The limits of Chanaan; with the names of the men that make the division of it.
The situation and limites of Chanaan, towards the South, the VVeast, the North, and the East. 13. which must be diuided by lotte among nine tribes and a halfe (the other two and a half hauing their partes ouer Iordan) 16. with the names of the persons that shal make the diuision.
1And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:E il Signore parlò a Mosè, e disse:AND our Lord spake to Moyses, saying:Locutusque est Dominus ad Moysen, dicens: 2Command the children of Israel, and thou shalt say to them: When you are entered into the land of Chanaan, and it shall be fallen into your possession by lot, it shall be bounded by these limits:Tu darai quest'ordine a' figliuoli d'Israele, e dirai loro: Quando sarete entrati nella terra di Canaan, e ne avrete tirate a sorte le porzioni da possedere, i confini di essa saranno questi:Command the children of Israel, and thou shalt say to them: when you are entred into the Land of Chanaan, and it shal be fallen vnto you by lotte in possession, it shal be limited by these borders:Præcipe filiis Israël, et dices ad eos: Cum ingressi fueritis terram Chanaan, et in possessionem vobis sorte ceciderit, his finibus terminabitur. 3The south side shall begin from the wilderness of Sin, which is by Edom: and shall have the most salt sea for its furthest limits eastward:La parte di mezzogiorno comincerà dalla solitudine di Sin, che è presso a Edom: e avrà per suoi limiti all'oriente il mar salato.The southside shal beginne from the wildernesse Sin, which is beside Edom: and it shal haue toward the East the most salt sea for the limites.Pars meridiana incipiet a solitudine Sin, quæ est juxta Edom: et habebit terminos contra orientem mare salsissimum. 4Which limits shall go round on the south side by the ascent of the Scorpion and so into Senna, and reach toward the south as far as Cadesbarne, from whence the frontiers shall go out to the town called Adar, and shall reach as far as Asemona.E (questi confini) gireranno al mezzodì, per la salita dello Scorpione, e passeranno per Senna, e arriveranno dal mezzodì fino a Cadesbarne: di dove i confini arriveranno fino al villaggio chiamato Adar, e si stenderanno fino ad Asemona:The which shal compasse the south side by the ascending of the Scorpion, so that they shal passe into Senna, and reach toward the South as farre as Cadesbarne, from whence the frontiers shal goe forth to the towne named Adar, and shal reach as farre as Asemona.Qui circuibunt australem plagam per ascensum Scorpionis, ita ut transeant in Senna, et perveniant a meridie usque ad Cadesbarne, unde egredientur confinia ad villam nomine Adar, et tendent usque ad Asemona. 5And the limits shall fetch a compass from Asemona to the torrent of Egypt, and shall end in the shore of the great sea.E anderanno girando da Asemona fino al torrente di Egitto, e finiranno al lido del mar grande.And the border shal goe round about from Asemona to the Torrent of Aegypt, and shal end in the shore of the great sea.Ibitque per gyrum terminus ab Asemona usque ad torrentem Ægypti, et maris magni littore finietur.
