Joshua 19:2

From Textus Receptus

Joshua 19:2 And they had in their inheritance Beersheba, or Sheba, and Moladah,

Some editions of the King James Version have “and Sheba” not “or Sheba” here. The Pure Cambridge Edition of the KJV with or “or Sheba” is more accurate.

Commentary

Peter Ruckman acknowledged that "some editions of the AV have printed 'Beer-sheba and Sheba,' bringing the count to fourteen cities, whereas the total was given as thirteen (19:6), and other editions have 'Beer-sheba or Sheba' in the same verse" (PROBLEM TEXTS, p. 152). Ruckman's answer was as follows: "1. 'Sheba' is not a city in Genesis 21:31: It is a place. You could have read BEERSHEBA and Sheba, meaning the city and the place it was in." "2. Sheba could have well become the common name used for 'Beer-sheba" "3. Observe that in EITHER case cited above there has been no violation of English, title deeds, arithmetic, common sense, Bible laws, common usage, or any other verse of scripture in either Testament. 'And' or 'or' will fit any edition of the King James without contradicting any passage in any edition" (p. 153).