And the border compassed from Baalah westward unto Mount Seir,.... Not that in Idumea, so famous for its being the seat of Esau, which lay remote from hence, but a third of that name near Kirjathjearim; and which Adrichomius (t) places on the borders of Azotus and Ashkelon: this compass is fetched from the north to the west: and passed along unto the side of the mount Jearim, which is Chesalon, on the north side; that is, on the north side of the mount, which went by both those names; and which Jerom (u) places on the borders of Aelia or Jerusalem; but it seems to be at a distance from thence, and near to Kirjathjearim, and had its name, as that, from the multitude of trees that grow on it: and went down to Bethshemesh; there were several cities of this name; but this, according to Jerom (w), was a Levite's city in the tribe of Benjamin, and in his day was shown as you go from Eleutherepolis to Nicopolis or Emmaus, ten miles to the east; according to Burchard (x), it was five miles from Kirjathjearim to the south; and Bunting (y) places it four miles from Jerusalem westward, taking it for a city in the tribe of Judah, Jos 21:16, and passed on to Timnah; which, in Jerom's time, was a large village on the borders of Lydda, as you go to Jerusalem, in the tribe of Judah, or Dan (z); his placed in the tribe of Judah, Jos 15:57; though thought to be afterwards given to Dan; here Judah sheared his sheep; see Gill on Gen 38:12. (t) Theatrum Terrae Sanct. p. 24. (u) De loc. Heb. fol. 90. F. (w) Ib. fol. 89. H. (x) Apud Masium in loc. (y) Travels, p. 124. (z) De loc. Heb. fol. 95. C.