auenger of bloud vntill he stoode before the Congregation 1 And the Lorde spake c. Whereas it came not in their minde to appoint the cities of refuge vntill they were admonished againe it seemeth that their slacknesse is couertly reproued for this was decreed before by the commaundement of God beyond Iordan When the like and the verie same reason is here wherefore doe they staie why doe they not bring to an end that which they had well begonne considering that it was for great cause that innocent persons should haue safe places of refuge appointed them least the land should be defiled with bloud for except that remedie had bene vsed the kinsemen of them that were slaine by rashly reuenging their death would haue doubled the mischiefe Surely the people ought not to haue bene slacke in prouiding to auoyde that which might be a spot or defiling of the lande Whereby we may see how slowe men are not onely to doe their duetie but also to be carefull of their owne health except God did often pricke them foreward and prouoke them with the spurres of his exhortations Howbeit it appeareth by this that their offence was but of negligence that they are immediatly readie to obey and doe not prolong the matter nor hinder and staie so necessarie a busines with vnprofitable contentions But what was the lawe of these Sanctuaries we haue elsewhere declared For by them was no impunitie geuen to wilfull murders but if any man through error or chaunce had slaine a man that was not his enimie he had safe refuge vnto these cities which were appointed for the same purpose So God helped the poore wretches where they were without fault least they should haue suffered punishment vnworthily when they had committed no wicked facte In the meane time God of his clemencie graunted thus much to the brethren and kinsemen of them that were dead that their sorrowe shoulde not be increased by hauing them daily in their sight by whom they were depriued of their friendes Finally the people was accustomed to detest all manslaughter when such manslaiers as were acquitted of murder should be banished from their house and from their contrie vntill the death of the high priest For that temporall punishment did clearely shewe how pretious mans bloud is in the sight of god So the lawe both to the whole state and euerie priuate member was iust indifferent and profitable But we must note breefly that euerie point is not here sette forth in order For vppon this condition he that had slaine a man by chaunce might be preserued from danger if first he appered in iudgement to answer the cause and after it was throughly discussed and debated he were acquitted of murder as is more at large declared by Moses concerning this whole matter 7 And they appointed c. The verbe KADESH which here is set doeth signifie also To consecrate and appoint Wherefore I iudge that the citties were so chosen out as serued best for the common profite Whereby it is gathered that they did truely moderate themselues that priuate vtilitie gaue place to publique profite But in the next Chapter wee shall see that Kiriath-arba which afterward was called Hebron was translated to the Leuites whereas before it was vnder the dominion of Caleb Wherein the rare yea the incomparable continencie of that holy man appeared which willingly deliuered vp to other men as well the citie as the suburbes which he might well haue challenged to himselfe so soone as the lotte did shew that such was the pleasure of god And it was needefull briefly to touch this chaunge because God would haue the refuge to be only in the cities of the Leuites that their innocencie might be defended among them with more fidelitie and authoritie Chap. 21. THen came the principall fathers of the Leuites vnto Eleazar the Priest and vnto Ioshue the sonne of Nun and vnto the chiefe fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel 2 And spake vnto them at Shiloh in the land of Chanaan saying The Lorde commaunded by the hand of Moses to giue vs cities to dwell in with the suburbes thereof for our cattell 3 So the children of Israel gaue vnto the Leuites out of their inheritance at the commaundement of the Lord these cities with their suburbes 4 And the lotte came out for the families of the Kohathites and the children of Aaron the Priest which were of the Leuites had by lot out of the tribe of Iudah and out of the tribe of Simeon and out of the tribe of Beniamin thirteene cities 5 And the rest of the children of Kohath had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Ephraim and out of the tribe of Dan and out of the halfe tribe of Manasseh ten cities 6 Also the children of Gershon had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar and out of the tribe of Asher and out of the tribe of Nepthalie and out of the