Joshua 19:9
in Joshua 19The inheritance of the Simeonites was taken from the territory of Judah, because the share for Judah’s descendants was too large for them. So the Simeonites received an inheritance within Judah’s portion.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Out of the part of the children of Judah was the inheritance of the children of Simeon; for the portion of the children of Judah was too much for them: therefore the children of Simeon had inheritance in the midst of their inheritance.
KJV
Out of the portion of the children of Judah was the inheritance of the children of Simeon: for the part of the children of Judah was too much for them: therefore the children of Simeon had their inheritance within the inheritance of them.
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This verse in Joshua 19
Commentary
6 notes on this verseThe abundance of some must supply the wants of others, that there may be somewhat of an equality, for which there may be equity where there is not law. That which was thus taken off from Judah to be put into a new lot Providence directed to the tribe of Simeon, that Jacob's prophecy concerning this tribe might be fulfilled, I will divide them in Jacob.
This site's exposition
The second lot came out
on Joshua 19:1-9
Simeon draws second and receives only towns cut out of Judah, and verse 9 gives the reason, that Judah's share was too large for them. Genesis 49:7 said of Simeon and Levi, "I will disperse them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel". This book fulfils both, Levi in cities among all the tribes in chapter 21 and Simeon in towns inside Judah.
This site's exposition
was too large for them
Matthew Henry supposes the first survey overrated the land, so Judah's share proved more than the tribe could fill. Calvin credits Judah with restraint in yielding towns already assigned to it, when it could have pleaded God's authority and kept them. Simeon's towns came from that surplus.
The record, by era
The Reformation1 voice
Out of the portion of the children of Judah, etc The praise of moderation is due to the tribe of Judah for not contending that the abstraction of any part of the inheritance already assigned to them was unjust. They might easily have obtruded the name of God, and asserted that it was only by his authority they had obtained that settlement.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
It seems, those that first surveyed the land thought it larger than it was, and that it would have held out to give every tribe in proportion as large a share as they had carved out for Judah; but, upon a more strict enquiry, it was found that it would not reach (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Out of the portion of the children of Judah was the inheritance of the children of Simeon,....
The words behind it
18 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| מֵחֶ֙בֶל֙ | mechevel | [was] from [the] portion of | H2256 → | 62 times |
| בְּנֵ֣י | benei | [the] descendants of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יְהוּדָ֔ה | yehudah | Judah | H3063 → | 819 times |
| נַחֲלַ֖ת | nachalat | [the] inheritance of | H5159 → | 222 times |
| בְּנֵ֣י | benei | [the] descendants of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| שִׁמְע֑וֹן | shimon | Simeon | H8095 → | 44 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| הָיָ֞ה | hayah | it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| חֵ֤לֶק | chelek | [the] portion of | H2506 → | 67 times |
| בְּנֵֽי־ | benei- | [the] descendants of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יְהוּדָה֙ | yehudah | Judah | H3063 → | 819 times |
| רַ֣ב | rav | [too] great | H7227 → | 454 times |
| מֵהֶ֔ם | mehem | for them | ||
| וַיִּנְחֲל֥וּ | vaiyinchalu | and they received their inheritance | H5157 → | 59 times |
| בְנֵֽי־ | venei- | [the] descendants of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| שִׁמְע֖וֹן | shimon | Simeon | H8095 → | 44 times |
| בְּת֥וֹךְ | betokh | in [the] midst of | H8432 → | 418 times |
| נַחֲלָתָֽם׃ פ | nachalatam | inheritance their | H5159 → | 222 times |
מֵחֶ֙בֶל֙[was] from [the] portion of
mechevelH2256 →62 times
בְּנֵ֣י[the] descendants of
beneiH1121 →4930 times
יְהוּדָ֔הJudah
yehudahH3063 →819 times
נַחֲלַ֖ת[the] inheritance of
nachalatH5159 →222 times
בְּנֵ֣י[the] descendants of
beneiH1121 →4930 times
שִׁמְע֑וֹןSimeon
shimonH8095 →44 times
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
הָיָ֞הit was
hayahH1961 →3559 times
חֵ֤לֶק[the] portion of
chelekH2506 →67 times
בְּנֵֽי־[the] descendants of
benei-H1121 →4930 times
יְהוּדָה֙Judah
yehudahH3063 →819 times
רַ֣ב[too] great
ravH7227 →454 times
מֵהֶ֔םfor them
mehem
וַיִּנְחֲל֥וּand they received their inheritance
vaiyinchaluH5157 →59 times
בְנֵֽי־[the] descendants of
venei-H1121 →4930 times
שִׁמְע֖וֹןSimeon
shimonH8095 →44 times
בְּת֥וֹךְin [the] midst of
betokhH8432 →418 times
נַחֲלָתָֽם׃ פinheritance their
nachalatamH5159 →222 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
1 stopEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Exodus 16:18When they measured it by the omer, he who gathered much had no excess, and he who gathered little had no shortfall. Each one gathered as much as he needed to eat.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 8:14–15
At the present time, your surplus will meet their need, so that in turn their surplus will meet your need. Then there will be equality.
- 2 Corinthians 8:14–15
About Joshua
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on John Calvin, Commentaries; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.