Joshua 12:19

Those who take Sheba, Joshua 19:2, to be the same with Shema, Joshua 15:26, make but one city here, and take away the last, as the Greek version does, and render the word "and their fields", and so the number still is as follows: thirteen cities and their villages; the sum total of those enumerated above. {b} De Jud. Bell. l. 4. c. 8. sect. 1. {c} Nat. Hist. l. 5. c. 14. {d} Strabo. Geograph. l. 17. p. 559. {e} De Animal. l. 12. c. 7. Joshua 19:7 Ver. 7. Ain, Remmon,.... Of the two first, which were cities of Judah, See Gill on "Joshua 15:32"; and Ether, and Ashan; of the two last, see Gill "Joshua 19:42"; four cities and their villages; Ain, Remmon, therefore, could not be one city, at this time, as it seems to have been in the times of Nehemiah, Nehemiah 11:29; or otherwise there would have been but three cities. Joshua 19:8 Ver. 8. And all the villages that [were] round about these cities,....

12:7-24 We have here the limits of the country Joshua conquered. A list is given of the kings subdued by Israel: thirty-one in all. This shows how fruitful Canaan then was, in which so many chose to throng together. This was the land God appointed for Israel; yet in our day it is one of the most barren and unprofitable countries in the world. Such is the effect of the curse it lies under, since its possessors rejected Christ and his gospel, as was foretold by Moses, De 29:23. The vengeance of a righteous God, inflicted on all these kings and their subjects, for their wickedness, should make us dread and hate sin. The fruitful land bestowed on his chosen people, should fill our hearts with hope and confidence in his mercy, and with humble gratitude.

Jos 12:7-24. The One and Thirty Kings on the West Side of Jordan, Which Joshua Smote. 7. Baal-gad … even unto … Halak—(See on [188]Jos 11:17). A list of thirty-one chief towns is here given; and, as the whole land contained a superficial extent of only fifteen miles in length by fifty in breadth, it is evident that these capital cities belonged to petty and insignificant kingdoms. With a few exceptions, they were not the scenes of any important events recorded in the sacred history, and therefore do not require a particular notice.

The identification of several of these places is still uncertain: the same name (e. g. Aphek, Joshua 12:18 ) being applied to various places in various parts of Palestine. Geder, or Gedor Joshua 15:58 , a city in the mountain district in the south of the territory of Judah, is no doubt the modern "Jedur".

Verse 72. - Kedesh . There were three places of this name. 1. Kedesh, at the extreme south of Judah ( Joshua 15:23 ; Joshua 19:20, 21 ), perhaps the same with Kadesh-barnea ( Joshua 15:3 ). 2. The Kedesh of this verse, perhaps the same with the Kedesh of Joshua 13:22 ; it is called Kishon in Joshua 21:28 . 3. The Kedesh of ver. 76, i.e. Kedesh in Galilee, one of the cities of refuge in the tribe of Naphtali (Joshua 19: 37; 20:7; 21:32; Judges 4:6-10 ). Daberath (Authorized Version, Dabaroh, Joshua 21:28 ); mentioned as on the boundary of Zebulun in Joshua 19:12 . 1 Chronicles 6:72

Verse 29. - The places mentioned in this verse were assigned to Manasseh. Bethshean was on the west of Jordan, and was within the borders of Issachar ( Joshua 17:11-13 ; 1 Kings 4:11, 12 ). Dor was within the borders of Asher ( Joshua 11:1, 2 ; Joshua 12:23 ; Joshua 17:11 ; Judges 1:27, 28 ). Taanach . This place also lay within the borders of Issachar or Asher ( Joshua 17:11, 12 ; Joshua 21:25 ; Judges 5:19 ). Megiddo . This place is constantly coupled with the preceding. It lay on the south of the plain of Esdraelon ( Joshua 12:21 ; Joshua 17:12 ; Judges 1:27 ; 1 Kings 4:12 ). 1 Chronicles 7:29

THE CITIES OF THE GERSHONITES. (Camp. Joshua 21:27-33.) 1Chronicles 6:71-76. (71) Unto the sons of Gershom.—Supply they gave, from 1Chronicles 6:67. Golan in Bashan (comp. the classical Gaulanitis, a district east of the sea of Galilee) was a city of refuge, like Hebron and Shechem. Ashtaroth.—Images of Ashtoreth (Astarte, queen of heaven); a name like Anathoth (1Chronicles 6:60), which means “images of Anath,” or Anatum, the consort of Anurn (the sky). The two cities must have been ancient seats of the worship of Ashtoreth and Anath. The names still survive in Tell-Ashtereh and Anâta. Joshua (50100) reads Be’eshterah—perhaps a popular pronunciation of Beth-Ashterah (house of Ashtoreth). (72) Kedesh means “sanctuary.” Joshua 19:20; Joshua 21:28 has Kishion, which may have borne the other name, as being the seat of a famous sanctuary. (73) Ramoth.—In Joshua 21 Jarmuth, but in Joshua 19:21 Remeth. Jarmuth occurs in Joshua 12:11, and is probably right. Anem.—Joshua 21:29; Joshua 19:21 has En-gannim. Joshua 15:34 mentions a Judæan city called ha-Enam (the two fountains), and that not far from En-gannim (fount of gardens). Anem is very much like Enam. (74) Mashal is perhaps a popular pronunciation of Mish’al (Joshua 21:30; Joshua 19:26). (Comp. Shēlâh = She’ēlâh.) (75) Hukok.—Helkath (Joshua 19:25). Hukkôk was a city of Naphtali (Joshua 19:34). (76) Kedesh in Galilee.—A city of refuge (Joshua 21:32); the modern Kedes.