6And the west side shall begin from the great sea, and the same shall be the end thereof.La parte occidentale comincerà al mar grande, e finirà allo stesso mare.And the west side shal beginne from the great sea, and the same shal be the limite therof.Plaga autem occidentalis a mari magno incipiet, et ipso fine claudetur. 7But toward the north side the borders shall begin from the great sea, reaching to the most high mountain,A settentrione principieranno i confini del mar grande, e arriveranno fino al monte altissimo,Moreouer toward the North part the borders shal beginne from the greate sea, reaching vnto the most high mountaine,Porro ad septentrionalem plagam a mari magno termini incipient, pervenientes usque ad montem altissimum, 8From which they shall come to Emath, as far as the borders of Sedada:Di dove andranno verso Emath fino al territorio di Sedada:from he which they shal come vnto Emath as farre as the borders of Sedada:a quo venient in Emath usque ad terminos Sedada: 9And the limits shall go as far as Zephrona, and the village of Enan. These shall be the borders on the north side.E si stenderanno fino a Zephrona, e al villaggio di Enan: questi saranno i confini dalla parte di settentrione:and the frontiers shal goe as farre as Sephorna, and the towne Enan. These shal be the borders in the North part.ibuntque confinia usque ad Zephrona, et villam Enan. Hi erunt termini in parte aquilonis. 10From thence they shall mark out the bounds towards the east side from the village of Enan unto Sephama.Indi i confini verso l'oriente si prenderanno dal villaggio di Enan fino a Sephama:From thence they shal marke out the boundes toward the East side from the village Enan vnto Sephama,Inde metabuntur fines contra orientalem plagam de villa Enan usque Sephama, 11And from Sephama the bounds shall go down to Rebla over against the fountain of Daphnis: from thence they shall come eastward to the sea of Cenereth,E da Sephama scenderanno a Rebla dirimpetto alla fontana di Daphnim: di là si stenderanno all'oriente fino al mare di Cenereth:and from Sephama the boundes shal goe downe vnto Rebla against the fountaine Daphnim: from thence they shal come eastward to the sea Cenereth,et de Sephama descendent termini in Rebla contra fontem Daphnim: inde pervenient contra orientem ad mare Cenereth, 12And shall reach as far as the Jordan, and at the last shall be closed in by the most salt sea. This shall be your land with its borders round about.E arriveranno sino al Giordano, e finalmente saran chiusi dal mare salato. Questa è la terra co' suoi confini, che la serrano da ogni parte, la quale voi possederete.and shal reach as farre as Iordan, and at the last shal be closed in by the most salt sea. This you shal haue for your Land by the boundes therof round about.et tendent usque ad Jordanem, et ad ultimum salsissimo claudentur mari. Hanc habebitis terram per fines suos in circuitu.
13And Moses commanded the children of Israel, saying: This shall be the land which you shall possess by lot, and which the Lord hath commanded to be given to the nine tribes, and to the half tribe.E Mosè diede ordine a' figliuoli d'Israele, e disse: Questa sarà la terra, la quale vi sarà distribuita a sorte, e il Signore ha ordinato ch'ella sia data alle nove, tribù, e mezza.And Moyses commanded the children of Israel, saying: This shal be the Land, which you shal possesse by lotte, and which our Lord hath commanded to be geuen to the nine tribes, and to the halfe tribe.Præcepitque Moyses filiis Israël, dicens: Hæc erit terra, quam possidebitis sorte, et quam jussit Dominus dari novem tribubus, et dimidiæ tribui. 14For the tribe of the children of Ruben by their families, and the tribe of the children of Gad according to the number of their kindreds, and half of the tribe of Manasses,Imperocché la tribù dei figliuoli di Ruben colle sue famiglie, e la tribù de' figliuoli di Gad con tutto il numero di sue famiglie, e anche mezza la tribù di Manasse,For the tribe of the children of Ruben by their families, and the tribe of the children of Gad according to the number of their kinredes, the halfe also of the tribe of Manasses,Tribus enim filiorum Ruben per familias suas, et tribus filiorum Gad juxta cognationum numerum, media quoque tribus Manasse, 15That is, two tribes and a half, have received their portion beyond the Jordan over against Jericho at the east side.Vale a dire due tribù e mezza hanno avuta la loro porzione di là dal Giordano dirimpetto a Gerico verso l'oriente.that is, two tribes and an halfe, haue taken their portion beyond Iordan against Iericho at the east side.id est, duæ semis tribus, acceperunt partem suam trans Jordanem contra Jericho ad orientalem plagam. 16And the Lord said to Moses:E il Signore disse a Mosè:And our Lord said to Moyses:Et ait Dominus ad Moysen: 17These are the names of the men, that shall divide the land unto you: Eleazar the priest, and Josue the son of Nun,Questi sono i nomi degli uomini, i quali faranno tra voi lo scompartimento della terra: Eleazaro sacerdote, e Giosuè figliuolo di Nun.These are the names of the men, that shal diuide the Land vnto you, Eleazar the priest, and Iosue the sonne of Nun,Hæc sunt nomina virorum qui terram vobis divident, Eleazar sacerdos, et Josue filius Nun, 18And one prince of every tribe,E un principe di ciascuna tribù,and one prince of euerie tribe,et singuli principes de tribubus singulis, 19Whose names are these: Of the tribe of Juda, Caleb the son of Jephone.De' quali son questi i nomi: Della tribù di Giuda, Caleb figliuolo di Jephone.whose names are these: Of the tribe of Iuda, Caleb the sonne of Iephone.quorum ista sunt vocabula. De tribu Juda, Caleb filius Jephone.
