A Pisgah-Sight of Palestine, Book 5 · Part 1 · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII. Objections against Simeon answered.
Philol.
VVHy both an Asteriske and flag of uncertainty over Sheba? For, though unassured of the exact position thereof, the Text ascertaineth us, that it was a reall City in Simeon, aJosh. 19. 2.Beer-sheba, and Sheba, and Moladah &c.
Aleth.
I am not satisfied that Sheba was a distinct City by it self, but rather conceive it the same with Beer-sheba. Because,
1 They are both accounted the samebGen. 26. 33. when originally denominated.
2 Sheba is omitted inc1 Chr. 4. 28. Chronicles where other Simeonite Cities are summ'd up) as the same with Beer sheba.
3 Simeon had butdJosh. 19. 6. thirteen Cities, which make fourteen if Sheba be accounted a distinct City by it self.
The premisses considered, Sheba appears the same with Beer-sheba (as ePsal. 76. 2.Salem with Ierusalem) commonly so called for brevity sake.
Philol.
But then how doe you answer the Text, which expresly maketh Sheba a distinct City, Beer-sheba, and Sheba, and Moladah &c?
Aleth.
Proteus appeared not in more shapes, then the Particle… (here rendred and) hath severall significations, for though chiefly it is copulative, other whiles it is causall, collective, adversative, exegeticall, redditive, and disjunctive, asfIn locum Iosh. Bonfrerius readeth it here, Beer-sheba, or Sheba, and Moladah &c.
Philol.
You say that Simeon was gIn the des…r. of Iudah §.1.surrounded on all sides with Iudah, whereas in your Map, the northern side thereof, is all along fairly flanked with the Tribe of Don.
Aleth.
You may remember (what we so lately proved) that Dan's portion primitively pertained to Iudah, and was a canton cut out thereof. In which sense according to Scripture, Simeons inheritance washJosh 19. 1. within the children of Iudah's, and originally encompassed therewith.
Philol.
Why call you this TribeiIn descript. of Simeon § 1. a jagged remnant, being as whole a cloth as the rest, and (though not so great) as entire as the other Tribes? I am not sensible by this your Map of any notorious dispersedness of the Simeonites habitations.
Aleth.
Undoubtedly Iudah his portion made many incisures, and larcinations into the Tribe of Simeon hindering the entireness thereof. Particularly Askelon andkJosh. 15. 47. Gaza first given to, oncelJudg. 1. 18. possessed by Iudah, (though regained by the Philistines) were continued and tyed by some narrow labell of land to the main of Iudah, at leastwise had a Church-path (as I may terme it) a passage to the Temple, without going through any part of Simeon. But, wanting certain instructions, how to contrive, and carry on such indented conveyances, and not willing to confine the Reader to our conjecturall fancies, we have left him to his liberty, presenting Simeon *Adrichomius hath done the same.entire, wherein he may frame such incursions of Iudah as comply best with his own opinion.
Philol.
You make this Tribe to range some miles south of Beer-sheba, whereas that place passeth currant for the utmost border of the Countrey. What more common in Scripture, thenlJudg. 20. 1. & 1 Sam. 3. 20 & 2 Sam. 3. 10. &c. from. Dan to Beer-sheba, that is, from the north to the south of the land of Canaan?
Aleth.
It was the utmost eminent City, but not absolutely the farthest place in Palestine, as neither mentioned amongst the southern boundaries of the land in generall, Numb. 34. nor with the utmost limits of the Tribe of Iudah, Iosh. 15. In ordinary discourse we measure England east and west from Dover to the Mount, as the farthest western place of note, though Cornwall stretches seven*Consult camdens and Speeds Maps. miles beyond it unto the lands end. So Beer-sheba was the remotest remarkable City of Canaan, where the cloth, as I may say, ended, though the list thereof reached beyond it to the River of Egypt.