JOS 14

Joshua 14:3

WEB

For Moses had given the inheritance of the two tribes and the half-tribe beyond the Jordan; but to the Levites he gave no inheritance among them.

BSB

For Moses had given the inheritance east of the Jordan to the other two and a half tribes. But he granted no inheritance among them to the Levites.

KJV

For Moses had given the inheritance of two tribes and an half tribe on the other side Jordan: but unto the Levites he gave none inheritance among them.

Matthew Henry

Verses 1–5

Joshua 14:1–5

The historian, having in the foregoing chapter given an account of the disposal of the countries on the other side Jordan, now comes to tell us what they did with the countries in the land of Canaan. They were not conquered to be left desert, a habitation for dragons, and a court for owls, Isa 34:13. No, the Israelites that had hitherto been closely encamped in a body, and the greatest part of them such as never knew any other way of living, must now disperse themselves to replenish these new conquests. It is said of the earth, God created it not in vain; he formed it to be inhabited, Isa 45:18. Canaan would have been subdued in vain if it had not been inhabited. Yet every man might not go and settle where he pleased, but as there seems to have been in the days of Peleg an orderly and regular division of the habitable earth among the sons of Noah (Gen 10:25, Gen 10:32), so there was now such a division of the land of Canaan among the sons of Jacob. God had given Moses directions how this distribution should be made, and those directions are here punctually observed. See Num 26:53, etc.

I. The managers of this great affair were Joshua the chief magistrate, Eleazar the chief priest, and ten princes, one of each of the tribes that were now to have their inheritance, whom God himself had nominated (Num 34:17, etc.) some years before; and, it should seem, they were all now in being, and attended this service, that every tribe, having a representative of its own, might be satisfied that there was fair dealing, and might the more contentedly sit down by its lot.

II. The tribes among whom this dividend was to be made were nine and a half. 1. Not the two and a half that were already seated (Jos 14:3), though perhaps now that they saw what a good land Canaan was, and how effectually it was subdued, they might some of them repent their choice, and wish they had now been to have their lot with their brethren, upon which condition they would gladly have given up what they had on the other side Jordan; but it could not be admitted: they had made their election without power of revocation, and so must their doom be; they themselves have decided it, and they must adhere to their choice. 2. Not the tribe of Levi; this was to be otherwise provided for. God had distinguished them from, and dignified them above, the other tribes, and they must not now mingle themselves with them, nor cast in their lot among them, for this would entangle them in the affairs of this life, which would not consist with a due attendance on their sacred function. But, 3. Joseph made two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim, pursuant to Jacob's adoption of Joseph's two sons, and so the number of the tribes was kept up to twelve, though Levi was taken out, which is intimated here (Jos 14:4): The children of Joseph were two tribes, therefore they gave no part to Levi, they being twelve without them.

III. The rule by which they went was the lot, Jos 14:2. The disposal of that is of the Lord, Pro 16:33. It was here used in an affair of weight, and which could not otherwise be accommodated to universal satisfaction, and it was used in a solemn religious manner as an appeal to God, by consent of parties. In dividing by lot, 1. They referred themselves to God, and to his wisdom and sovereignty, believing him fitter to determine for them than they for themselves. Psa 47:4, He shall choose our inheritance for us. 2. They professed a willingness to abide by the determination of it; for every man must take what is his lot, and make the best of it. In allusion to this we are said to obtain an inheritance in Christ (Eph 1:11), eklerothemen - we have obtained it by lot, so the word signified; for it is obtained by a divine designation. Christ, our Joshua, gives eternal life to as many as were given him, Joh 17:2.

Cross-references: Isa 34:13 · Isa 45:18 · Gen 10:25 · Gen 10:32 · Num 26:53 · Num 34:17 · Josh 14:3 · Josh 14:4 · Josh 14:2 · Prov 16:33 · Ps 47:4 · Eph 1:11 · John 17:2

Hebrew interlinear

H3588

כִּיkîy/kee/

conj — relative conjunction

Derivation: a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent;

(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed

KJV: and, (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), but, certainly, doubtless, else, even, except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, (al-) though, till, truly, until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet.

כִּי

conj — that

כִּי conj. that, for, when

1. that

2.

a. Of time, when, of the past

b. elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

c. when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

3. Because, since

כִּי אם־

relative conjunction

כִּי אם־

1. each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:

a. that if

b. for if

2. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—

a. limiting the prec. clause, except

b. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

c. after an oath, surely

כִּי עַל כֵּן

forasmuch as

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

H5414

נָתַןnâthan/naw-than'/

v — give, put, make

Derivation: a primitive root;

to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)

KJV: add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, × avenge, × be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, × doubtless, × without fail, fasten, frame, × get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), × have, × indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), lie, lift up, make, O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, × pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), sing, slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, × surely, × take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, weep, willingly, withdraw, would (to) God, yield.