20Of the tribe of Simeon, Samuel the son of Ammiud.Della tribù di Simeon, Samuel figliuolo di Ammiud.Of the tribe of Simeon, Samuel the sonne of Ammiud.De tribu Simeon, Samuel filius Ammiud. 21Of the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad the son of Chaselon.Della tribù di Beniamin, Elidad figliuolo di Chaselon.Of the tribe of Beniamin Elidad the sonne of Chaselon.De tribu Benjamin, Elidad filius Chaselon. 22Of the tribe of the children of Dan, Bocci the son of Jogli.Della tribù de' figliuoli di Dan, Bocci figliuolo di Jogli.Of the tribe of the children of Dan, Bocci the sonne of Iogh.De tribu filiorum Dan, Bocci filius Jogli. 23Of the children of Joseph of the tribe of Manasses, Hanniel the son of Ephod.De' figliuoli di Joseph della tribù di Manasse, Hanniel figliuolo di Ephod.Of the children of Ioseph of the tribe of Manasses, Haniel the sonne of Ephod.Filiorum Joseph de tribu Manasse, Hanniel filius Ephod. 24Of the tribe of Ephraim, Camuel the son of Sephtan.Della tribù di Ephraim, Camuel figliuolo di Sephthan.Of the tribe of Ephraim, Camuel the sonne of Sephthan.De tribu Ephraim, Camuel filius Sephthan. 25Of the tribe of Zabulon, Elisaphan the son of Pharnach.Della tribù di Zabulon, Elisaphan figliuolo di Pharnach.Of the tribe of Zabulon, Elisaphan the sonne of Pharnach.De tribu Zabulon, Elisaphan filius Pharnach. 26Of the tribe of Issachar, Phaltiel the prince, the son of Ozan.Della tribù d'Issachar, il principe Phaltiel figliuolo di Ozan.Of the tribe of Issachar, duke Phaltiel the sonne of Ozan.De tribu Issachar, dux Phaltiel filius Ozan. 27Of the tribe of Aser, Ahiud the son of Salomi.Della tribù di Aser, Ahiud figliuolo di Salomi.Of the tribe of Aser, Ahiud the sonne of Salomi.De tribu Aser, Ahiud filius Salomi. 28Of the tribe of Nephtali: Phedael the son of Ammiud.Della tribù di Nephthali, Phedael figliuolo di Ammiud.Of the tribe of Nephthali: Phedael the sonne of Ammiud.De tribu Nephthali, Phedaël filius Ammiud. 29These are they Whom the Lord hath commanded to divide the land of Chanaan to the children of Israel.Questi sono coloro, ai quali il Signore diede ordine di fare la divisione della terra di Canaan tra i figliuoli d'Israele.These are they whom our Lord commanded to diuide the Land of Chanaan to the children of Israel.Hi sunt, quibus præcepit Dominus ut dividerent filiis Israël terram Chanaan.
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Year of the World 2553.
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Challoner
The most salt sea. The lake of Sodom, otherwise called the Dead Sea. (Challoner)
Menochius
Limits. These are very properly defined in this place, that the Hebrews may know what nations they ought to destroy. (Menochius)
A line may be drawn from the southern point of the Dead Sea, through Adar, as far as the Nile and the Mediterranean Sea, comprising a part of the desert of Sin, or Zin.
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Challoner
The Scorpion. A mountain so called, from having a great number of scorpions. (Challoner)
Hebrew Hakrabbim. There was a city of the same name, the capital of Acrabathene, (1 Machabees 3:3.) not far from Petra.
St. Jerome
Senna, a town of the desert of Zin, (Calmet) or a mountain specified. (Judges 1:36.) (St. Jerome)
Adar. Hebrew, "Hasor Adar." But they seem to be two distinct towns, Josue 15:3.
Asemona. See (Numbers 33:30.)
