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27,299 commentary entries
The Pulpit Commentary
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 16:3
Japhleth. Rather, the Japhlethite; but it is unknown what this family was. Beth-horon the nether (see Joshua 10:10). In Joshua 16:5 we have Upper Beth-horon, but the places were close together. For Gezer; see Joshua 10:…
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 16:5
The border of the children of Ephraim. The Hebrew word is translated indifferently by coast and border in our translation. The border of Joseph is very slightly traced out by the historian. It is difficult to give a rea…
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 16:6
And the border went out towards the sea. Or, "and the western border." On the north side. Or, "northward." Apparently a line is drawn from the sea, which (Joshua 16:3) is given as the termination of the southern boundar…
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 16:7
Ataroth. Another Ataroth, on the northern border of Ephraim. The name, which signifies crowns is a common one (see Numbers 32:3, Numbers 32:34, Numbers 32:35; 1 Chronicles 2:54). Came to Jericho. Or perhaps skirted Jeri…
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 16:8
The border went out from Tappuah westward. This would seem to be a more minute description of the border line drawn from the sea to Michmethah above. Tappuah seems to have been near Mich-methah, and on the border (Joshu…
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 16:9
And the separate cities. Literally, and the cities divided off. The word "were," in our version, is misplaced. It should be read thus: "And there were cities divided off and assigned to the tribe of Ephraim in the midst…
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 16:10
And they drave not out. The Ephraimites soon grew slack in the fulfilment of the Divine command. There is a distinction, apparently, between this passage and Joshua 15:63. There the tribe of Judah was unable to drive ou…
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 16:10
Canaanites still in the land. I. CANAANITES STILL IN THE LAND WERE A WITNESS TO THE FAILURE OF THE JEWS TO ACCOMPLISH GOD'S WILL. They may have failed But these Canaanites were a cause of future trouble and a constant t…
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 18:1
Shiloh. Shiloh was at once the seat of public worship and the centre of tribal union; the symbol of established peace and the witness to that Divine law on which the maintenance of peace and prosperity depended. Christe…
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 18:1-28
Progress in the great work. The tribes gathered together at Shiloh, set up the common tabernacle for worship, and then proceeded, at Joshua's instance, to complete the division of the land. Several detached consideratio…
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 18:1-28
EXPOSITION THE CONTINUED DIVISION OF THE LAND.—
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 18:1
Congregation. The word signifies a body of persons gathered together at a spot before indicated. The LXX. renders by συναγωγή. The idea is evidently that of an assembly gathered together for some specific acts of worsh…
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 18:1
Shiloh, the sanctuary. The choice of Shiloh as a resting place for the tabernacle was not left at Joshua's discretion: it was a matter of Divine appointment (Deuteronomy 12:10-12). At the same time it was not without it…
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 18:3
An exhortation to advance. In Joshua 13:1 we find an address delivered to Joshua by Jehovah, in which he was reminded how much remained to be done ere his work was finished, and his age forbade the belief that many year…
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 18:3
How long are ye slack? This "slackness" (the translation is a literal one) in the arduous conflict against the powers of evil is not confined to Jews. The exhortation needs repeating to every generation, and not less to…
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 18:4
Give out from among you. Calvin enlarges much upon the boldness of these twenty-one men in venturing upon the task of the survey, rightly supposing that the difficulty of the task was enhanced by the number who undertoo…
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 18:6
Ye shall therefore describe the land into seven parts. Literally, ye shall write the land, seven parts. Similarly in Joshua 18:8. That is to say, a written report was to be brought up in seven parts, a fair and equal di…
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 18:7
But the Levites (see Joshua 13:14, Joshua 13:33). The priesthood of the Lord. An equivalent expression to that in Joshua 13:1-33. Here the office of the priesthood, there, more accurately, the sacrifices which it was th…
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 18:8
Shiloh (see note on Joshua 18:1 and Joshua 24:1). The seat of the tabernacle became, for the present at least, the headquarters of the Israelites.
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 18:10
Cast lots. Here, and in Joshua 18:8, yet another phrase is used to describe the casting of the lots.
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 18:11
The children of Benjamin. Lying as their inheritance did between that of Ephraim and Judah, the chief places of note on their border have been already mentioned either in Joshua 15:1-63. or in Joshua 16:1-10.
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 18:14
And the border was drawn thence, and compassed the border of the sea. This is a serious mistranslation, arising from the same word being used for sea and west in Hebrew. The LXX. has πρὸς (some copies have παρὰ) θάλα…
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 18:17
Geliloth (see Joshua 15:7).
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 18:23
Avim. Most probably Ai (see note on Joshua 7:2).