Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Joshua 11:17
[Even] from the mount Halak, that goeth up to Seir, even unto Baal-gad in the valley of Lebanon under mount Hermon: and all their kings he took, and smote them, and slew them.
17. even from the mount Halak ] Or, as it is rendered in the margin, “ the smooth mountain,” or “ the bald mountain.” We find this name only once again, viz. in Jos 12:7, and there, as here, it seems to mark the southern limit of Joshua’s conquests. Several ranges near the southern border of Canaan might be thus described. ( a) Some would identify it with the modern Jebel-el-Mukrah, 60 miles south of the Dead Sea; ( b) others with the mountain Madurah, or Maderah; ( c) while others would identify it with the range of white cliffs, which cuts the Arabah obliquely at about eight English miles to the south of the Dead Sea, and divides the great valley into the two parts El Ghor and El Arabah. This row of cliffs, which is about 60 to 80 feet high, might very well be called “ the bald mountain which ascends to Seir,” for it was a point well adapted to form the southern boundary of Canaan, since it both touches the territory of Kadesh-Barnea, and joins in the east the upper chain of the mountains of Seir. See Keil in loc.
even unto Baal-Gad ] This was a town dedicated to Baal, under the aspect of “Gad” or the “god of good fortune” (Jos 12:7; Jos 13:5), probably the same as Baal-Hermon (Jdg 3:3; 1Ch 5:23). In later times it was known as Panium or Paneas, and when enlarged and embellished by Herod Philip, Csarea Philippi, to distinguish it from Csarea “ Palestin ” or Csarea “ on the sea ” (Mar 8:27). Dean Stanley calls it a Syrian Tivoli, and certainly there is much in the rocks, caverns, cascades, and the natural beauty of the scenery, to recall the Roman Tibur. Behind the village, in front of a great natural cavern, a river bursts forth from the earth, the “upper source” of the Jordan. Inscriptions and niches in the face of the cliff tell of the old idol worship of Baal and of Pan. Tristram’s Land of Israel, p. 581.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The mount Halak – See the margin and reference. The name serves to mark the southern limit of Joshuas conquests. It suits equally well several of the ranges near the south border of Palestine, and it is uncertain which of them is the one here indicated.
Baal-gad Jos 12:7; Jos 13:5 is probably Paneas, the Caesarea Philippi of later times. The name means troop or city of Baal, or a place where Baal was worshipped as the giver of good luck. Compare Isa 65:11. It was probably the same as Baal-Hermon (Jdg 3:3; 1Ch 5:23; and see Deu 3:9).
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 17. From the mount Halak] All the mountainous country that extends from the south of the land of Canaan towards Seir unto Baal-gad, which lies at the foot of Mount Libanus or Hermon, called by some the mountains of Separation, which serve as a limit between the land of Canaan and that of Seir; see Jos 12:7.
The valley of Lebanon] The whole extent of the plain which is on the south, and probably north, of Mount Libanus. Calmet conjectures that Coelesyria is here meant.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
That goeth up to Seir i.e. to the country of Seir or Edom, to wit, that part of it which was south from Judea, not that which was eastward from it, as appears from hence, that here, as also Jos 12:7, is mention of the two extreme bounds of the land conquered by Joshua; whereof the other which follows being in the north, this must needs be in the south of the land.
Baal-gad; a part of Mount Lebanon.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
17. from the mount HalakHebrew,“the smooth mountain.”
that goeth up to Seiranirregular line of white naked hills, about eighty feet high, andseven or eight geographical miles in length that cross the wholeGhor, eight miles south of the Dead Sea, probably “the ascent ofAkrabbim” [ROBINSON].
unto Baal-gad in the valleyof Lebanonthe city or temple of the god of destiny, inBaalbec.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
[Even] from the mount Halak, that goeth up unto Seir,…. Or the “smooth” and “bald” mountain, which had no trees on it, as some interpret it, observed by Kimchi; it was a mount on the borders of Edom, to which the land of Canaan reached on that side:
even unto Baalgad, in the valley of Lebanon, under Mount Hermon; and so describes the northern part of the land conquered by Joshua:
and all their kings he took, and smote them, and slew them; both in the southern and northern parts of the land.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(17) The mount Halak is marked as unknown in Conders Biblical Gazetteer. But the smooth hill which goeth up to Seir, may very possibly be the salt hill now called Khasur-Usdum, which has a glacier-like appearance, and forms a sufficiently striking object to be mentioned as a boundary-mark.
Baal-gad has by some been identified with Baal-hermon, afterwards Paneas, and Caesarea Philippi. Others think it is still unknown.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
17. From the Mount Halak The bald mount was south of the land of Canaan, toward Seir or Edom. “It is probably a row of white cliffs, sixty to eighty feet high, which cuts the Arabah obliquely at about eight English miles to the south of the Dead Sea, and divides the great valley into two parts.” Keil. Baal-gad, fortune-bringing Baal, was evidently a well-known landmark in the time of Joshua, and designates the northern limit of his conquest, but its site has not been certainly identified. Some are disposed to identify it with Baalbek in Coele-Syria; others with Banias, near Cesarea Philippi.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Jos 11:17 [Even] from the mount Halak, that goeth up to Seir, even unto Baalgad in the valley of Lebanon under mount Hermon: and all their kings he took, and smote them, and slew them.
Ver. 17. Even from the mount Halak. ] Or, The smooth or bare mountain; not unlike that they call Axylon, by which Manlius marched against the Gallo-Grecians. a
a Non ligni modo quicquam, sed ne spinas quidem habet. – Liv., lib. 38.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
the mount Halak: or, the smooth mountain
that goeth: Gen 32:3, Deu 2:1, Deu 33:2
Seir: Jos 11:3, Jos 1:4, Jos 12:7, Jos 13:5
all their: Jos 12:7-24, Deu 7:24
Reciprocal: Deu 1:7 – in the plain Jos 9:1 – Lebanon Jos 12:1 – from the
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jos 11:17. That goeth up to Seir That is, to the country of Seir or Edom, namely, to that part of it which was south from Judea. Unto Baal-gad, in the valley of Lebanon, &c. As the preceding words express the bounds of Joshuas conquest southward, so hither they extended northward. And this seems to be a description of the length of the country which he took from the king of Hazor, and all those who joined with him, as Archbishop Usher understands it.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
11:17 [Even] from the mount {k} Halak, that goeth up to Seir, even unto Baalgad in the valley of Lebanon under mount Hermon: and all their kings he took, and smote them, and slew them.
(k) So called, because it was bare and without trees.