Annotations upon the remaining historicall part of the Old Testament. The second part. to wit, the books of Joshua, Judges, the two books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, and the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther : wherein first, all such passages in the text are explained as were thought likely to be questioned by any reader of ordinary capacity : secondly, in many clauses those things are discovered which are needfull and usefull to be known ... and thirdly, many places that might at first seem to contradict one another are reconciled ... / by Arthur Jackson.

CHAP. XVII.

Vers. 1. THere was also a lot for the tribe of Manasseh, (for he was the first-born of Joseph) to wit, for Machir the first born of Manasseh, &c.] This clause, for he was the first born of Joseph, is added, to imply that though Jacob had prophesied that Ephraims dignitie should be the greater, Gen. 49.19. His younger brother shall be greater then he, and his seed shall become a multi∣tude of nations, yet Manasseh being one of Josephs sonnes, yea his first born, he was also to have the portion of a tribe as well as Ephraim, according as Jacob had pro∣phesied of them, Gen. 48.5, 6. And now thy two sonnes Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt, before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine: As Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine. And thy issue which thou begettest after them shall be thine. Now the lot that fell to Manasseh is said to have been for Machir the first born of Manasseh, because Manasseh had no other sonnes but Machir onely, and therefore sometimes Machir seems to be put for the whole tribe of Manasseh, Judges 5.14. Out of Machir came down gov••rnours; and amongst his po∣sterity it seems that Manassehs portion was now wholly divided. But then it may be questioned by some why Machir is here called the first born of Manasseh. To which I answer, that the child that first openeth the wombe is usually in the Scripture called the first born, though there were no more born after him.

Because he was a man of war therefore he had Gilead and Bashan.] That is, be∣cause Machir the father of Gilead was a man of warre Many conceive that Ma∣chir had no other sonnes but Gilead, and that all Manassehs portion was divided amongst Gileads posteritie. But this we may well doubt, 1. Because Gen. 50.23. there is mention made of Machirs children. 2. Because Num. 26.29. we reade of a family of the Machirites distinct from those that were called by the names of the sonnes of Gilead; concerning which, see the note on the place. However, the poste∣rity of Machir had the land of Gilead and Bashan, that is, the half of it, settled up∣on them (which is here mentioned by the way, that after he might proceed to speak of their dividing to the other half of this tribe, their portion of the land within Jordan) and that because Machir was a man of warre, that is, because the Machi∣rites were men of warre, and did themselves win Gilead and dispossesse the enemie of it. See the notes, Numb. 32.39, 40.

Vers. 4. Therefore according to the commandment of the Lord, he gave them an inheritance, &c.] See Numb. 27.7.

Vers. 5. And there fell ten portions to Manasseh.] That is, the land was di∣vided into six parts according to the number of the sonnes of Gilead mentioned verse 2. and Hephers part was divided into five parts, and given to his sonne Ze∣lophehads five daughters; and so there were ten portions in all.

Vers. 7. And the coast of Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethah, &c.] If Asher was a town seated at the south-east end of Manassehs lot (as some conceive it was) then in this and the following verses, we have onely the description of the southern bounds of this tribe of Manasseh, which were also the north bounds of Ephraims portion, as is evident because Michmethah and the other following places here mentioned, as Tappuah and the river Kanah, are the same that were named before in the north border of Ephraim; But if Asher stood, as others think, in the north-east of Manassehs portion, then in the first words we have the east bounds of this half tribe of Manasseh, to wit, that they were drawn from Asher on the north all along by the river Jordan to Michmethah on the south that lyeth before Shechem, and then in the next words, we have the southern bounds described from Michmethah to the midland sea, to wit, that from Michmethah it went a long on the right hand turning westward to Tappuah, and so on the south of the river Ka∣nah, verse 9. and so right on to the sea: and thus, as is noted in that ninth verse, the land was Manassehs both on the north and south side of the river Kanah, though the cities that stood on the south side of that river belonged to Ephraim, which is intended in those words, these cities of Ephraim are among the cities of Manasseh, that is, the cities on the south side of the river belonged to Ephraim, though they were within the coasts of Manasseh.

Vers. 10. And they met together in Asher on the north, and on Issachar on the east.] That is, the north bounds of Josephs portion, to wit, Ephraims and Ma∣nassehs considered joyntly in one, was the tribe of Asher on the north, and Issachar on the east. For otherwise then thus it cannot be conceived how they should meet together in Asher on the north, since Ephraim no where could reach to Asher, be∣ing bounded as Manasseh also was on the west by the main sea.

Vers. 11. And Manasseh had in Issachar and in Asher Beth-shean and her towns, &c. even three countreys.] This is added, to intimate that these towns, to wit, Bethshean, Ibl••am, Dor, and En-dor (whither Saul went to a witch) and Taanach and Megiddo being in the confines of Asher and Issachar, and yet be∣longing to Manasseh, stood not all in one place, but were in three severall tracts of ground: Or else it may be added, to shew that three of the countreys before men∣tioned were in Ashers portion, and three in Issachars; and so Manasseh had in each of them three countreys.

Vers. 12. Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities, &c.] This is spoken of the times after the death of Joshua, and there∣fore the same is repeated, Judg. 1.27, 28. Partly through cowardlinesse, and partly through Gods withdrawing his help, at first they could not drive them out; after∣wards when their fear could not so much blind their judgements, but that they must needs then acknowledge themselves strong enough, yet they put them to tribute; which did much aggravate their sinne.

