Joshua 19:8

8 together with all the villages round about these cities as far as Ba'alath-beer, Ramah of the Negeb. This was the inheritance of the tribe of Simeon according to its 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 Beth-leba'oth, and Sharu'hen--thirteen cities with their villages;

7 En-rimmon, Ether, and Ashan--four cities with their villages;

8 together with all the villages round about these cities as far as Ba'alath-beer, Ramah of the Negeb. This was the inheritance of the tribe of Simeon according to its families.

9 The inheritance of the tribe of Simeon formed part of the territory of Judah; because the portion of the tribe of Judah was too large for them, the tribe of Simeon obtained an inheritance in the midst of their inheritance.

10 The third lot came up for the tribe of Zeb'ulun, according to its families. And the territory of its inheritance reached as far as Sarid;