Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Joshua 15:33
[And] in the valley, Eshtaol, and Zoreah, and Ashnah,
33 47. Cities in the Lowland
33. in the valley ] i.e. the Lowland. See above, Jos 15:20, and also Jos 10:40; Jos 11:16. The places mentioned are arranged in four groups. The first of these lies in the north-eastern portion of the Shephlah:
Group I
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 33. Eshtaol, and Zoreah] Here Samson was buried, it being the burial-place of his fathers; see Jdg 16:31. These places though first given to Judah, afterwards fell to the lot of Dan, Jos 19:41.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
[And] in the valley,…. In Jos 15:33 are enumerated the several cities belonging to the tribe of Judah which lay in the valley. Jerom f says, that now all the plain and champaign country near Eleutheropolis, which verges to the north and west, is called “Sephela”, or the valley:
Eshtaol; the two first of these seem to be given afterwards to the tribe of Dan, Jos 19:41; between these two places Samson was born and buried, Jud 13:2; they were both at the same distance from Eleutheropolis, according to Jerom; of Eshtaol he says g, it is showed to this day ten miles from Eleutheropolis, to the north, as you go to Nicopolis or Emmaus;
and Zoreah, of which he calls Saara, he says h it is a village on the borders of Eleutheropolis, as you go to Nicopolis, about ten miles of it in the tribe of Dan or Judah;
and Ashnah, of which no mention is made elsewhere; there was another place of the same name, but different from this, Jos 15:43.
f De. loc. Heb. fol. 94. M. g Ibid. fol. 91. C. h lbid. fol. 94. I.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(33) In the valleyi.e., the Shephlah, or plain of the coast. Of the fourteen that follow in Jos. 15:33-36, Conder identifies ten.
Eshtaol, and Zoreah, were afterwards assigned to Dan (Jos. 19:41).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
33. In the valley Hebrews, Shephelah, the lowland. See on Jos 10:40. These cities are enumerated in four groups. A portion of these in the north was afterwards conceded to Dan. Eshtaol and Zoreah afterwards became famous in the tribe of Dan as the scene of Samson’s childhood and first daring exploits, (Jdg 13:25,) and also the place of his burial. Jdg 16:31. The exact site of Eshtaol is unknown; but Zoreah, or Zorah, still exists in the modern Surah, just below the summit of a sharp-pointed hill on the north side of the Wady Ghurab. The prospect from the top of this hill is extensive and fine.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
NASB (UPDATED TEXT): Jos 15:33-36
33In the lowland: Eshtaol and Zorah and Ashnah,
34and Zanoah and En-gannim, Tappuah and Enam,
35Jarmuth and Adullam, Socoh and Azekah,
36and Shaaraim and Adithaim and Gederah and Gederothaim; fourteen cities with their villages.
Jos 15:33-47 This names the cities located in the lowlands. Jos 15:33-36 were in the northeastern coastal plain, 37-41 in the middle, 42-44 in the southern, and 45-47 in the Philistine coastal area. This section may have a separate source because its form is different from the rest of the lists of cities. These lists seem to reflect a government registry.
Jos 15:34 Tappuah This term means apple tree (BDB 656, cf. Jos 12:17; Jos 16:8; Jos 17:8).
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Eshtaol: This town is placed by Eusebius ten mile from Eleutheropolis, towards Nicopolis, and it is supposed to be a wretched village, called Esdad, about 15 miles south of Yebna. Jos 19:41, Num 13:23, Jdg 13:25, Jdg 16:31
Zoreah: A town near to Eshtaol, placed at ten miles’ distance n of Eleutheropolis by Eusebius.
Reciprocal: 1Sa 17:52 – valley 1Ch 2:53 – the Zareathites 1Ch 4:2 – Zorathites 2Ch 11:10 – Zorah Neh 11:29 – Zareah Oba 1:19 – the plain
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
The Shephelah (lowland) was the area between the Coastal Plain to the west and the hill country of Judah to the east. The Negev lay to its south. The writer grouped the towns in this area also. He named 14 towns in the northern part of the Shephelah (Jos 15:33-36): 16 in the northwest (Jos 15:37-41), nine in the south (Jos 15:42-44), and three in the southwest (Jos 15:45-47).