Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Joshua
Book: Joshua
Chapter: 15
Overview:
The borders of the
Lot of
Judah.
(1-12) Caleb's portion, His
Daughter's blessing.
(13-19) The cities of
Judah.
(20-63)
1-12 Joshua allotted to
Judah,
Ephraim, and the half of
Manasseh, their inheritances before they left
Gilgal. Afterwards
removing to
Shiloh, another survey was made, and the other
tribes had their portion assigned. In due time all
God's people
are settled.
13-19 Achsah obtained some land
By Caleb's free grant. He gave
her a
South land. Land indeed, but a
South land, dry and apt to
be parched. She obtained more,
On her request, and he gave the
upper and the nether springs. Those who understand it but of one
Field, watered both with the
Rain of
Heaven, and the springs
that issued out of the
Earth, countenance the allusion commonly
made to this, when we pray for spiritual and heavenly blessings
which relate to our souls, as blessings of the upper springs,
and those which relate to the body and the
Life that now is, as
blessings of the nether springs. All the blessings, both of the
upper and the nether springs, belong to the children of
God. As
related to
Christ, they have them freely given of the
Father,
for the
Lot of their inheritance.
20-63 Here is a list of the cities of
Judah. But we do not here
find
Bethlehem, afterwards the
City of
David, and ennobled
By
the
Birth of our
Lord Jesus in it. That
City, which, at the
best, was but little among the
Thousands of
Judah, Mic 5:2,
except that it was thus honoured, was now
So little as not to be
accounted one of the cities.