1 Now Joshua H3091 was old H2204 and stricken H935 in years; H3117 and the LORD H3068 said H559 unto him, Thou art old H2204 and stricken H935 in years, H3117 and there remaineth H7604 yet very H3966 much H7235 land H776 to be possessed. H3423
2 This is the land H776 that yet remaineth: H7604 all the borders H1552 of the Philistines, H6430 and all Geshuri, H1651
3 From Sihor, H7883 which is before H6440 Egypt, H4714 even unto the borders H1366 of Ekron H6138 northward, H6828 which is counted H2803 to the Canaanite: H3669 five H2568 lords H5633 of the Philistines; H6430 the Gazathites, H5841 and the Ashdothites, H796 the Eshkalonites, H832 the Gittites, H1663 and the Ekronites; H6139 also the Avites: H5761
4 From the south, H8486 all the land H776 of the Canaanites, H3669 and Mearah H4632 that is beside the Sidonians, H6722 unto Aphek, H663 to the borders H1366 of the Amorites: H567
5 And the land H776 of the Giblites, H1382 and all Lebanon, H3844 toward the sunrising, H4217 H8121 from Baalgad H1171 under mount H2022 Hermon H2768 unto the entering H935 into Hamath. H2574
6 All the inhabitants H3427 of the hill country H2022 from Lebanon H3844 unto Misrephothmaim, H4956 and all the Sidonians, H6722 them will I drive out H3423 from before H6440 the children H1121 of Israel: H3478 only divide thou it by lot H5307 unto the Israelites H3478 for an inheritance, H5159 as I have commanded H6680 thee.
7 Now therefore divide H2505 this land H776 for an inheritance H5159 unto the nine H8672 tribes, H7626 and the half H2677 tribe H7626 of Manasseh, H4519
8 With whom the Reubenites H7206 and the Gadites H1425 have received H3947 their inheritance, H5159 which Moses H4872 gave H5414 them, beyond H5676 Jordan H3383 eastward, H4217 even as Moses H4872 the servant H5650 of the LORD H3068 gave H5414 them;
9 From Aroer, H6177 that is upon the bank H8193 of the river H5158 Arnon, H769 and the city H5892 that is in the midst H8432 of the river, H5158 and all the plain H4334 of Medeba H4311 unto Dibon; H1769
10 And all the cities H5892 of Sihon H5511 king H4428 of the Amorites, H567 which reigned H4427 in Heshbon, H2809 unto the border H1366 of the children H1121 of Ammon; H5983
11 And Gilead, H1568 and the border H1366 of the Geshurites H1651 and Maachathites, H4602 and all mount H2022 Hermon, H2768 and all Bashan H1316 unto Salcah; H5548
12 All the kingdom H4468 of Og H5747 in Bashan, H1316 which reigned H4427 in Ashtaroth H6252 and in Edrei, H154 who remained H7604 of the remnant H3499 of the giants: H7497 for these did Moses H4872 smite, H5221 and cast them out. H3423
13 Nevertheless the children H1121 of Israel H3478 expelled H3423 not the Geshurites, H1651 nor the Maachathites: H4602 but the Geshurites H1650 and the Maachathites H4601 dwell H3427 among H7130 the Israelites H3478 until this day. H3117
14 Only unto the tribe H7626 of Levi H3878 he gave H5414 none inheritance; H5159 the sacrifices H801 of the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel H3478 made by fire H801 are their inheritance, H5159 as he said H1696 unto them.
15 And Moses H4872 gave H5414 unto the tribe H4294 of the children H1121 of Reuben H7205 inheritance according to their families. H4940
16 And their coast H1366 was from Aroer, H6177 that is on the bank H8193 of the river H5158 Arnon, H769 and the city H5892 that is in the midst H8432 of the river, H5158 and all the plain H4334 by Medeba; H4311
17 Heshbon, H2809 and all her cities H5892 that are in the plain; H4334 Dibon, H1769 and Bamothbaal, H1120 and Bethbaalmeon, H1010
18 And Jahazah, H3096 and Kedemoth, H6932 and Mephaath, H4158
19 And Kirjathaim, H7156 and Sibmah, H7643 and Zarethshahar H6890 in the mount H2022 of the valley, H6010
20 And Bethpeor, H1047 and Ashdothpisgah, H798 H794 and Bethjeshimoth, H1020
21 And all the cities H5892 of the plain, H4334 and all the kingdom H4468 of Sihon H5511 king H4428 of the Amorites, H567 which reigned H4427 in Heshbon, H2809 whom Moses H4872 smote H5221 with the princes H5387 of Midian, H4080 Evi, H189 and Rekem, H7552 and Zur, H6698 and Hur, H2354 and Reba, H7254 which were dukes H5257 of Sihon, H5511 dwelling H3427 in the country. H776
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Joshua 13
Commentary on Joshua 13 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 13
Jos 13:1-33. Bounds of the Land Not Yet Conquered.