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Menochius
Egypt. Many suppose the rivulet of Rinocorura is meant. (Menochius)
Calmet
But it seems more probable that the Nile, the only river of Egypt, or the eastern branch of it, where Pelusium stands, is designated. There is no proof that the former rivulet belonged to Egypt; and though some assert that the Hebrews never dwelt to the west of it, the territory was so barren, that nothing may be said respecting that affair. We find, however, that under Solomon they inhabited as far as the river of Egypt; (1 Paralipomenon 13:5., and 3 Kings 8:65,) and if they had not, God's promise entitled them to that part of the country; as well as to that which extends to the great river Euphrates, though they perhaps never took possession of it. See Genesis 15:18., and Josue 13:3. Pelusium is commonly reckoned the frontier town of Egypt, Ezechiel 30:15. (Stabo xvi.) In another place, the promised land extends from Emath to the torrent of Egypt, (1 Kings 8:55,) or of the desert, Amos 6:15. (Calmet)
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Great sea, compared with those of Palestine, which were only like pools or lakes. The Hebrews call every great collection of water, a sea. The Mediterranean bounded the promised land entirely, on the west.
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Challoner
The most high mountain. Libanus. (Challoner)
Calmet
Hebrew, "the mountain of the mountain, or of Hor." Some understand Mount Casius, Hermon, Taurus, or Amanus; which last lies on the confines of Cilicia, and hence the Rabbins draw a line by the straits of Gibraltar to Pelusium, so as to comprise all the islands and the waters of the Mediterranean. (Selden, Marc. Claus. 1:6.) But Grotius denies that the sea can be claimed by any one, nor was it, even for fishing, says he, before the days of Justinian. (Jur. 2:2, 3.) (Calmet)
Haydock
At any rate, Moses here seems to mean the northern limits from the point of the Mediterranean, where Libanus is situated, across the country eastward to Emath, and as far as the village of Enan, ver. 9. (Haydock)
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Strabo xvi
Emath. It is of great importance to fix the situation of this city. Some take it to be Antioch, the capital of Syria, on the Orontes. But that was a modern city, founded by Nicanor, and called after his father, Antiochus, and embellished by Callinicus and Epiphanes. (Strabo xvi.)
Menochius
Others believe it is Epiphania, at the foot of Libanus, on the same river, and a distinct city from Emath Rabba, or "the great," of Amos 6:2. Josephus [Antiquities?] 1:7, (Calmet) and St. Jerome (in Isaias x.) seem to be of this opinion. (Menochius)
Calmet
But the city in question was most probably Emesa, of which Amos speaks above. It was also upon the river Orontes, at a small distance to the east of Libanus, on the road to Damascus. This road was the northern boundary. Emesa was perhaps formerly the capital of the country of Soba, (2 Paralipomenon 8:3,) and was taken by Solomon. Reblatha, or Rebla, (ver. 11,) was a part of its territory. (Theodoret in Jer. 39:5.) (Calmet)
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Enan. Hebrew, "Hazer Henan." In Ezechiel, (xlvii. 17,) it is called the court of Enon. It may be Gaana, north of Damascus, or rather Inna, placed to the south of that city by Ptolemy.
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Targum
Sephama, or Apamea. (Targum)
Haydock
Rebla. Septuagint, "Bela, or Asbela." (Haydock)
St. Jerome understands Antioch, near which was the fountain of Daphnis, or Daphne, a word which is inserted in the Targum, though it be not found in Hebrew. But Antioch did not lie on the eastern borders, and this fountain may be the same place as Enan, ver. 9.
Calmet
Against. Hebrew, "on the east side of Ain, or the fountain." (Calmet)
Challoner
Cenereth. This is the sea of Galilee, illustrated by the miracles of our Lord. (Challoner)
Haydock
The line was not drawn to this lake of Genesareth, or of Tiberias, as it was likewise called, but comprised a large territory lying to the east of it, (Calmet) and given to the tribes of Manasses, Gad, and Ruben, which inhabited the country east of the Jordan and of the Salt Sea. (Haydock)
Eastward: the Septuagint insinuate, "to the south, leaving the sea of Cenereth on the east."
