Commentary on Joshua - Keil & Delitzsch - David Cox

Keil and Delitzsch <strong>Commentary</strong> on the Old Testament
The Inheritance of Asher. - Asher received its territory along the Mediterranean Sea
from Carmel to the northern boundary of Canaan itself. The description commences
with the central portion, viz., the neighbourhood of Acco
(v. 25), going first of all towards the south (vv. 26, 27), and then to the north (vv. 28,
30).
Verse 25. The territory of the Asherites was as follows. Helkath , which was given up
to the Levites (Josh 21:31, and 1 Chron 6:75, where Hukok is an old copyist's error),
is the present Jelka , three hours to the east of Acco (Akka: Scholz , Reise, p. 257), or
Jerka , a Druse village situated upon an eminence, and judging from the remains, an
ancient place ( Van de Velde , R. i. p. 214; Rob. iii. App.). Hali , according to Knobel
possibly Julis , between Jerka and Akka, in which case the present name arose from
the form Halit , and t was changed into s. Beten , according to the Onom. ( s. v.
Batnai' : Bathne ) as vicus Bethbeten , eight Roman miles to the east of Ptolemais,
has not yet been found. Achshaph is also unknown (see at Josh 11:1). The Onom. ( s.
v. Achsaph ) says nothing more about its situation than that it was in tribu Aser ,
whilst the statement made s. v. Acsaph ( Aksa'f ), that it was villula Chasalus (
koo'mee Exa'dous ), eight Roman miles from Diocaesarea ad radicem montis
Thabor , leads into the territory of Zebulun.
Verse 26. Alammalech has been preserved, so far as the name is concerned, in the
Wady Malek or Malik ( Rob. Bibl. Res. p. 110), which runs into the Kishon, since in
all probability the wady was named after a place either near it or within it. Amad is
supposed by Knobel to be the present Haifa , about three hours to the south of Acre,
on the sea, and this he identifies with the sycamore city mentioned by Strabo (xvi.
758), Ptolemy (v. 15, 5), and Pliny ( h. n. v. 17), which was called Epha in the time of
the Fathers (see Ritter , Erdk. xvi. pp. 722ff.). In support of this he adduces the fact
that the Hebrew name resembles the Arabic noun for sycamore-an argument the
weakness of which does not need to be pointed out. Misheal was assigned to the
Levites (Josh 21:30, and 1 Chron 6:74, where it is called Mashal ). According to the
Onom. ( s. v. Masan ) it was on the sea-coast near to Carmel, which is in harmony
with the next clause, "and reacheth to Carmel westwards, and to Shihor-libnath."
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