Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 2.djvu/74

70 day, as most desirable, though perhaps as good a portion might have fallen to him by lot in common with the rest. They that live by faith, value that which is given by promise far above that which is given by providence only. Secondly, Because it was now in the Anakims' possession, and he would let Israel know how little he feared the enemy, and would by his example animate them to push on their conquests. Herein Caleb answered his name, which signifies all heart.

II. Joshua grants his petition, v. 13, Joshua blessed him, commended his bravery, applauded his request, and gave him what he asked. He also prayed for him, and for his good success in his intended undertaking against the sons of Anak. Joshua was both a prince and a prophet, and upon both accounts it was proper for him to give Caleb his blessing, for the less is blessed of the better. Hebron was settled on Caleb and his heirs, v. 14, because he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel. And happy are we if we follow him. Note, Singular piety shall be crowned with singular favours. Now, 1. We are here told what Hebron had been; the city of Arba, a great man among the Anakims, v. 15. we find it called Kirjath-arba, Gen. 23. 2. as the place where Sarah died. Hereabouts Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, lived most of their time in Canaan, and near to it was the cave of Machpelah where they were buried, which perhaps had led Caleb hither, when he went to spy out the land, and had made him covet this rather than any other part for his inheritance. 2. We are afterward told what Hebron was. (1.) It was one of the cities belonging to the priests. Josh. 21. 13. and a city of refuge, Josh. 20. 7. when Caleb had it, he contented himself with the country about it, and cheerfully gave the city to the priests and Lord's ministers: thinking it could net be better bestowed, no not upon his own children, nor that it was the less his own for being thus devoted to God. (2.) It was a royal city, and in the beginning of David's reign the metropolis of the kingdom of Judah; thither the poople resorted to him, and there he reigned seven years. Thus highly was Caleb's city honoured; pity there should have been such a blemish upon his family long after, as Nabal was, who was of the house of Caleb, 1 Sam. 25. 3. But the best men cannot entail their virtues.

CHAP. XV. The land, though not completely conquered, yet being (as was said in the close of the foregoing chapter) at rest from war, for the present, their armies all drawn out of the field to a general rendezvous at Gilgal, there they began to divide the land, though the work was afterward perfected at Shiloh, ch. 18. 1, &c. In this chanter, we have the lot of the tribe of Judah, which in this, as in other things, had the precedency: I. The borders or bounds of the inheritance of Judah, v. 1..12. II. The particular assignment of Hebron and the country thereabout to Caleb and his family, v. 13..19. III. The names of the several cities that fell within Judah's lot, v. 21..63.

HIS then was the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah by their families, even to the border of Edom; the wilderness of Zin southward was the uttermost part of the south coast. 2. And their south border was from the shore of the salt sea, from the bay that looketh southward: 3. And it went out to the south side to Maaleh-acrabbim, and passed along to Zin, and ascended up on the south side unto Kadesh-barnea; and passed along to Hezron, and went up to Adar, and fetched a compass to Karkaa: 4. From thence it passed toward Azmon, and went out unto the river of Egypt; and the goings out of that coast were at the sea: This shall be your south coast. 5. And the east border was the salt sea even unto the end of Jordan. And their border in the north quarter was from the bay of the sea at the uttermost part of Jordan: 6. And the border went up to Beth-hoglah, and passed along by the north of Beth-arabah; and the border went up to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben: 7. And the border went up toward Debir from the valley of Achor, and so northward, looking toward Gilgal, that is before the going up to Adummim, which is on the south side of the river: and the border passed toward the waters of En-shemesh, and the goings out thereof were at En-rogel: 8. And the border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom unto the south side of the Jebusite; the same is Jerusalem: and the border went up to the top of the mountain that lieth before the valley of Hinnom westward, which is at the end of the valley of the giants northward: 9. And the border was drawn from the top of the hill unto the fountain of the water of Nephtoah, and went out to the cities of mount Ephron; and the border was drawn to Baalah, which is Kirjath-jearim: 10. And the border compassed from Baalah westward unto mount Seir, and passed along unto the side of mount Jearim, which is Chesalon, on the north side, and went down to Beth-shemesh, and passed on to Timnah: 11. And the border went out unto the side of Ekron northward: and the border was drawn to Shicron, and passed along to mount Baalah, and went out unto Jabneel; and the goings out of the border were at the sea: 12. And the west border was to the great sea, and the coast thereof. This is the coast of the children of Judah round about, according to their families.

Judah and Joseph were the two sons of Jacob, on whom Reuben's forfeited birthright devolved. Judah had the dominion entailed on him, and Joseph the double portion, and therefore these two tribes were first seated; Judah in the southern part of the land of Canaan, and Joseph in the northern part, and on them the other seven did attend, and had their respective lots as appurtenances to these two; the lots of Benjamin, Simeon, and Dan, were appendant to Judah, and those of Issachar and Zebulon, Naphtali and Asher, to Joseph. These two were first set up to be provided for, it should seem, before there was such an exact survey of the land as we find afterward, ch. 18. 9. It is probable that the most considerable parts of the northern and southern countries, and those that lay nearest to Gilgal, and which the people were best acquainted with, were first put into two portions, andthe lot was cast upon them between these two principal tribes, of the one of which Joshua was, and of the other Caleb, who