Joshua 13:4

4 all the land of Canaan, and Mearah of Sidonians, till to Aphek, and to the terms of Amorites, (all the land of the Canaanites, and Mearah of the Sidonians, unto Aphek, and to the border of the Amorites;)

Joshua 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).

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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.

Joshua 13:4 In-Context

2 that is, all the terms of Philistines, and all Geshuri, (that is, all the land of the Philistines, and of the Geshurites,)

3 from the troubled flood that moisteth Egypt, till to the terms of Ekron against the north; (this is) the land of Canaan, which is parted into (the) five little kings of Philistines, (that is,) of Gaza, and of Ashdod, of Ashkelon, of Gath, and of Ekron. Forsooth at the south be Avites, (from the Nile River, or the Shihor, that watereth Egypt, unto the border of Ekron to the north; this is the land of Canaan, and it is divided among the five kings of the Philistines, that is, he of Gaza, and he of Ashdod, and he of Ashkelon, and he of Gath, and he of Ekron; and there also be the Avites to the south;)

4 all the land of Canaan, and Mearah of Sidonians, till to Aphek, and to the terms of Amorites, (all the land of the Canaanites, and Mearah of the Sidonians, unto Aphek, and to the border of the Amorites;)

5 and the coasts of him; and the country of Lebanon against the east, from Baalgad, under the hill of Hermon, till thou enterest into Hamath, (and the land of the Gebalites; and the country of Lebanon to the east, from Baalgad, under Mount Hermon, until thou enterest into Hamath,)

6 of all men that dwelled in the hill, from the Lebanon till to the waters of Misrephothmaim, and all men of Sidon; I am, that shall do away them from the face of the sons of Israel; therefore come it into the part of (the) heritage of Israel, as I commanded to thee. (of all those who live in the hill country, from Lebanon unto Misrephothmaim, and all those of Sidon; I am he, who shall do them away from before the Israelites; and so divide it all up for the inheritance of the Israelites, as I commanded to thee.)