John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 6. And Bethlebaoth, and Sharuhen , etc.] Whether the first is the same with Lebaoth, a city of Judah, ( Joshua 15:32); and with the Bethleptepha of Josephus f427 , and the Betholene of Pliny f428 , is not certain: in this place secret to have been an idol temple of the Canaanites, dedicated to lions, as in Egypt there was a city called Leontopolis, from whence was the Leontopolitan nome, the inhabitants of which worshipped lions f429 ; and the Egyptians had temples dedicated to them, as Aelianus relates. Both these places are thought to be the same with Bethbirei and Shaaraim in ( 1 Chronicles 4:31); of the latter of which (see Joshua 15:36). Those who take Sheba, ( Joshua 19:2), to be the same with Shema, ( Joshua 15:26), make but one city here, and take away the last, as the Greek version does, and render the word “and their fields”, and so the number still is as follows: thirteen cities and their villages ; the sum total of those enumerated above.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-9 - The men of Judah did not oppose taking away the cities within their border, when convinced that they had more than was right. If a tru believer has obtained an unintended and improper advantage in an thing, he will give it up without murmuring. Love seeketh not her own and doth not behave unseemly; it will induce those in whom it richl dwells, to part with their own to supply what is lacking to their brethren.
Original Hebrew ובית לבאות1034 ושׁרוחן8287 ערים5892 שׁלשׁ7969 עשׂרה6240 וחצריהן׃2691