halfe tribe of Manasseh in Bashan thirteene cities 7 The children of Merarie according to their families had out of the tribe of Ruben and out of the tribe of Gad and out of the tribe of Zebulun twelue cities 8 So the children of Israel gaue by lot vnto the Leuites these cities with their suburbes as the Lorde had commaunded by the hand of Moses 9 And they gaue out of the tribe of the children of Iudah and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon these cities whiche are here named 10 And they were the childrens of Aaron being of the families of the Kohathites and of the sonnes of Leui for theirs was the first lotte 11 So they gaue them Kiriath-arba of the father of Anok which is Hebron in the mountaine of Iudah with the suburbes of the same rounde about it 12 But the lande of the citie and the villages thereof gaue they to Caleb the sonne of Iephunneh to be his possession 13 Thus they gaue to the children of Aaron the Priest a citie of refuge for the slayer euen Hebron with her suburbes and Libnah with her suburbes 14 And Iattir with her suburbes and Eshtemoa and her suburbes 15 And Holon with her suburbes and Debir with her suburbes 16 And Ain with her suburbes and Iuttah with her suburbes Beth shemesh with her suburbes nine cities out of those two tribes 17 And out of the tribe of Beniamin they gaue Gibeon with her suburbes Geba with her suburbes 18 Anathoth with her suburbes and Almon with her suburbes foure cities 19 All the cities of the children of Aaron Priests were thirteene cities with their suburbes 1 Then came c. Here is declared afterward that which should haue gone before For the cities of refuge were not geuen before they were assigned to the Leuites As also we must remember that which was saied before that Iosue and Eleazer made an ende of diuiding the lande for the lande was not iustly diuided vntill the Leuites had their dwelling place appointed them
Therefore we must consider that when the lottes were cast in the name of the ten tribes certeine cities in the land of Chanaan were drawen out of euery portion in which the Leuites shoulde dwell For they had their portion alredie appointed them beyond Iordan But whereas the Leuites come and require that the gifte of God may be confirmed that they might possesse their cities with their suburbes it is like they were neglected vntill they pleaded their owne cause For so it falleth out commonly while euery man is busie to prouide for him selfe they forgette their brethren Surely it was a shame for the people to be pulled by the eare and to be brought in remembraunce of that which God had so plainly commaunded concerning the Leuites And yet if they had not spoken earnestly for a house they were in daunger to haue lien abroade in the fieldes Although we may easily gather that the people offended rather of negligence and forgetfulnesse than of purpose to defraud them for they make no delay as soone as they are admonished yea their obedience is praised that according to the worde of the Lorde they performed that which was equall and right 4 And the lotte c. Here is set foorth the number of the cities whereof must be spoken soone after Secondly here is plainely expressed that the lot of the sonnes of Aaron fell in the tribe of Iuda which happened not by chance for God by his meruellous counsell placed them in that seate where he had appointed his Temple to be builded Thirdly the names of the cities are rehearsed whereof Hebron is the first which Caleb suffered to be taken from him with a good will. If any man obiect that Hierusalem should haue bene especially geuen them where they should haue their lawefull abiding place the answere is easie that small and meane cities were deliuered to them such as their state required Moreouer Hierusalem was not yet recouered for the Iebusites had it in possession Finally it had bene against reason that the seate of the kingdome should haue bene appointed to the Priestes And in this their faith and religion was better approued that they went willingly out of their natiue countrie to doe their duetie about the holy affaires For no Priest did his office there but he was aforeigner dwelt in some other place But yet their infirmitie was borne withall when they were rewarded with cities that were neere about least it should be troublesome to them to take along iourney to doe their office But whereas one onely familie and that not verie populous had thirteene cities graunted for their habitation hereof is confirmed that I haue noted elsewhere that the other tribes had manie cities vnder their dominion whereof here is no mention and that shal be confirmed more certeinly soone after 20 But to the families of the children of Kohath of the Leuits which were the rest of the children of Kohath for the cities of their