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Joshua 13

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The Command to Divide Remaining Land 1–7

1
Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the LORD said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed. ​
2
This is the land that yet remaineth: all the borders of the Philistines, and all Geshuri, ​
3
From Sihor, which is before Egypt, even unto the borders of Ekron northward, which is counted to the Canaanite: five lords of the Philistines; the Gazathites, and the Ashdothites, the Eshkalonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avites: ​
4
From the south, all the land of the Canaanites, and Mearah that is beside the Sidonians, unto Aphek, to the borders of the Amorites:
5
And the land of the Giblites, and all Lebanon, toward the sunrising, from Baalgad under mount Hermon unto the entering into Hamath.
6
All the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon unto Misrephothmaim, and all the Sidonians, them will I drive out from before the children of Israel: only divide thou it by lot unto the Israelites for an inheritance, as I have commanded thee. ​
7
Now therefore divide this land for an inheritance unto the nine tribes, and the half tribe of Manasseh, ​

The Inheritance East of the Jordan 8–14

8
With whom the Reubenites and the Gadites have received their inheritance, which Moses gave them, beyond Jordan eastward, even as Moses the servant of the LORD gave them; ​
9
From Aroer, that is upon the bank of the river Arnon, and the city that is in the midst of the river, and all the plain of Medeba unto Dibon;
10
And all the cities of Sihon king of the Amorites, which reigned in Heshbon, unto the border of the children of Ammon;
11
And Gilead, and the border of the Geshurites and Maachathites, and all mount Hermon, and all Bashan unto Salcah;
12
All the kingdom of Og in Bashan, which reigned in Ashtaroth and in Edrei, who remained of the remnant of the giants: for these did Moses smite, and cast them out.
13
Nevertheless the children of Israel expelled not the Geshurites, nor the Maachathites: but the Geshurites and the Maachathites dwell among the Israelites until this day. ​
14
Only unto the tribe of Levi he gave none inheritance; the sacrifices of the LORD God of Israel made by fire are their inheritance, as he said unto them. ​

The Territory of Reuben 15–23

15
And Moses gave unto the tribe of the children of Reuben inheritance according to their families.
16
And their coast was from Aroer, that is on the bank of the river Arnon, and the city that is in the midst of the river, and all the plain by Medeba;
17
Heshbon, and all her cities that are in the plain; Dibon, and Bamothbaal, and Bethbaalmeon,
18
And Jahazah, and Kedemoth, and Mephaath,
19
And Kirjathaim, and Sibmah, and Zarethshahar in the mount of the valley,
20
And Bethpeor, and Ashdothpisgah, and Bethjeshimoth,
21
And all the cities of the plain, and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, which reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses smote with the princes of Midian, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, which were dukes of Sihon, dwelling in the country.
22
Balaam also the son of Beor, the soothsayer, did the children of Israel slay with the sword among them that were slain by them. ​
23
And the border of the children of Reuben was Jordan, and the border thereof. This was the inheritance of the children of Reuben after their families, the cities and the villages thereof.

The Territory of Gad 24–28

24
And Moses gave inheritance unto the tribe of Gad, even unto the children of Gad according to their families.
25
And their coast was Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the children of Ammon, unto Aroer that is before Rabbah;
26
And from Heshbon unto Ramathmizpeh, and Betonim; and from Mahanaim unto the border of Debir;
27
And in the valley, Betharam, and Bethnimrah, and Succoth, and Zaphon, the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon, Jordan and his border, even unto the edge of the sea of Chinnereth on the other side Jordan eastward.
28
This is the inheritance of the children of Gad after their families, the cities, and their villages.

The Territory of Half-Manasseh 29–31

29
And Moses gave inheritance unto the half tribe of Manasseh: and this was the possession of the half tribe of the children of Manasseh by their families.
30
And their coast was from Mahanaim, all Bashan, all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, and all the towns of Jair, which are in Bashan, threescore cities:
31
And half Gilead, and Ashtaroth, and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan, were pertaining unto the children of Machir the son of Manasseh, even to the one half of the children of Machir by their families.

