Commentary on Joshua - Keil & Delitzsch - David Cox

Keil and Delitzsch <strong>Commentary</strong> on the Old Testament
portions of the land in which the Canaanites were more numerous and still stronger
than in the possessions of Ephraim. He therefore gave orders, that before the casting
of lots was proceeded with any further, the rest of the land should be carefully
surveyed and divided into seven districts, and that a statement of the result should be
laid before him, that these seven districts might be divided by lot among the seven
tribes.
This survey of the land no doubt very clearly showed that what remained, after
deducting the possessions of Judah and Joseph, was too small for the remaining seven
tribes, in proportion to what had been already divided. Moreover, it had also been
discovered that Judah's share was larger than this tribe required (Josh 19:9).
Consequently it was necessary that certain partial alterations should be made in the
arrangements connected with the first division. The lot itself could not be pronounced
invalid when it had once been cast, as its falling was regarded as the decision of God
himself, and therefore it was impossible to make a fresh division of the whole land
among all the tribes. The only thing that could be done was to leave the two tribes in
those districts which had fallen to them by lot (Josh 18:5), but to take certain parts of
their territory for the other tribes, which would leave the lot in all its integrity, as the
lot itself had not determined either the size of the boundaries. This will serve to
explain both the interruption to the casting of the lots, which had been commenced at
Gilgal, and also the peculiar manner in which it was continued at Shiloh.
Joshua 14:6-7
Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of
Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, Thou knowest the thing that the LORD said
unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadesh-barnea.
Caleb's Inheritance. - Vv. 6ff. Before the casting of the lots commenced, Caleb came
to Joshua along with the sons of Judah, and asked for the mountains of Hebron for his
possession, appealing at the same time to the fact, that forty-five years before Moses
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