Joshua 13

1 Now Y'hoshua was old; the years had taken their toll. ADONAI said to him, "You are old, and the years have taken their toll; but there is yet a great deal of land to be possessed.

2 "This is the land that still remains: all the regions of the P'lishtim and all the G'shuri,

3 from the Shichor which fronts Egypt, to the border of 'Ekron (northward from there the land is considered as belonging to the Kena'ani)-that is, the territory of the rulers of the P'lishtim in 'Azah, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gat and 'Ekron; also the 'Avim

4 to the south; all the land of the Kena'ani; Me'arah, which belongs to the Tzidonim, as far as Afek and on to the border with the Emori;

5 the land of the Givli; all the L'vanon eastward, from Ba'al-Gad at the foot of Mount Hermon to the entrance of Hamat.

6 "As for the inhabitants of the hills between the L'vanon and Misrefot-Mayim, that is, all the Tzidonim, I myself will expel them ahead of the people of Isra'el; all you have to do is assign it to Isra'el as an inheritance, as I have ordered you.

7 So now, divide this land as an inheritance for the nine tribes and the half-tribe of M'nasheh."

8 With the half-tribe of M'nasheh, the Re'uveni and the Gadi received their inheritance, which Moshe had given them, beyond the Yarden eastward, just as Moshe the servant of ADONAI had given them -

9 from 'Aro'er on the edge of the Arnon Valley, the city in the middle of the valley, all the plateau between Meidva and Divon,

10 and all the cities of Sichon king of the Emori who ruled in Heshbon to the border with the people of 'Amon;

11 and Gil'ad, the territory of the G'shuri and Ma'akhati, all Mount Hermon, all Bashan as far as Salkhah -

12 that is, all the kingdom of 'Og in Bashan, who ruled in 'Ashtarot and Edre'i. 'Og was one of those remaining from the Refa'im, whom Moshe defeated and expelled.

13 However, the people of Isra'el expelled neither the G'shuri nor the Ma'akhati, with the consequence that G'shur and Ma'akhat have lived among Isra'el to this day.

14 Only to the tribe of Levi did Moshe give no inheritance; because the offerings made by fire for ADONAI the God of Isra'el are its inheritance; as [ADONAI] had said to Moshe.

15 Moshe gave land to the tribe of the descendants of Re'uven by clans.

16 Their territory included 'Aro'er on the edge of the Arnon Valley, the city in the middle of the valley, all the plateau near Meidva,

17 Heshbon and its villages on the plateau, Divon, Bamot-Ba'al, Beit-Ba'al-M'on,

18 Yahatz, K'demot, Mefa'at,

19 Kiryatayim, Sivmah, Tzeret-Shachar at the top of the valley,

20 Beit-P'or, the slopes of Pisgah, Beit-Yeshimot,

21 all the cities of the plateau - all the kingdom of Sichon king of the Emori, who ruled in Heshbon. Moshe defeated him with the chiefs of Midyan, along with Evi, Rekem, Tzur, Hur and Reva the princes of Sichon who lived in the land.

22 Along with the others the people of Isra'el killed with the sword, they also struck down Bil'am the son of B'or, who practiced divination.

23 The Yarden formed the border for the descendants of Re'uven. This was the inheritance of the descendants of Re'uven by clans, with its cities and villages.

24 Moshe gave land to the tribe of the Gad, to the descendants of Gad by clans.

25 Their territory included Ya'zer; all the cities of Gil'ad; half the land of the people of 'Amon, as far as 'Aro'er fronting Rabbah -

26 that is, from Heshbon to Ramot-Mitzpeh and B'tonim; and from Machanayim to the border of Lidvir;

27 while in the valley it included Beit-Haram, Beit-Nimrah, Sukkot and Tzafon - in other words, the rest of the kingdom of Sichon king of Heshbon; with the Yarden to the far end of Lake Kinneret as its border, their territory extended eastward.

28 This is the inheritance of the descendants of Gad by clans, with its cities and villages.

29 Moshe gave an inheritance to the half-tribe of the M'nasheh; it was for the half-tribe of the descendants of M'nasheh by clans.

30 Their territory included Machanayim and all of Bashan - that is, all the kingdom of 'Og king of Bashan; all the villages of Ya'ir in Bashan, sixty cities;

31 half of Gil'ad; and 'Ashtarot and Edre'i, the cities of the kingdom of 'Og in Bashan. All this was for the descendants of Makhir the son of M'nasheh, or, rather, for half of the descendants of Makhir, by clans.

32 These are the inheritances which Moshe distributed in the plains of Mo'av, beyond the Yarden and Yericho, eastward.

33 But to the tribe of Levi Moshe gave no inheritance; ADONAI the God of Isra'el is their inheritance - as he told them.

Joshua 13 Commentary

Chapter 13

Bounds of the land not yet conquered. (1-6) Inheritance of Reuben. (7-33)

Verses 1-6 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, ( Ecclesiastes 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.

Verses 7-33 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 ( Numbers 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.

Chapter Summary

\\INTRODUCTION JOSHUA 13\\

In this chapter Joshua is informed by the Lord, or put in mind, that
part of the land of Canaan remained unconquered, and which it was; and
is directed to divide the whole land among the nine tribes, and the
half tribe of Manasseh, Jos 13:1-9; and since the two tribes of Reuben
and Gad, and the other half tribe of Manasseh, had received their
inheritance on the other side Jordan, Jos 13:8; that is described in
general, Jos 13:9-14; and, then the particular portion of Reuben,
Jos 13:15-23; and of Gad, Jos 13:24-28; and of the half tribe of
Manasseh, Jos 13:29-33.