Summary of Transjordan Inheritance 32–33

32
These are the countries which Moses did distribute for inheritance in the plains of Moab, on the other side Jordan, by Jericho, eastward. ​
33
But unto the tribe of Levi Moses gave not any inheritance: the LORD God of Israel was their inheritance, as he said unto them. ​

Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain

Study Notes for Joshua 13

Verse 1

old and stricken in years — The phrase ‘old… well stricken in age’ is used of Abraham (Gen 24:1) and of David (1 Kgs 1:1). Joshua lived to 110 (24:29). The LORD names what is left: ‘very much land’ still ‘to be possessed’ (yarash, to take over by driving out the former tenants, the verb again in vv.6 and 13).

Verse 2

all the borders of the Philistines, and all Geshuri — ‘Borders’ is gelilah, a circuit or district, so the Philistine districts as a whole are meant. The Geshuri listed here lie with the south, toward Egypt (cf. 1 Sam 27:8). The name returns in vv.11 and 13 for the Geshurites beside Mount Hermon and Bashan, in the north-east.

Verse 3

five lords of the Philistines — Seren is the title of the Philistine rulers wherever it names persons (Judg 3:3; 1 Sam 6:16). Their five cities are named here: Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath and Ekron. That land was ‘counted to the Canaanite’ (Gen 10:19 runs the Canaanite border to Gaza), and the Avites are the Avims of Deut 2:23, who dwelt ‘unto Azzah’.

Verse 6

them will I drive out from before the children of Israel — The verb is yarash (see v.1). The LORD says he will dispossess the hill country ‘from Lebanon unto Misrephothmaim’, where the northern kings were chased in 11:8. Israel’s part is ‘only divide thou it by lot’. His promise had been gradual: ‘By little and little I will drive them out from before thee’ (Ex 23:30).

Verse 7

the nine tribes, and the half tribe of Manasseh — Levi had no land, and Joseph’s sons Manasseh and Ephraim made ‘two tribes’ (14:4), which leaves nine and a half tribes west of Jordan. The division is ‘by lot’, as the LORD commanded ‘by the hand of Moses’ (14:2; Num 26:55). Reuben, Gad and the other half of Manasseh were settled already (Num 34:14–15).

Verse 8

With whom — These words point back to the half tribe of Manasseh in v.7, whose other half joined Reuben and Gad in the land Moses gave them ‘beyond Jordan eastward’ (Num 32:33; Deut 3:12). The three tribes had crossed ‘armed before the children of Israel’ (4:12). Vv.9–31 list the cities Moses assigned.

Verse 13

expelled not the Geshurites — Yarash, the verb of vv.1 and 6: Israel did not dispossess them, and the Geshurites and Maachathites ‘dwell among the Israelites until this day’. Geshur was still a kingdom in David’s time: Absalom’s mother was daughter of ‘Talmai king of Geshur’ (2 Sam 3:3), and Absalom fled to him (13:37).

Verse 14

the sacrifices of the LORD… are their inheritance — Ishsheh, an offering made by fire. The Levites lived from the altar’s portion and the tithe (Num 18:21, 24; Deut 18:1), ‘as he said unto them’ (Num 18:20). In place of land they were given ‘cities to dwell in, with their suburbs for their cattle’ (14:4).

Verse 22

Balaam also the son of Beor, the soothsayer — Qasam, to divine; the elders who came to Balaam carried ‘the rewards of divination’ (Num 22:7). He was slain with the kings of Midian (Num 31:8), whose women had caused Israel’s trespass ‘through the counsel of Balaam’ at Peor (Num 31:16). Peter names ‘the way of Balaam… who loved the wages of unrighteousness’ (2 Pet 2:15).

Verse 32

the plains of Moab, on the other side Jordan, by Jericho — This sums up vv.8–31. The distributing (nachal, giving as an inheritance) was done where Israel camped ‘in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho’ (Num 22:1), the same plains from which Moses went up Nebo to die (Deut 34:1). The eastern tribes’ land was settled before Moses’ death.

Verse 33

the LORD God of Israel was their inheritance — Where v.14 names the offerings as Levi’s inheritance, this verse names the LORD himself, as in Num 18:20 and Deut 18:2. A third statement follows in 18:7: ‘the priesthood of the LORD is their inheritance’. Moses ‘gave not’ land to this tribe, ‘as he said unto them’.