Commentary on Joshua - Keil & Delitzsch - David Cox

Keil and Delitzsch <strong>Commentary</strong> on the Old Testament
nothing to preclude this supposition in the fact that several towns occur with different
names, e.g., Beth-shemesh and Ir-shemesh (Josh 15:10; 19:41; 21:16), Madmannah
and Beth-marcaboth, Sansanna and Hazar-susa (Josh 15:31; 19:5), Shilchim and
Sharuchen (Josh 15:32; 19:6), Remeth and Jarmuth (ch. 19:21; 21:29), or in other
smaller differences.
For variations of this kind may be sufficiently explained from the fact that such
places were known by two different names, which could be used promiscuously;
whilst in other cases the difference in the name amounts to nothing more than a
different mode of writing or pronouncing it: e.g., Kattah and Kartah (Josh 19:15;
21:34), Eshtemoh and Eshtemoa (Josh 15:50; 21:14), Baalah and Balah (ch. 15:29;
19:3); or simply in the contraction of a composite name, such as Ramoth in Gilead for
Ramoth-mizpeh (Josh 21:36; 13:26); Bealoth and Baalath-beer (Josh 15:24; 19:8),
Lebaoth and Beth-lebaoth (Josh 15:32; 19:6), Hammath and Hammoth-dor (ch.
19:35; 21:32).
If the author, on the other hand, had drawn from later sources, or had simply given
the results of later surveys, as Knobel supposes, there can be no doubt that much
greater uniformity would be found in the different lists.
(Note: The arguments employed by Knobel in support of his assertion, consist on the one had of
inconclusive and incorrect assertions, and are founded on the other hand upon arbitrary assumptions. In
the first place, for example, he asserts that "a large number of towns are omitted from the lists, which
were within the boundaries mentioned and were in existence in the very earliest times, viz., in the south ,
Tamar (Gen 14:7), Arad (Num 21:1), Atbach, Rachal, Aroer, and Siphamoth (1 Sam 30:28ff.), Gerar (
Gen. 20:26
); in the Shephelah , Gaza, Askalon, Gath, Ashdod, Jabne, and Joppa (see Josh 15:45ff.); in Benjamin ,
Michmash and Nob (1 Sam 13:2ff., Josh 22:19); in the north , Aphek, Lassaron, Madon, Shimron-meron,
and Merom (Josh 11:5; 12:18-20), as well as Meroz and Ajjalon (Judg 5:23; 12:12); and these with other
places would assuredly not be wanting here, if Joshua and his associates had distributed the towns as well
as the land, and furnished our author with the lists."
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