Joshua 18:21

Jos 18:21. The cities of the tribe — Having given a description of the bounds of the country, the historian sets down the principal cities in it. The first of which, Jericho, was well known; the territory of which remained, though the city itself was destroyed. And the valley of Keziz — Rather, Emir-keziz, for a city is here meant, and not a valley. Or it may be interpreted, Keziz in the valley; that is, in the plain of Jericho.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

18:21-28 While Judah’s land included eleven or twelve districts (see study note on 15:59), the tribe of Benjamin had two, totaling twenty-six towns. However, the location between the lands of Judah and Joseph gave Benjamin an economic and military importance significantly greater than its size.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 21. Now the cities] Some of these cities have been mentioned before, and described; of others we know nothing but the name.

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

21–28. The Cities of Benjamin

21. Now the cities] The cities here enumerated fall into two groups, (a) the first of twelve lying on the east, (b) the second of fourteen lying on the west.

1. Jericho] see note above, Jos_2:1.

2. Beth-hoglah, see note above, Jos_15:6.

3. The valley of Keziz, this is not exactly known.

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.

Now the cities of the tribe of the children of Benjamin,

according to their families, were Jericho,.... Which though destroyed, and not to be rebuilt as a city, was yet a place inhabited, and in future times was rebuilt, and in great splendour, and continued to the time of Christ; of which see Jos 2:1,

and Bethhoglah, where or near to which was the threshing floor of Atad, at which lamentation was made for Jacob; see Gill on Gen 1:10, and See Gill on Jos 15:6,

and the valley of Keziz; or Emekkeziz; so the Greek version calls it Amecasis: it is highly probable it was in the valley or plain of Jericho, and perhaps might have its name from the incision of the balsam tree there; which, as Pliny (n) says, was cut with glass or a stone, or with knives made of bone; if cut with iron, it kills it.

(n) Nat. Hist. l. 12. c. 25.

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

Vale of Casis, "incision," so called, as some pretend, on account of the balm, which was extracted by cutting the bark with a stone, or with glass. But this etymology seems too far fetched, and there is no proof that balm was cultivated there in the days of Josue. (Calmet) --- Some of the cities of Benjamin have been here omitted, as two others are mentioned, chap. xxi. 18. (Menochius)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Jericho; for though the city was destroyed, the territory remained, and some houses probably were built and inhabited there, though it was not made a city with walls and gates, which was the only thing forbidden, Jos 6:26.

Keziz, or, Emec-keziz, the proper name of a city or great town.

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

21. Cities of… Benjamin — In this list, as in that of the cities of Judah, no note is made on those cities that are now unknown.

Jericho — Jos_2:1.

Beth-hoglah — Jos_15:6.

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

Jericho - For tho' the city was destroyed, the territory remained.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

General Information:

The writer lists the cities that were in the land that the tribe of Benjamin received as an inheritance. (See: How to Translate Names)

their villages

"the villages around them"

translationWords

tribe

Benjamin

clan

Jericho

Bethel

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