Joshua 19:24

17. And the fourth lot came out to Issachar, for the children of Issachar according to their families. 17. Ipsi Issachar egressa est sors quarta, filiis inquam, Issachar per familias suas. 18. And their border was toward Jezreel, and Chesulloth, and Shunem, 18. Et fuit terminus eorum Jezrael, et Chesuloth, et Sunem, 19. And Hapharaim, and Shion, and Anaharath, 19. Et Hapharaim, et Sion, et Anaharath, 20. And Rabbith, and Kishion, and Abez, 20. Et Rabbith, et Cicion, et Abeth, 21. And Remeth, and Engannim, and Enhaddah, and Bethpazzez; 21. Et Remeth, et Engannin, et Enhaddah, et Beth-passes. 22. And the coast reacheth to Tabor, and Shahazimah, and Bethshemesh; and the outgoings of their border were at Jordan: sixteen cities with their villages. 22. Et pervenit terminus in Thabor, et Sahasima, et Beth-semes: eruntque exitus termini eorum ad Jordanem: urbes sedecim, et villae earum. 23. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Issachar according to their families, the cities and their villages. 23. Haec est haereditas tribus filiorum Issachar per familias suas: urbes et villae earum. 24. And the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families. 24. Egressa est autem sors quinta tribui filiorum Aser per familias suas. 25. And their border was Helkath, and Hali, and Beten, and Achshaph, 25. Fuitque terminus eorum Helcath, et Hali, et Bethen, et Achsaph,

19:17-51 Joshua waited till all the tribes were settled, before he asked any provision for himself. He was content to be unfixed, till he saw them all placed, and herein is an example to all in public places, to prefer the common welfare before private advantage. Those who labour most to do good to others, seek an inheritance in the Canaan above: but it will be soon enough to enter thereon, when they have done all the service to their brethren of which they are capable. Nor can any thing more effectually assure them of their title to it, than endeavouring to bring others to desire, to seek, and to obtain it. Our Lord Jesus came and dwelt on earth, not in pomp but poverty, providing rest for man, yet himself not having where to lay his head; for Christ pleased not himself. Nor would he enter upon his inheritance, till by his obedience to death he secured the eternal inheritance for all his people; nor will he account his own glory completed, till every ransomed sinner is put in possession of his heavenly rest.

(24) The fifth lot . . . for . . . Asher . . . (and Joshua 19:32) the sixth . . . for . . . Naphtali. —Asher and Naphtali had been associated with Dan in the exodus, and with him had encamped on the north side of the tabernacle, and had brought up the rear. These two, each dissociated from his own brother (viz., Asher from Gad and Naphtali from Dan), are paired together in their inheritance in Palestine (comp. Naphtali and Manasseh in Revelation 7, and see Names on the Gates of Pearl, pp. 199, 200). The tribe of Asher was more akin to the house of Judah, for Zilpah, the mother of Asher, was Leah’s handmaid; and the tribe of to the house of Joseph, for Bilhah, Naphtali’s mother, was Rachel’s handmaid. But in all cases the lot of the inheritance of the tribe seems to have fallen in such a way as to favour the construction of a united Israel—a Dodecaphulon, to use St. Paul’s word—an organised body of twelve tribes.

24–31. The Inheritance of the Tribe of Asher 24 . And the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher ] who were descended from the eighth son of Jacob, and in the march through the desert closed the long procession side by side with Dan and Naphtali, with the standard of Dan, an “eagle with a serpent in its talons.” Joshua 19:24

En-gannim - i. e. "fountain of gardens;" also a Levitical city Joshua 21:29 , and called Ahem 1 Chronicles 6:73 , the modern "Jenin," a place on the main road from Jerusalem to Nazareth, just where it enters the plain of Jezreel. Many of the places enumerated in these verses are not known. Tabor Joshua 19:22 is perhaps not the famous mountain, but the town on it of the same name 1 Chronicles 6:77 , given up to the Levites. Beth-shemesh (perhaps "Bessum") is not the same as Beth-shemesh of Judah Joshua 15:10 , nor of Naphtali Joshua 19:38 .

The Inheritance of Asher. - Asher received its territory along the Mediterranean Sea from Carmel to the northern boundary of Canaan itself. The description commences with the central portion, viz., the neighbourhood of Acco ( Joshua 19:25 ), going first of all towards the south ( Joshua 19:26 , Joshua 19:27 ), and then to the north ( Joshua 19:28 , Joshua 19:30 ).

10. Naphtali Judah is first, having the first lot; and he dwelt in the south part of the land, Joshua 15:1, etc.; and next to him Simeon, because his inheritance was within the inheritance of the children of Judah, Joshua 19:1. Benjamin was third; he had his inheritance by Judah, between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph, Joshua 18:11. Dan was the fourth; his lot fell westward of that of Benjamin, in the country of the Philistines, as may be seen in Joshua 19:40, Joshua 19:41, etc. Fifth, Manasseh; and sixth, by him, his brother Ephraim, whose inheritances were behind that of Benjamin, Joshua 16:7. Next to these dwelt, seventh, Zebulun; and eighth, Issachar; concerning whose lots see Joshua 19:10-17. Ninth, Asher; and tenth, Naphtali; see Joshua 19:24, Joshua 19:32, etc. And as in encamping about the tabernacle they were arranged according to their fraternal relationship, (see Numbers 2)., so they were in the division and inheriting of the promised land. Judah and Simeon, both sons of Leah, dwelt abreast of each other. Benjamin, son of Rachel, and Dan, son of Rachel's maid, dwelt next abreast. Manasseh and Ephraim, both sons of Joseph, son of Rachel, had the next place abreast. Zebulun and Issachar, who dwelt next together, were both sons of Leah; and the last pair were Asher, of Leah's maid, and Naphtali, of Rachel's maid.

and Elon, and Timnathah, and Ekron, and El-tekeh, and Gibbethon, and Baalath, and Jehud, and Beneberak, and Gath-Rimmon, and Me-jarkon, and Rakkon, with the border over against Japho. And the border of the children of Dan ended with these; and the children of Dan went up and fought against Leshem, and took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and took possession of it, and dwelt in it, and called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their father. This was the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families, these cities and their hamlets. And they ended dividing the land for inheritance according to its borders. And the children of Israel gave an inheritance to Joshua the son of Nun among them. According to the word of Jehovah they gave him the city that he asked, Timnath-serah in the hill-country of Ephraim; and he built the city, and dwelt in it. These were the inheritances, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the chief fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed by lot in Shiloh before Jehovah, at the entrance of the tent of meeting. And they ended dividing the land. Chapter 20 And Jehovah spoke to Joshua, saying, Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint for yourselves the cities of refuge, whereof I spoke unto you through Moses, that the slayer who unwittingly without intent smiteth any one mortally may flee thither: and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood.