Joshua 19:6 kjv
And Bethlebaoth, and Sharuhen; thirteen cities and their villages:
Joshua 19:6 nkjv
Beth Lebaoth, and Sharuhen: thirteen cities and their villages;
Joshua 19:6 niv
Beth Lebaoth and Sharuhen?thirteen towns and their villages;
Joshua 19:6 esv
Beth-lebaoth, and Sharuhen ? thirteen cities with their villages;
Joshua 19:6 nlt
Beth-lebaoth, and Sharuhen ? thirteen towns with their surrounding villages.
Joshua 19 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:7 | "To your offspring I will give this land." | God's initial promise of land to Abraham. |
| Gen 15:18 | "...To your descendants I have given this land..." | Reiterated promise of land from the covenant. |
| Num 34:1 | "The Lord said to Moses, 'Command the people of Israel and say to them: When you enter the land of Canaan, this is the land that shall fall to you for an inheritance, the land of Canaan with its boundaries...'" | Divine command for land distribution. |
| Jos 14:1 | "...This is what the Lord had commanded through Moses." | Allotment by lot as divine instruction. |
| Jos 19:1 | "The second lot came out for Simeon..." | Introduction to Simeon's inheritance. |
| Jos 19:9 | "Out of the portion of the people of Judah was the inheritance of the people of Simeon, for the portion of the people of Judah was too large for them." | Simeon's territory within Judah's larger share. |
| Jos 15:26 | "...Moladah, Hazar-gaddah, Heshmon..." | Other listings of Judah's cities, similar to Simeon's later ones. |
| Jos 15:32 | "...All the cities are twenty-nine..." | Example of similar enumeration in Judah's list. |
| Jos 21:1 | "Then the heads of the fathers' houses... approached Eleazar the priest..." | Organized distribution of the land. |
| 1 Ch 4:28 | "They lived in Beersheba, Moladah, Hazar-shual," | Chronicler's parallel listing of Simeon's cities. |
| 1 Ch 4:31 | "Beth-biri, Shaaraim. These were their cities until King David reigned." | Names vary for Beth-lebaoth/Sharuhen, showing evolving place names. |
| Deut 1:8 | "See, I have set the land before you. Go in and take possession of the land that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give to them and to their offspring after them." | God's command to possess the promised land. |
| Ps 78:55 | "He drove out nations before them; he apportioned for them their inheritance by measure and settled the tribes of Israel in their tents." | Divine sovereignty in land apportionment. |
| Ps 105:11 | Saying, "To you I will give the land of Canaan as your portion for an inheritance." | God's specific promise regarding Canaan. |
| Ez 48:24 | "...And adjoining the territory of Gad, from the east side to the west, shall be Simeon, one portion." | Future distribution of land in Ezekiel's vision, highlighting continued tribal identity. |
| Heb 3:18 | "And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient?" | Theme of entering divine rest/inheritance, connected to land. |
| Heb 4:1 | "Therefore, while the promise of entering His rest still stands..." | Spiritual fulfillment of rest typified by the land. |
| Heb 4:8 | "For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on." | Joshua leading people into rest (the land), a foreshadowing. |
| Acts 7:5 | "Yet He gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot's length, but promised to give it to him as a possession..." | Recalling the initial promise of land to Abraham's descendants. |
| Eph 1:11 | "In Him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will..." | Believers' spiritual inheritance in Christ. |
| Col 1:12 | "giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light." | Emphasizes the nature of spiritual inheritance for believers. |
| 2 Tim 4:8 | "...there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness..." | Future inheritance and reward for the faithful. |
Joshua 19 verses
Joshua 19 6 Meaning
Joshua 19:6 concludes a partial list of cities belonging to the tribe of Simeon's inheritance, specifically naming Beth-lebaoth and Sharuhen. Following these, the verse provides an administrative summary, stating "thirteen cities and their villages." This number refers collectively to the group of cities detailed from verse 2 through verse 6, highlighting the precise, divinely ordained boundaries and settled areas granted to Simeon as part of Israel's national distribution of the land of Canaan.
Joshua 19 6 Context
Joshua chapter 19 describes the distribution of the land to the remaining seven tribes of Israel after Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had received their inheritance east of the Jordan, and Judah and Ephraim/West Manasseh had received theirs. Simeon received the second lot in this new distribution. This process of allotting territory by divine guidance, using a lottery system, underscored God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promises to Abraham and Jacob, establishing the twelve tribes in their respective land portions. Simeon's inheritance, specifically mentioned in verses 1-9, was unique as it was located within the territory originally designated for Judah (Jos. 19:9, Jos. 15:20-32). This could imply Simeon's lesser stature among the tribes, a later administrative decision due to Judah's expansive lot, or simply a fulfillment of Jacob's prophecy concerning Simeon's dispersion (Gen 49:7). Verse 6 specifically lists two cities, Beth-lebaoth and Sharuhen, within Simeon's allocated land and provides a summary count of "thirteen cities and their villages" for the segment of the list concluding here. This detailed geographic cataloging served not only for administrative purposes in a nascent nation but also confirmed the precision of God's word and His covenant relationship with Israel.
