Yehoshua 13:4

4 From the south, all the Eretz HaKena’ani, and from Arah that belongs to the Tzidonim unto Aphek, to the region of HaEmori;

Yehoshua 13:4 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 13:4

From the south, all the land of the Canaanites
That is, of those Canaanites who were particularly so called, in distinction from those of the other nations or tribes, and who dwelt in several parts of the land, some in the east and others in the west, see ( Joshua 11:3 ) ; and, as it seems here, some in the south: now on the side of the south, as Kimchi interprets it, all the land of the Canaanites was left, that is, remained unconquered and not possessed:

and Mearah that [is] beside the Sidonians;
the inhabitants of Sidon, and parts adjacent: what this place was, which belonged to the Sidonians, for so it may better be rendered, is not certain; some take it to be a cave belonging to them: Sandys ^F2 speaks of a number of caves cut out of the rock in those parts, called the caves of the Sidonians, and afterwards the caves of Tyre; so it is interpreted by the Targum, and in the Syriac and Arabic versions others take it to be the river Magoras, Pliny ^F3 makes mention of as on the borders of Lebanon near Zidon and Berytus: mention is made of the waters of Mearah along with the waters of Tiberias in Jewish writings ^F4; but rather something of more importance than a cave or a river is meant; most likely a tract of land near Sidon, and which belonged to it, and reached

unto Aphek, to the borders of the Amorites;
of this place, (See Gill on Joshua 12:18).

---

FOOTNOTES:

F2 Travels, l. 3. p. 169. Ed. 5.
F3 Nat. Hist. l. 5. c. 20.
F4 Misn. Sabbat. c. 22. sect. 5. T. Hieros. Sabbat, fol. 6. 1.

Yehoshua 13:4 In-Context

2 This is HaAretz that yet remaineth; all the regions of the Pelishtim, and all Geshuri,

3 From Sichor, which is before Mitzrayim, even unto the territory of Ekron northward, which is counted to the Kena’ani; five rulers of the Pelishtim; the Azzati, the Ashdodi, the Eshkaloni, the Gitti, the Ekroni; also the Avi’im;

4 From the south, all the Eretz HaKena’ani, and from Arah that belongs to the Tzidonim unto Aphek, to the region of HaEmori;

5 And the area of the Byblos, and all the Levanon, toward the rising of the shemesh, from Baal-Gad under Mt Chermon unto Levo Chamat.

6 All the inhabitants of the har from the Levanon unto Misrephot Mayim, and all the Tzidonim, them will I drive out from before the Bnei Yisroel; only divide thou it by lot unto Yisroel for a nachalah, as I have commanded thee.