Joshua 13:1-33 - Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

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Bible Comments

Joshua 13:1. Joshua was old; now more than a hundred years of age.

Joshua 13:3. Sihor, Sichor; that is, turbid, the waters being muddy. The map will show the geographical situation of most of the towns to which this chapter refers. The five cities of the Philistines belonged to Israel's lot, but could not be taken.

Joshua 13:5. The entering into Hamath, through the pass on mount Lebanon, which opened on a new country.

Joshua 13:9. From Aroer, a city of Moab, on the banks of Arnon, which disembogues into the sea of Sodom.

Joshua 13:25. Half the land of the children of Ammon, of which the Amorites had possession, for Moses had forbidden them to meddle with the Ammonites. Deuteronomy 2:37.

REFLECTIONS.

Joshua stayed not his victories till he had conquered an extent of country sufficient for the people. He placed the twelve tribes in the centre of the promised land; around him was a broad belt of heathens and of enemies unsubdued. These were left to try and prove the true generations; meanwhile they prevented the wild beasts from multiplying against the people. The christian church is in like manner surrounded by a host of worldly men, to try and prove both us and our children, whether we will be faithful to God and his covenant; or whether we will suffer ourselves to be carried away with carnal desires of the flesh, and the corruptions of the age. If we contract covenants with them, and bow to their idols of pleasure and licentious opinions, we forfeit the blessings of the covenant, and entail its curses on ourselves and posterity.

Joshua having warred sufficiently, must now enjoy repose from the field, and interpose the weight of his wisdom and power in dividing the conquered land, and in forcing each tribe to march to its lot. He must not allow the covetous heart to rest in any favourite portion accidentally enjoyed in the changes of conquests. Let us learn that the government of interior affairs, whether civil or religious, should be vested chiefly in the hands of venerable magistrates, ministers and elders, that people may obey their wise and salutary counsels and commands; God having graciously given these to be fathers and guardians of the public.

How good was the Lord in giving Joshua rest and quiet in his old age, that, forgetting the severities of vengeance, he might cultivate all the meekness of a heavenly mind, and employ all his leisure in piety and domestic devotion. The mind of an aged man, when divested of business, discovers its natural and moral characteristics in a very conspicuous manner. Whether it be worldly, or vain, or religious, it then simply appears. But it is a most glorious proof of genuine piety when the aged man, settling his affairs, employs his time wholly for God, and for the good of his people.

Related Commentaries of Joshua 13:1

Joshua 13:1-33

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.

2 This is the land that yet remaineth: all the borders of the Philistines, and all Geshuri,

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:

4 From the south, all the land of the Canaanites, and Mearaha that is beside the Sidonians, unto Aphek, to the borders of the Amorites:

5 And the land of the Giblites, and all Lebanon, toward the sunrising, from Baalgad under mount Hermon unto the entering into Hamath.

6 All the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon unto Misrephothmaim, 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.

7 Now therefore divide this land for an inheritance unto the nine tribes, and the half tribe of Manasseh,

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;

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;

10 And all the cities of Sihon king of the Amorites, which reigned in Heshbon, unto the border of the children of Ammon;

11 And Gilead, and the border of the Geshurites and Maachathites, and all mount Hermon, and all Bashan unto Salcah;

12 All the kingdom of Og in Bashan, which reigned in Ashtaroth and in Edrei, who remained of the remnant of the giants: for these did Moses smite, and cast them out.

13 Nevertheless the children of Israel expelled not the Geshurites, nor the Maachathites: but the Geshurites and the Maachathites dwell among the Israelites until this day.

14 Only unto the tribe of Levi he gave none inheritance; the sacrifices of the LORD God of Israel made by fire are their inheritance, as he said unto them.

15 And Moses gave unto the tribe of the children of Reuben inheritance according to their families.

16 And their coast was from Aroer, that is on the bank of the river Arnon, and the city that is in the midst of the river, and all the plain by Medeba;

17 Heshbon, and all her cities that are in the plain; Dibon, and Bamothbaal,b and Bethbaalmeon,

18 And Jahazah, and Kedemoth, and Mephaath,

19 And Kirjathaim, and Sibmah, and Zarethshahar in the mount of the valley,

20 And Bethpeor, and Ashdothpisgah,c and Bethjeshimoth,

21 And all the cities of the plain, and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, which reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses smote with the princes of Midian, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, which were dukes of Sihon, dwelling in the country.

22 Balaam also the son of Beor, the soothsayer,d did the children of Israel slay with the sword among them that were slain by them.

23 And the border of the children of Reuben was Jordan, and the border thereof. This was the inheritance of the children of Reuben after their families, the cities and the villages thereof.

24 And Moses gave inheritance unto the tribe of Gad, even unto the children of Gad according to their families.

25 And their coast was Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the children of Ammon, unto Aroer that is before Rabbah;

26 And from Heshbon unto Ramathmizpeh, and Betonim; and from Mahanaim unto the border of Debir;

27 And in the valley, Betharam, and Bethnimrah, and Succoth, and Zaphon, the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon, Jordan and his border, even unto the edge of the sea of Chinnereth on the other side Jordan eastward.

28 This is the inheritance of the children of Gad after their families, the cities, and their villages.

29 And Moses gave inheritance unto the half tribe of Manasseh: and this was the possession of the half tribe of the children of Manasseh by their families.

30 And their coast was from Mahanaim, all Bashan, all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, and all the towns of Jair, which are in Bashan, threescore cities:

31 And half Gilead, and Ashtaroth, and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan, were pertaining unto the children of Machir the son of Manasseh, even to the one half of the children of Machir by their families.

32 These are the countries which Moses did distribute for inheritance in the plains of Moab, on the other side Jordan, by Jericho, eastward.

33 But unto the tribe of Levi Moses gave not any inheritance: the LORD God of Israel was their inheritance, as he said unto them.