Joshua 13:6

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.)

Joshua 13:6 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 13:6

All the inhabitants of the hill country
Not in Judea, but in and about Lebanon, as follows:

from Lebanon unto Misrephothmaim;
of which see ( Joshua 11:8 ) ;

[and] all the Sidonians;
the inhabitants of the ancient city of Sidon, and the villages and lands belonging to it: these remained unconquered, and never were possessed by the Israelites:

them will I drive out from before the children of Israel:
which, though it may have a special respect unto the Sidonians, with whom the clause is closely connected, yet may include all the above lands unconquered, out of which, as well as Sidon, the Lord promises to drive the inhabitants, to make way for the children of Israel; that is, on condition of their obedience, for it appears that not only the Sidonians, but many others, even the chief, and most of those mentioned, were never possessed by them:

only divide thou it by lot unto the Israelites for an inheritance;
that is, the whole land, as Abarbinel rightly remarks, both what was subdued and what was not; that was the business, and all the business, Joshua had now to do; he was not to be employed in making any further conquests, but leave them to others, and apply himself to the division of the land, by lot, to the tribes that as yet had no portion assigned them:

as I have commanded thee;
now, at this time.

Joshua 13:6 In-Context

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.)
7 And thou now part the land into (a) possession to the nine lineages, and to the half lineage of Manasseh, (And now divide thou up the land for a possession for the nine tribes, and for the western half of the tribe of Manasseh.)
8 with which lineage(s) Reuben, and Gad, wielded the land, which land Moses, the servant of the Lord, gave to them beyond the flowings of (the) Jordan, at the east coast; (For the tribes of Reuben, and Gad, and the eastern half of the tribe of Manasseh, took the land, which land Moses, the servant of the Lord, gave them beyond the flowings of the Jordan River, on the east side;)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.