Joshua 13:17

Jos 13:17 Heshbon, and all her cities that [are] in the plain; Dibon, and Bamothbaal, and Bethbaalmeon,

Ver. 17. Bamothbaal and Bethbaalmeon.] Places of much idolatry, that land desolating sin: such as are now Sichem and Loretto; where, whensoever the Ave Maria bell rings, which is at sunrising, noon, and sun setting, all men, in what place soever, house, field, street, or market, do presently kneel down and say an Ave Maria, &c.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Or, high places of Baal.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 17. Bamoth-baal] The high places of Baal, probably so called from altars erected on hills for the impure worship of this Canaanitish Priapus.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

17. Bamoth-baal] It was a site of the old heathen worship of Baal. It is probably mentioned under the shorter form of Bamoth, Num_21:19, or “Bamoth-in-the-ravine.” It occurs again in Isa_15:2.

Beth-baal-meon] At the first approach of the Israelites to this part of Palestine (Num_32:38) it is called Baal-Meon, or in its contracted form Beon (Num_32:3). The Beth is probably a Hebrew addition, and the word denotes “the House of Baal of the den.” The name still clings to a ruined place of considerable size, a short distance S. W. of Heshbân, and bearing the name of the fortress of Mi’ûn.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And Jahazah,.... Called Jahaz, Num 21:23, where the battle was fought between Sihon and Israel:

and Kedemoth; near to which was a wilderness, which took its name from it, from whence Moses sent messengers with words of peace to Sihon, Deu 2:26,

and Mephaath; thought to be the Maipha of Ptolemy (f); here Jerom says (g), in his time was a garrison of Roman soldiers, because of the desert that was near. It was a city, with its suburbs, given to the Levites, as were the two preceding, Jos 21:36; Adrichomius (h) takes it to be the same with Malle, which, Josephus says, (i) was called the city of the strangers.

(f) Geograph. l. 6. c. 7. (g) De loc Heb. fol. 93. D. (h) Theatrum Ter. Sanct. p. 179. (i) Antiqu. l. 12. c. 8. sect. 3.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Heshbon: this city and Dibon and Ataroth were upon the borders of Reuben and Gad, and therefore sometimes are ascribed to Reuben, as here, and Num 32:37, sometimes to Gad, as Num 32:34; 1Ch 6:80,81, by whom Heshbon, is said to be given to the Levites, Jos 21:39. Possibly it and the rest were jointly inhabited by both tribes, as Jerusalem was by Jews and Benjamites.

Bamoth-baal; of which Num 21:28. Beth-baal-meon; called Beth-meon, Jer 48:23, and Baal-meon, Eze 25:9, part of the name being cut off, as is usual with the Hebrews.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

17. Heshbon — The ancient capital of Sihon, king of the Amorites. See on Num_21:26-28. Its ruins, some twenty miles east of the Jordan at the spot where it empties into the Dead Sea, still bear the name of Hesban. It was on the summit and sides of a low hill that rises from the undulating plain, and commands a wide prospect. After its capture by the Israelites it was rebuilt by the tribe of Reuben, (Num_32:37,) and afterwards assigned to the Levites. Jos_21:39.

Dibon — A city three miles north of the Arnon, captured and occupied by the Israelites after they defeated Sihon. Num_21:30. It was rebuilt by the tribe of Gad, and called Dibon-gad. Num_32:34; Num_33:45. In Isa_15:9, it is called Dimon. It is identified with extensive ruins still bearing the name of Diban. Both Medeba and Dibon are mentioned on the famous Moabite stone recently discovered near this place. See note on 1Ki_16:23.

Bamoth-baal — That is, high places of Baal, so called, probably, because it had been a noted place of Baal worship. Knobel regards this place as identical with the modern Jebel Attarus, a mountain a few miles northwest of Dibon, but the true site of the place is as yet only a matter of conjecture.

Bethbaal-meon — Called also Baal-meon (Num_32:38) and Beon. Num_32:3. It was evidently also associated with the worship of Baal. Its ruins are found in the modern Main, a few miles southwest of Medeba and a little north of the Wady Zerka.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Bamoth Baal. The high places or altars of Baal. The frequent mention of Baal in this passage shows how common the worship of Baal was in Palestine. The Moabites worshipped him under the name of Chemosh, to whom Mesha, on the Moabite stone, attributes all his victories. (cf. Num_21:29 Jud_1:11:24 1Ki_11:7, 1Ki_11:33) So Beth-Peor below. (cf. Num_25:3)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Heshbon ... Dibon ... Bamoth Baal ... Beth Baal Meon ... Jahaz ... Kedemoth ... Mephaath ... Kiriathaim ... Sibmah ... Zereth Shahar

These are the names of places. (See: How to Translate Names)

translationWords

Baal

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.