Shiloh within the Confines of the Tribe of Ephraim (f), and there fet up the Tabernacle (g). Jofephus feems to reprefent the Tabernacle to have been erected before they began to divide the Land (b): But this I should think a Miftake; for when they began to part the Land, there were nine Tribes and an half Tribe, that had no Inheritance (i): But at the time of erecting the Tabernacle, feven Tribes only were not provided for (k): Two Tribes and an half Tribe, befides those who were to inherit on the other fide Jordan, had had their Countries affigned to them according to what is above reprefented, as the Book of Joshua very plainly intimates. Thus far therefore the Ifraelites had proceeded, but they began to find difficulties in the Method they were taking: To Judah they had given too large a Country (), and Ephraim and the half Tribe. of Manajeb were not fatisfy'd with what was allotted them (m): And for this Reason, I imagine, they now fet up the Tabernacle: Their Enemies were fo far fubdued, and the Place where they were to fix it so surrounded with the Settlements already made, that they had no Reason to fear any fudden Invafion to oblige them to take it down again (2): And by having the Tabernacle erected they would have Power to apply to God for his immediate Direction in all Difficulties (o); fo as both to prevent Mistakes in their Divifion of the Land, and to leave no Pretence for any Tribe's being diffatisfied at the Lot that fhould be affigned to them. The Directions which God had given for the Divifion of the Land were thefe, 1. They were to divide the Land by Lot (p): Each Tribe was to have that Portion of it which by Lot fhould fall to him (q). 2. When the Lot of a Tribe was fallen, the Land fo allotted to that Tribe was to be divided amongst the feveral Families of it (r), and this, I think, was to be done partly by the Lot (s), and buț in part by it. When they began to fet out the particular Inheritances of Families, they threw the Lot, which Family they should settle first, which next and fo on: And thus every Man's Inheritance would be in the Place where his Lot fell (t); but the Place of it being thus fixed, they did not caft the Lot for the Quantity to be affigned to a Family; for they were to fet out more or lefs Land to each Family according to the Number of the Names of the Perfons belonging to it (u). 3. Every private Perfon was to have his Inheritance within the Bounds of the Country affigned to the (uj) Tribe he belonged to. 4. To prevent Difputes or Uneafineffes in or from the Choice of the Perfons who were to manage and direct the Divi (p) Numb. xxxiii. 54. xxvi. (r) Ibid. fion, God had exprefly named, who should divide the Land unto the Children of Ifrael (w); and 5. He had alfo fet them their Bounds, defcribed how far every way the Land reached, which was to be (x) divided by them. We may now examine, what Method Joshua and the Princes of the Congregation took, when they began to execute the Commiffion herein given to them. And I imagine in the first Place, they caft Lots to know what Tribe they should begin with in making the Divifion: And the Lot came out for the Tribe of Judah: The next Question that could arife, must be where they fhould fettle this Tribe; and here Caleb offered his Claim to have his Inheritance at Hebron (z), the admitting which, feems to have rendred all further Enquiry about the Situation of the Country to be affigned to this Tribe fuperfluous, and alfo to have led the Ifraelites to fet out a Tract of Land for them, more at Random, perhaps, than they would otherwife have done. The Journey of the Spies upon which Caleb's Claim was founded (a) began from Kadefb-barnea: Caleb's Claim did not aim at any thing higher up into the Coun try than Hebron: If Caleb was fixed here, the Tribe he belonged to was to be fettled contiguous to him: The Tribe of Judah was the moft numerous of all the Tribes; it mustered 76000 Men of twenty Years old and upwards, () Numb. xxxiv. 17—29. (*) Josh. xiv. 6. (x) Ibid. ver. 31 12. Joh. xiv. 7. when (a) Numb. xxxii. 8. when the Sum of the Congregation was taken in the Plains of Moab (aj), and confequently a pretty large Country would be neceffary for it: And these Confiderations seem to have induced them to fet out at Adventure for this Tribe all the Land between Kadefb-barnea and Hebron, according to the Description and Bounds that are given of it (6). Having thus fixed the Tribe of Judah their Country, they proceeded to allot each Family a proper Share and Portion in it; but when they had done this, they found, that the Part of the Children of Judah was too much for them (c): After each Family of the Tribe had received an Inheritance as large as they could be conceived to have occafion for, there remained a Tract of the Country to fpare, and undisposed of; And this could not but fuggeft to the Dividers, that if they did not go into fome ftricter Method for the fetting out the Affignments to the feveral Tribes, they might in time be brought into Difficulties: They might fet out to the Tribes, which were first provided for, too much of the Land, and not leave enough for those whofe Lot might come up to be laft fettled: And accordingly in their next Appointment they appear to have a little altered their Method of Proceeding: For, Here I think they firft fet out fuch a Quantity of the Land, as they thought the Country of Canaan might afford for a Tribe: Then (aj) Numb. xxvi. 22. (b) Josh. xv. (c) xix. 9. for for the eight Tribes and an half they made eight Lots, affigning but one Lot to the Tribe of Ephraim and half Tribe of Manaffeh, confidering them under one Appellation, namely, as the Children of Jofeph (d): After this they caft the Lots to determime, who fhould have the Inheritance put up to be difpofed of: The Lot of the Children of Jofeph came out for it (e): That but one Lot was here made for the Sons of Jofeph appears evidently from their Complaint to Joshua: The Children of Jofeph spake unto Joshua, faying, Why haft thou given me but one Lot, and one Portion to inherit (f)? The Children of Jofeph here concerned, were more than a Tribe; they were a Tribe and an half Tribe, and in all refpects a flourishing People (g), and they thought that they ought not to have been put thus together, and reprefented in but one Lot, when, if they had been a Tribe only, one Lot would have been affigned to them: And this complaint of the Sons of Joseph intimates also, that the Quantity of Land, which the Lots were caft for, was fettled, and the Bounds of it agreed upon, before the Lots were caft for it; otherwife the Complaint would have been groundless; for if this had not been the Cafe, where would have been. the Hardship of the Sons of Jofeph's being reprefented by but one Lot, when the Dividers of the Land might, upon finding them to be the Perfons to be provided for, have fet them (d) Jofh. xv.i. 1. (e) Ibid. ver. 1, 2, 3, 4. (ƒ) xvii. 14. (g) Joh. xvii. 15, 17. out |