for a man in general, 2 Kings vii. 19., and Osee xi. 4. (Calmet; Amama) --- Septuagint, "the city of Arbo. This was the metropolis of the Enacim." (Haydock) --- Wars, for a time, particularly from such wars as engaged the attention of all Israel. The different tribes had to encounter and drive out the Chanaanites who might be left in their respective districts. (Calmet)