John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 8. And all the villages that [were] round about these cities , etc.] Not only the suburbs adjoining to those cities which are mentioned before, but the several small distinct towns and villages, scattered up and down in the country: to Baalathbeer, Ramath of the south : this is the same with Baal in ( Chronicles 4:33); and with Ramath of the south, or south Ramoth, as it is called ( 1 Samuel 30:27); all these are the names of one and the same city: this [is] the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Simeon , according to their families ; that is, the above named cities fell to the lot of the inheritance of the Simeonites, and were divided among them according to the number of their respective families; at least, these were the chief and principal of them; for all that they possessed are not mentioned, particularly one called Tochen, ( 1 Chronicles 4:32); and another, the name of which is Etam there, unless that is thought to be the same with Ether here in ( Joshua 19:7). Josephus says f431 , this tribe took by lot that part of Idumea which lay near to Egypt and Arabia.
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 וכל3605 החצרים2691 אשׁר834 סביבות5439 הערים5892 האלה428 עד5704 בעלת באר1192 ראמת7414 נגב5045 זאת2063 נחלת5159 מטה4294 בני1121 שׁמעון8095 למשׁפחתם׃4940