1. Now Joshua was old and stricken in years—He was probably above a hundred years old; for the conquest and survey of the land occupied about seven years, the partition one; and he died at the age of one hundred ten years (Jos 24:29). The distribution, as well as the conquest of the land, was included in the mission of Joshua; and his advanced age supplied a special reason for entering on the immediate discharge of that duty; namely, of allocating Canaan among the tribes of Israel—not only the parts already won, but those also which were still to be conquered.
2-6. This is the land that yet remaineth—that is, to be acquired. This section forms a parenthesis, in which the historian briefly notices the districts yet unsubdued; namely, first, the whole country of the Philistines—a narrow tract stretching about sixty miles along the Mediterranean coast, and that of the Geshurites to the south of it (1Sa 27:8). Both included that portion of the country "from Sihor, which is before Egypt," a small brook near El-Arish, which on the east was the southern boundary of Canaan, to Ekron, the most northerly of the five chief lordships or principalities of the Philistines.
3, 4. also the Avites: From [on] the south—The two clauses are thus connected in the Septuagint and many other versions. On being driven out (De 2:23), they established themselves in the south of Philistia. The second division of the unconquered country comprised
4. all the land of the Canaanites, and Mearah—("the cave")
that is beside the Sidonians—a mountainous region of Upper Galilee, remarkable for its caves and fastnesses.
unto Aphek—now Afka; eastward, in Lebanon.
to the borders of the Amorites—a portion of the northeastern territory that had belonged to Og. The third district that remained unsubdued:
5. all the land of the Giblites—Their capital was Gebal or Bylbos (Greek), on the Mediterranean, forty miles north of Sidon.
all Lebanon, toward the sunrising—that is, Anti-libanus; the eastern ridge, which has its proper termination in Hermon.
entering into Hamath—the valley of Baalbec.
6, 7. All the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon unto Misrephoth-maim—(See on Jos 11:8)—that is, "all the Sidonians and Phœnicians."
them will I drive out—The fulfilment of this promise was conditional. In the event of the Israelites proving unfaithful or disobedient, they would not subdue the districts now specified; and, in point of fact, the Israelites never possessed them though the inhabitants were subjected to the power of David and Solomon.
only divide thou it by lot unto the Israelites for an inheritance—The parenthetic section being closed, the historian here resumes the main subject of this chapter—the order of God to Joshua to make an immediate allotment of the land. The method of distribution by lot was, in all respects, the best that could have been adopted, as it prevented all ground of discontent, as well as charges of arbitrary or partial conduct on the part of the leaders; and its announcement in the life of Moses (Nu 33:54), as the system according to which the allocations to each tribe should be made, was intended to lead the people to the acknowledgment of God as the proprietor of the land and as having the entire right to its disposal. Moreover, a solemn appeal to the lot showed it to be the dictate not of human, but divine, wisdom. It was used, however, only in determining the part of the country where a tribe was to be settled—the extent of the settlement was to be decided on a different principle (Nu 26:54). The overruling control of God is conclusively proved because each tribe received the possession predicted by Jacob (Ge 49:3-28) and by Moses (De 33:6-25).
8. With whom—Hebrew, "him." The antecedent is evidently to Manasseh, not, however, the half-tribe just mentioned, but the other half; for the historian, led, as it were, by the sound of the word, breaks off to describe the possessions beyond Jordan already assigned to Reuben, Gad, and the half of Manasseh (see on Nu 32:1; Nu 32:33; also see De 3:8-17). It may be proper to remark that it was wise to put these boundaries on record. In case of any misunderstanding or dispute arising about the exact limits of each district or property, an appeal could always be made to this authoritative document, and a full knowledge as well as grateful sense obtained of what they had received from God (Ps 16:5, 6).