Joshua 19:50

Jos 19:50 According to the word of the LORD they gave him the city which he asked, [even] Timnathserah in mount Ephraim: and he built the city, and dwelt therein.

Ver. 50. Even Timnathserah.] Called also Timnathheres in Jdg 2:9; that is, the figure of the sun, because, belike, there the sun had been worshipped: another Heliopolis.

And he built the city.] An old ruinous city, but by him repaired and beautified, that there he might spend and end his days.

“ Regum aequabat opes animis. ”

And well he might have engraven over his gates that distich of Ennius concerning Scipio -

“ Si fas (caedendo / cedendo) caelestia scandere cuiquam,

Mi soli caeli maxima porta pater."

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.

Jos 19:50. According to the word of the Lord, they gave him the city which he asked — God indeed had ordered that he should have a portion, and that he himself should choose it; but he was content to stay for it till every one else was amply provided for. We do not expressly read of this command; but many particulars were said and done which are not recorded. And Joshua being as faithful and upright as Caleb, and chosen besides to be the captain of God’s people, we cannot but think, that when God ordered what Caleb should have, he gave the same direction with respect to Joshua: see Jos 16:6. Even Timnath-serah in mount Ephraim — Joshua did not choose the best place in all the country, but a convenient one in his own tribe; which was seated on the north side of a hill called Gaash, as we read in the latter end of this book. And he built the city and dwelt therein — Repaired it, we suppose, (for in all probability there was a city in that situation before,) and made a convenient habitation for his family and relations. But we read nothing of them afterward; for as he did not affect to make himself king of Canaan, so he contented himself with a moderate allotment, and made no large provision for his posterity.

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

THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL GIVE AN INHERITANCE TO JOSHUA. (Jos 19:49-51)

According to the word of the Lord they gave him the city which he asked--It was most proper that the great leader should receive an inheritance suited to his dignity, and as a reward for his public services. But the gift was not left to the spontaneous feelings of a grateful people. It was conferred "according to the word of the Lord"--probably an unrecorded promise, similar to what had been made to Caleb (Jos 14:9).

Timnath-serah--or Heres, on Mount Gaash (Jdg 2:9). Joshua founded it, and was afterwards buried there (Jos 24:30).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 50. Timnath-serah] Called Timnath-heres in Jdg 2:9, where we find that the mountain on which it was built was called Gaash. It is generally allowed to have been a barren spot in a barren country.

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

50. according to the word of the Lord] We do not find any Divine injunction in the Pentateuch to the effect that Joshua was to receive a special portion in the Land of Canaan. But as Caleb had received a definite promise of the same kind, which is not to be found in its literal form in the Pentateuch, we may conclude that a like promise had been been made to Joshua.

even Timnath-serah] In Jdg_2:9 the name of the city given to the Israelitish leader is altered to Timnath-heres = “portion of the sun.” In the same place it is defined as having been situated “in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash.” The word Timnath, or Timnah, means “allotted portion,” and was given to several places. It is now generally identified with Tibnah, between Jifna and el-Mejdel, and was first discovered by Dr Eli Smith in 1843, where he found the ruins of a considerable town. Opposite the town was a much higher hill, in the north side of which were several excavated sepulchres. “Of all sites I have seen,” says Lieut. Conder, “none is so striking as that of Joshua’s home, surrounded as it is with deep valleys and wild rugged hills.” Paula is described by St Jerome as “satis mirata quod distributor possessionum sibi aspera et montana delegisset” (Epist. cviii., Epitaph. Paulæ).

and he built the city] or perhaps rather, fortified it. The site may have been previously unoccupied, and named Timnath-serah = “remaining portion” by Joshua himself.

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.

