Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 1 · Joshua · Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII.
HEre first is recorded the setting up of the Tabernacle in Shiloh. Whereas V. 1. H. B. Patriarchs travailes. Lyra.hitherto it had remained in Gilgal, and so the Campe lay about it: this remove was 12 miles, and almost within 4 miles of Jerusalem. Shiloh, say Lyra and others, was in the Tribe of Ephraim, of which tribe Joshua was. But how this may be gathered, I cannot tell, seeing it is no where set downe in what tribe it stood. OnelyOnly upon Ch. 9. 3. it hath been already shewed to have beene the same with Gibeon, which was in the lot of Benjamin, v. 25. and a City given to the Levites, Ch. 21. 17. as it is said of Shiloh. And if so, the Gibeonites that were to serve about the wood and water for the Tabernacle, might most conveniently performe this office. Touching the direction that Joshua now had to remove the Tabernacle hither, although it bee not expressed, yet doubtlesse hee did it not without direction from the Lord, because this was a thing often spoken of, that it should bee set in the place that the Lord should choose. And here it stood till Samuels time, 1 Sam. 4. which was above 300 years: Lyra Lyra.saith, till it was removed from thence to Nob. But we read no where of any such remove, but onelyonly that Nob was a City of Priests, and that David came to 1 Sam. 21 & 22Abimelech the High Priest there. The onelyonly thing that we read of the remove of the Arke from Shiloh, is, that it was carryed from thence against the Philistims, 1 Sam. 4. and there taken by the Philistims and carryed away, and afterwards sent back againe to Bethshemesh, Ch. 6. and from thence to Kiriath-jearim, Ch. 7. to the house of Abinadab, where it remained 20 yeares, then David is said to have fetcht it from the house of Abinadab in Gibeah, 2 Sam. 6. and Ʋzzah being smitten for touching it, hee durst not carry it any further, but left it at the house of Obed-Edom three months, and then fetcht it into Zion. In all which removes, no mention is made of Nob; but Lyra upon 1 Sam. 7. saith, that from Bethshemesh the Arke was carryed to Kiriath-jearim, and not immediately thence to the house of Abinadab in Gibeah, but first to Mizpeh, then to Gilgal againe, after that to Neb, and from thence to the house of Abinadah, as hee gathereth out of the Hebraic. quaestion. and all this not without some ground in the sacred History; for Kiriath-jearim was a City of the Gibeonites, and Samuel judged the people in Mizpeh, and in Gilgal the Kingdom was renued, 1 Sam. 11. 15. and in Nob was the High Priest and Ephod, and Shewbread, although no mention bee made of these removes. For the time when they removed the Tabernacle from Gilgal to Shiloh, here is nothing expresly said, but it is generally held to have been seven yeares after their comming into the land of Canaan, because it is said, The Land was subdued before them, which was not in lesse time; but the Rabbins say, that it was done 14 yeares after their entrance, but this agreeth not with Calebs age, and the account made before hereby.
The Tabernacle being set up, Joshua reproving the seven Tribes that had V. 2, 3.not yet received their parts for their slacknesse in going about it, and to expell the Canaanites, who yet, though subdued, lived there, where they should in herit, exciteth them to send out men to describe and part it, that hee might there before the Lord cast lots for them. Whereby is intimated, that their remisnesse and backwardnesse in going not to take their lots, but to drive out the enemies Calvin.was the cause of this delay, and that the division begun in Gilgal went not forward, but was intermitted, till this comming to Shiloh, which some thinke was a yeare, but the Rabbins 7 yeares, although against all probability. By this sending out of new measures, three of a Tribe, it may seeme, that some cause of their delay was, for that they did not think the former measurers to have sufficiently done their office, wherefore others are sent to view all things better, and to make a new description of those Lands where they should have their parts; and the cause of this suspition might be, for that in the lot of Judah already taken, there was so much land more then sufficed, that the Simeonites had divers Cities out of it, &c. Now then Joshua alloweth them to choose three V. 4.men out of each Tribe, and to send them to describe it anew, that is, as is most probable, and the words sound, out of the seven Tribes onelyonly, being all together in number 21. These are appointed to divide the Land into seven parts, V. 5, 6.and to returne to Joshua, that lots might be cast for them; Judah, and the children of Joseph, that had received their parts, the one southward, and the other northward being confirmed therein. The Vulg. Latine, for these words, v. 6. Ye shall describe the Land into seven parts, hath it, the middle Land betwixt these yee shall divide into seven parts: as if the seven Tribes that were yet to receive their parts, should all lye in the middle betwixt Iudah, Ephraim, and Manasleh, whereas it is certaine, that a great part of that Land lay more north; therefore that translation is corrupt, as the Jesuite himself acknowledgeth, and that hee hath nothing Bonfrerius.to say in the defence thereof.
Here the reason is further expressed, why the division should bee made but V. 7, 8.into seven parts, viz. because the Levites were to have no part; and as two Tribes and an halfe already spoken of had received their parts on this side Jordan, so two Tribes and an halfe had received their on the other side.
Whereas it is said of the Levites, The Priestheod of the Lord is their inheritance: hereby is meant, that the profits belonging to the Priests and Levites were theirs. Ʋ. 11. The divisions being made by those that were sent, and set down V. 11.in a Book, now lots are cast before the Tabernacle, and Benjamin hath the first between Judah and Joseph. How long the measurers were in surveying, before their returne, is not recorded, but Iosephus saith that they were seven moneths. The north border of Benjamin was the same with that of Ephraim, from Iordan Ch. 16. 7, 8.eastward, to the Sea west. Here, beside Luz or Bethel, v. 13. mention is made of Bethaven, a City neare unto it, by which name, for the idolatry set up there afterwards by Ieroboam, Bethel was inveighed against, Hos. 4. 5, 10. Here V. 15.the south border followeth, which was the north of Iudah, of which see Ch. 15. And then the Cities of this lot are numbred, first twelve, then fourteen, so that V. 21.it was very small, whereupon it is sometime called little Benjamin; although the quantity of ground was little, yet it was most fruitfull, and lay most safely; and this Tribe had the honour of the first lot amongst seven, and of the holy City Ierusalem, and Temple, and lay neare to his brother Joseph. But neither were these all the Cities of Benjamin, for Chap. 21. 18. mention is made of two more, Anathoth and Almon. The double numeration first of 12 Cities, then of 14, seemeth to be, because the former lay eastward, and the latter west.