Joshua 18:27

Frequent mention is made of Mizpeh in Scripture; according to Fuller {t}, it was about eight miles from Gibeah; it was near Ramathon, which Josephus says {u} was forty furlongs from Jerusalem; and Chephirah was one of the cities subject to Gibeon, Joshua 9:17. and Mozah; there was a place called Motza, near to Jerusalem, where they used to go to get willows at the feast of tabernacles {w}. {t} Pisgah-Sight, B. 2. c. 12. p. 209. {u} Antiqu. l. 8. c. 12. sect. 3. {w} Misn. Succah, c. 4. sect. 5. Joshua 18:27 Ver. 27. And Rekem, and Irpeel, and Taralah. Of these cities there is no mention made elsewhere. Joshua 18:28 Ver. 28. And Zelaheath,.... Zelah was the buryingplace of Saul and his family, 2 Samuel 21:14. Eleph is nowhere else mentioned; some join it with Zelah, and make one city of it, but then the number of cities given could not be completed; both Jarchi and Kimchi say they were two cities, as doubtless they were; and Jebusi, which [is] Jerusalem; of Jerusalem being called Jebusi, see Joshua 15:63; it belonged partly to the tribe of Judah, and partly to the tribe of Benjamin; Mount Zion belonged to Judah, and Moriah to Benjamin; Gibeath was a distinct city both from Gaba and Gibeon; by its being mentioned with Jerusalem, it should seem to be near it.

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.

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).

Mizpeh - See Joshua 11:3 . Not the Mizpeh of Joshua 15:38 , but the place where Samuel judged the people and called them together for the election of a king 1 Samuel 7:5-16 ; 1 Samuel 10:17 . In the Chaldaean times it was the residence of Gedaliah 2 Kings 25:22 ; Jeremiah 40:14 . Its site is identified with "Neby Samwil," about five miles northwest of Jerusalem.

Mizpeh, commonly called Mizpah, where the war with Benjamin was decided upon ( Judges 20-21 ), and where Samuel judged the people, and chose Saul as king ( 1 Samuel 7:5 ., Joshua 10:17 ), was afterwards the seat of the Babylonian governor Gedaliah ( 2 Kings 25:23 ; Jeremiah 40:6 .). According to the Onom. (s. v. Massepha), it was near Kirjath-jearim, and Robinson (ii. p. 139) is no doubt correct in supposing it to be the present Neby Samvil (i.e., prophet Samuel), an hour and a quarter to the east of Kureyet Enab (Kirjath-jearim), two hours to the north-west of Jerusalem, half an hour to the south of Gibeon, a place which stands like a watch-tower upon the highest point in the whole region, and with a mosque, once a Latin church, which is believed alike by Jews, Christians, and Mahometans to cover the tomb of the prophet Samuel (see Rob. ii. pp. 135ff.). Chephirah, i.e., Kefir: see at Joshua 9:17 . Mozah is only mentioned here, and is still unknown. Joshua 18:27 . This also applies to Rekem, Irpeel, and Taralah.

[Reformed Biblical] The border went up; properly, for the line went from Jordan and the Salt Sea, to the higher grounds nigh Jerusalem; and therefore the line is said to go down , #Joshua 18:16 , because there it takes a contrary course, and goes downwards to Jordan and the sea. ## Hinnom; a very pleasant place, but afterwards made infamous, #2 Kings 23:10 . ## Of the Jebusite, i.e. of the city of the Jebusites , which was anciently called Jebusi , #Joshua 18:28 Jude 19:10 . ## The same is Jerusalem: it may seem hence, and from #Deuteronomy 33:12 Joshua 18:28 Jude 1:21 , that Jerusalem, properly, or at least principally, belonged to Benjamin; and yet it is ascribed to Judah also here, #Joshua 15:63 , and elsewhere, either because a part of the city was allotted to Judah; or because the Benjamites needed or desired the help and conjunction of this powerful tribe of Judah, for the getting and keeping of this most important place. And when the Benjamites had in vain attempted to drive out the Jebusites, this work was at last done by the tribe of Judah, who therefore had an interest in it by the right of war; as Ziklag, which belonged to the tribe of Simeon, being gotten from the Philistines by David, was adjoined by him to his tribe of Judah, #1 Samuel 27:6 . ## Ver. 9. Of Mount Ephron, i.e. belonging to or bordering upon Mount Ephron. ## Kirjath-jearim, called Kirjath-baal , #Joshua 15:60 Joshua 18:14 . ## Ver. 10.

and the border passed on to the side of Beth-hoglah on the north, and the border ended at the tongue of the salt sea northward, at the south end of the Jordan: this is the southern border. -- And the Jordan borders it on the east side. — This was the inheritance of the children of Benjamin, according to its borders round about, according to their families. And the cities of the tribe of the children of Benjamin according to their families were: Jericho, and Beth-hoglah, and Emek-Keziz, and Beth-Arabah, and Zemaraim, and Bethel, and Avvim, and Parah, and Ophrah, and Chephar-haammonai, and Ophni, and Geba: twelve cities and their hamlets; Gibeon, and Ramah, and Beeroth, and Mizpeh, and Chephirah, and Mozah, and Rekem, and Jirpeel, and Tharalah, and Zelah, Eleph, and Jebusi, that is, Jerusalem, Gibeah, Kirjath: fourteen cities and their hamlets. This was the inheritance of the children of Benjamin according to their families. Chapter 19 And the second lot came forth to Simeon, for the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families; and their inheritance was within the inheritance of the children of Judah. And they had in their inheritance Beer-sheba, and Sheba, and Moladah, and Hazar-Shual, and Balah, and Ezem, and Eltolad, and Bethul, and Hormah, and Ziklag, and Beth-marcaboth, and Hazar-susah, and Beth-lebaoth, and Sharuhen: thirteen cities and their hamlets; Ain, Rimmon, and Ether, and Ashan: four cities and their hamlets;

and ye shall describe the land into seven portions, and bring [the description] hither to me, and I will cast lots for you here before Jehovah our God. But the Levites have no portion among you, for the priesthood of Jehovah is their inheritance. And Gad, and Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan on the east, which Moses the servant of Jehovah gave them. And the men arose and went away. And Joshua charged them that went to describe the land, saying, Go and walk through the land, and describe it, and come again to me, and I will cast lots for you here before Jehovah in Shiloh. And the men went and passed through the land, and described it by cities into seven portions, in a book, and they came to Joshua, to the camp at Shiloh. And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before Jehovah. And there Joshua divided the land to the children of Israel according to their divisions. And the lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin came up according to their families. And the territory of their lot came forth between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph. And their border on the north side was from the Jordan; and the border went up to the side of Jericho on the north, and went up to the mountain westward; and ended at the wilderness of Beth-Aven;