Joshua 19:6

6 and Bethlebaoth, and Sharuhen; thirteen cities , and the towns of those;

Joshua 19:6 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 19:6

And Bethlebaoth, and Sharuhen
Whether the first is the same with Lebaoth, a city of Judah, ( Joshua 15:32 ) ; and with the Bethleptepha of Josephus ^F2, and the Betholene of Pliny ^F3, is not certain: in this place secret to have been an idol temple of the Canaanites, dedicated to lions, as in Egypt there was a city called Leontopolis, from whence was the Leontopolitan nome, the inhabitants of which worshipped lions ^F4; and the Egyptians had temples dedicated to them, as Aelianus ^F5 relates. Both these places are thought to be the same with Bethbirei and Shaaraim in ( 1 Chronicles 4:31 ) ; of the latter of which see ( Joshua 15:36 ) . Those who take Sheba, ( Joshua 19:2 ) , to be the same with Shema, ( Joshua 15:26 ) , make but one city here, and take away the last, as the Greek version does, and render the word "and their fields", and so the number still is as follows:

thirteen cities and their villages;
the sum total of those enumerated above.

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FOOTNOTES:

F2 De Jud. Bell. l. 4. c. 8. sect. 1.
F3 Nat. Hist. l. 5. c. 14.
F4 Strabo. Geograph. l. 17. p. 559.
F5 De Animal. l. 12. c. 7.

Joshua 19:6 In-Context

4 and Eltolad, and Bethul, and Hormah,

5 and Ziklag, and Bethmarcaboth, and Hazarsusah,

6 and Bethlebaoth, and Sharuhen; thirteen cities , and the towns of those;

7 Ain, and Remmon, and Ether, and Ashan; four cities, and the towns of those;

8 all the towns by compass of these cities, unto Baalath(beer) Ramath, against the south coast, were seventeen cities. This is the heritage of the sons of Simeon, by their families, (and so all the cities with the towns around them, unto Baalathbeer, or Ramah, in the south, were seventeen altogether. This is the inheritance of the sons of Simeon, by their families,)