Commentary on Joshua - Keil & Delitzsch - David Cox

Keil and Delitzsch <strong>Commentary</strong> on the Old Testament
Verse 43. Elon , which is mentioned again in 1 Kings 4:9, with the addition of Bethhanan
, has not yet been traced; according to Knobel , it "may possibly be Ellin , near
Timnath and Beth-shemesh, mentioned by Robinson in his Pal. vol. iii. App." Thimna
( Thimnathah ) and Ekron , on the boundary of Judah (see at Josh 15:10-11).
Verse 44. Eltekeh and Gibbethon , which were allotted to the Levites (Josh 21:23),
have not yet been discovered. Under the earliest kings of Israel, Gibbethon was in the
hands of the Philistines (1 Kings 15:27; 16:15,17). Baalath was fortified by Solomon
(1 Kings 9:18). According to Josephus (Ant. 8:6, 1), it was "Baleth in the
neighbourhood of Geser;" probably the same place as Baalah , on the border of
Judah (Josh 15:11).
Verse 45. Jehud has probably been preserved in the village of Jehudieh ( Hudieh ),
two hours to the north of Ludd (Diospolis), in a splendidly cultivated plain (
Berggren , R. iii. p. 162; Rob. iii. p. 45, and App.). Bene-berak , the present Ibn
Abrak , an hour from Jehud ( Scholz , R. p. 256). Gath-rimmon , which was given to
the Levites (Josh 21:24; 1 Chron 6:54), is described in the Onom. ( s. v. ) as villa
praegrandis in duodecimo milliario Diospoleos pergentibus Eleutheropolin , - a
statement which points to the neighbourhood of Thimnah, though it has not yet been
discovered.
Verse 46. Me-jarkon , i.e., aquae flavedinis , and Rakkon , are unknown; but from
the clause which follows, "with the territory before Japho," it must have been in the
neighbourhood of Joppa (Jaffa). "The territory before Japho" includes the places in
the environs of Joppa. Consequently Joppa itself does not appear to have belonged to
the territory of Dan, although, according to Judg 5:17, the Danites must have had
possession of this town. Japho , the well-known port of Palestine (2 Chron 2:15; Ezra
3:7; Jonah 1:3), which the Greeks called Io'ppee (NT:2445) (Joppa), the present Jaffa
(see v. Raumer , Pal. pp. 204-5, and Ritter , Erdk. xvi. pp. 574ff.).
Verse 47-48. Besides this inheritance, the Danites of Zorea and Eshtaol went, after
Joshua's death, and conquered the town of Leshem or Laish , on the northern
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