Joshua 13:1-11
Jos 13:1
Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the
LORD said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years, and there
remaineth yet very much land to be possessed.
Joshua was ninety when he crossed the Jordan with Israel
and since his conquests took a total of twelve years, then that would put
Joshua’s age at 102. I would
definitely consider 102 to be old and stricken in years.
The complete conquest of Canaan had not taken place yet and there were
still many more places which the heathen had to be removed from.
Jos 13:2
This is the land that yet remaineth: all the
borders of the Philistines, and all Geshuri,
The Philistines were located on the coast of the
Mediterranean Sea and some eastward inland and all Geshuri was located in the
province east of the Sea of Chinnereth which would have been in the Transjordan
area. The Philistines were in the
southwest section of Canaan and Geshur was in the northeast section of Canaan.
Jos 13:3
From Sihor, which is before Egypt, even unto the
borders of Ekron northward, which is counted to the Canaanite: five lords
of the Philistines; the Gazathites, and the Ashdothites, the Eshkalonites, the
Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avites:
The name “Sihor” means “black” and it is believed that
this is speaking of the Nile which sometimes turns black and opaque.
The Nile river did not reach into Palestine and perhaps a small tributary
of it reached into Palestine with its muddy waters.
Ekron was in Philistia and was one of the five principal cities of the
Philistines where each one had a Philistine lord.
Ekron, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, Gaza were
the names of the five principal Philistine cities.
The Avites or Avim were conquered by the Philistines although they were
not totally destroyed.
And the Avims which dwelt in Hazerim,
even unto Azzah, the
Caphtorims, which came forth out of Caphtor, destroyed them, and dwelt in their
stead.) (Deuteronomy 2:23)
Jos 13:4
From the south, all the land of the Canaanites, and
Mearah that is beside the Sidonians, unto Aphek, to the borders of the
Amorites:
The southern part of Canaan which is now occupied by the
Philistines.
The Amalekites dwell in the land of the
south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the
mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan.
(Numbers 13:29) Mearah was a
place by Sidon but its present location is unknown.
Sidon was way up north in the land of the Phoenicians.
Aphek was located south of Geshur which was east of the Sea of
Chinnereth. It was the northern border of the Amorites which was north of Moab.
Jos 13:5
And the land of the Giblites, and all Lebanon, toward the
sunrising, from Baal-gad under mount Hermon unto the entering into Hamath.
The Giblites were dwellers in the town of Gebal which was
considered a very nice place to live.
It was located 25 miles (40 KM) north of Sidon on the coast.
Then Lebanon is mentioned to the sunrising which is to the east.
Baal-gad was about 18 miles (29 KM) north of the Sea of Galilee and
represented the northernmost conquest of Joshua.
The entering to Hamath was about 20 miles (32 KM) west of Mt. Hermon.
Jos 13:6
All the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon unto
Misrephoth-maim, and all the Sidonians, them will I drive out from before
the children of Israel: only divide thou it by lot unto the Israelites for an
inheritance, as I have commanded thee.
Misrephoth-maim was located on the coast about 20 miles
(32 KM) south of Tyre. They were to
conquer from Lebanon to Misrephoth-maim.
Now the LORD commands Joshua to divide the land according to the tribes
and the command of the LORD. The
LORD had given assurance that he would drive out these inhabitants of these
areas so he could plant Israel according to his plan.
Jos 13:7
Now therefore divide this land for an inheritance unto
the nine tribes, and the half tribe of Manasseh,
These tribes were the ones who would live on the western
side of Jordan. Reuben, Gad, and
the half tribe of Manasseh were on the east side of the Jordan.
The nine tribes are Judah, Simeon, Benjamin,
Dan, Ephraim, Zebulun, Issachar, Asher, and Naphtali.
The half tribe of Manasseh on the western side actually had no official
inheritance.
Jos 13:8
With whom the Reubenites and the Gadites have received
their inheritance, which Moses gave them, beyond Jordan eastward, even as
Moses the servant of the LORD gave them;
The half tribe of Manasseh was north of Gad on the east
side of the Jordan. They received
their inheritance on that side according to Moses.
And Moses gave unto them,
even to the children of Gad,
and to the children of Reuben, and unto half the tribe of Manasseh the son of
Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og king of
Bashan, the land, with the cities thereof in the coasts,
even the cities of the country
round about. (Numbers 32:33)
Jos 13:9
From Aroer, that is upon the bank of the river
Arnon, and the city that is in the midst of the river, and all the plain
of Medeba unto Dibon;
Israel must know the borders of the land which God
promised them so as not to encroach upon the neighboring countries.
The river Arnon was the southernmost boundary on the east side of Reuben.
Aroer was the eastern boundary of Reuben.
The plain of Medeba was the northern boundary of Reuben and Dibon seems
to be the western boundary around Aroer.
Jos 13:10
And all the cities of Sihon king of the Amorites, which
reigned in Heshbon, unto the border of the children of Ammon;
For Heshbon
was the city of Sihon the king
of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab, and taken all
his land out of his hand, even unto Arnon. (Numbers 21:26) Heshbon was the
chief or royal city of Sihon king of the Amorites and he reigned unto the border
of Ammon which was north of Heshbon.
Jos 13:11
And Gilead, and the border of the Geshurites and
Maachathites, and all mount Hermon, and all Bashan unto Salcah;