Joshua13
New International Version
1When Joshua had grown old, the Lord said to him, “You are now very old, and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over.
2“This is the land that remains: all the regions of the Philistines and Geshurites,
3from the Shihor River on the east of Egypt to the territory of Ekron on the north, all of it counted as Canaanite though held by the five Philistine rulers in Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath and Ekron; the territory of the Avvites
4on the south; all the land of the Canaanites, from Arah of the Sidonians as far as Aphek and the border of the Amorites;
5the area of Byblos; and all Lebanon to the east, from Baal Gad below Mount Hermon to Lebo Hamath.
6“As for all the inhabitants of the mountain regions from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim, that is, all the Sidonians, I myself will drive them out before the Israelites. Be sure to allocate this land to Israel for an inheritance, as I have instructed you,
7and divide it as an inheritance among the nine tribes and half of the tribe of Manasseh.”
8The other half of Manasseh, the Reubenites and the Gadites had received the inheritance that Moses had given them east of the Jordan, as he, the servant of the Lord, had assigned it to them.
9It extended from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Gorge, and from the town in the middle of the gorge, and included the whole plateau of Medeba as far as Dibon,
10and all the towns of Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon, out to the border of the Ammonites.
11It also included Gilead, the territory of the people of Geshur and Maakah, all of Mount Hermon and all Bashan as far as Salekah—
12that is, the whole kingdom of Og in Bashan, who had reigned in Ashtaroth and Edrei. (He was the last of the Rephaites.) Moses had defeated them and taken over their land.
13But the Israelites did not drive out the people of Geshur and Maakah, so they continue to live among the Israelites to this day.
14But to the tribe of Levi he gave no inheritance, since the food offerings presented to the Lord, the God of Israel, are their inheritance, as he promised them.
15This is what Moses had given to the tribe of Reuben, according to its clans:
16The territory from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Gorge, and from the town in the middle of the gorge, and the whole plateau past Medeba
17to Heshbon and all its towns on the plateau, including Dibon, Bamoth Baal, Beth Baal Meon,
18Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath,
19Kiriathaim, Sibmah, Zereth Shahar on the hill in the valley,
20Beth Peor, the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth Jeshimoth—
21all the towns on the plateau and the entire realm of Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled at Heshbon. Moses had defeated him and the Midianite chiefs, Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur and Reba—princes allied with Sihon—who lived in that country.
22In addition to those slain in battle, the Israelites had put to the sword Balaam son of Beor, who practiced divination.
23The boundary of the Reubenites was the bank of the Jordan. These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the Reubenites, according to their clans.
24This is what Moses had given to the tribe of Gad, according to its clans:
25The territory of Jazer, all the towns of Gilead and half the Ammonite country as far as Aroer, near Rabbah;
26and from Heshbon to Ramath Mizpah and Betonim, and from Mahanaim to the territory of Debir;
27and in the valley, Beth Haram, Beth Nimrah, Sukkoth and Zaphon with the rest of the realm of Sihon king of Heshbon (the east side of the Jordan, the territory up to the end of the Sea of Galilee).
28These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the Gadites, according to their clans.
29This is what Moses had given to the half-tribe of Manasseh, that is, to half the family of the descendants of Manasseh, according to its clans:
30The territory extending from Mahanaim and including all of Bashan, the entire realm of Og king of Bashan—all the settlements of Jair in Bashan, sixty towns,
31half of Gilead, and Ashtaroth and Edrei (the royal cities of Og in Bashan). This was for the descendants of Makir son of Manasseh—for half of the sons of Makir, according to their clans.
32This is the inheritance Moses had given when he was in the plains of Moab across the Jordan east of Jericho.
33But to the tribe of Levi, Moses had given no inheritance; the Lord, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, as he promised 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