Joshua 19:6

6 and Bethlebaoth, and Sharuhen: thirteen cities and their villages;

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 their villages;

7 Ain, Rimmon, and Ether, and Ashan: four cities and their villages;

8 and all the villages that were round about these cities to Baalathbeer, Ramah of the South. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families.