27 And in the valley, H6010 Betharam, H1027 and Bethnimrah, H1039 and Succoth, H5523 and Zaphon, H6829 the rest H3499 of the kingdom H4468 of Sihon H5511 king H4428 of Heshbon, H2809 Jordan H3383 and his border, H1366 even unto the edge H7097 of the sea H3220 of Chinnereth H3672 on the other side H5676 Jordan H3383 eastward. H4217
And Jacob H3290 journeyed H5265 to Succoth, H5523 and built H1129 him an house, H1004 and made H6213 booths H5521 for his cattle: H4735 therefore the name H8034 of the place H4725 is called H7121 Succoth. H5523
The plain H6160 also, and Jordan, H3383 and the coast H1366 thereof, from Chinnereth H3672 even unto the sea H3220 of the plain, H6160 even the salt H4417 sea, H3220 under Ashdothpisgah H798 H794 eastward. H4217
And from the plain H6160 to the sea H3220 of Chinneroth H3672 on the east, H4217 and unto the sea H3220 of the plain, H6160 even the salt H4417 sea H3220 on the east, H4217 the way H1870 to Bethjeshimoth; H1020 and from the south, H8486 under Ashdothpisgah: H798 H794
And he said H559 unto the men H582 of Succoth, H5523 Give, H5414 I pray you, loaves H3603 of bread H3899 unto the people H5971 that follow H7272 me; for they be faint, H5889 and I am pursuing H7291 after H310 Zebah H2078 and Zalmunna, H6759 kings H4428 of Midian. H4080 And the princes H8269 of Succoth H5523 said, H559 Are the hands H3709 of Zebah H2078 and Zalmunna H6759 now in thine hand, H3027 that we should give H5414 bread H3899 unto thine army? H6635
And caught H3920 a young man H5288 of the men H582 of Succoth, H5523 and enquired H7592 of him: and he described H3789 unto him the princes H8269 of Succoth, H5523 and the elders H2205 thereof, even threescore and seventeen H7657 H7651 men. H376 And he came H935 unto the men H582 of Succoth, H5523 and said, H559 Behold Zebah H2078 and Zalmunna, H6759 with whom ye did upbraid H2778 me, saying, H559 Are the hands H3709 of Zebah H2078 and Zalmunna H6759 now in thine hand, H3027 that we should give H5414 bread H3899 unto thy men H582 that are weary? H3287 And he took H3947 the elders H2205 of the city, H5892 and thorns H6975 of the wilderness H4057 and briers, H1303 and with them he taught H3045 the men H582 of Succoth. H5523
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Joshua 13
Commentary on Joshua 13 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 13
Jos 13:1-33. Bounds of the Land Not Yet Conquered.
1. Now Joshua was old and stricken in years—He was probably above a hundred years old; for the conquest and survey of the land occupied about seven years, the partition one; and he died at the age of one hundred ten years (Jos 24:29). The distribution, as well as the conquest of the land, was included in the mission of Joshua; and his advanced age supplied a special reason for entering on the immediate discharge of that duty; namely, of allocating Canaan among the tribes of Israel—not only the parts already won, but those also which were still to be conquered.
2-6. This is the land that yet remaineth—that is, to be acquired. This section forms a parenthesis, in which the historian briefly notices the districts yet unsubdued; namely, first, the whole country of the Philistines—a narrow tract stretching about sixty miles along the Mediterranean coast, and that of the Geshurites to the south of it (1Sa 27:8). Both included that portion of the country "from Sihor, which is before Egypt," a small brook near El-Arish, which on the east was the southern boundary of Canaan, to Ekron, the most northerly of the five chief lordships or principalities of the Philistines.
3, 4. also the Avites: From [on] the south—The two clauses are thus connected in the Septuagint and many other versions. On being driven out (De 2:23), they established themselves in the south of Philistia. The second division of the unconquered country comprised
4. all the land of the Canaanites, and Mearah—("the cave")
that is beside the Sidonians—a mountainous region of Upper Galilee, remarkable for its caves and fastnesses.
unto Aphek—now Afka; eastward, in Lebanon.
to the borders of the Amorites—a portion of the northeastern territory that had belonged to Og. The third district that remained unsubdued:
5. all the land of the Giblites—Their capital was Gebal or Bylbos (Greek), on the Mediterranean, forty miles north of Sidon.
all Lebanon, toward the sunrising—that is, Anti-libanus; the eastern ridge, which has its proper termination in Hermon.
entering into Hamath—the valley of Baalbec.
6, 7. All the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon unto Misrephoth-maim—(See on Jos 11:8)—that is, "all the Sidonians and Phœnicians."
them will I drive out—The fulfilment of this promise was conditional. In the event of the Israelites proving unfaithful or disobedient, they would not subdue the districts now specified; and, in point of fact, the Israelites never possessed them though the inhabitants were subjected to the power of David and Solomon.
only divide thou it by lot unto the Israelites for an inheritance—The parenthetic section being closed, the historian here resumes the main subject of this chapter—the order of God to Joshua to make an immediate allotment of the land. The method of distribution by lot was, in all respects, the best that could have been adopted, as it prevented all ground of discontent, as well as charges of arbitrary or partial conduct on the part of the leaders; and its announcement in the life of Moses (Nu 33:54), as the system according to which the allocations to each tribe should be made, was intended to lead the people to the acknowledgment of God as the proprietor of the land and as having the entire right to its disposal. Moreover, a solemn appeal to the lot showed it to be the dictate not of human, but divine, wisdom. It was used, however, only in determining the part of the country where a tribe was to be settled—the extent of the settlement was to be decided on a different principle (Nu 26:54). The overruling control of God is conclusively proved because each tribe received the possession predicted by Jacob (Ge 49:3-28) and by Moses (De 33:6-25).
8. With whom—Hebrew, "him." The antecedent is evidently to Manasseh, not, however, the half-tribe just mentioned, but the other half; for the historian, led, as it were, by the sound of the word, breaks off to describe the possessions beyond Jordan already assigned to Reuben, Gad, and the half of Manasseh (see on Nu 32:1; Nu 32:33; also see De 3:8-17). It may be proper to remark that it was wise to put these boundaries on record. In case of any misunderstanding or dispute arising about the exact limits of each district or property, an appeal could always be made to this authoritative document, and a full knowledge as well as grateful sense obtained of what they had received from God (Ps 16:5, 6).