lot were out of the tribe of Ephraim 21 They gaue them the citie of refuge for the slaier Shechem with her suburbes in mount Ephraim and Gezer with her suburbes 22 And Kibzaim with her suburbes and Beth-horon with her suburbes foure cities 23 And out of the tribe of Dan Eltkeh with her suburbes Gibethon with her suburbes 24 Aiialon with her suburbes Gath-rimmon with her suburbes foure cities 25 And out of the halfe tribe of Manasseh Tanach with her suburbes and Gath-rimmon with her suburbes two cities 26 All the cities for the other families of the children of Kohath were ten with their suburbes 27 Also vnto the children of Gershon of the families of the Leuites they gaue out of the halfe tribe of Manasseh the citie of refuge for the slaier Golan in Bashan with her suburbes and Beeshterah with her suburbes two cities 28 And out of the tribe of Issachar Kis-hon with her suburbs Dabereh with her suburbes 29 Iarmuth with her suburbes En-gannim with her suburbes foure cities 30 And out of the tribe of Asser Mishal with her suburbes Abdon with her suburbes 31 Helkoh with her suburbes and Rehob with her suburbes foure cities 32 And out of the tribe of Naphtali the citie of refuge for the slaier Kedesh in Galil with her suburbes and Hammoth-dor with her suburbes and Kartan with her suburbes three cities 33 All the cities of the Gershonites according to their families were thirteene cities with there suburbes 34 Also vnto the families of the children of Merari the rest of the Leuites they gaue out of the tribe of Zebulun Iokneam with her suburbes and Cartah with her suburbes 35 Dimnah with her suburbes Nahalal with her suburbes foure cities 36 And out of the tribe of Ruben Bezer with her suburbes and Iahazah with her suburbes 37 Kedemoth with her suburbes and Mephaath with her suburbes foure cities 38 And out of the tribe of Gad they gaue for a citie of refuge for the slaier Ramoth in Gilead with her suburbes and Mahanaim with her suburbes 39 Heshbon with her suburbes and Iazer with her suburbes foure cities in all 40 So all the cities of the children of Merari according to their families which were the rest of the families of the Leuites were by their lot twelue cities 41 And all the cities of the Leuites within the possession of the children of Israel were eight and fourtie with their suburbes 42 These cities lay euerie one seuerally with their suburbes round about them so were all these cities 43 So the Lorde gaue vnto Israel all the land which he had sworne to giue vnto their fathers and they possessed it and dwelt therein 44 Also the Lorde gaue them rest round about according to all that he had sworne vnto their fathers and there stoode not a man of all their enimies before them for the Lord deliuered all their enimies into their hand 45 There failed nothing of all the good thinges which the Lorde had said vnto the house of Israel but all came to passe 20 But to the families of the sonnes of Kahath c. For what cause it behoued the Leuites to be dispersed into euerie tribe let the reader seeke in Moses Indeed this punishment was laied vppon their father for the vnfaithfulnesse and crueltie which he practised against the Sichemites But in steede of reproch this dispersion was turned into their exceeding great honour that they being placed as watchmen in euerie region might keepe the people in the pure worship of god They were indeede but as tenantes in euerie place but with so great dignitie as ouerseers appointed by God to take heed that the people should not fall away from true godlinesse This is the reason why it is reported so diligently how many cities fell vnto them in euerie tribe that they might be alwayes as watchmen to preserue the purenesse of religion amongst them 41 All the cities of the Leuites c. This place especially doeth teach that which I haue touched once or twise before that the boundes
which he seemed to haue spoken clerely enough nowe he prosecuteth more distinctly not onely that the reading thereof might prouoke the people to geue thankes while the benefite of God shal be registred in the publike monumentes and as it were conuersant before their eyes but also that euerie one might enioy their inheritaunce without trouble or strife We knowe how wittie the couetousnesse of men is to inuent pretenses of going to lawe that no mans right might remaine quietly vnto him except a cleere and perfect definition of euerie mans right should take away all controuersies That region was geuen them without lot The rest might haue obiected because euen measure was not kept that inequalitie must be corrected Therefore that no vntimely strife shoulde euer trouble their peace the boundes are set in all places by Gods authoritie and as it were hedged in to cutte away all contentions For God doeth not onely