Joshua 19:8

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,)

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 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,)

9 in the possession and part of the sons of Judah, for it was more (than Judah had need of); and therefore the sons of Simeon had (a) possession in the midst of the heritage thereof (and so the sons of Simeon had their possession in the midst of Judah's inheritance).

10 And the third lot of the sons of Zebulun felled, by their families; and the term of (the) possession of the sons of Zebulun was made unto Sarid; (And the third lot fell to the sons of Zebulun, by their families; and the border of the possession of the sons of Zebulun was made unto Shadud;)