Joshua 19:8

8 and all the villages that were round about these cities to Ba`alat-Be'er, Ramah of the South. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Shim`on according to their families.

Joshua 19:8 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 19:8

And all the villages that [were] round about these cities
Not only the suburbs adjoining to those cities which are mentioned before, but the several small distinct towns and villages, scattered up and down in the country:

to Baalathbeer, Ramath of the south:
this is the same with Baal in ( 1 Chronicles 4:33 ) ; and with Ramath of the south, or south Ramoth, as it is called ( 1 Samuel 30:27 ) ; all these are the names of one and the same city:

this [is] the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Simeon,
according to their families;
that is, the above named cities fell to the lot of the inheritance of the Simeonites, and were divided among them according to the number of their respective families; at least, these were the chief and principal of them; for all that they possessed are not mentioned, particularly one called Tochen, ( 1 Chronicles 4:32 ) ; and another, the name of which is Etam there, unless that is thought to be the same with Ether here in ( Joshua 19:7 ) . Josephus says ^F6, this tribe took by lot that part of Idumea which lay near to Egypt and Arabia.

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FOOTNOTES:

F6 Antiqu. l. 5. c. 1. sect. 22.

Joshua 19:8 In-Context

6 and Beit-Leva'ot, and Sharuchen; thirteen cities with their villages:

7 `Ayin, Rimmon, and `Eter, and `Ashan; four cities with their villages:

8 and all the villages that were round about these cities to Ba`alat-Be'er, Ramah of the South. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Shim`on according to their families.

9 Out of the part of the children of Yehudah was the inheritance of the children of Shim`on; for the portion of the children of Yehudah was too much for them: therefore the children of Shim`on had inheritance in the midst of their inheritance.

10 The third lot came up for the children of Zevulun according to their families; and the border of their inheritance was to Sarid;