companies, one of each tribe in each company, and took each their district to survey. The matter was thus referred equally, that there might be neither any partiality used in making up the seven lots, nor any umbrage or suspicion given, but all might be satisfied that they had right done them. (2.) The survey was accordingly made, and brought in to Joshua, v. 8, 9. Josephus says it was seven months in the doing. And we must in it observe, [1.] The faith and courage of the persons employed, abundance of Canaanites remamed in the land, and all raging against Israel, as a bear robbed of her whelps, the business of these surveyors would soon be known, and what could they expect but to be waylaid, and have their brains knocked out by the fierce observers? But, in obedience to Joshua's command, and in dependence upon God's power, they thus put their lives in their hands to serve their country. [2.] The good providence of God in protecting them from the many deaths they were exposed to, and bringing them all safe again to the host at Shiloh. When we are in the way of our duty, we are under the special protection of the Almighty.
2. When it was surveyed, and reduced to seven lots, then Joshua would by appeal to God, and direction from him, determine which of these lots should belong to each tribe, v. 6. That I may cast tots for you here at the tabernacle (because it was a sacred transaction) before the Lord our God, to whom each tribe must have an eye, with thankfulness for the conveniences, and submission to the inconveniences, of their allotment. What we have in the world, we must acknowledge God's property in, and dispose of it as before him, with justice and charity, and dependence upon Providence. The heavenly Canaan is described to us in a book, the book of the scriptures, and there are in it mansions and portions sufficient for all God's spiritual Israel; Christ is our Joshua that divides it to us, on him we must attend, and to him we must apply ourselves, for an inheritance with the saints in light. See John 17. 2, 3.
11. And the lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin came up according to their families: and the coast of their lot came up forth between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph. 12. And their border, on the north side, was from Jordan: and the border went up to the side of Jericho on the north side, and went up through the mountains westward; and the goings out thereof were at the wilderness of Beth-aven. 13. And the border went over from thence to ward Luz, to the side of Luz, (which is Beth-el,) southward; and the border descended to Ataroth-adar, near the hill that lieth on the south side of the nether Beth-horon. 14. And the border was drawn thence, and compassed the corner of the sea southward, from the hill that lieth before Beth-horon southward; and the goings out thereof were at Kirjath-baal (which is Kirjath-jearim,) a city of the children of Judah: this was the west quarter. 15. And the south quarter was from the end of Kirjath-jearim; and the border went out on the west, and went out to the well of waters of Nephtoah: 16. And the border came down to the end of the mountain that lieth before the valley of the son of Hinnom, and which is in the valley of the giants on the north, and descended to the valley of Hinnom, to the side of Jebusi on the south, and descended to En-rogel, 17. And was drawn from the north, and went forth to En-shemesh, and went forth toward Geliloth, which is over against the going up of Adummim, and descended to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben, 18. And passed along toward the side over against Arabah northward, and went down unto Arabah: 19. And the border passed along to the side of Beth-hoglah northward: and the outgoings of the border were at the north bay of the salt sea, at the south end of Jordan: this was the south coast. 20. And Jordan was the border of it on the east side. This was the inheritance of the children of Benjamin, by the coasts thereof round about, according to their families. 21. Now the cities of the tribe of the children of Benjamin, according to their families, were Jericho, and Beth-hoglah, and the valley of Keziz, 22. And Beth-arabah, and Zemaraim, and Beth-el, 23. And Avim, and Parah, and Ophrah, 24. And Chephar-haammonai, and Ophni, and Gaba; twelve cities with their villages: 25. Gibeon, and Ramah, and Beeroth, 26. And Mizpeh, and Chephirah, and Mozah, 27. And Rekem, and Irpeel, and Taralah, 28. And Zelah, Elepb, and Jebusi (which is Jerusalem,) Gibeath, and Kirjath; fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the children of Benjamin, according to their families.
We have here the lot of the tribe of Benjamin, which Providence cast next to Joseph on the one hand, because Benjamin was own and only brother to Joseph, and was little Benjamin, Ps. 68. 27. that needed the protection of great Joseph, and yet had a better Protector, for the Lord shall cover him all the day long, Deut. 33. 12. And next to Judah, on the other hand, that this tribe might hereafter unite with Judah in an adherence to the throne of David, and the temple at Jerusalem. Here we have,
1. The exact borders and limits of this tribe, which we need not be exact in the explication of; as it had Judah on the south, and Joseph on the north, so it had Jordan on the east, and Dan on the west. The western border is said to compass the corner of the sea southward, v. 14. whereas no part of the lot of this tribe came near to the great sea. Bishop Patrick thinks the meaning is, that it ran along in a parallel line to the great sea, though at a distance. Dr. Fuller suggests that since it is not called the great sea, but only the sea, which often signifies any lake or mere, it may be meant of the pool of Gibeon, which may be called a corner or canton of a sea; it is called the great waters in Gibeon, Jer. 41. 12. and it is compassed by the western border of this tribe.
2. The particular cities in this tribe, not all, but the most considerable, twenty-six, are here named. Jericho is put first, though dismantled, and forbidden to be rebuilt as a city with gates and walls, because it might be built and inhabited as a country
