Josué 19
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
Josué 19:1-9
19:1 Part of Judah's land was given to the tribe of Simeon. Simeon was incorporated early into Judah and lost its identity. It is not even listed in Moses' blessings to the tribes in Deuteronomy 33. 19:2 "Beersheba" This means "well of oath" (BDB 92). It is one of the most southern Judean cities. It was part of the idiomatic phrase, "from Dan to Beersheba" which described the Promised Land. ▣ "Sheba" In Jos. 15:26, it is called "Shema" (UBS Text Project, pp.50-51, gives this a B rating) which is the Hebrew word "to hear so as to do" (BDB 1035). It is the name of the famous creedal statement of Deut. 6:4-5 (BDB 1033). The NKJV and the JPSOA translations think it was another way of referring to Beersheba or possibly a scribal error in writing the last of the previous city's name twice. In Jos. 19:6 it says 13 cities, but there are 14 names. 19:4 "Bethul" This city ("man of God," BDB 143) is also in the allocation of Judah (cf. 1 Sam. 30:27; 1 Chr. 4:30, spelled "Bethuel"). 19:7 "Ain, Rimmon" The UBS Text Project, p. 50, suggests "En-Rimmon" with an A rating. See full nnote at Jos. 15:32. 19:9 This verse explains why Simeon received part of Judah's land inheritance and also that Judah was having trouble possessing its land. Simeon's allotted area was totally surrounded by Judah's allotment. In time Simeon disappears as an individual tribe. They are not even listed in Moses' blessings of Deuteronomy 33. In 1 Kgs. 19:3 Beersheba (cf. Jos. 19:2) is said to belong to Judah.
Josué 19:10-16
19:13 "Gath-hepher" This is the birthplace of the prophet Jonah (cf. 2 Kgs. 14:25), about three miles northeast of Nazareth. 19:15 "Bethlehem" This means "house of bread" (BDB 111, cf. Jdg. 12:8,10); it was about ten miles west of Nazareth. It was a common name. This is not the one in Judah (i.e., Gen. 35:19; 48:7; Ruth 1:1-2,19; Micah 5:2).
Josué 19:17-23
19:20 NASB, NKJV, NRSV, TEV, JPSOA, REB "Rabbith" "Dobrath" "Rabboth" "Deblath" I mention this word (BDB 914) because it involves the common problem of the similarity of "r" and "d" in Hebrew. In hand copying this is the origin of many of the translation issues. The UBS Text Project, p 53, gives the "d" a C rating (considerable doubt). The city of Deberath is mentioned in Jos. 19:12; 21:28, and 1 Chr. 6:57. The same "r" ‒ "d" confusion also occurs in v. 28 (also note Jos. 21:25). and Ebron and Abdon 19:22 "Beth-shemesh" This name means "sun-temple" (BDB 112). This is not the same as the city by the same name in the tribal allocation of Judah (cf. Jos. 15:10) or in Naphtali (Jos. 19:38).
Josué 19:24-31
19:27 "east. . .north" The ancient Hebrews denoted compass directions by facing "east" (the rising sun). The tabernacle faced east. It became a symbol of help and hope. The Messiah will come from the east. As a person faces east, the right hand points south and the left hand points north. North came to be a symbol of invasion and bad news because the Mesopotamian powers always invaded from the coastal plain through Phoenicia (because of the desert to the east of Palestine). ▣ "Beth-dagon" This means "house of Dagon" (BDB 111), who was the Philistine fertility god (i.e., grain god). There is a city by this name in the allocation of Judah (Jos. 15:41) and in Asher (Jos. 19:27). 19:28 "the Great Sidon" This shows the antiquity of the text because in the future Sidon is replaced by Tyre as Phoenicia's capital (cf. Jos. 19:29).
Josué 19:32-39
19:33 "from the oak" Trees often were associated with holy sites (cf. Gen. 13:18; 14:13; 18:1; 21:33; 35:4; Jdg. 4:5,11; 6:11,19; 9:6,37; 1 Sam. 10:3), possibly because of the presence of underground water which was so valuable to desert and semi-desert peoples. SPECIAL TOPIC: TREES 19:38 "Beth-anath" This name means "temple of Anath" (BDB 112, cf. Jdg. 1:33). Anath was a fertility goddess.
Josué 19:40-48
19:47 This refers to the movement of Dan to the north (cf. Judges 17-18). Joshua told Ephraim earlier that if they wanted more land they should conquer what was already allocated to them. Some commentators see this as explaining Dan's relocation, but to me it was an act of unbelief. This is why it is listed in the conclusion of Judges (cf. chapters 17-21) which documents the Israelites acts of faithlessness. Dan's original allocation was in the Philistine area. They chose to move instead of trusting YHWH to help them take their land. ▣ "Leshem" This city (BDB 546) is also called Laish ("lion," BDB 539, cf. Jdg. 18:7,14,27,29).
Josué 19:51
19:51 "the tent of meeting" The tent of meeting is the same as the tabernacle. It is described in Exodus 25-40. Its procedures are given in Leviticus. The Shekinah cloud of glory, which led the Israelites during the exodus and wilderness wandering period, disappeared as soon as Israel crossed Jordan. YHWH's presence was now enshrined at the tabernacle. It was first set up at Gilgal (Jos. 4:10), then moved to Shiloh (Jos. 18:1; 19:51; 1 Sam. 2:22). Later the tabernacle, without the ark (Jdg. 20:18,27), was at Gibeon (cf. 1 Chr. 16:39-40; 2 Chr. 1:3-6). SPECIAL TOPIC: TABERNACLE OF THE WILDERNESS