Commentary on Joshua - Keil & Delitzsch - David Cox

Keil and Delitzsch <strong>Commentary</strong> on the Old Testament
Verse 14. "And the boundary turned round it (round Rimmon), on the north to
Channathon, and the outgoings thereof were the valley of Jiphtah-el." Judging from
the words naacab (OT:5437) and mitsaapown (OT:6828), this verse apparently gives
the north-west boundary, since the last definition in v. 13, "to Gath-hepher," etc.,
points to the eastern boundary. Jiphtah-el answers no doubt to the present Jefât , two
hours and a half to the north of Sefurieh, and is the Jotapata which was obstinately
defended by Josephus (Bell. Jud. iii. 7, 9: see Rob. Bibl. Res. pp. 104ff.).
Consequently the valley of Jiphtah-el , at which Zebulun touched Asher (v. 27), is
probably "no other than the large Wady Abilîn, which takes its rise in the hills in the
neighbourhood of Jefât" ( Rob. Bibl. Res. p. 107). And if this be correct, Channathon
(LXX Ennathoo'th ) is probably Cana of Galilee, the home of Nathanael (John
2:1,11; 4:46; 21:2), the present Kana el Jelil , between Rummaneh and Yefât, on the
northern edge of the plain of Buttauf, upon a Tell, from which you overlook the plain,
fully two hours and a half in a straight line from Nazareth, and directly north of that
place, where there are many ruins found (see Rob. iii. p. 204; Bibl. Res. p. 108).
Verse 15-16. The towns of Zebulun were the following. Kattath , probably the same
as Kitron , which is mentioned in Judg 1:30 in connection with Nahalol, but which is
still unknown. Nehalal , or Nahalol (Judg 1:30), is supposed by V. de Velde (Mem. p.
335), who follows Rabbi Schwartz , to be the present village of Maalul , a place with
ruins on the south-west of Nazareth (see Seetzen , ii. p. 143; Rob. iii. App.; and Ritter
, Erdk. xvi. p.
700). Simron is supposed by Knobel to be the village of Semunieh (see at Josh 11:1).
But neither of these is very probable. Idalah is supposed by V. de Velde to be the
village of Jeda or Jeida , on the west of Semunieh, where are a few relics of
antiquity, though Robinson (Bibl. Res. p. 113) states the very opposite. Bethlehem (of
Zebulun), which many regard as the home of the judge Ibzan (Judg 12:8), has been
preserved under the old name in a miserable village on the north of Jeida and
Semunieh (see Seetzen , ii. p. 139; Rob. Bibl. Res. p. 113).
The number of the towns is given as twelve , though only five are mentioned by
name. It is true that some commentators have found the missing names in the border
places mentioned in vv. 11-14, as, after deducting Chisloth-tabor and Dabrath, which
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