by one worde adiudge the whole kingdome of Sihon to the tribe of Ruben but draweth the vttermost border from Aroer to the riuer Arnon and so in all the compasse doth either restraine them or enlarge them that the possession of one acre should not be in doubt And howe profitable so exact a description was we may knowe by prophane histories where often times we may see not onely hatefull but also hurtfull contentions haue arisen betweene neighbours about their marches Moreouer this diligence which God disdained not to vse to prouide for his people that they might continue in peace one with another doth verily declare his fatherly loue because he omitted nothing that might be profitable for their quietnesse And surely if prouision had not beene made in time they would haue bene consumed by ciuil and intestine contentions Once againe I would haue the readers excuse me if I labour not carefully in describing the situation of the cities am not curious in the names Yea I could well abide that some names shuld be taken appellatiuely and so translated which otherwise I haue thought good to leaue in their owne tongue as proper names This is worthie to be noted that where he speaketh of the land of the Madianites the Princes which ruled there are called the Dukes of Sihon that we may knowe that they were partakers of the same calamitie because they intangled them selues with vniust warre and perteined to the gouernement of Sihon which was a professed enimie And that it may better appeare that they were iustly destroyed Balaam is said to haue bene slaine amongst them by whose tongue they laboured to wound the Israelites more greeuously than with a thousand swordes as if it were saide In the verie slaughter there was found a banner of hostilitie by which they professed that they serued in warre against the Israelites Where it is said in the Hebrue that Iordan was the end the end that the repetition may not seeme to be in vaine we may aptly translate it that Iordan according to his â—oundes was their border 24 Moses gaue to the tribe of Gad c. The same reason is to be obserued in the tribe of Gad that it is hedged in with lawfull boundes that their possessions shoulde not be litigious or subiect to contention In the meane time the liberalitie of God is commended that he draue out nations of great renowme in whose roome he had placed them which is more clearely expressed in the halfe tribe of Manasse while in the portion of their inheritance there are rehearsed three score cities Whereby also it is made manifest that Moses was not deceiued in his liberalitie because God was not ignorant how manie cities according to his bountifull largesse he would geue them In the conclusion the tribe of Leui is againe excluded least the Leuites in time to come should pretende that the land which was graunted to the Gadites and Rubenites the halfe tribe of Manasses without casting of lotts was common to them also because they were by name forbidden to cast lottes with their brethren which they might easily haue expounded subtily for their owne aduantage that their part was left them in the other landes But now the sacrifices are not called their inheritance as a while before they were but God himselfe with whom if they be not content they bewray too greate pride and intollerable disdainefulnesse Chap. 14. THese also are the places whiche the children of Israel inherited in the lande of Chanaan whiche Eleazer the Priest and Ioshue the sonne of Nun and the cheefe fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel distributed to them 2 By the lot of their inheritance as the Lorde had commanded by the hande of Moses to geue to the nine tribes and the halfe tribe 3 For Moses had geuen inheritaunce vnto two tribes and an halfe tribe beyonde Iordan but vnto the Leuites he gaue none inheritaunce among them 4 For the children of Ioseph were two tribes Manasseh and Ephraim therefore they gaue no parte vnto the Leuites in the lande saue cities to dwell in with the suburbes of the same for their beastes and their substance 5 As the Lorde had commaunded Moses so the children of Israel did when they diuided the lande 6 Then the children of Iudah came vnto Ioshue in Gilgal and Caleb the sonne of Iephunneh the Kenezite saide vnto him Thou knowest what the Lorde said vnto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadesh-barnea 7 Fourtie yeares olde was I when Moses the seruant of the Lorde sent me from Kadesh-barnea to espie the land and I brought him worde againe as I thought in mine heart 8 But my brethren that went vp with me discouraged the heart of the people yet I followed still the Lorde my God. 9 Wherefore Moses sware the same day saying Certeinly the land whereon thy feete haue troden shall be thine inheritance and thy childrens