Numbers 34:14

51. These were the numbered of the children of Israel, six hundred thousand, and a thousand seven hundred and thirty. 51. Isti sunt numerati filiorum Israel, sexcenta millia, et mille septingenti ac triginta. 52. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 52. Loquutus est autem Jehova ad Mosen, dicendo: 53. Unto these the land shall be divided for an inheritance, according to the number of names. 53. Istis dividerut terra illa in possessionem secundum numerum nominum. 54. To many thou shalt give the more inheritance, and to few thou shalt give the less inheritance: to every one shall his inheritance be given according to those that were numbered of him. 54. Numerosiori dabis possessionem majorem: et pauciori diminues possessionem suam: unicuique secundum numeratos suos dabitur haereditas sua. 55. Notwithstanding the land shall be divided by lot: according to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit. 55. Veruntamen sorte dividetur terra, per nomina tribuum patrum suorum haereditatem accipient. 56. According to the lot shall the possession thereof be divided between many and few. 56. Secundum sortes dividetur haereditas ejus inter multum et paucum. 57. And these are they that were numbered of the Levites, after their families: of Gershon, the family of the Gershonites: of Kohath, the family of the Kohathites: of Merari, the family of the Merarites.

A well known river to the east of the land of Canaan: and the goings out of it shall be at the salt sea; the sea of Sodom; and though all sea water is generally salt, this was remarkably so, through the great quantity of bitumen and nitre in it; hence it was called Asphaltites; thus as the description of the borders of the land began with the salt sea, Numbers 34:3, it ends with it: this shall be your land, with the coasts thereof round about: which, according to the Targum of Jonathan, was thus bounded, Rekamgea (or Kadeshbarnea) on the south, Taurus Urnanus (by which he interprets Mount Hor) on the north, the great sea on the west (i.e. the Mediterranean sea), and the salt sea on the east. Numbers 34:13 Ver. 13. And Moses commanded the children of Israel, saying,.... Strictly enjoining them to observe what he was about to say to them: this is the land which ye shall inherit by lot; as above described and bounded: which the Lord commanded to give unto the nine tribes, and to the half tribe; to the tribes of Judah, Simeon, Benjamin, Dan, Ephraim, Zebulun, Issachar, Asher, and Naphtali, and the half tribe of Manasseh; though this command is not before expressed, it is very probable it was delivered to Moses at the same time he had the mind of God concerning the settlement of the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the other half tribe of Manasseh, on the other side Jordan; see Numbers 32:31. Numbers 34:14 Ver. 14.

34:1-15 Canaan was of small extent; as it is here bounded, it is but about 160 miles in length, and about 50 in breadth; yet this was the country promised to the father of the faithful, and the possession of the seed of Israel. This was that little spot of ground, in which alone, for many ages, God was known. This was the vineyard of the Lord, the garden enclosed; but as it is with gardens and vineyards, the narrowness of the space was made up by the fruitfulness of the soil. Though the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof, yet few know him, and serve him; but those few are happy, because fruitful to God. Also, see how little a share of the world God gives to his own people. Those who have their portion in heaven, have reason to be content with a small pittance of this earth. Yet a little that a righteous man has, having it from the love of God, and with his blessing, is far better and more comfortable than the riches of many wicked.

For the tribe of the children of Reuben, according to the house of their fathers,.... That tribe, and all the families belonging to it: have received their inheritance, and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance; that is, it was agreed they should have it on condition of their going along with the other tribes over Jordan into the land of Canaan, and assist them in the conquest of it, Numbers 32:1.

Shepham, the first point after Hazar-enan, is unknown. The name Riblah is by some read Har-bel, i. e., "the Mountain of Bel;" the Har-baal-Hermon of Judges 3:3 . No more striking landmark could be set forth than the summit of Hermon, the southernmost and by far the loftiest peak of the whole Antilibanus range, rising to a height of 10,000 feet, and overtopping every other mountain in the Holy land. Ain, i. e. the fountain, is understood to be the fountain of the Jordan; and it is in the plain at the southwestern foot of Hermon that the two most celebrated sources of that river, those of Daphne and of Paneas, are situate. The "sea of Chinnereth" is better known by its later name of Gennesaret, which is supposed to be only a corruption of Chinnereth. The border ran parallel to this sea, along the line of hill about 10 miles further east.

13-15. The two tribes and the half-tribe have received their inheritance on this side Jordan—The conquered territories of Sihon and Og, lying between the Arnon and mount Hermon, were allotted to them—that of Reuben in the most southerly part, Gad north of it, and the half Manasseh in the northernmost portion.

This land, according to the boundaries thus described, the Israelites were to distribute by lot ( Numbers 26:56 ), to give it to the nine tribes and a half, as the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half Manasseh had already received their inheritance on the other side of the Jordan ( Numbers 32:33 .).

[Reformed Biblical] gard of divers parts, or by divers people, is called by divers names, as Sirion and Shenir , Deu_3:9, and Sion , Deu_4:48, and Hermon , Jos_13:5, and here Hor , which signifies a mountain , and this may be called so b y way of emine ncy. Certain i t is, that as Hor here, so Hemon , Jos_13:5, is joined with the entrance of Hamath , which makes it probable they are one and the same place. Numbers 34:8 ## Hamath, called Hamath the great , Amo_6:2, which is among the northern borders, Eze_47:16 ,17 . See Gen_10:15 ,18 Numbers 13:21 Jud_3:3 1Ki_8:65. Numbers 34:9 Numbers 34:10 Numbers 34:11 ## Chinnereth; of this name we have a city, Jos_19:35, and a country, Jos_11:2 1Ki_15:20 and a sea or lake, here an Jos_12:3 13:2 7 which in the New Testament is called the sea of Gennesaret , Luk_5:1 and of Galilee , and of Tiberas Joh_6:1. Numbers 34:12 ## Down to Jordan, i.e. all alo ng the river of Jordan, even to the end of it, which is the eastern border. Numbers 34:13 Numbers 34:14 Numbers 34:15 Numbers 34:16 Numbers 34:17 ## Eleazar was to act in God’s name, to c

[Reformed Biblical] er son of Asher named, to wit, Ishuah , whose family seems now to be lost. Numbers 26:45 Numbers 26:46 Who seems to be here mentioned because she was a woman of masculine wisdom, or courage, or other virtue. Numbers 26:47 Whereas they were only 41,500 in Num_1:41. Numbers 26:48 Numbers 26:49 Numbers 26:50 Numbers 26:51 Very nigh as many as the re were before, Num_1:46. So wisely and marvellously did God at the same time manifest his justice in cutting off so vast a number, and his mercy in giving such a speedy and numerous supply, and his truth in both. Numbers 26:52 Numbers 26:53 ## Unto these; to these families now mentioned. ## The land shall be divided, by lot, Num_26:55. The land was divided into nine parts and a half, respect being had in such division to the goodness as well as to the largeness of the several portions, and the lot gave each tribe their part. ## Of names, i.e. of the persons, names being oft put for persons, a