Joshua 15:10

10 and the border turned from Baalah westwards toward mount Seir, and passed toward the side of Har-jearim, that is, Chesalon, northwards, and went down to Beth-shemesh, and passed Timnah.

Joshua 15:10 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 15:10

And the border compassed from Baalah westward unto Mount
Seir
Not that in Idumea, so famous for its being the seat of Esau, which lay remote from hence, but a third of that name near Kirjathjearim; and which Adrichomius F20 places on the borders of Azotus and Ashkelon: this compass is fetched from the north to the west:

and passed along unto the side of the mount Jearim, which [is]
Chesalon, on the north side;
that is, on the north side of the mount, which went by both those names; and which Jerom F21 places on the borders of Aelia or Jerusalem; but it seems to be at a distance from thence, and near to Kirjathjearim, and had its name, as that, from the multitude of trees that grow on it:

and went down to Bethshemesh;
there were several cities of this name; but this, according to Jerom F23, was a Levite's city in the tribe of Benjamin, and in his day was shown as you go from Eleutherepolis to Nicopolis or Emmaus, ten miles to the east; according to Burchard F24, it was five miles from Kirjathjearim to the south; and Bunting F25 places it four miles from Jerusalem westward, taking it for a city in the tribe of Judah, ( Joshua 21:16 ) ( 1 Samuel 6:12 ) ;

and passed on to Timnah;
which, in Jerom's time, was a large village on the borders of Lydda, as you go to Jerusalem, in the tribe of Judah, or Dan F26; his placed in the tribe of Judah, ( Joshua 15:57 ) ; though thought to be afterwards given to Dan; here Judah sheared his sheep, (See Gill on Genesis 38:12).


FOOTNOTES:

F20 Theatrum Terrae Sanct. p. 24.
F21 De loc. Heb. fol. 90. F.
F23 Ib. fol. 89. H.
F24 Apud Masium in loc.
F25 Travels, p. 124.
F26 De loc. Heb. fol. 95. C.

Joshua 15:10 In-Context

8 and the border went up to the valley of the son of Hinnom, toward the south side of the Jebusite, that is, Jerusalem; and the border went up to the top of the mountain that is before the valley of Hinnom westward, which is at the end of the valley of Rephaim northward;
9 and the border reached along from the top of the mountain toward the spring of the waters of Nephtoah, and went out toward the cities of mount Ephron; and the border reached along to Baalah, that is, Kirjath-jearim;
10 and the border turned from Baalah westwards toward mount Seir, and passed toward the side of Har-jearim, that is, Chesalon, northwards, and went down to Beth-shemesh, and passed Timnah.
11 And the border went out to the side of Ekron northwards, and the border reached along toward Shicron, and passed mount Baalah, and went toward Jabneel; and the border ended at the sea.
12 -- And the west border is the great sea and [its] coast. This is the border of the children of Judah round about, according to their families.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Or 'the mountain of Jearim.'
The Darby Translation is in the public domain.