Joshua13
English Standard Version
1Now was and in , and the Lord to him, You are and in , and there yet to .
2 is the that yet : the of the , and those of the
3(from the , is of , to the of , it is as ; there are of the , those of , , , , and ), and those of the ,
4 the , the of the , and belongs to the , to , the of the ,
5and the of the , and , , ,
6 the of the , even the . I will the of . the land to for an , I have you.
7 therefore for an to the and the of .
8 half of the tribe of Manasseh the and the their , them, the , as the of the Lord them:
9 , is the of the of the , and the is in the of the , and the of as ;
10and the of of the , in , as the of the ;
11and , and the of the and , and , and ;
12 the of in , in and in (he alone was of the of the ); these had and .
13Yet the of did the or the , but and in the of to .
14To the of Moses . The offerings by to the Lord of are their , he to him.
15And an inheritance to the of the of according to their .
16So their territory was , is on the of the of the , and the is in the of the , and the by ;
17with , and its are in the ; , and , and ,
18and , and , and ,
19and , and , and on the of the ,
20and , and the of , and ,
21that is, the of the , and the of of the , in , with the of , and and and and , the of , who in the .
22 also, the of , the one who , was with the by the of the rest of their .
23And the of the of was the as a . was the of the of , according to their with their and .
24 an inheritance also to the of , to the of , according to their .
25Their was , and the of , and the of the , , is of ,
26and and , and the of ,
27and in the , , , and , the of the of of , having the as a , the lower of the of , the .
28 is the of the of according to their , with their and .
29And an inheritance to the of . It was allotted to the of the of according to their .
30Their , through , the of of , and the of , are in , ,
31and , and , and , the of the of in . These were allotted to the of the of for the of the of according to their .
32 are the that in the of , the of .
33But to the of ; the Lord of is their , just he to them.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Joshua 13.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Bounds of the land not yet conquered. (1–6). Inheritance of Reuben. (7–33).
vv1-6
At this chapter begins the account of the dividing of the land of Canaan among the tribes of Israel by lot; a narrative showing the performance of the promise made to the fathers, that this land should be given to the seed of Jacob. We are not to pass over these chapters of hard names as useless. Where God has a mouth to speak, and a hand to write, we should find an ear to hear, and an eye to read; and may God give us a heart to profit! Joshua is supposed to have been about one hundred years old at this time. It is good for those who are old and stricken in years to be put in remembrance of their being so. God considers the frame of his people, and would not have them burdened with work above their strength. And all people, especially old people, should set to do that quickly which must be done before they die, lest death prevent them, Ec 9:10. God promise that he would make the Israelites masters of all the countries yet unsubdued, through Joshua was old, and not able to do it; old, and not likely to live to see it done. Whatever becomes of us, and however we may be laid aside as despised, broken vessels, God will do his own work in his own time. We must work out our salvation, then God will work in us, and work with us; we must resist our spiritual enemies, then God will tread them under our feet; we must go forth to our Christian work and warfare, then God will go forth before us.
vv7-33
The land must be divided among the tribes. It is the will of God that every man should know his own, and not take that which is another's. The world must be governed, not by force, but right. Wherever our habitation is placed, and in whatever honest way our portion is assigned, we should consider them as allotted of God; we should be thankful for, and use them as such, while every prudent method should be used to prevent disputes about property, both at present and in future. Joshua must be herein a type of Christ, who has not only conquered the gates of hell for us, but has opened to us the gates of heaven, and having purchased the eternal inheritance for all believers, will put them in possession of it. Here is a general description of the country given to the two tribes and a half, by Moses. Israel must know their own, and keep to it; and may not, under pretence of their being God's peculiar people, encroach on their neighbours. Twice in this chapter it is noticed, that to the tribe of Levi Moses gave no inheritance: see Nu 18:20. Their maintenance must be brought out of all the tribes. The ministers of the Lord should show themselves indifferent about worldly interests, and the people should take care they want nothing suitable. And happy are those who have the Lord God of Israel for their inheritance, though little of this world falls to their lot. His providences will supply their wants, his consolations will support their souls, till they gain heavenly joy and everlasting pleasures.
Key Words
יְהוֹשׁוּעַ: Jehoshua (i.e. Joshua), the Jewish leader
זָקֵן: to be old
בּוֹא: to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
יוֹם: a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
שָׁאַר: properly, to swell up, i.e. be (causatively, make) redundant
מְאֹד: properly, vehemence, i.e. (with or without preposition) vehemently; by implication, wholly, speedily, etc. (often with other words as an intensive or superlative; especially when repeated)
רָבָה: to increase (in whatever respect)
אֶרֶץ: the earth (at large, or partitively a land)
יָרַשׁ: to occupy (by driving out previous tenants, and possessing in their place); by implication, to seize, to rob, to inherit; also to expel, to impoverish, to ruin
Cross References
Joshua 13Establishes God's ordinance that the Levites receive no territorial inheritance but live by the altar sacrifices.
Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin
The Mosaic mandate to divide the land by lot among the remaining nine and a half tribes.
Supported by JFB
The original grant of the Transjordanian territories to Reuben, Gad, and half-Manasseh by Moses.
Supported by JFB
Records the actual slaying of Balaam the soothsayer by the sword during the war with Midian.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Explains the history of the Avites and Caphtorim (Philistines) in the southern coastal region.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Identifies the Giblites (Gebalites) as skilled stone-squarers, demonstrating their northern Phoenician location.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Details Og of Bashan, the last of the remnant of the giants (Rephaim).
Supported by Matthew Poole
Mentions Jair taking the country of Argob unto the coasts of Geshuri and Maachathi.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Reiterates that the Lord God of Israel is the inheritance of the tribe of Levi.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Shows the Geshurites and Gezrites still remaining as unconquered entities in David's day.
Supported by JFB
Identifies Sihor as a water source associated with the eastern border of Egypt.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Geographical parallel locating Misrephoth-maim as a boundary marker in northern campaigns.
Supported by JFB
Israel's defeat of Sihon king of the Amorites and seizure of his land.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The distribution of Gilead and Bashan to the descendants of Machir son of Manasseh.
Supported by JFB
Parallel description of Joshua being old and stricken in years late in his life.
Supported by Matthew Henry