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The
boundary of Benjamin is clearly laid down in Joshua 18:11-21. The northern line
of Judah will answer to determine that of Benjamin with regard to it; and there
is only this addition, that the line ran from Beth-El Luz to Atharoth-Adar, that
is, the village Adara, 1 English mile south of Biri, then not far from
Beth-Horon (Choron), to Kirjath-Jearim. In reading this passage of the Bible,
there is an apparent contradiction. Kirjath-Jearim is described as the most
western point of this territory (5:14), and still it is said (5:15) that the
boundary extended still farther to the west (ימה).
To reconcile this, our learned men have alleged that they understand this word ימה
not as usual, "westward," but to "the sea;" but this is evidently not a
correct view of the question, because in the whole circumjacent country of
Kirjath-Jearim there is neither sea nor lake to be found (see Yarchi). Another
difficulty presents itself in this manner: If it has represented, in 5:14, that
Beth-Horon and Kirjath-Jearim formed the two terminating points of the western
boundary of Benjamin, how does it happen that the towns of Mob, Chadid, Lod, and
Ono, in the valley of Charashim, which lie 15 to 18 English miles west of
Kirjath-Jearim, belonged to this tribe? (See Neh. 11:31, and 1 Chron. 8:12, to
which the Chaldea Paraphrast addsדצדיאו
בני ישראל
ואוקדינון
בנורא כד אגרו
קרבא בגבעתא
עם שבטא
דבנימן "Which the children captured
and burnt with fire when they made war at Gibeah with the tribe of Benjamin."
See Megillah 4a, and compare with Joshua 8:26, and Neh. 6:2.) The
correct explanation of both the verses quoted (Joshua 18:14, 15), however, is as
follows: In verse 14 it is not intended to define absolutely the western
boundary, but only so far as the same ran in a direct line from north to south,
and this is from Beth-Horon to Kirjath-Jearim. This was indeed the utmost
boundary to the south, but the line did not immediately turn eastward, but went
still farther westward ימה,
and embraced the neighbourhood of Ono and Lod, &c.; and only from this
extreme west did it bend again eastward to the spring of the waters of
Nephtoach. This exposition will remove all the difficulties noticed. |
