Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Joshua 10:41
And Joshua smote them from Kadesh-barnea even unto Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, even unto Gibeon.
41. from Kadesh-barnea ] i.e. from the wilderness in which Kadesh-barnea lay. This place, the scene of Miriam’s death, was the furthest point which the Israelites reached in their direct road to Canaan. From it also the spies were sent forth (Num 13:17; Num 13:26), and there also, on their return, the people broke out into murmuring, and upon this their penal term of wandering began (Num 14:20-33; Deu 2:14).
even unto Gaza ] In the Shephelah, and only about one hour from the Mediterranean Sea. This defines the limits of Joshua’s conquests on the west, Gaza being the last town in the S. W. of Palestine on the frontier towards Egypt. This town, properly Azzah, the name of which means “ the strong,” appears even before the call of Abraham (Gen 10:19), as a “border” city of the Canaanites. We shall find the territory of Gaza mentioned afterwards, as one which Joshua was not able to subdue (Jos 11:22; Jos 13:3), and though assigned to the tribe of Judah (Jos 15:47), they did not obtain possession of it (Jdg 1:18-19).
all the country of Goshen ] “Alle the lond of Josson,” Wyclif. This is not to be confounded with the province of Goshen ( frontier) in Egypt. It was a district in the south of Judah, and probably derived its appellation from a town of that name, mentioned in company with Debir, Socoh, and others in the mountains of Judah (Jos 15:48-51).
even unto Gibeon ] This marks the extent of the Conquest on the east.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
From Kadesh-barnea unto Gaza – Num 13:26 This limits Joshuas conquests on the west, as the other line, all the country of Goshen unto Gibeon, does on the east. Goshen Jos 15:51 has not been identified. It was in the southern part of the territory of Judah, and is, of course, quite distinct from the Goshen of Gen 46:28.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 41. And all the country of Goshen] Calmet contends that this was the very same country in which the Hebrews dwelt before their departure from Egypt; and according to this hypothesis he has constructed his map, causing it to extend from the Nile, which was called the river of Egypt, along the frontiers of the land of Cush or Arabia. It however appears plain that there was a city named Goshen in the tribe of Judah, see Jos 15:51; and this probably gave name to the adjacent country which may be that referred to above.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Kadesh-barnea lay in the south of Canaan, Num 34:4; Deu 1:19; Jos 15:3.
Gaza was in the south-west of Canaan. So he here signifies that Joshua did in this expedition subdue all those parts which lay south and west from Gilgal.
Goshen; not that Goshen in Egypt, but another in Judah, Jos 11:16; 15:51.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And Joshua smote them, from Kadeshbarnea,…. Which lay to the south of the land of Canaan, Nu 13:17;
even unto Gaza, which lay to the southwest, and was one of the five principalities of the Philistines; of which city [See comments on Am 1:7]; and [See comments on Ac 8:26];
and all the country of Goshen, even unto Gibeon; to which he returned back in his way to his camp at Gilgal, having conquered all the southern part of the country. This country of Goshen is not that in the land of Egypt, as Kimchi rightly remarks. Bishop Cumberland m is of opinion, that the Phoenician or Canaanitish pastors, who were driven out of Egypt before their expulsion, inhabited that part of Egypt called Goshen, which the Israelites some years after dwelt in; and when those shepherds were driven out, they came into this part of the land of Canaan, and called it after the name of the country they left in Egypt; and might perhaps the rather choose to give it this name, because of the goodness and fruitfulness of it, in which it resembled the country they had formerly dwelt in.
m Remarks on the History of Sanchoniatho, p. 380, 381.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(41) From Kadesh-barnea (on the south-east) even unto Gaza (on the west, now Ghazzeh in Philistia), and all the country of Goshen (from the south to Gibeon in a northerly direction).
And all the country of Goshen.This expression creates some difficulty. Goshen has been thought to be the town of that name mentioned in Jos. 15:51; but it is inconceivable that a single place of no importance in the mountains of Judah should give the name to an extensive district, which is manifestly intended here. If we knew the exact northern boundary of the land of Goshen assigned for a distinct residence to Josephs brethren in Egypt, it might help to clear up the meaning of this passage. That Goshen, at its Egyptian end, bordered upon the Delta is clear. But how far did Goshen extend towards the north? In 1Ch. 7:21-22, we find that Ephraims children in his lifetime made an incursion into Canaan as far as Gath. But this was during the time that Israel dwelt in the land of Goshen. Did they suppose that they were in the land of Goshen when they plundered the men of Gath? If Goshen (frontier) could be the general name for the border-land between Egypt and Palestine, we can understand that the borders might vary with the power of the Egyptian monarchy for the time being. The country of Goshen, unto Gibeon, seems to be described from south to north; Gibeon being intended as the northern boundary.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
41. [ Kadesh-barnea was a most important station in the southern border of the Holy Land, the starting-point of the forty years’ wandering, the place where Miriam died, and whence the spies went out to explore the Land of Promise. There has been uncertainty as to its exact location. Stanley proposes to identify it with Petra, the modern Wady Mousa; Robinson locates it at Ain el-Weibeh, twenty miles northwest of Mount Hor; but more recently Captain Palmer argues for the opinion first maintained by Dr. Rowlands, that the ancient Kadesh-barnea is represented by the modern Ain Gadis, a fountain in the plateau of Jebel Magrah, some forty miles west of Mount Hor. This view will probably gain general acceptance.] Gaza is still standing, and is a place larger than Jerusalem, situated on the Mediterranean Sea in Southern Palestine. It has been the scene of many remarkable events. See at Gen 10:19.