Menochius
The fountain of Daphnis may probably be that near the Semechonite lake, through which the Jordan runs. (Josephus, Jewish Wars 4:1.) It may have received the title of Daphnis, from the laurels with which it is adorned, like the suburbs of Antioch. (Bonfrere) (Menochius)
Haydock
It appears that Moses has only in view, the nine tribes for which a provision was not yet made; and their eastern limits extended from Emath, down the Jordan to the Dead Sea, so as to comprise no part to the east of that river, which was already given to their brethren; (see ver. 13, 15, 29;) and thus the observation of Calmet, respecting the countries east of Cenereth, will be rather inaccurate, as the line must run through that sea, following the course of the Jordan. These were properly the eastern limits of Chanaan, which country comprised all between Egypt and Idumea, as far as Sidon and Mount Libanus, being bounded by the Jordan on the east. The other three tribes were hemmed in on the north and east by the mountains of Hermon, Basan, Galaad, and Arnon; beyond which, the nations about Damascus, and the descendants of Ammon, Ismael, and Moab dwelt, in Syria and the desert of Arabia, so that the latter country was the eastern boundary of the promised land, taken in its utmost extent. (Haydock)
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The most salt sea.... The lake of Sodom, otherwise called the Dead Sea.
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The Scorpion.... A mountain so called from having a great number of scorpions.
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The great sea.... The Mediterranean.
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The most high mountain.... Libanus.
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Sea of Cenereth.... This is the sea of Galilee, illustrated by the miracles of our Lord.
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Otherwise called the dead sea, where Sodom and Gomort had stood.
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A mountaine so called of the multitude of scorpions, which were in it.
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Mediterraneal sea, called great in respect of the lakes in the holie Land.
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Mount of Libanus.
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 80.6
… aid me with attention; for the mention of this vineyard in this Psalm is wont to overcloud with darkness the inattentive.…But nevertheless the first Jewish nation was this vine. But the Jewish nation reigned as far as the sea and as far as the river. As far as the sea; it appeareth in Scripture
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St Jerome † AD 420 Against Jovinianus 2.10
… or again, what significance attaches to the fact that in the Psalter, after being taught the mystic alphabet by the one hundred and eighteenth psalm we arrive by fifteen steps at the point where we can sing: “Behold, now bless the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord: ye who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God.” Why did
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3. THE SOUTHERN PART (of Chanaan) SHALL BEGIN FROM THE WILDERNESS OF SIN, WHICH IS BESIDE EDOM, AND SHALL HAVE BORDERS TOWARD THE EAST, THE VERY SALT SEA. — "The very salt sea" is the lake of Sodom, or the Asphaltites, where formerly the Pentapolis was situated, but it was consumed from heaven by fire, and in that place a great lake was formed, which in the Hebrew manner is called a sea, and that a very salt one. For in this lake the water is thick, retaining the property of sulphur and salt, which consumed the Pentapolis: for then it is evident that burning salt was mixed with sulphur, as appears from Deuteronomy xxix, 23. Moreover, this lake, or sea, is to the east of the holy land. For the Jordan, which is to the east of Chanaan, flows into this sea, and is absorbed by it, as is evident from geographical tables, and from Joshua III, 16. Although others think it is called the very salt sea from the salt mines, which Sophonias teaches are there, cap. II, 9, and therefore this lake nourishes neither fish nor any other living thing: whence it is also called the Dead Sea. It is also called the sea of the wilderness, or desert, because it is situated beside the wilderness of Sin and Cades, where the king of Sodom was slain by Chedorlaomer, Genesis xiv, 7. It is also commonly called the devil's sea, because Sodom, Gomorrah, Adama and Zeboim, on account of their unspeakable sins, were submerged by fire and sulphur falling from heaven, and buried under waters, by the demon (as the common people think), as Abulensis says.
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4. By the ascent of Scorpion, — this place is so called from the steep mountains, which are rough like scorpions.
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5. AND THE BORDER SHALL GO BY THE CIRCUIT FROM ASEMONA EVEN UNTO THE TORRENT OF EGYPT. — This torrent is a stream which, coming from the desert (whence Theodotion translates it, the torrent of Arabia), flows near Rhinocorura into the Mediterranean sea, and separates the land of the tribes of Judah and Simeon from the desert and the way of Egypt. Whence the Septuagint for this torrent translate Rhinocorura. Hence throughout Scripture this torrent is commonly placed as the southern boundary of the promised land, namely of Chanaan. Thus St. Jerome in cap. vi of Amos, and in his epistle to Dardanus, volume III; see Adrichomius in the Tables. Those therefore err, who think this torrent is one of the branches of the Nile, from Joshua XIII, 3, for the sense of that passage is different. For this torrent is far distant from the Nile and from Pelusium and Egypt. AND IT SHALL BE FINISHED WITH THE SHORE OF THE GREAT (that is, Mediterranean) SEA. — The Mediterranean Sea is here called "great," in respect to two others: for in the holy land there is a threefold sea: the first is this Mediterranean, which washes it from the west; whence "sea" here in Hebrew and elsewhere often signifies the west; the second is the Dead Sea, or the very salt sea; the third is the sea of Cinnereth, or Genesareth: these two latter are rather lakes, but the first is a true and vast sea.
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7. MOREOVER ON THE NORTHERN SIDE THE BORDERS SHALL BEGIN FROM THE GREAT SEA, REACHING EVEN UNTO THE VERY HIGH MOUNTAIN, — namely unto Mount Hor, as the Hebrew and Chaldean texts have it. Therefore some wrongly understand Lebanon here.
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8. FROM WHICH THEY SHALL COME TO HAMATH. — This Hamath is the lesser, in which is the city which was afterwards called Epiphania by Antiochus Epiphanes. This city was the boundary of the holy land from the north. There was another Hamath Major, namely Antioch, which was the capital of all Syria. Thus St. Jerome and from him Ribera in Amos cap. VI, vers. 8.
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11. AGAINST THE SPRING DAPHNE. — The Hebrews do not have "to Daphne," but only "against the spring," namely that which near Reblata was known and celebrated; this however is Daphne, as our Interpreter most excellently knew and understood, namely St. Jerome, who carefully traversed the holy land. Daphne, a spring, irrigates the city Reblata with most abundant waters, and like that celebrated and delightful Daphne, a suburb of Antioch, is renowned for very frequent laurels and pleasantness, as Adrichomius teaches from II Maccabees, Josephus and St. Jerome. Hear St. Jerome, in chapter iv of Ezekiel: "From Sephama," he says, "that is from Apamia, the boundaries will descend to Reblata, which is now called Antioch of Syria." And he adds "so that you may know that Reblata, or Reblatam, signifies this city, it says against the spring; which it is clear signifies Daphne, from which spring a grove enjoys most abundant waters." And in I Maccabees III: "Onias," he says, "the priest kept himself in a safe place near Daphne." For since there are several Antiochs, one at the river Cragus in Cilicia, another near the river Meander in Caria, a third in Pisidia in Cappadocia, to distinguish them from those, this was named Antioch at Daphne, which also in comparison with the others is called Great Antioch, and Antioch at the Orontes, because it is cut through the middle by the river Orontes. It is a prolepsis; for afterwards the name Daphne was given to this spring, as well as to the suburb of Antioch adjacent to it. Whence also the gate of the city leading there was called Daphnitic, near which St. Jerome testifies that the body of St. Ignatius the Martyr was buried. For it was called Daphne, that is laurel, or a laurel grove, on account of the laurels and cypresses dedicated there by Pompey; or rather on account of the memory of the virgin Daphne, whom the Antiochenes fabled to be the daughter of their river Ladon: whence also "they revered the laurel on account of the memory of the virgin Daphne," says Philostratus, book I, and Arrian, and from these Antonius Nebrissensis in the Quinquagena, chapter xiv.
THENCE THEY SHALL COME AGAINST THE EAST TO THE SEA OF CENERETH. — "Cenereth," or, as the Hebrews read it, Cinnereth, was a city, which afterwards corruptly became Genesareth, and by Tiberius Caesar was called Tiberias: near this city was a lake, which is called the sea and pool of Cenereth, or Genesareth, or Tiberias, and from the province in which it was, the sea of Galilee; near this sea were Nazareth, Capernaum, Bethsaida and other cities, which were made celebrated by the education, conversation and miracles of Christ. This sea of Cenereth was, like the other most salty one, or dead sea, with the Jordan, a boundary of the holy land from the East; the Mediterranean was a boundary from the West, the torrent of Egypt, with the deserts of Arabia, a boundary from the South; Emath, or Epiphania, as well as Lebanon, was a boundary from the North.
