Joshua 18:23

Of the first of these, See Gill on "Joshua 15:6"; and Zemaraim; one of the sons of Canaan was named Zemira, Genesis 10:18; by whom this city Zemaraim might be built, or however have its name given it, in memory of him; there was a mountain of this name in the tribe of Ephraim, near to which this city might be, 2 Chronicles 13:4. and Bethel; of the last of these, See Gill on "Joshua 7:2". Joshua 18:23 Ver. 23. And Avim, and Parah,.... Of the two first of these we read nowhere else; and Ophrah is not the same with Ophrah in Jude 6:11; that belonged to the tribe of Manasseh, but rather that which was in the land of Shuah, 1 Samuel 13:17. Jerom calls this place Aphrah, in the tribe of Benjamin, and says {o}, in his time there was a village called Effrem, five miles from Bethel to the east, which very probably is the same with this. {o} De loc. Heb. fol. 88. H. Joshua 18:24 Ver. 24. And Chepharhaammonai, and Ophni,.... Of the two first of these no mention is made elsewhere; and Gaba is the same with Gibeah, a well known place, because of the foul fact committed there, which had like to have been the ruin of this tribe, Jude 19:14; and for being the native place of King Saul, hence called "Gibeah of Saul", 1 Samuel 11:4; it was about six or seven miles from Jerusalem, See Gill on "Hosea 5:8"; twelve cities with their villages; which agrees with the account of them. Joshua 18:25 Ver. 25. Gibeon,.... Gibeon is the place from whence the Gibeonites came, who deceived Joshua, Joshua 9:3

18:11-28 The boundaries of each portion were distinctly drawn, and the inheritance of each tribe settled. All contests and selfish claims were prevented by the wise appointment of God, who allotted the hill and the valley, the corn and pasture, the brooks and rivers, the towns and cities. Is the lot of any servant of Christ cast in affliction and sorrow? It is the Lord; let him do what seemeth him good. Are we in prosperity and peace? It is from above. Be humbled when you compare the gift with your own unworthiness. Forget not Him that gave the good, and always be ready to resign it at his command.

And Avim, and Parah,.... Of the two first of these we read nowhere else: and Ophrah is not the same with Ophrah in Judges 6:11; that belonged to the tribe of Manasseh, but rather that which was in the land of Shuah, 1 Samuel 13:17. Jerom calls this place Aphrah, in the tribe of Benjamin, and says (o), in his time there was a village called Effrem, five miles from Bethel to the east, which very probably is the same with this. (o) De loc. Heb. fol. 88. H.

23 . 7. Avim ] Some have regarded this as identical with Ai, which is also called Aija ( Nehemiah 11:31 ) and Aiath ( Isaiah 10:28 ). 8. Parah is unknown. 9. Ophrah appears to be mentioned again in 1 Samuel 13:17 in describing the spoilers who issued from the Philistine camp at Michmash. Robinson would identify it with El-Taiyibeh , a small village 4 miles E.N.E. of Beitin (Bethel). This was not the Ophrah of Gideon ( Jdg 6:11 ; Jdg 6:15 ).

11. the lot of … Benjamin came up—It has been supposed that there were two urns or vessels, from which the lots were drawn: one containing the names of the tribes, the other containing those of the seven portions; and that the two were drawn out simultaneously. the coast of their lot came forth between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph—Thus the prophecy of Moses respecting the inheritance of Benjamin was remarkably accomplished. (See on [199]De 33:12).

Avvim (i.e., ruins) is unknown. Phara has been preserved in the ruins of Fara, on Wady Fara, three hours to the north-east of Jerusalem, and the same distance to the west of Jericho. Ophrah is mentioned again in 1 Samuel 13:17 , but it is a different place from the Ophrah of Gideon in Manasseh ( Judges 6:11 , Judges 6:24 ; Judges 8:27 ). According to the Onom. (s. v. Aphra), it was a κώμη Ἀφρήλ in the time of Eusebius (Jer. vicus Effrem), five Roman miles to the east of Bethel; and according to Van de Velde, v. Raumer, and others, it is probably the same place as Ephron or Ephrain, which Abijah took from Jeroboam along with Jeshanah and Bethel ( 2 Chronicles 13:19 ), also the same as Ephraim, the city to which Christ went when He withdrew into the desert ( John 11:54 ), as the Onom. (s. v. Ephron) speaks of a villa praegrandis Ephraea nomine (Ἐφρα̈́́ι in Euseb.), although the distance given there, viz., twenty Roman miles to the north of Jerusalem, reaches far beyond the limits of Benjamin.

Abi-Albon (written incorrectly Abiel in the Chronicles) the Arbathite, i.e., from the place called Beth-haarabah or Arabah ( Joshua 15:61 and Joshua 18:18 , Joshua 18:22 ) in the desert of Judah, on the site of the present Kasr Hajla (see at Joshua 15:6 ). Azmaveth of Bahurim: see at 2 Samuel 16:5 .

Verse 31. - Abi-albon. He is called Abiel in 1 Chronicles 11:32 . He belonged to the town of Beth-Arabah ( Joshua 15:61 ; Joshua 18:22 ), called also Arabah ( Joshua 18:18 ), in the wilderness of Judah. Azmaveth the Barhumite. He was of Bahurim, for which see note on 2 Samuel 3:16. 2 Samuel 23:31