Joshua 13

1 And Joshua is old, entering into days, and Jehovah saith unto him, `Thou hast become aged, thou hast entered into days; as to the land, very much hath been left to possess.

2 `This [is] the land that is left; all the circuits of the Philistines, and all Geshuri,

3 from Sihor which [is] on the front of Egypt, and unto the border of Ekron northward, to the Canaanite it is reckoned, five princes of the Philistines, the Gazathite, and the Ashdothite, the Eshkalonite, the Gittite, and the Ekronite, also the Avim.

4 `From the south, all the land of the Canaanite, and Mearah, which [is] to the Sidonians, unto Aphek, unto the border of the Amorite;

5 and the land of the Giblite, and all Lebanon, at the sun-rising, from Baal-Gad under mount Hermon, unto the going in to Hamath:

6 all the inhabitants of the hill-country, from Lebanon unto Misrephoth-Maim, all the Sidonians: I -- I dispossess them before the sons of Israel; only, cause it to fall to Israel for an inheritance, as I have commanded thee.

7 `And now, apportion this land for an inheritance to the nine tribes, and the half of the tribe of Manasseh,' --

8 with it the Reubenite, and the Gadite, have received their inheritance, which Moses hath given to them beyond the Jordan eastward, as Moses servant of Jehovah hath given to them;

9 from Aroer, which [is] on the edge of the brook Arnon, and the city which [is] in the midst of the brook, and all the plain of Medeba unto Dihon,

10 and all the cities of Sihon king of the Amorite, who reigned in Heshbon, unto the border of the Bene-Ammon,

11 and Gilead, and the border of the Geshurite, and of the Maachathite, and all mount Hermon, and all Bashan unto Salcah;

12 all the kingdom of Og in Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth and in Edrei; he was left of the remnant of the Rephaim, and Moses doth smite them, and dispossess them;

13 and the sons of Israel dispossessed not the Geshurite, and the Maachathite; and Geshur and Maachath dwell in the midst of Israel unto this day.

14 Only, to the tribe of Levi he hath not given an inheritance; fire-offerings of Jehovah, God of Israel, is its inheritance, as He hath spoken to it.

15 And Moses giveth to the tribe of the sons of Reuben, for their families;

16 and the border is to them from Aroer, which [is] on the edge of the brook Arnon, and the city which [is] in the midst of the brook, and all the plain by Medeba,

17 Heshbon, and all its cities which [are] in the plain, Dibon, and Bamoth-Baal, and Beth-Baal-Meon,

18 and Jahazah, and Kedemoth, and Mephaath,

19 and Kirjathaim, and Sibmah, and Zareth-Shahar, in the mount of the valley,

20 and Beth-Peor, and the springs of Pisgah, and Beth-Jeshimoth,

21 and all the cities of the plain, and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorite, who reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses smote, with the princes of Midian, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, princes of Sihon, inhabitants of the land.

22 And Balaam, son of Beor, the diviner, have the sons of Israel slain with the sword, among their wounded ones.

23 And the border of the sons of Reuben is the Jordan, and [its] border; this [is] the inheritance of the sons of Reuben, for their families, the cities and their villages.

24 And Moses giveth to the tribe of Gad, to the sons of Gad, for their families;

25 and the border is to them Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead, and the half of the land of the Bene-Ammon, unto Aroer which [is] on the front of Rabbah,

26 and from Heshbon unto Ramath-Mispeh, and Betonim, and from Mahanaim unto the border of Debir,

27 and in the valley, Beth-Aram, and Beth-Nimrah, and Succoth, and Zaphon, the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon, the Jordan and [its] border, unto the extremity of the sea of Chinnereth, beyond the Jordan, eastward.

28 This [is] the inheritance of the sons of Gad, for their families, the cities and their villages.

29 And Moses giveth to the half of the tribe of Manasseh; and it is to the half of the tribe of the sons of Manasseh, for their families.

30 And their border is from Mahanaim, all Bashan, all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, and all the small towns of Jair, which [are] in Bashan, sixty cities;

31 and the half of Gilead, and Ashteroth, and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan, [are] to the sons of Machir, son of Manasseh, to the half of the sons of Machir, for their families.

32 These [are] they whom Moses caused to inherit in the plains of Moab, beyond the Jordan, [by] Jericho, eastward;

33 and to the tribe of Levi Moses gave not an inheritance; Jehovah, God of Israel, Himself [is] their inheritance, as He hath spoken to 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.