Westminster Annotations, Numbers · Chapter 34
CHAP. XXXIIII.
Vers. 2. THat is the land] That is, the description of the limits and borders of the Land, whereby they may know what inhabitants are to be turned out of their possession.
V. 3. salt Sea] Sea water is generally salt; but this lake called the lake of Sodome, was so called for especiall saltnesse, by reason of the salt and sulph…reous springs which feed it, and from the showre of sulphure which fell upon it: It is also called the dead Sea, because (as some write) it hath no fish or living creature in it, and that if upon an over-flowing of Jordan fishes be carryed into it, yet they will not live in it. This salt Sea in the Gospel hath divers names, as the Lake of Gennesareth, the Sea of Galilee, the Sea of Tiberias, from the Regions Gennesareth and Galilee, and from the Citie of Tiberias bordering upon it.
V. 4. Akrabbim] Called Maalehakrabbim, Josh. 15. 3.
Hazur-addar] Which is counted as two places, Josh. 15. 3.
V. 5. River of Egypt] By which is usually meant the River Nil…, which cannot be meant of the maine River in this place, because the border of Canaan did not reach so farre, but the River called Rhinocorura, or Rhinoco…ura taking its name from the Citie by which it runneth; or a brooke or torrent, which rising out of the mountaines of Kedar, and running through the desert passeth into the Mediterranean Sea, and in its way coasteth upon the Tribe of Judah, and Simeon, and separateth it from the wildernesse, and the way to Egypt. See Annot. on Gen. 15. 18.
V. 6. great Sea] The Mediterranean Sea, called great, no… simply, but in comparison of the Sea of Tiberias. See Annot. on vers. 3.
for your border] Not meaning that all the Sea coast shall be theirs, but that part which answereth to its situation to Mount Libanus and Mount Hor.
V. 7. Hor] Which is a Mountaine neere Tyre and Sidon, and not that Hor in the wildernesse, where Aaron died; for the Mount on which Aaron died was South, or South east in respect of Canaan; but this here mentioned was North, or North-west, quite opposite to it.
V. 11. Chinnereth] Which in the Gospel is called the Lake of Genesareth, &c. See Annot. on vers. 3.
V. 12. Jordan] This River is distinguished by the measure of the streame, and is called Jordan the lesse untill it mingle with other waters; and after that swelling to a greater height, and spreading in breadth untill it runne into the dead Sea, it is called Jordan the great. Josephus of the Warres of the Jewes: lib. 4. cap. 1.
V. 12. this shall be your] The like limits (with a little variation (for Israels portion in it was not alwayes of one measure) are set down by Ezek. Chap. 47. these are the chiefe limits on the North and East part of Judea, but if we take all the Land together which was possessed by all the children of Israel, comprehending in the compasse the portion of the Reubenites, Gadites and halfe Tribe of Manasseh beyond Jordan towards the East, and the Tribe of Naphtali beyond the Lake of Gennesareth towards the North, the limits of the Land of Promise are these; on the North-side it is bounded by Phenicia, Syria, Libamra, and Syria of Damascus, on the East side by Arabia, on the South side by the desert of Sin, the countrey of Cedar or Kedar, and Egypt; and on the West by the Mediterranean Sea, called the Great Sea.
V. 13. inherit by lot] This and vers. 18. agree. See the Annot. on Chap. 26. vers. 56.
V. 18. Prince of] Not the principall man of the whole Tribe, but a chiefe man of some Family in his Tribe.
by inheritance] They were to take the Land in the name of the Tribes, and to distribute each Tribe his portion to be held by inheritance, though the distribution (for the most part) were made by Lot, Josh. 19. 51.
V. 29. divide] And to decide any difference that migth arise, if any were not pleased with their portion.