(57) The four first and the four last of these are all found. Maon, Carmel, and Ziph became famous in David’s wanderings (see the story of Nabal, 1 Samuel 25); and the Ziphites have covered themselves with infamy by their repeated efforts to betray him to Saul, who sought his life (1Samuel 23:19; 1Samuel 26:1).

15:20-63 Here is a list of the cities of Judah. But we do not here find Bethlehem, afterwards the city of David, and ennobled by the birth of our Lord Jesus in it. That city, which, at the best, was but little among the thousands of Judah, Mic 5:2, except that it was thus honoured, was now so little as not to be accounted one of the cities.Third group; lying eastward of the towns named in the last two, and next to "the wilderness."

Joshua 15:55

The four towns retain their ancient names with but little change. Maon 1 Samuel 23:24; 1 Samuel 25:2, the home of Nabal, is to be looked for in the conical hill, "Main," the top of which is covered with ruins. It lies eight or nine miles southeast of Hebron Carmel 1 Samuel 25:2, the modern "Kurmul," is a little to the north of "Main." The name belongs to more than one place Joshua 12:22. Ziph gave its name to "the wilderness" into which David fled from Saul 1 Samuel 23:14.

Jos 15:21-63. Cities of Judah.

21-63. the uttermost cities of the tribe of the children of Judah—There is given a list of cities within the tribal territory of Judah, arranged in four divisions, corresponding to the districts of which it consisted—the cities in the southern part (Jos 15:21-32), those in the lowlands (Jos 15:33-47), those in the highlands (Jos 15:48-60), and those in the desert (Jos 15:61, 62). One gets the best idea of the relative situation of these cities by looking at the map.

No text from Poole on this verse.

Cain,.... Cain, or Hakain, "that Cain", we nowhere else read of; whether the name was given it by the old Canaanites, in memory of Cain, the son of Adam, is not certain:

Gibeah; there were other places that went by the name of Gibeah; there was a Gibeah in Benjamin, Judges 20:4, and another in the same tribe called Gibeah of Saul, 1 Samuel 11:4, to distinguish it from that; but this was in the tribe of Judah. Masius conjectures it is the same with that in 1 Samuel 23:19 which was near Ziph; and not amiss. Jerom (u) makes mention of Gabaha and Gabatha, little villages to the east of Daroma; and of another Gabatha, near Bethlehem, in the tribe of Judah; but whether either of these are meant it is doubtful:

Timnah, of this city; see Gill on Joshua 15:10,

ten cities with their villages; the number agrees with the names of them.

(u) Ut supra, (De loc. Heb.) fol. 92. C.

Cain, Gibeah, and Timnah; ten cities with their villages: