SEV Biblia, Chapter 15:1
¶ Y fue la suerte de la tribu de los hijos de Judá, por sus familias, junto al término de Edom, del desierto de Zin al mediodía, al lado del sur.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Joshua 15:1
Verse 1. This then was the lot of the tribe of-Judah] The geography of the sacred writings presents many difficulties, occasioned by the changes which the civil state of the promised land has undergone, especially for the last two thousand years. Many of the ancient towns and villages have had their names so totally changed, that their former appellations are no longer discernible; several lie buried under their own ruins, and others have been so long destroyed that not one vestige of them remains. On these accounts it is very difficult to ascertain the situation of many of the places mentioned in this and the following chapters. But however this may embarrass the commentator, it cannot affect the truth of the narrative. Some of the principal cities in the universe, cities that were the seats of the most powerful empires, are not only reduced to ruins, but so completely blotted out of the map of the world that their situation cannot be ascertained. Where is Babylon? Where are Nineveh, Carthage, Thebes, Tyre, Baalbec, Palmyra, and the so far-famed and greatly celebrated TROY? Of the former and the latter, so renowned by historians and poets, scarcely a vestige, properly speaking, remains; nor can the learned agree on the spot once occupied by the buildings of those celebrated cities! Should this circumstance invalidate the whole history of the ancient world, in which they made so conspicuous a figure? And can the authenticity of our sacred historian be impaired, because several of the places he mentions no longer exist? Surely no: nor can it be called in question but by the heedless and superficial, or the decidedly profane. Although some of the cities of the holy land are destroyed, and it would be difficult to ascertain the geography of several, yet enough remain, either under their ancient names, or with such decisive characteristics, that through their new names their ancient appellatives are readily discernible. It is natural to suppose that the division mentioned here was made after an accurate survey of the land, which might have been made by proper persons accompanying the conquering army of the Israelites. Nine tribes and a half were yet to be accommodated, and the land must be divided into nine parts and a half.
This was no doubt done with the utmost judgment and discretion, the advantages and disadvantages of each division being carefully balanced.
These were the portions which were divided by lot; and it appears that Judah drew the first lot; and, because of the importance and pre-eminence of this tribe, this lot is first described.
By their families] It is supposed that the family divisions were not determined by lot. These were left to the prudence and judgment of Joshua, Eleazar, and the ten princes, who appointed to each family a district in proportion to its number, &c., the general division being that alone which was determined by the lot.
To the border of Edom] The tribe of Judah occupied the most southerly part of the land of Canaan. Its limits extended from the extremity of the Dead Sea southward, along Idumea, possibly by the desert of Sin, and proceeding from east to west to the Mediterranean Sea, and the most eastern branch of the river Nile, or to what is called the river of Egypt.
Calmet very properly remarks, that Joshua is particular in giving the limits of this tribe, as being the first, the most numerous, most important; that which was to furnish the kings of Judea; that in which pure religion was to be preserved, and that from which the Messiah was to spring.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 1. This then was the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah by their families , etc.] The land of Canaan was divided by lot to the several tribes, and the tribe of Judah had its lot first; of the manner of casting lots, (see Gill on “ Numbers 26:55”); It seems as if the lot was first cast for the tribes of Judah and Joseph, when the former had the southern, and the latter the northern part of the land for their portion, which was done in Gilgal; after this lots were cast in Shiloh for the other seven tribes, who had the land divided among them, which lay between Judah and Joseph, or between the southern and northern parts of the land, (see Joshua 18:1), etc. and it seems that not only the land was divided to the tribes by lot, but that the portion of land which belonged to each tribe was divided in the same way to the several families and households belonging thereunto; as is here suggested, with respect to the tribe of Judah, whose lot reached [even] to the border of Edom ; or Idumea, which lay to the south of the land of Canaan: the wilderness of Zin southward [was] the uttermost part of the south coast ; the same with Kadesh, and lay upon the borders of Edom; (see Numbers 33:36 34:3).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 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 portio assigned. In due time all God's people are settled.
Original Hebrew
ויהי 1961 הגורל 1486 למטה 4294 בני 1121 יהודה 3063 למשׁפחתם 4940 אל 413 גבול 1366 אדום 123 מדבר 4057 צן 6790 נגבה 5045 מקצה 7097 תימן׃ 8486
