John Gill Bible Commentary

And Bethlebaoth, and Sharuhen,.... Whether the first is the same with Lebaoth, a city of Judah, Jos 15:32; and with the Bethleptepha of Josephus (b), and the Betholene of Pliny (c), is not certain: in this place secret to have been an idol temple of the Canaanites, dedicated to lions, as in Egypt there was a city called Leontopolis, from whence was the Leontopolitan nome, the inhabitants of which worshipped lions (d); and the Egyptians had temples dedicated to them, as Aelianus (e) relates. Both these places are thought to be the same with Bethbirei and Shaaraim in Ch1 4:31; of the latter of which see Jos 15:36. Those who take Sheba, Jos 19:2, to be the same with Shema, Jos 15:26, make but one city here, and take away the last, as the Greek version does, and render the word "and their fields", and so the number still is as follows: thirteen cities and their villages; the sum total of those enumerated above. (b) De Jud. Bell. l. 4. c. 8. sect. 1. (c) Nat. Hist. l. 5. c. 14. (d) Strabo. Geograph. l. 17. p. 559. (e) De Animal. l. 12. c. 7.