Matthew Poole's Commentary And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, God describes the borders of Canaan, Numbers 34:1-15; and names those who should divide the same among the children of Israel, Numbers 34:16-29. No text from Poole on this verse. Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land of Canaan; (this is the land that shall fall unto you for an inheritance, even the land of Canaan with the coasts thereof:) Or, limits, or bounds, to wit, of the land beyond Jordan; which are here particularly described, 1. To direct and bound them in their wars and conquests, that they might not seek the enlargement of their empire, after the manner of other nations, but be contented with their own portion. 2. To encourage them in their attempt upon Canaan, and assure them of their success. 3. To guide them in the approaching distribution of the land. Then your south quarter shall be from the wilderness of Zin along by the coast of Edom, and your south border shall be the outmost coast of the salt sea eastward: The south quarter is here described from east to west by divers windings and turnings, by reason of the mountains, rivers, &c. By the coast of Edom, bordering all along upon the Edomites. The Salt Sea, so called from the salt and sulphurous taste of its waters. Eastward, i.e. at the eastern part of that sea, where the eastern and southern borders meet. And your border shall turn from the south to the ascent of Akrabbim, and pass on to Zin: and the going forth thereof shall be from the south to Kadeshbarnea, and shall go on to Hazaraddar, and pass on to Azmon: Akrabbim, called Maaleh-acrabbim, Joshua 15:3, which was at the south end of the Salt or Dead Sea. From the south, or, on the south, i.e. proceeding onward towards the south. Kadesh-barnea was on the southern part of Canaan, Numbers 13:17. Hazar-addar, in Joshua 15:3, may seem distinguished into two places, Hezron and Adar, which here are united, because peradventure they were contiguous, or joined together. Or, the village of Addar; and so this is the same place called Adar, Joshua 15:3; and for Hezron, that may be another place here omitted, and there supplied for more exactness. Azmon is at the west end of the Mount of Edom. And the border shall fetch a compass from Azmon unto the river of Egypt, and the goings out of it shall be at the sea. The river of Egypt, called Sihor, Joshua 13:3, which divided Egypt from Canaan. See Genesis 15:18. The sea; the midland sea, called the sea emphatically; whereas the other seas there, as they are called, are indeed but lakes. And as for the western border, ye shall even have the great sea for a border: this shall be your west border. The great sea; the midland sea from the south to the north so far as runs parallel with Mount Libanus. And this shall be your north border: from the great sea ye shall point out for you mount Hor: Not that Hor where Aaron died, Numbers 20:23, which was southward, and bordering upon Edom, Numbers 33:37,38, and therefore could not be their northern border; but another mountain, and, as it is conceived, the mountain of Libanus, which is elsewhere mentioned as the northern border of the land, and which, in regard 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, Joshua 13:5, and here Hor, which signifies a mountain, and this may be called so by way of eminency. Certain it is, that as Hor here, so Hemon, Joshua 13:5, is joined with the entrance of Hamath, which makes it probable they are one and the same place. From mount Hor ye shall point out your border unto the entrance of Hamath; and the goings forth of the border shall be to Zedad: Hamath, called Hamath the great, Amos 6:2, which is among the northern borders, Ezekiel 47:16,17. See Genesis 10:15,18 Num 13:21 Judges 3:3 1 Kings 8:65. And the border shall go on to Ziphron, and the goings out of it shall be at Hazarenan: this shall be your north border. No text from Poole on this verse. And ye shall point out your east border from Hazarenan to Shepham: No text from Poole on this verse. And the coast shall go down from Shepham to Riblah, on the east side of Ain; and the border shall descend, and shall reach unto the side of the sea of Chinnereth eastward: Chinnereth; of this name we have a city, Joshua 19:35, and a country, Joshua 11:2 1 Kings 15:20 and a sea or lake, here an Joshua 12:3 13:27 which in the New Testament is called the sea of Gennesaret, Luke 5:1 and of Galilee, and of Tiberas John 6:1. And the border shall go down to Jordan, and the goings out of it shall be at the salt sea: this shall be your land with the coasts thereof round about. Down to Jordan, i.e. all along the river of Jordan, even to the end of it, which is the eastern border. And Moses commanded the children of Israel, saying, This is the land which ye shall inherit by lot, which the LORD commanded to give unto the nine tribes, and to the half tribe: No text from Poole on this verse. For the tribe of the children of Reuben according to the house of their fathers, and the tribe of the children of Gad according to the house of their fathers, have received their inheritance; and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance: No text from Poole on this verse. The two tribes and the half tribe have received their inheritance on this side Jordan near Jericho eastward, toward the sunrising. No text from Poole on this verse. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, No text from Poole on this verse. These are the names of the men which shall divide the land unto you: Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun. Eleazar was to act in God’s name, to cast lots, to prevent differences and contentions, to consult with God in cases of difficulty, to transact the whole business in a solemn and religious manner. And ye shall take one prince of every tribe, to divide the land by inheritance. No text from Poole on this verse. And the names of the men are these: Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh. The order of the tribes is here differing from that Numbers 1:7,26, and in other places, being here, as also Jos 16 Jos 17 Jos 18 Jos 19 conformed to the order of their several inheritances, which afterwards fell to them by lot; which is an evident demonstration of the infinite wisdom of God’s providence, and of his exact and peculiar care over his people. And of the tribe of the children of Simeon, Shemuel the son of Ammihud. No text from Poole on this verse. Of the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad the son of Chislon. No text from Poole on this verse. And the prince of the tribe of the children of Dan, Bukki the son of Jogli. No text from Poole on this verse. The prince of the children of Joseph, for the tribe of the children of Manasseh, Hanniel the son of Ephod. No text from Poole on this verse. And the prince of the tribe of the children of Ephraim, Kemuel the son of Shiphtan. No text from Poole on this verse. And the prince of the tribe of the children of Zebulun, Elizaphan the son of Parnach. No text from Poole on this verse. And the prince of the tribe of the children of Issachar, Paltiel the son of Azzan. No text from Poole on this verse. And the prince of the tribe of the children of Asher, Ahihud the son of Shelomi. No text from Poole on this verse. And the prince of the tribe of the children of Naphtali, Pedahel the son of Ammihud. No text from Poole on this verse. These are they whom the LORD commanded to divide the inheritance unto the children of Israel in the land of Canaan. No text from Poole on this verse. |
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