Joshua 18:28

28 Zela, Haeleph, Jebus (or Jerusalem), Gibeah, and Kiriath Jearim: fourteen cities, along with the towns around them. This is the land which the families of the tribe of Benjamin received as their possession.

Joshua 18:28 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 18:28

And Zelaheath
Zelah was the buryingplace of Saul and his family, ( 2 Samuel 21:14 ) .

Eleph
is nowhere else mentioned; some join it with Zelah, and make one city of it, but then the number of cities given could not be completed; both Jarchi and Kimchi say they were two cities, as doubtless they were;

and Jebusi, which [is] Jerusalem;
of Jerusalem being called Jebusi, see ( Joshua 15:63 ) ; it belonged partly to the tribe of Judah, and partly to the tribe of Benjamin; Mount Zion belonged to Judah, and Moriah to Benjamin;

Gibeath
was a distinct city both from Gaba and Gibeon; by its being mentioned with Jerusalem, it should seem to be near it. Jerom F25 speaks of Gabaatha in the tribe of Benjamin, twelve miles from Eleutheropolis, where the grave of the Prophet Habakkuk was shown;

[and] Kirjath
signifies a city, but what city is meant is not known:

fourteen cities with their villages;
and just so many are mentioned by name:

this [is] the inheritance of the children of Benjamin according to
their families;
these cities, with others perhaps not mentioned, were allotted to the tribe of Benjamin for their families to dwell in.


FOOTNOTES:

F25 De loc. Heb. fol. 92. C.

Joshua 18:28 In-Context

26 Mizpah, Chephirah, Mozah,
27 Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah,
28 Zela, Haeleph, Jebus (or Jerusalem), Gibeah, and Kiriath Jearim: fourteen cities, along with the towns around them. This is the land which the families of the tribe of Benjamin received as their possession.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.