Commentary on Joshua - Keil & Delitzsch - David Cox

Keil and Delitzsch <strong>Commentary</strong> on the Old Testament
the plain of Jericho, was of no great value to any tribe, as this district, according to
Josephus (de Bell. Jud. iv. 8, 2, and iii. 10, 7), was uninhabited because of its
barrenness. The other towns, Ibleam , etc., with the exception of Endor perhaps, were
in the territory of Asher, and almost all on the south-west border of the plain of
Esdraelon. Ibleam , called Bileam in 1 Chron 6:55 (70), a Levitical town (see at Josh
21:25), was not very far from Megiddo (2 Kings 9:27), and has probably been
preserved in the ruins of Khirbet-Belameh , half an hour to the south of Jenin;
according to Schultz , it is the same place as Belamon, Belmen , or Belthem (Judith
4:4; 7:3; 8:3). With do'r wª'et-yshªbeey the construction changes, so that there is an
anacolouthon, which can be explained, however, on the ground that lª haayaah
(OT:1961) may not only mean to be assigned to, but also to receive or to have.
In this last sense wª'et (OT:853) is attached. The inhabitants are mentioned instead of
the towns, because the historian had already the thought present in his mind, that the
Manassites were unable to exterminate the Canaanites from the towns allotted to
them. Dor is the present Tortura (see at Josh 11:2). Endor , the home of the witch (1
Sam 28:7), four Roman miles to the south of Tabor ( Onom. ), at present a village
called Endôr , on the northern shoulder of the Duhy or Little Hermon (see Rob. iii. p.
225; Bibl. Res. p. 340). Taanach and Megiddo , the present Taanuk and Lejun (see at
Josh 12:21). The three last towns, with the places dependent upon them, are
connected more closely together by hanaapet (OT:5316) shªloshet (OT:7969), the
three-hill-country, probably because they formed a common league.
Verse 12-13. The Manassites were unable to exterminate the Canaanites from these
six towns, and the districts round; but when they grew stronger, they made them
tributary slaves (cf. Josh 16:10).
Joshua 17:14-18
http://207.44.232.113/~bible/comment/ot/k&d/josh/jos108.html (2 of 2) [13/08/2004 01:18:54 p.m.]