(10) Zorah.--Sur'ah; a ruin on the ridge north of the Wady-es-Surar. The birthplace of Samson.

Aijalon.--Yalo, north of Sur'ah, four leagues west of Gibeon. Zorah and Aijalon, or Ajalon, may have become Benjamite cities at the epoch of the migration of Dan (Judges 18). (See Joshua 19:41-42; also Joshua 15:33; Joshua 10:12.) Of the fifteen fortified cities here enumerated these two lay farthest north.

Hebron.--El Khalil (Genesis 23:2).

Which are in Judah and in Benjamin.--This refers to the entire list.

Fenced cities.--'Are mets-roth ("cities of ramparts," or "strongholds"); a phrase peculiar to the chronicler. (Comp. 2Chronicles 12:4.) "The fifteen cities [excluding Zorah and Ajalon] were on the south and west of Jerusalem. Hence Rehoboam appears to have been more afraid of an attack from the south and west--that is, from the Egyptians--than of a war with the northern kingdom." (Bertheau.)

Verse 10. - Zorah. The people of Zorah, or Zoreah, were the Zareathites of 1 Chronicles 2:53; it was the home of Manoah, and the native place of Samson (see Joshua 15:33; Joshua 19:41. Other interesting references are Judges 13:25; Judges 16:31; Judges 18:2-11; Nehemiah 11:29). It belonged to the original allotment of Dan, and is constantly named in company with Eshtaol. Aijalon. The modern Jalo; also originally belonged to allotment of Dan (Joshua 10:12; Joshua 19:42; Joshua 21:24. Other interesting references are Judges 1:35; 1 Samuel 14:31; 1 Kings 14:30; 1 Chronicles 6:66, 69, 2 Chronicles 28:18). Hebron. One of the most ancient of cities still lasting, rivalling in this respect Damascus. It belonged to Judah and to its hill country (Joshua 15:54; Joshua 20:7); it was about twenty Roman miles south of Jerusalem. Its original name was Kirjath Arba. In Numbers 13:22 it is said that it was built "seven years before Zoan in Egypt," but it is not said when Zoan was built. It now contains about five thousand population, but scarcely a tithe of them Jews. Its long stretch of history is full of incidents of interest, and is partially illustrated by the references that follow: Genesis 13:18; Genesis 23:2-19, 20; Genesis 35:27; Genesis 37:14; Numbers 13:22, 23; Joshua 10:36; Joshua 14:6-15; Joshua 15:13, 14; Joshua 21:11-13; 2 Samuel 4:12; 2 Samuel 5:5; Nehemiah 11:25.

11:1-12 A few good words might have prevented the rebellion of Rehoboam's subjects; but all the force of his kingdom cannot bring them back. And it is in vain to contend with the purpose of God, when it is made known to us. Even those who are destitute of true faith, will at times pay some regard to the word of God, and be kept by it from wrong actions, to which they are prone by nature.And Zorah,.... The same with Zoreah, Joshua 15:33,

and Aijalon; there was a city of the tribe of Dan of this name, in the valley of which the moon stood still in the times of Joshua, Joshua 10:12, but whether the same with this, and now belonging to Judah, or another of the same name, is not certain:

and Hebron; a city in the mountainous part of Judah, and a city of refuge, about twenty miles from Jerusalem, Joshua 15:54,

which are in Judah and in Benjamin fenced cities; as they were now made by Rehoboam.