Attributed commentary excerpt
John Gill's Exposition on Joshua 19:6
A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.
Exposition of the Old and New Testament
John Gill (1697–1771) · 18th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.
And Bethlebaoth, and Sharuhen, etc.] Whether the first is the same with Lebaoth, a city of Judah, (<061532>Joshua 15:32); and with the Bethleptepha of Josephus f427, and the Betholene of Pliny f428, is not certain: in this place secret to have been an idol temple of the Canaanites, dedicated to lions, as in Egypt there was a city called Leontopolis, from whence was the Leontopolitan nome, the inhabitants of which worshipped lions f429; and the Egyptians had temples dedicated to them, as Aelianus f430 relates. Both these places are thought to be the same with Bethbirei and Shaaraim in (<130431>1 Chronicles 4:31); of the latter of which (see <061536>Joshua 15:36). Those who take Sheba, (<061902>Joshua 19:2), to be the same with Shema, (<061526>Joshua 15:26), make but one city here, and take away the last, as the Greek version does, and render the word “and their fields”, and so the number still is as follows: thirteen cities and their villages; the sum total of those enumerated above.
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