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12. AND THEY SHALL EXTEND EVEN TO THE JORDAN. — The Jordan was a boundary from the East of the holy land, that is of nine tribes. For three other tribes, namely Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh are not numbered here, nor are their boundaries described here, because they had already received their lot beyond the Jordan, in Gilead, as is said in verse 14. Note: The Jordan was a most famous river, and the boundary of the holy land. For it rises at the roots of Lebanon, and is formed from the confluence of two streams, namely Jor and Dan, from which it is called Jordan: near which is a most verdant plain, in which stands the sepulcher of St. Job, distinguished by a high pyramid. The Jordan, says Abulensis, Questions V, has seven privileges over other rivers: first, that it divides the holy land from the Moabites, Arabs and other Gentiles; second, that when the ark of God passed over with the Hebrews, its waters stood still: in commemoration of which thing, the Israelites took twelve stones from the midst of the bed of the Jordan, and set them up as monuments and placed them in Gilgal, Joshua III, 4 and 5; third, that through it Elias and Eliseus crossed with dry feet, when Elias was caught up by a whirlwind into heaven, IV Kings II, 8; fourth, that in it Naaman the Syrian was cleansed from leprosy, when he washed in it seven times, IV Kings chapter v; fifth, that in it the iron of the axe, at the command of Eliseus, floated on the surface, IV Kings vi, 2 and 6; sixth, that in the Jordan Christ was baptized, and by the touch of His most pure flesh, He conferred the regenerative power in baptism upon all waters, Matthew III; seventh, that there John the Baptist saw heaven opened, and heard the voice of the Father, and saw the Spirit descending in the form of a dove, upon Christ, Matthew III.
The Extent of the Promised Land These same boundaries of the promised land are set down in Exodus XXIII, 31, except that there the boundary from the north is placed at a river, namely the Euphrates. These boundaries were indeed extensive, and consequently the land promised to the Jews was very large: for it included Philistia and all the Philistines, as is evident from Joshua XIII, 2 and 3; again it included all of Phoenicia, and consequently Tyre and Sidon: for these were assigned to Asher by Joshua, Joshua XIX, verses 28 and 29; but Solomon permitted Hiram king of Tyre to rule, and he used his works in the building of the temple, otherwise he could have excluded him by right from the kingdom of Tyre. Thus Abulensis. Hence also the Tyrian woman, who obtained the healing of her daughter from Christ, is called by Matthew chapter XV, 22, a Canaanite, but by Mark, chapter VII, verse 26, is called a Syrophoenician, because namely Phoenicia was a part of Canaan. Whence it is evident that the Jews, by their demerit and fault, did not possess the whole land here promised, up to these boundaries, except for a short time during the reign of Solomon, when nevertheless certain regions were not cultivated and inhabited by them, but only subdued and tributary, some also merely friendly and allied, as I have already said concerning Tyre.
34:17
17 and 18. These are the names of the men who shall divide the land for you, etc., each prince from each tribe. — Not that these twelve dividers were the supreme princes of individual tribes; for Caleb was not the supreme prince of the tribe of Judah; nor were the others sons of the firstborn, that is princes of their tribe, as is evident if one compares the names of their fathers, which are here enumerated, with the princes of the tribes named in chapter I. These were therefore princes of certain families in their tribe, or princes, that is overseers and prefects of the division of the holy land. For the Hebrew word נשיא nasi properly signifies an overseer. Therefore these twelve princes divided the land of Canaan into equal parts proportionally; which done, they cast lots, which part should fall to each; and hence this land is now said to be divided both by lot and by princes, as is evident in the preceding chapter, verse 54. How the land was divided by lots, I shall say in Joshua XIV, 1.
