Jos 19:10-17 | Clarke

Joshua 19:10-17

Verse 13

Gittah-hepher - The same as Gath-hepher, the birth-place of the prophet Jonah. Verse 15

Shimron - See on Jos 12:20 (note).

Beth-lehem - The house of bread; a different place from that in which our Lord was born. Verse 17

The fourth lot came out to Issachar - It is remarkable, that though Issachar was the eldest brother, yet the lot of Zebulun was drawn before his lot; and this is the order in which Jacob himself mentions them, Gen 49:13, Gen 49:14, though no reason appears, either here or in the place above, why this preference should be given to the younger; but that the apparently fortuitous lot should have distinguished them just as the prophetic Jacob did, is peculiarly remarkable. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning: he has reasons for his conduct, which in many cases are too great for any of his creatures to comprehend, but he works all things after the counsel of his own will, which is ever right and good; and in this case his influence may be as easily seen in the decision by the lot, as on the mind of the patriarch Jacob, when he predicted what should befall his children in the latter days, and his providence continued to ripen, and bring forward what his judgment had deemed right to be done.