These are the inheritances which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun,.... The one the high priest, and the other the chief governor of the nation:

and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel; the princes appointed for this service, whose names are given Num 34:18; the inheritances before described in the preceding chapters by their boundaries and cities, these the said persons

divided for an inheritance by lot in Shiloh; and so has particular reference to the seven lots drawn there for seven of the tribes, by which their inheritances were assigned to them: and this was done

before the Lord, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation; see Jos 18:1,

so they made an end of dividing the country; though it was not as yet wholly subdued.

Next: Joshua Chapter 20

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

Nothing is said of any express command of God respecting the inheritance of Joshua. But as such special portion appears to have been promised to Caleb at the time when he and Joshua alone out of the twelve spies remained faithful Jos 14:6-9, it is probable that a like promise was made to Joshua. The name of the place is also written Timnath-heres Jdg 2:9, by a transposition of the letters. The rabbinical explanation that the name Timnath-heres (i. e. “portion of the sun”) was given because a representation of the sun was affixed to the tomb in memory of Joshua’s command to the sun to stand still, appears to be an afterthought. The name Timnath-serah (“portion that remains”) was perhaps conferred on the spot in consequence of its being allotted to Joshua, the last allotment made in the whole distribution of his conquests. The site has been conjectured to be “Tibneh,” a village about five miles north-west of Lydda (or, by Conder, Kerr Hares, nine miles south of Nablous).

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Lord, by the mouth of Eleazar. Josue was content with one of the most barren parts of the country. He waits till all are provided for, shewing throughout his life a pattern of moderation and disinterestedness, which render him worthy to be considered as a figure of Jesus Christ, who reduced himself to the lowest state of abjection for our sakes. (Calmet) See chap. xiv. 6. (Menochius) --- Ephraim. It was before called Gaas; and the city, which Josue enlarged, lay on the north side of it, chap. xxiv. 30., and Judges ii. 9.

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).

According to the word of the Lord; as God promised or commanded; either, first, formerly, as may be gathered from Jos 16:6; where we read that the Lord said something unto Moses concerning me, Caleb, and thee, Joshua; though only what is said to Caleb be there expressed, the other not being to his purpose there; for Joshua having showed the same courage and faithfulness which Caleb did, did doubtless receive equal encouragement and comfort from God at that time. Or, secondly, now at this time by Eleazar.

Timnath-serah, called Timnath-heres, Jdg 2:9. He built, i.e. repaired and enlarged it, in which sense Nebuchadnezzar is said to have built Babylon, Dan 4:30.

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

The city which he asked. He asked for a city, certainly. But the law of the inheritance was not to be set aside for him any more than for the meanest in Israel. Timnath-serah was in his own tribe. Timnath-serah. Called Thamna by Josephus and the LXX, and Timnath-heres, or Tinmath of the sun by a transposition of the letters, in Jud_1:2:9. Rabbi-Solomon Jarchi gives a singular reason for the latter name. It came to be so called because there was a representation of the sun upon the tomb of him who caused the sun to stand still. Timnath-serah must not be confounded with Timnah, or Timnathah, in the tribe of Dan (ver. 48). For a long time its site was unknown, but within the last 40 years it has been identified with Tibneh, seven hours north of Jerusalem, among the mountains of Ephraim. Dr. Eli Smith was the first to suggest this, and though it was doubted by Robinson, it has since been accepted by Vandevelde and other high authorities. Tibneh seems to have anciently been a considerable town. It is described in Ritter"s "Geography of Palestine" as a gentle hill, crowned with extensive ruins. Opposite these, on the slope of a much higher eminence, are excavations like what are called the Tombs of the Kings at Jerusalem. Jewish tradition, however, points to Kefr Haris, some distance south of Shechem, as the site of Joshua"s tomb, and several able writers have advocated its claims in the papers of the Palestine Exploration Fund, on the ground that on such a point Jewish tradition was not likely to be mistaken.

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

The word of The Lord - As God had promised, or commanded; either formerly, or at this time by Eleazar. He built - That is, repaired and enlarged it, in which sense Nebuchadnezzar is said to have built Babylon, Dan. iv, 30.

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