seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Joshua 19:1 The second lot came out for the tribe of Simeon according to its clans. Their inheritance lay within the territory of Judah. 2 It included:
Beersheba (or Sheba),[a] Moladah, 3 Hazar Shual, Balah, Ezem, 4 Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah, 5 Ziklag, Beth Markaboth, Hazar Susah, 6 Beth Lebaoth and Sharuhen—thirteen towns and their villages;
7 Ain, Rimmon, Ether and Ashan—four towns and their villages— 8 and all the villages around these towns as far as Baalath Beer (Ramah in the Negev).
This was the inheritance of the tribe of the Simeonites, according to its clans. 9 The inheritance of the Simeonites was taken from the share of Judah, because Judah’s portion was more than they needed. So the Simeonites received their inheritance within the territory of Judah.
10 The third lot came up for Zebulun according to its clans:
The boundary of their inheritance went as far as Sarid. 11 Going west it ran to Maralah, touched Dabbesheth, and extended to the ravine near Jokneam. 12 It turned east from Sarid toward the sunrise to the territory of Kisloth Tabor and went on to Daberath and up to Japhia. 13 Then it continued eastward to Gath Hepher and Eth Kazin; it came out at Rimmon and turned toward Neah. 14 There the boundary went around on the north to Hannathon and ended at the Valley of Iphtah El. 15 Included were Kattath, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah and Bethlehem. There were twelve towns and their villages.
16 These towns and their villages were the inheritance of Zebulun, according to its clans.
17 The fourth lot came out for Issachar according to its clans. 18 Their territory included:
Jezreel, Kesulloth, Shunem, 19 Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath, 20 Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez, 21 Remeth, En Gannim, En Haddah and Beth Pazzez. 22 The boundary touched Tabor, Shahazumah and Beth Shemesh, and ended at the Jordan. There were sixteen towns and their villages.
23 These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Issachar, according to its clans.
Beersheba (or Sheba),[a] Moladah, 3 Hazar Shual, Balah, Ezem, 4 Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah, 5 Ziklag, Beth Markaboth, Hazar Susah, 6 Beth Lebaoth and Sharuhen—thirteen towns and their villages;
7 Ain, Rimmon, Ether and Ashan—four towns and their villages— 8 and all the villages around these towns as far as Baalath Beer (Ramah in the Negev).
This was the inheritance of the tribe of the Simeonites, according to its clans. 9 The inheritance of the Simeonites was taken from the share of Judah, because Judah’s portion was more than they needed. So the Simeonites received their inheritance within the territory of Judah.
10 The third lot came up for Zebulun according to its clans:
The boundary of their inheritance went as far as Sarid. 11 Going west it ran to Maralah, touched Dabbesheth, and extended to the ravine near Jokneam. 12 It turned east from Sarid toward the sunrise to the territory of Kisloth Tabor and went on to Daberath and up to Japhia. 13 Then it continued eastward to Gath Hepher and Eth Kazin; it came out at Rimmon and turned toward Neah. 14 There the boundary went around on the north to Hannathon and ended at the Valley of Iphtah El. 15 Included were Kattath, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah and Bethlehem. There were twelve towns and their villages.
16 These towns and their villages were the inheritance of Zebulun, according to its clans.
17 The fourth lot came out for Issachar according to its clans. 18 Their territory included:
Jezreel, Kesulloth, Shunem, 19 Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath, 20 Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez, 21 Remeth, En Gannim, En Haddah and Beth Pazzez. 22 The boundary touched Tabor, Shahazumah and Beth Shemesh, and ended at the Jordan. There were sixteen towns and their villages.
23 These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Issachar, according to its clans.
These are land records. There's nothing sexy about land records.
However, check out Simeon's inheritance up in verses 8-9. Simeon, as I recall, was a nasty, crafty man. When his sister Dinah was raped [or seduced] by a man in Shechem, Simeon's the one that came up with the circumcision plan. The guy who raped [or seduced] Dinah wanted to keep her for his own. Simeon told him he could if every man [and boy] in the town was circumcised. Simeon knew they would do it.... and he knew that all he had to do was wait..... when everyone was in pain from the procedure itself.... Simeon and his brothers led a raid on Shechem and killed every man in the town. Dinah.... well she never married.... Anyway.... Jacob was so disgusted with Simeon that Jacob cursed Simeon from his deathbed.... Jacob knew Simeon's family wouldn't amount to much... and it didn't.
Here's the map that shows Judah.... and Simeon is written in smaller font inside the area of Judah.
Check out verse 15.... the land records show that Bethlehem was located in the the region allotted to Zebulun. That fact will play a role whenever tracking the heritage of Jesus of Nazareth. Remember.... Joseph was from Bethlehem. BUT.... according to the commentary.... this is NOT the same Bethlehem.
This is from the easy English site.
This is the land that Joshua gave to the tribe of Zebulun. He gave Zebulun a small piece of land in the north of the country. It was near Lake Galilee. There were no important towns in Zebulun.
Verse 15 This Bethlehem is not the town where Jesus was born.
Verse 15 This Bethlehem is not the town where Jesus was born.
And this is from Bible.org.
"Bethlehem" This means "house of bread" (Jdgs. 12:8,10); it was about ten miles west of Nazareth. It was a common name. This is not the one in Judah (Gen. 35:19; 48:7; Ruth 1:1-2,19; Micah 5:2).