Joshua 19 6 Word analysis
And (wĕ-, וְ): This Hebrew conjunction acts as a simple connector, linking Beth-lebaoth and Sharuhen to the preceding list of cities (vv. 2-5). It signifies a continuation of the enumeration.
Beth-lebaoth (בֵּית לְבָאוֹת - beit lĕvāoṯ): This place name literally means "house of lionesses" or "house of lions." Its name suggests a location once known for an abundance of lions, or perhaps named after a prominent family or tribal mark. The exact site is not definitively identified, but it was located in the southern territory. In 1 Chronicles 4:31, this city is referred to as Beth-biri (בֵּית בִּרְאִי - beit birei), possibly meaning "house of my creating" or "house of a well." Such name variations were common for cities over centuries, reflecting phonetic shifts, new settlers, or emphasis on a different local characteristic.
Sharuhen (שָׁרוּחֶן - šārūḥen): The meaning of this name is less certain but may imply "lodging place," "resting place," or "gracious lodging." It is often identified with Tel el-Far'ah (South) by archaeologists, a large and important site in the western Negev known for significant Iron Age settlement. In 1 Chronicles 4:31, it is listed as Shaaraim (שַׁעֲרָיִם - sha'araim), meaning "two gates" or "double gates," another common place name in Israel that likely highlights its strategic defensive position or significant access points. The consistency between Joshua and Chronicles lists, despite name variations, suggests that the same cities are referenced, affirming their historical existence and distribution.
thirteen (שְׁלֹשָׁה עָשָׂר - šelōšâ ‘āśār): This cardinal number acts as a summary for the first portion of Simeon's cities. It refers to the cumulative count of the specific cities listed from Joshua 19:2 up to and including Sharuhen in verse 6. Biblical texts often provide these summations to ensure accuracy and detail in land apportionment and population records, demonstrating God's meticulous care in fulfilling His covenant promises.
cities (‘ārîm, עָרִים): This refers to established urban centers, fortified towns, or major settlements within the tribal inheritance. These were typically regional hubs, providing safety, commerce, and governance for the surrounding area.
and their villages (wĕḥaṣrêhen, וְחַצְרֵיהֶן): This phrase denotes the surrounding smaller hamlets, rural settlements, or unfortified pastoral communities that were dependent on and administered by the primary "cities." This detail provides a comprehensive picture of the territory given, indicating not just main centers but the full extent of the populated land that belonged to the tribe of Simeon. This inclusion reflects the comprehensive nature of the land distribution, encompassing both urban and agricultural/pastoral lands.
Word-Group Analysis:
- Beth-lebaoth, and Sharuhen: These two specific city names anchor this part of Simeon's inheritance. Their naming suggests an ancient landscape influenced by nature (lions) or strategic considerations (gates/resting place), highlighting the specific characteristics of the allocated territory. The variations in 1 Chronicles signify the fluid nature of place names over time but do not negate their existence or the accuracy of the land distribution record.
- thirteen cities and their villages: This phrase serves as a precise administrative summary. It assures the reader of the exact number of primary settlements and their dependent areas allotted to this portion of Simeon's inheritance. This numerical precision emphasizes the fulfillment of God's covenant with Israel to provide specific, tangible land, down to every city and village. It reinforces the divine order and detail in establishing Israel as a settled nation.
Joshua 19 6 Bonus section
The seemingly redundant counting (listing cities then summing them) is a characteristic of ancient administrative and historical records, designed to ensure accuracy and comprehensive coverage. It reinforces the authority and completeness of the divinely guided distribution. The positioning of Simeon's lot within Judah's (Jos. 19:9) may also subtly fulfill Jacob's prophecy that Simeon and Levi would be "scattered in Israel" (Gen. 49:7), as Simeon's tribe never gained full independence or expansive territory comparable to other large tribes. This integration of their lot within Judah’s reflects a partial "scattering" or dependence. Furthermore, the detailed listing of every city underscores the physical reality of the inheritance – this was not merely a spiritual promise but a tangible, geographically precise gift from the Lord to His people.
Joshua 19 6 Commentary
Joshua 19:6, within the larger narrative of Israel's land division, meticulously outlines the boundaries and settlements belonging to the tribe of Simeon. The inclusion of cities like Beth-lebaoth ("House of Lionesses") and Sharuhen (perhaps "Lodging Place"), along with the precise enumeration "thirteen cities and their villages," highlights the practical and divinely ordained establishment of God's people in the Promised Land. This meticulous detail demonstrates God's faithfulness in fulfilling His covenant promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob centuries earlier, not merely generally but with tangible, recorded precision. It speaks to God's careful order and provision, ensuring each tribe received its designated portion as a secure and sustainable inheritance. The variances in place names found in later biblical accounts like 1 Chronicles do not diminish the historicity of the record but illustrate the natural evolution of language and place designations over time, while maintaining the underlying accuracy of the original allocation. This verse reminds us that God's promises are specific and fully realized, down to the very borders and habitations, assuring His people of a promised "rest" and dwelling.