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
34:3
Aqrabbim (Hebrew Ma'aleh 'Aqrabbim "Ascent of Scorpions")
AQRABBIM (Hebrew Ma'aleh 'Aqrabbim "Ascent of Scorpions"). - A locality situated between the Dead Sea and the desert of Zin (Num. 34:3-4; Josh. 15:2-3), on the road that climbed from Sela (Petra) to Hebron (Judg. 1:36). It marked the southern boundary of the Promised Land (Num. 34:4) and of the tribe of Judah …
… 27:14; 33:36; Deut. 32:51) — the boundaries between the two deserts were not clearly determined, unless indeed one wishes to consider the desert of Sin as the northern part of the desert of Pharan — near the border of Edom (Num. 20:16; 34:3); according to Num. 34:3-5, K. was situated at the apex of the angle formed by the eastern line Dead Sea-Acrabbim-Sin-Kadesh, and by the western line Kadesh-Addar-'Asmona-Torrent of Egypt (= Wādi el-'Arīsh). …
… More frequently it is called Jâm ham-melah (Vulg.: "mare salis" or "salissimum") in opposition to the fresh waters of the Jordan (Num. 34:3; Josh. 15:2; 18:19). In Gen. 14:3 this designation marks
34:4
Aqrabbim (Hebrew Ma'aleh 'Aqrabbim "Ascent of Scorpions")
AQRABBIM (Hebrew Ma'aleh 'Aqrabbim "Ascent of Scorpions"). - A locality situated between the Dead Sea and the desert of Zin (Num. 34:3-4; Josh. 15:2-3), on the road that climbed from Sela (Petra) to Hebron (Judg. 1:36). It marked the southern boundary of the Promised Land (Num. 34:4) and of the tribe of Judah (Josh. 15:3), as well as the boundary of the territory of the Amorites (Judg. 1:36). It is commonly identified with the mountain gorge of Naqb es-Safa …
34:5
Torrent of Egypt (Heb. Naḥal Miṣráyim)
… Naḥal Miṣráyim). - The southern frontier of the land of Canaan (Num. 34:5), of the tribe of Judah (Josh. 15:4-7) and of Solomon's kingdom (I Kings 8:66; II Kings 24:7).
34:7
Hor (perhaps originally Har «mountain»)
In Num. 34:7-9 there is mention of a Hār hā-hār, which some translate as "the peak or the height of the mountain" (Vulg. …
34:8
2. The expression "pass of E." (Vulg. introitus E.; Heb. lēbhō Hāmāth) in the Old Testament marks the northern boundary of the Promised Land (Num. 13:21; 34:8; Josh. 13:5; I Kings 8:65; Ezek. 47:16; 48:1). It refers in all probability to the mouth of the pass between Mount Hermon and Lebanon, which constituted the natural route "to go to …
34:11
GENESARETH (Hebrew Kinnereth). - A Canaanite city (Kinnereth in the list of Thutmose III) assigned by Joshua to the tribe of Naphtali (Josh. 19:35) and which from antiquity gave its name to the lake (Yam Kinnereth: Num. 34:11; Josh. 15:27). It is identified with Tell el-'Orejmeh, 11 km north of Tiberias, on the northwest shore of the lake.
It had various names: "sea of Chinnereth" (Num. 34:11; Deut. 3:17; Josh. 11:2), from the city now buried on Tell el-Orejmeh, 25 km. north of T.; pool of Genesareth (v.) or Genesar (1 Macc. 11:67; Lk. 5:1), probably from the village …
34:12
Jordan (Heb. Yardēn; Arabic al-Urdunn)
… In the Bible it is remembered above all as a frontier (Num. 34:12; Ezek. 47:18), both of enemies who had forded it (II Kings 7:15; Judg. 12:5) and of Israelites who took refuge on the other bank (I Sam. 13:7; II Sam. 2:20; 17:22).
34:14
… of the tribe joined that of Reuben and Gad in asking Moses to be allowed to settle in the territory of the defeated kings and obtained the concession, undertaking to take part with all the tribes in the conquest of Canaan (ibid. 32:33-42; cf. 1:32; 34:14-15; Deut. 3:12-13; 29:8; Josh. 1:12-8; 12:4-6; 18:7). The territory assigned by Moses in Transjordan extended from the south from Mahanaim (v.) on the Jabbok, as far as the slopes …
34:19
At the age of 85 he occupied the fortified cities of Hebron and Kiriath-sepher (Josh. 15:13-19, cf. Judg. 1:10-15), contributing to the conquest and the division of the land of Canaan (Num. 34:19); whence Ecclus. 46:9 celebrates the "vigor" of his "old age."
34:25
2. A prince or head of the tribe of Zebulun as its representative in the distribution of the Promised Land (Num. 34:25). Angelo Penna
34:26
… the exodus the tribe counted 54,400 warriors in the first census (Num. 1:28-29) and 64,300 in the second (Num. 13:8). Igal represented the tribe in the exploration of Canaan (Num. 13:8) and Phaltiel in the commission for the partition of the territory (Num. 34:26).
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · original Douay-Rheims (Douay 1609-10), transcription by EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Public domain.