35 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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, Joshua 13:1; and since the two tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the other half tribe of Manasseh,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Now Joshua was old, [and] stricken in years,.... How old he was cannot be said precisely, but it is very probable he was now about an hundred years of age, for he lived to be an hundred ten; and the land of Canaan was seven years in dividing, as the Jews generally say, and it seems as if he did not live long after that: and the Lord said unto him:...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
At this chapter begins the account of the dividing of the land of Canaan among the tribes of Israel by lot, a narrative not so entertaining and instructive as that of the conquest of it, and yet it is thought fit to be inserted in the sacred history, to illustrate the performance of the promise made to the fathers, that this land should be given...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
This [is] the land that yet remaineth,.... Unconquered and not enjoyed, namely, what is after described; and this account is given for Joshua's information, that he might know what to divide, and for the people of Israel's sake, that they might know what they had a right to a claim upon; what they should endeavour to possess themselves of, and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
From Sihor, which [is] before Egypt,.... Which Jarchi and Kimchi interpret of the river Nile, and so that river is called, Jeremiah 2:18; it seems to have this name from the waters of it being black and turbid; and hence it was called by the Greeks "Melas"; and by the Latins "Melo"; though it is thought, that not properly the river itself is here...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the land of the Giblites,.... This was another country that remained unconquered; the Greeks call it Byblus, and near to which Pliny (e) speaks of a place called Gabale, and is now called Gibyle; it is (f) said to be "pleasantly situated by the seaside, and at present it contains but a little extent of ground, but yet more than enough for the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Now therefore divide this land for an inheritance,.... Having the command and authority of God for it, he was to set about it at once, with all diligence and application: unto the nine tribes: of Judah, Simeon, Benjamin, Dan, Ephraim, Zebulun, Issachar, Asher, and Naphtali, in which order they are placed, when the Lord gave to Moses the names of...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
With whom the Reubenites and the Gadites have received their inheritance,.... That is, along with the half tribe of Manasseh, but not with that half of it before mentioned, who was to haven division of a part with the nine tribes, but with the other half of the tribe settled beyond Jordan; with them the tribes of Reuben and Gad had received their...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
From Aroer, that [is] on the bank of the river Arnon,.... A city belonging to Moab, from whence the description begins, the river Arnon, on which it was situated, being the border between Moab and the Amorites, Numbers 21:13; and the city that [is] in the midst of the river; or "even the city"; meaning the same city of Aroer, it lying both on the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And all the cities of Sihon king of the Amorites, which reigned in Heshbon,.... A city he took from the Moabites, and made it his royal seat, Numbers 21:26: unto the border of the children of Ammon; which was the river Jabbok, Deuteronomy 3:16.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Gilead,.... The land of Gilead, which was part of the kingdom of Og, half of which was given to Reuben, and the other half to Gad: and the border of the Geshurites and Maachathites; of which see Deuteronomy 3:14; and all Mount Hermon; called also Sirion, Shenir, and Sion, Deuteronomy 3:9; and all Bashan unto Salcah; another part of the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
All the kingdom of Og in Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth and in Edrei,.... [See comments on Joshua 12:4]; who remained of the remnant of the giants; was descended from those that remained in Ashtaroth, after the rest were cut off by Chedorlaomer, Genesis 14:5; called there the Rephaim, as here: for these did Moses smite, and cast them out: that...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Nevertheless, the children of Israel expelled not the Geshurites, nor the Maachathites,.... Neither in the times of Moses, nor in the times of Joshua: but the Geshurites and the Maachathites dwell among the Israelites until this day: in full possession of their cities unmolested; yea, in later times they became separate and distinct kingdoms; for...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Only unto the tribe of Levi he gave none inheritance,.... Neither the Lord, nor Moses by his order, nor did he appoint any inheritance for them, either beyond Jordan, or on this side it, for the Lord was to be their inheritance, Numbers 18:20; the sacrifices of the Lord God of Israel made by fire [are] their inheritance, as he said unto them;...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Moses gave unto the tribe of the children of Reuben [inheritance] according to their families. According to the number of them, and sufficient for them.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And their coast was from Aroer that [is] on the bank of the river Arnon,.... As the country of Sihon is described, Joshua 13:9; from whence it appears that it was his country which was given to Reuben, though not all of it: and the city that [is] in the midst of the river; [See comments on Joshua 13:9]; and all the plain by Medeba; which reached...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Heshbon, and all her cities that [are] in the plain,.... Which was by Medeba, and reached to Dibon: Dibon, and Bamothbaal, and Bethbaalmeon; Dibon was rebuilt by Gad, though it belonged to Reuben, and perhaps was inhabited by both, being on the borders of each; and Bamothbaal signifies the high places of Baal; see Numbers 22:41; perhaps this is...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Jahazah,.... Called Jahaz, Numbers 21:23, where the battle was fought between Sihon and Israel: and Kedemoth; near to which was a wilderness, which took its name from it, from whence Moses sent messengers with words of peace to Sihon, Deuteronomy 2:26; and Mephaath; thought to be the Maipha of Ptolemy (f); here Jerom says (g), in his time was...