Joshua 13NASB
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Joshua13

New American Standard

1Now Joshua was old and advanced in years when the Lord said to him, “You are old and advanced in years, and a very large amount of the land remains to be possessed.

2This is the land that remains: all the regions of the Philistines and all those of the Geshurites;

3from the Shihor which is east of Egypt, even as far as the border of Ekron to the north (it is counted as Canaanite); the five governors of the Philistines: the Gazite, the Ashdodite, the Ashkelonite, the Gittite, the Ekronite; and the Avvite

4to the south, all the land of the Canaanite, and Mearah that belongs to the Sidonians, as far as Aphek, to the border of the Amorite;

5and the land of the Gebalite, and all of Lebanon, toward the east, from Baal-gad below Mount Hermon as far as Lebo-hamath.

6All the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon as far as Misrephoth-maim, all the Sidonians, I will drive out from the sons of Israel; only allot it to Israel as an inheritance as I have commanded you.

7Now therefore, apportion this land as an inheritance to the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh.”

8With the other half-tribe, the Reubenites and the Gadites received their inheritance which Moses gave them beyond the Jordan to the east, just as Moses the servant of the Lord gave to them;

9from Aroer, which is on the edge of the Valley of the Arnon, with the city which is in the middle of the valley, and all the plain of Medeba, as far as Dibon;

10and all the cities of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, as far as the border of the sons of Ammon;

11and Gilead, and the territory of the Geshurites and Maacathites, and all Mount Hermon, and all Bashan as far as Salecah;

12all the kingdom of Og in Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth and in Edrei (he alone was left of the remnant of the Rephaim); for Moses struck them and drove them out.

13But the sons of Israel did not drive out the Geshurites or the Maacathites; instead, Geshur and Maacath live among Israel to this day.

14Only to the tribe of Levi he did not give an inheritance; the offerings by fire to the Lord, the God of Israel, are their inheritance, as He spoke to him.

15So Moses gave an inheritance to the tribe of the sons of Reuben according to their families.

16Their territory was from Aroer, which is on the edge of the Valley of the Arnon, with the city which is in the middle of the valley and all the plain by Medeba;

17Heshbon and all its cities which are on the plain: Dibon, Bamoth-baal, Beth-baal-meon,

18Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath,

19Kiriathaim, Sibmah, Zereth-shahar on the hill of the valley,

20Beth-peor, the slopes of Pisgah, Beth-jeshimoth,

21even all the cities of the plain, and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses struck with the leaders of Midian, Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the leaders of Sihon, who lived in the land.

22The sons of Israel also killed Balaam the son of Beor, the diviner, with the sword among the rest of their dead.

23The border of the sons of Reuben was the Jordan. This was the inheritance of the sons of Reuben according to their families, the cities and their villages.

24Moses also gave an inheritance to the tribe of Gad, to the sons of Gad according to their families.

25Their territory was Jazer and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the sons of Ammon, as far as Aroer which is opposite Rabbah;

26and from Heshbon as far as Ramath-mizpeh and Betonim, and from Mahanaim as far as the border of Debir;

27and in the valley, Beth-haram, Beth-nimrah, Succoth, and Zaphon, the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon, with the Jordan as a border, as far as the lower end of the Sea of Chinnereth beyond the Jordan to the east.

28This is the inheritance of the sons of Gad according to their families, the cities and their villages.

29Moses also gave an inheritance to the half-tribe of Manasseh; and it was for the half-tribe of the sons of Manasseh according to their families.

30Their territory was from Mahanaim, all Bashan, all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, and all the towns of Jair, which are in Bashan, sixty cities;

31also half of Gilead, with Ashtaroth and Edrei, the cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan, were for the sons of Machir the son of Manasseh, for half of the sons of Machir according to their families.

32These are the territories which Moses apportioned as an inheritance in the plains of Moab, beyond the Jordan at Jericho to the east.

33But to the tribe of Levi, Moses did not give an inheritance; the Lord, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, as He had promised to them.

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Joshua 13.

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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.

Cross References

Joshua 13
v14Numbers 18:20-24thematic

Establishes God's ordinance that the Levites receive no territorial inheritance but live by the altar sacrifices.

Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin

v7Numbers 33:54thematic

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

v22Numbers 31:8fulfillment

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

v51 Kings 5:18thematic

Identifies the Giblites (Gebalites) as skilled stone-squarers, demonstrating their northern Phoenician location.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v12Deuteronomy 3:11thematic

Details Og of Bashan, the last of the remnant of the giants (Rephaim).

Supported by Matthew Poole

v13Deuteronomy 3:14thematic

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

v21 Samuel 27:8thematic

Shows the Geshurites and Gezrites still remaining as unconquered entities in David's day.

Supported by JFB

v3Jeremiah 2:18thematic

Identifies Sihor as a water source associated with the eastern border of Egypt.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v6Joshua 11:8thematic

Geographical parallel locating Misrephoth-maim as a boundary marker in northern campaigns.

Supported by JFB

v10Numbers 21:24thematic

Israel's defeat of Sihon king of the Amorites and seizure of his land.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v31Numbers 32:39-41thematic

The distribution of Gilead and Bashan to the descendants of Machir son of Manasseh.

Supported by JFB

v1Joshua 23:1thematic

Parallel description of Joshua being old and stricken in years late in his life.

Supported by Matthew Henry