Country of Goshen A city and district generally supposed to be in the mountains of Judah, though some think that it was on the plain. Its name suggests that it may have been founded by a colony from Goshen in Egypt.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘ And Joshua smote them, from Kadesh-barnea, even to Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, even to Gibeon. And all these kings, and their land, did Joshua take at one time, because YHWH the God of Israel fought for Israel. And Joshua returned and all Israel with him to the camp at Gilgal.’
So after his victorious campaigns covering the whole of the south of Canaan Joshua returned with the army to their camp at Gilgal. Much had been done to prepare the way for conquest. But there had been no permanent occupation. That would follow later. ‘All Israel’ returned to the camp at Gilgal. It would be up to the individual tribes finally to capture and occupy their own inheritance. He may well have thought that he had destroyed most of the opposition, but there would be many people still surviving his attacks, and outlying peoples would gladly move in to occupy vacant territory. There would still be much to do.
The account had a twofold purpose. It demonstrated that YHWH was able to give the whole country into their hands, and it showed that Israel later had no excuse for their failure to take full possession of it.
“From Kadesh-barnea even to Gaza.” This is describing the limits of the country dealt with. It does not necessarily signify that Gaza itself (on the coast) was taken. See Jos 11:22. But the Philistines were probably not yet there, arriving later as their invasion of the territory also began (Jos 13:2-3). Kadesh-barnea was an oasis in the Negeb on the edge of the wildernesses of Paran and Zin. The city of Goshen is mentioned in Jos 15:51, the ‘country of Goshen’ indicating widespread land connected with it. ‘Goshen to Gibeon’ possibly indicated a recognised area in the highlands bounded by these two cities.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Ver. 41. And all the country of Goshen There was a city of Goshen in the tribe of Judah, towards the south, among the mountains, like Hebron; (see ch. Jos 15:51.) and this city evidently gave its name to the whole district. It was a place full of excellent pastures, well watered, and like the land of Goshen in Egypt. See Calmet, and Gen 45:10. Pelican is of opinion, that both of them went by the name of Goshen, from the Hebrew word geshem, which signifies a plentiful shower. Even unto Gibeon, i.e. says Bishop Patrick, towards the north.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Kadesh-barnea. This verse describes Joshua’s conquests West, South. and North.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Kadeshbarnea: Jos 14:6, Jos 14:7, Num 13:26, Num 32:8, Num 34:4, Deu 9:23
Gaza: Gen 10:19, Jdg 16:1, Jdg 16:21, 1Sa 6:17, Zec 9:5, Act 8:26
all the country: The country of Goshen, mentioned here, seems to have been in the south of Judah; and to have taken its name from the city of Goshen, situated in the same tribe. Jos 11:16, Jos 15:51
Gibeon: Jos 10:2, Jos 10:12, 1Ki 3:5
Reciprocal: Jos 10:38 – Debir
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jos 10:41. From Kadesh-barnea Which lay in the south of Canaan, (Num 34:4; Deu 1:19,) and belonged to the tribe of Judah, Jos 15:3. Gaza was a city of the Philistines, in the south-west part. So he here signifies that Joshua did, in this expedition, subdue all those parts which lay south and west from Gilgal. All the country of Goshen There was a city in the tribe of Judah of this name, which, like Hebron, was situated in the mountains, in the southern part of the country, (Jos 15:51,) from which city the adjacent region was called the country of Goshen. This tract was enriched with excellent pasture lands and plenteous streams, like that country in Egypt of the same denomination, and thence was called Goshen, as Pellicanus conjectures; because the Hebrew word geshem signifies copious showers, which impart fertility to the earth. Even unto Gibeon Which was in the more northerly part of the country. And therefore, as the former account specified the conquests of Joshua from the south to the west, so here his conquests from the south to the north are related.