Vers. 14. And the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua, saying, Why hast thou given me but one lot, &c.] Here the story relates how the sonnes of Joseph, that is, the two tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, came to Joshua, and made a great com∣plaint (and it was doubtlesse after they had entred upon the land which fell to them

by lot) that there was not a convenient portion of land assigned to them for their in∣heritance, no more indeed then was fitting to be the lot of one tribe: for that is the meaning of those words, Why hast thou given me but one lot, and one portion to in∣herit, that is, why hast thou given us no more of the land, then if we had been to be accounted but as one tribe, and so to have but one lot? Questionlesse, Joshua and the rest that were intrusted in this businesse had not, either through ignorance or par∣tiality, set forth a lesse portion of land for these sonnes of Joseph then was fitting: But because a part of the land allotted them was over-grown with wood, and a great part of it was still in the possession of the Perizzites, and the Rephaims or gi∣ants, with whom through infidelity and sloth they affraid to encounter; therefore they judging this as nothing, conclude they had no more given them to dwell in, then might well be reckoned the portion of one tribe. The most questionable pas∣sage in this complaint of theirs is this, that to make good that they had not a compe∣tent portion of land assigned them, they alledge the extraordinary encrease of their people in number, through the speciall blessing of God upon them, Why hast thou given me but one lot, and one portion to inherit, seeing I am a great people, foras∣much as the Lord hath blessed me hitherto, since it is evident, as is noted Num. 26.37. that the sonnes of Ephraim, when they were numbred the second time, a little be∣fore their entrance into Canaan were eight thousand fewer then when they were numbred the first time at their first coming out of Egypt; but for this we must know, that though the tribe of Ephraim was so much decreased at that last numbring of the people, yet since that time, under the government of Joshua, they might be greatly encreased again; but however, though at that time the sonnes of Ephraim were eight thousand fewer then when they came out of Egypt, yet even at that time on the other side, of the tribe of Manasseh there were twenty thousand and five hundred more then at the first numbring, Num. 26.34. and therefore the sonnes of Joseph speaking here of themselves joyntly together, both Ephraim and Manasseh, they might well say they were a great people, and that God had greatly blessed them, in regard of their number.

Vers. 15. And Joshua answered them, If thou be a great people, then get thee up to the wood countrey, &c.] Thus he covertly retorts their plea upon them, as ma∣king more for him then for them; for, sayes he, being a great people, the more able art thou to drive the Canaanites out of those parts allotted you for your proportion, and the more shame is it that you should let them alone and yet complain of the narrownesse of your lot; Get thee up (saith Joshua) to the wood countrey, and cut down for thyself there in the land of the Perizzites, and the giants, that is, cut down the woods, and drive out and destroy the inhabitants that lurk there in their fastnesses, and strong holds, and then if mount Ephraim be to narrow for thee, that is, the mountains out of which the Canaanites are already expelled, whereof you have the possession at present, you may by this means have land enough to dwell in, and need not complain that your portion is too streight for you. It is likely, that when the sonnes of Joseph came to make their complaint to Joshua, they assured themselves that they should find the more favour, because he was of the tribe of E∣phraim: But in a point of justice, we see they found Joshua farre from yielding to them in the least degree upon that ground.

Vers. 16. And the children of Joseph said, The hill is not enough for us, &c.] These first words seem to have been spoken with some kind of anger and discontent. Joshua had told them what they should do, if mount Ephraim were too narrow for them: now as men discontented are wont to do, they snap at those last words of Joshua; yes, say they, the hill is not enough for us, meaning that mount Ephraim whereof Ioshua had spoken; and then they adde, And all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron: as if they should have said, Where∣as you call upon us to enlarge our dwellings in the wood countrey, by cutting down the wood, by expelling and destroying the Perizzites and the giants that dwell there, you may know that this we cannot do, and that because the valleys we must passe through ere we can come to that mountainous wood countrey, which you referre us to, are inhabited by the Canaanites that have chariots of iron, so that there is no hope for us to prevail over them. This I conceive to be the best exposition of this place. Yet some understand those first words, The hill is not enough for us, of that mountainous wood countrey, to which Ioshua had referred them for the enlarging of their dwellings, and so conceive the scope of this reply of the sonnes of Ioseph to be, that even that mountainous countrey, if they had it in their possession, would not be enough for them; and for the valleys, there was no hope to subdue them, because the Canaanites that dwelt there had chariots of iron; that is, as all Expositours agree, chariots whose wheels were armed with sythes, as I may say, or hooks of iron, wherewith when they broke in amongst their enemies, they must needs mightily tear, cut, and mow down those that stood in their way; and indeed these chariots could onely be usefull in the valleys and plains, in the mountains and wood countreys they could not be used.

Vers. 17. And Joshua spake unto the house of Joseph, even to Ephraim, and to Manasseh, saying, Thou art a great people, &c.] As if he should have said, What I answered before I must answer again, Thou art a great people by thine own con∣fession, and hast great power, and therefore besides Gods promise, ye have otherwise no cause of distrust, thou shalt not have one lot onely, that is, thou shalt, if thou wilt not be failing to thy self, prevail over those places, and then thou shalt find the portion allotted thee is more then one lot, fully enough for two such numerous tribes.

Vers. 18. But the mountain shall be thine, for it is a wood; and thou shalt cut it down: and the outgoings of it shall be thine, &c.] That is, not onely the mountain shall be thine, which when thou hast cut down the wood, will be found good ground, but also the outgoings of it, that is, the valleys round about the mountains shall be thine too.