On the north of the mountains - Rather, "northward in the mountains." The reference is to the mountain district of Galilee, called Joshua 20:7 "mount Naphtali."

On the plains south of Chinneroth - literally, "in the Arabah south of Chinneroth." The words describe the northern portion of the "Arabah" (see Deuteronomy 1:1), or depressed tract, which extends along the Jordan from the lake of Gennesaret southward.

Chinneroth - Identical with the later Gennesaret (see Numbers 34:10). The lake derived its name from a town on its banks (compare Joshua 19:35).

In the valley - The northern part of the same flat district mentioned in Joshua 9:1. This "valley" is the level plain adjacent to the sea and extending from Carmel southward.

Borders of Dor - Render "highlands of Dor." Dor was a royal city, and gave its name to the district around it (compare Joshua 12:23; 1 Kings 4:11). Its importance was derived from its having an excellent and well-sheltered haven, and from the abundance among its rocks of the shellfish which furnished the famous Tyrian purple. The site of Dor is identified by travelers as the modern Tantura or Dandora - a name which is itself only a corruption of the ancient Dor. It lies near the foot of Carmel some six miles north of Caesarea.

On the north of the mountains - Or the mountain, probably Hermon, or some mountain not far from the lake of Gennesareth.

And of the plains - That is, the valleys of the above mountains, which had the sea of Chinneroth or Gennesareth on the south.

Chinneroth - This city is supposed by St. Jerome and several others since his time, to be the same as was afterwards called Tiberias. From this city or village the sea of Chinneroth or Gennesareth probably had its name.

And in the borders of Dor - Calmet supposes this to mean the champaign country of the higher and lower Galilee, on to the Mediterranean Sea, and to the village or city of Dor, which was the farthermost city of Phoenicia. Dor was in the lot of the half tribe of Manasseh, and was situated on the Mediterranean Sea, three leagues from Caesarea, and seven from Ptolemais.

And to the kings that were on the north of the mountains,.... Of Libanus and Antilibanus, with others near them; so Josephus (t) says, the kings about Lebanon being Canaanites, fought against them, i.e. the Israelites; for Lebanon lay to the north of the land:

and of the plains south of Cinneroth; or Gennesaret, of the land and lake of which we read in the New Testament, Matthew 14:34; and seems to have respect chiefly to the famous plain of Jezreel, or Esdraelon, of which See Gill on Hosea 1:5,

and in the valley; which may more especially design the valley of Jezreel, as it is called in the above place, and distinguish it from other plains; it was two miles broad, and ten long:

and in the borders of Dor, on the west; which fell to the lot of the tribe of Manasseh, Joshua 17:11; which Pliny (u) calls Dorum, and mentions it along with the promontory of Carmel; so Josephus says (w), in Phoenicia, near Mount Carmel, is a city called Dora, four days' journey distant from Judea; that is, that part of the land of Israel particularly so called; some copies read Idumea. According to Jerom (x), it was nine miles from Caesarea of Palestine, as you go to Tyre; and in his time a desert. It was a haven in the Mediterranean sea, and lies three leagues from the castle of the "pilgrims" near Mount Carmel; and, as a traveller says, is now so decayed, that there is nothing more extant than a large and high tower, which the inhabitants still call Dorteite (y).

(t) Antiqu. l. 5. c. 1. sect. 18. (u) Nat. Hist. l. 5. c 19. (w) Contr. Apion. l. 2. c. 9. (x) De loc. Heb. fol. 92. I.((y) Rauwolff's Travels, par. 3. c. 1. p. 211. Ed. Ray.

Jabin also allied himself with the kings of the north "upon the mountains," i.e., the mountains of Naphtali (Joshua 20:7), and "in the Arabah to the south of Chinnereth" (Joshua 19:35), i.e., in the Ghor to the south of the sea of Galilee, and "in the lowland," i.e., the northern portion of it, as far down as Joppa, and "upon the heights of Dor." The town of Dor, which was built by Phoenicians, who settled there on account of the abundance of the purple mussels (Steph. Byz. s. v. Δῶρος), was allotted to the Manassites in the territory of Asher (Joshua 17:11; cf. Joshua 19:26), and taken possession of by the children of Joseph (1 Chronicles 7:29). It was situated on the Mediterranean Sea, below the promontory of Carmel, nine Roman miles north of Caesarea, and is at the present time a hamlet called Tantura or Tortura, with very considerable ruins (Wilson, The Holy Land, ii. 249, and V. de Velde, Journey, i. p. 251). The old town was a little more than a mile to the north, on a small range of hills, which is covered with ruins (Ritter, Erdk. xvi. pp. 608-9; V. de Velde, Mem. p. 307), and on the north of which there are rocky ranges, with many grottos, and houses cut in the rock itself (Buckingham, Syria, i. pp. 101-2). These are "the heights of Dor," or "the high range of Dor" (Joshua 12:23; 1 Kings 4:11).

And to the kings that were on the north of the mountains, and of the plains south of {b} Chinneroth, and in the valley, and in the borders of Dor on the west,

(b) Which the evangelists call the lake of Gennesaret, or Tiberias.

11:2 On the north - The general designation of all the particular places following: they were in the northern parts of Canaan, as those mentioned chap.10:1 - 43, were in the southern parts; in the mountain, either in or near the mountain of Lebanon, called the mountain by way of eminency; or in the mountainous country. Cinneroth - Heb. in the plain lying southward from Cinneroth, or the lake of Genesareth. Dor - A place upon the coast of the midland - sea.

2. the kings that were on the north of the mountains-the Anti-libanus district.

the plains south of Chinneroth-the northern part of the Arabah, or valley of the Jordan.

the valley-the low and level country, including the plain of Sharon.

borders of Dor on the west-the highlands of Dor, reaching to the town of Dor on the Mediterranean coast, below mount Carmel.

11:1-9 The wonders God wrought for the Israelites were to encourage them to act vigorously themselves. Thus the war against Satan's kingdom, carried on by preaching the gospel, was at first forwarded by miracles; but being fully proved to be of God, we are now left to the Divine grace in the usual course, in the use of the sword of the Spirit. God encouraged Joshua. Fresh dangers and difficulties make it necessary to seek fresh supports from the word of God, which we have nigh unto us for use in every time of need. God proportions our trials to our strength, and our strength to our trials. Joshua's obedience in destroying the horses and chariots, shows his self-denial in compliance with God's command. The possession of things on which the carnal heart is prone to depend, is hurtful to the life of faith, and the walk with God; therefore it is better to be without worldly advantages, than to have the soul endangered by them.