for euer because thou hast followed constantly the Lorde my God. 10 Therefore beholde now the Lorde hath kept me aliue as he promised this is the fourtie and fift yeare since the Lorde spake this thing vnto Moses while the children of Israel wandered in the wildernesse and now loe I am this day foure score and fiue yeares olde 11 And yet am as strong at this time as I was when Moses sent me as strong as I was then so strong am I now either for warre or for gouernement 12 Now therefore giue me this mountaine whereof the Lord spake in that day for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there and the cities great and walled if so be the Lorde will be with me that I may driue them out as the Lorde saide 13 Then Ioshue blessed him and gaue vnto Caleb the sonne of Iephunneh Hebron for an inheritance 14 Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the sonne of Iephunneh the Kenezite vnto this day because he followed constantly the Lord God of Israel 15 And the name of Hebron was before time Kiriath-arba which Arba was a great
himselfe that after he had chased them away he might succeed in their place and that vpon this condition his dwelling was graunted to be in that place which he should conquere by his owne valiantnesse 7 I was fourtie yeres old c. He seemeth to boast of his vertue more gloriously than becommeth a godlie and modest man But we must remember that when the mater of it selfe was odious and subiect to many quarels he hath neede of singular commendation to deliuer him from enuie Wherefore he rehearseth how faithfully he reported that which he knew of the land For this clause Euen as it was in my heart doeth doubtlesse declare sinceritie and so his heart is opposite to deceitfull words For it is a fond interpretation that he said in his heart because he durst say nothing by the way least he should haue bene slaine of his companions For he meaneth nothing else but that without colour and dissimulation he did faithfully execute that which was geuen him in charge he amplifieth the praise of his vpright dealing that when all his companions except Iosue were against him yet he gaue no place to their malice neither was he ouercome with their wicked conspiracie but abode constantly in his purpose The wordes are I fulfilled to goe after god But the sense is cleare that he was not caried away from the faithfulnesse of his duetie by the wicked practising of those ten men which was harde to abide but that he was throughly determined to followe god Namely because he was certeinly persuaded that God was the author of the enterprise from which those vnfaithfull men assaied to withdrawe the people But let vs learne out of this place that except the last ende answeare to the beginninges good beginninges vanish away and come to nothing and secondly that this constancie is onely worthie of praise when we followe God. 9 Then Moses sware c. This was one rewarde of his message well and faithfully discharged to obteine an inheritance whereof all the people is depriued For although long life be worthily accompted among the benefites of God yet the end is here annexed that Caleb might obteine that inheritance which was denied to the rest which was no small prerogatiue Consequently he setteth forth the trueth of Gods promise because he had prolonged his life and not that onely but also had geuen him such vigor and strength that being more than fourescore yeares olde he was no weaker than he was in the floure of his age For other men haue had a lustie age and yet but a fewe neither haue any kept their owne so well that at foure score and fiue yeares of age they haue had as much strength as they had in their best age For he doth not only challenge to himselfe the knowlege valiantnesse of a Capteine but also the strength of a souldier He addeth also that his strength will serue for all actions and exercises of this life For to goe in out doeth signifie as much with the Hebrewes as to performe and execute all partes of our office And Caleb doeth performe this indeede when hee taketh vppon him to assault and driue away the Giantes Neither is he lifted vp with foolishe pride to assure himselfe of victorie but he hopeth for prosperous successe by the helpe of god This worde Peraduenture seemeth to inferre an vnreasonable kind of doubtfulnesse as if he would goe to fight at all aduentures They which thinke that for modestie sake he mistrusteth himselfe and considereth his owne infirmitie doe neither say all nor nothing at all For surely they omitte that which is principall that this worde Peraduenture is to be referred to the common opinion of men such as might be conceiued by the present state of the matter But first it is conuenient to consider his purpose If he had desired such a hill to be geuen him as without any trouble might haue ben possessed his request had bene harder to obteine But now setting foorth the difficultie of the matter before Iosue and the Princes he winneth their fauoure for when they haue yelded to his request yet they graunt nothing except he take in hand atchiue an hard doubtfull and daungerous warre Therefore when he knew that the Israelits did tremble and feare at the fame of the Giantes he speaketh after their opinion as of a matter doubtfull and vncerteine But as touching himselfe the woordes doe plainely declare that he presumed not vppon that which was spoken to him with a doubtfull and wanering minde I will driue them out saith he as the Lord hath pronounced Shall we say that when he bringeth forth a sentence of God that he standeth in doubt whether he will performe or no that which he hath promised Therefore it is manifest that to the intent he might more easily obteine his request he putteth them in minde how full of danger the enterprise was although it is not straunge with the Hebrewes by this worde Simply to note the difficultie and hardnesse of a thing although no distrust at all doeth trouble our mindes But how greate a matter it was to driue away the Giantes out of that strong holde hereof it may be gathered that Caleb durst not sette vppon them vntill after Iosue was dead 13 Blessed him c. He did so pray for him that he did also reioyce with him for it was profitable for example sake that his vertue should be openly commended whereby other men should be stirred vp to ouercome all feares For it was as much as if he had contemned the Giantes and ouerlooked them out of an high place Therefore the blessing of Caleb doeth conteine a praise in it which may serue to exhorte the people In the end of the Chapter it is said that the name of Hebron was Kiriath Arbah Where it is to be noted that the hill it selfe is not to be vnderstood thereby but the cheefe citie there on which is often mentioned in the scripture And it is said that it was so named of a certeine Giant of notable tallnesse whereby their fable is confuted which will haue it to be so called of foure Patriarches that were buried there Thus it appeareth that Caleb was not carefull for his present quietnesse or priuate commoditie when he doeth not sette vppon the place manie yeres after it was geuen him Wherefore it perteined no lesse to the whole people than to one priuate familie that that thing should be geuen for a singular benefite which did as yet hang vppon the incomprehensible grace of God was laied vp in hope alone Also this priuate reward ought to be lesse odious seing the effect thereof could not be confirmed without the wonderfull power of god Yet heere â—riseth a question Seeing Hebron did not only fall to be a portion of the Leuites but also was one of the cities of refuge how this gifte â—â—oode vndefeated If we say that Caleb contenting him selfe with other townes resigned his right to the Leuites the
knot is not yet altogether loosed because he is expresly appointed Lorde of that citie But if we consider that onely a right of dwelling was graunted to the Leuits in those cities there shall be no repugnance In the meane time the modestie of Caleb is worthie of no small praise which in that portion which by extraordinarie priuilege was graunted to him did not refuse to entertaine the Leuites Chap. 15. THis then was the lot of the tribe of the children of Iudah by their families euen to the border of Edom and the wildernesse of Zin Southward on the Southcoast 2 And their Southborder was the salt Sea coast from the point that loketh Southward 3 And it went out on the South-side toward Maaleth-akrabbim and went along to Zin and ascended vp on the Southside vnto Kadesh-barnea and went along to Hezron and went vp to Adar and fet a compasse to Karkaa 4 From thence went it along to Azmon and reached vnto the riuer of Aegypt and the end of that coast was on the West-side this shal be your Southcoast 5 Also the East border shal be the salt Sea vnto the end of Iordan and the border on the North quarter from the point of the Sea and from the end of Iordan 6 And this border goeth vp to Beth-hogla and goeth along by the Northside of Beth-arabah so the border from thence goeth vp to the stone of Bohan the sonne of Ruben 7 Againe this border goeth vp to Debir from the vallie of Achor and Northwarde turning toward Gilgal that lieth before the going vp to Adummim which is on the Southside of the riuer also this border goeth vp to the waters of Enshemesh and endeth at En-rogel 8 Then this border goeth vp to the vallie of the sonne of Hinnom on the Southside of the Iebusites the same is Hierusalem also this border goeth vp to the top of the mountaine that lieth before the vallie of Hinnom Westward which is by the end of the vallie