יהושע, פרק י״ט, פסוק ב׳

The detailed records of inheritance cities sometimes present a puzzle regarding the exact number and identity of the locations. A notable example involves the names Beersheba and Sheba. The primary approach among commentators is that these do not represent two separate cities. Instead, they refer to a single location that was simply known by both names.

However, an alternative perspective reads the record at face value, counting them as completely distinct places. According to this view, Beersheba was a well-known, important city, while Sheba and Moladah were separate towns situated alongside it [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The unique nature of this specific group of cities becomes clear when compared to parallel historical records. For instance, in the corresponding list of inheritances found in the Book of Chronicles, the city of Sheba is completely absent. Similarly, Beersheba itself is missing from the broader descriptions that outline the borders of the land [מלבי״ם].