נָתַן

vb — give

נָתַן 2007 vb. give, put, set

Qal 1917

1. give

2. Put, set

3. Make, constitute

Niph. 82

1. be given

2. Be put, set

Hoph.

1.

a. be given, bestowed

b. = be given to one for wife

2. be put upon

H4872

מֹשֶׁהMôsheh/mo-sheh'/

n-pr-m — Mosheh

Derivation: from 4871; drawing out (of the water), i.e. rescued;

Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver

KJV: Moses.

מֹשֶׁה

n.pr.m — Moses

מֹשֶׁה 767 n.pr.m. Moses, the great Hebrew leader, prophet and lawgiver

H5159

נַחֲלָהnachălâh/nakh-al-aw'/

n-f — inherited, occupancy, heirloom, estate, patrimony, portion

Derivation: from 5157 (in its usual sense);

properly, something inherited, i.e. (abstractly) occupancy, or (concretely) an heirloom; generally an estate, patrimony or portion

KJV: heritage, to inherit, inheritance, possession. Compare 5158.

נַחֲלָה

n.f — possession

נַחֲלָה 224 n.f. possession, property, inheritance

1. property

2. portion, share

3. inheritance

H8147

שְׁנַיִםshᵉnayim/shen-ah'-yim/

n — two, twofold

Derivation: dual of 8145; feminine שְׁתַּיִם;

two; also (as ordinal) twofold

KJV: both, couple, double, second, twain, twelfth, twelve, twenty (sixscore) thousand, twice, two.

שְׁנַ֫יִם

n.m — two

שְׁנַ֫יִם, שְׁתַּיִם 768 n.m. et f. du. two

H4294

מַטֶּהmaṭṭeh/mat-teh'/

n-m — branch, extending, tribe, rod, correction, sceptre, lance, staff, support

Derivation: or (feminine) מַטָּה; from 5186;

a branch (as extending); figuratively, a tribe; also a rod, whether for chastising (figuratively, correction), ruling (a sceptre), throwing (a lance), or walking (a staff; figuratively, a support of life, e.g. bread)

KJV: rod, staff, tribe.

מַטֶּה

n.m — branch

מַטֶּה 251 n.m.

1. staff, rod, shaft

2. branch

3. tribe

H2677

חֵצִיchêtsîy/khay-tsee'/

n-m — half, middle

Derivation: from 2673;

the half or middle

KJV: half, middle, mid(-night), midst, part, two parts.

חֲצִי

n.m — half

חֲצִי 123 n.m. half

1. half of anything

2. middlemidnight

H5676

עֵבֶרʻêber/ay'-ber/

n-m — across, opposite, east

Derivation: from 5674;

properly, a region across; but used only adverbially (with or without a preposition) on the opposite side (especially of the Jordan; ususally meaning the east)

KJV: × against, beyond, by, × from, over, passage, quarter, (other, this) side, straight.

עֵ֫בֶר

n.m — region across

עֵ֫בֶר 91 n.m. region across or beyond, side

1. region across or beyond anything

2. (Opposite) side, side

H3383

יַרְדֵּןYardên/yar-dane'/

n-pr — Jarden

Derivation: from 3381; a descender;

Jarden, the principal river of Palestine

KJV: Jordan.

יַרְדֵן

n.pr.fl — Jordan

יַרְדֵן 182 n.pr.fl. Jordan

H3881

לֵוִיִּיLêvîyîy/lay-vee-ee'/

a — Levite

Derivation: or לֵוִי; patronymically from 3878;

a Levite or descendant of Levi

KJV: Leviite.

לֵוִי

adj.gent — Levite

לֵוִי 291 adj.gent. Levite

H3808

לֹאlôʼ/lo/

adv — not, no

Derivation: or לוֹא; or לֹה; (Deuteronomy 3:11), a primitive particle;

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles

KJV: × before, or else, ere, except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (× as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, surely, as truly as, of a truth, verily, for want, whether, without.

לֹא

adv — not

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

H8432

תָּוֶךְtâvek/taw'-vek/

n-m — bisection, centre

Derivation: from an unused root meaning to sever;

a bisection, i.e. (by implication) the centre

KJV: among(-st), × between, half, × (there-, where-), in(-to), middle, mid(-night), midst (among), × out (of), × through, × with(-in).

תָּ֫וֶךְ

subst — midst

תָּ֫וֶךְ 416 subst. midst

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