of the Giantes Northward 9 So this border compasseth from the top of the mountaine vnto the fountaine of the water of Nephtoah and goeth out to the cities of mount Ephron and this border draweth to Baalah which is Kiriath-iearim 10 Then this border compasseth from Baalah Westward vnto mount Seir and goeth along vnto the side of mount Iearim which is Chesalon on the Northside so it commeth downe to Beth-shemesh and goeth to Timnah 11 Also this border goeth out vnto the side of Ekron Northward and this border draweth to Shiâ—ron and goeth along to mount Baalah and stretcheth vnto Iabneel and the ends of this coast are to the Sea. 12 And the West border is to the great Sea so this border shal be the bounds of the children of Iudah round about according to their families 13 And vnto Caleb the sonne of Iephunneh did Ioshue giue a parte among the children of Iudah as the Lorde commanded him euen Kiriath-arbah of the father of Anak which is Hebron 1 And the lot c. I haue shewed before that in setting out the situation of the places searching out the reason of their names I would not be curious partly because I confesse that I am not so exercised in the knowlege of Topographie or Chorographie partly because of great laboure bestowed therein small fruite would come to the readers Yea peraduenture the greatest parte of men should take paine without any profite But to the purpose we must note that the lot of the tribe of Iuda doeth not onely fall in a high place that the verie hight of the region might commend the dignitie of the kingdome that should be therein but because the name of that tribe doeth first come forth as a foreshewing of the same matter They beginne to diuide that which was alredie conquered by warre The names of the tenne tribes are cast into a potte Iuda is preferred before all the rest Who seeth not that he is lifted vp into the highest degree that the prophesie of Iacob might be fulfilled Now within these boundes which are here set downe it is well knowen that there were goodly pastures noble and fruitefull vines Thus when the lot doeth answere to the prophesie of Iacob it is manifest that it fell not by chaunce and that the holie Patriarch did pronounce that which was deliuered to him by the spirit of god They that are skilfull of the places may with more pleasure and profite inquire more of them But that the ruder sorte be not greeued to reade vnknowne names let them thinke that it is well worth their laboure if they doe remember that short summe which I haue touched namely that the tribe of Iuda is lifted vp on high that it may be seene alofte aboue the rest vntill the scepter doe arise from thence and secondly that a region fruitfull of vines and pastures is assigned to him moreouer that all the people might acknowledge that his loe fell not by chaunce which was foreshewed three hundred yeres before Furthermore of the large and manifold compasse of the places the vnlearned sorte may easily gather that it was a great prouince which was assigned by lot to that one tribe For although some diminution happened afterward yet they had alwaies the largest dominion And we must remember that which I said that nothing else was declared by the lot but that the border of the sonnes of Iuda ioyned vppon the land of Edom and the sonnes of Sin and that on the other side they bordered vpon the brooke of Egypt and vppon the Midland sea but they that were chosen to be diuiders as their iudgement serued them according to the multitude of men did measure out how great their portion should be did not enlarge their boundes further the same reason they followed in the rest as the neerenesse of the places required Neither did the errour which they committed any thing hinder but that which they decreed remained stedfast For as they were not ashamed in parte to retracte that portion which they had made vnaduisedly so on the other side when the people did see that they handled the matter with all faithfulnesse and vpright dealing they did willingly submit them selues to their decree neither did a particular errour let a generall action from being confirmed ratified It shall not be amisse in one worde to touch the citie of Iebus which afterward was called Hierusalem Although it was alreadie by the secreat counsell of God chosen to be his Sanctuarie and the seate of the kingdome which should be there yet it was possessed of the enimies vntill the time of Dauid For in that they were so long depriued of that place in which was grounded the holinesse excellencie and beautie of all the lande beside therein appeared plainly the curse of God to punish the slouthfulnesse of the people For it was as much as if the cheefe and principall ornament and dignitie of the land were taken away from them But on the other parte did shine