\INTRODUCTION Josh. 13:1–33\ 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, Josh.

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…

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…

From Sihor, which is before Egypt Which Jarchi and Kimchi interpret of the river Nile, and so that river is called, ; 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…

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 ; and, as it seems here, some in the south:…

And the land of the Giblites This was another country that remained unconquered; the Greeks call it Byblus, and near to which Pliny [[4]] speaks of a place called Gabale, and is now called Gibyle; it is [[5]] said to be “pleasantly situated by the seaside, and at present it contains but a little…

All the inhabitants of the hill country Not in Judea, but in and about Lebanon, as follows: from Lebanon unto Misrephothmaim; of which see ; 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…

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…

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…

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, ; and the city that is in the midst of the river; or “even the city”; meaning the same city of…

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, : unto the border of the children of Ammon; which was the river Jabbok, .

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 ; and all Mount Hermon; called also Sirion, Shenir, and Sion, ; and all Bashan unto Salcah; another part…

All the kingdom of Og in Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth and in Edrei (See Gill on Josh. 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, ; called there the Rephaim, as here: for these did Moses…

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…

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, ; the sacrifices of the Lord God of Israel made by fire are their…

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.

And their coast was from Aroer that is on the bank of the river Arnon As the country of Sihon is described, ; 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 Gill on Josh.

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…

And Jahazah Called Jahaz, , 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, ; and Mephaath; thought to be the Maipha of Ptolemy [[5]]; here Jerom says…

And Kirjathaim Of which (See Gill on Num. 32:37); and Sibmah; of which (See Gill on Num. 32:3) and (See Gill on Num. 32:38); and Zarethshahar, in the mount of the valley; which was built on one of the mountains that looked over the valley of Moab, as did Nebo, Pisgah, Abarim; perhaps it is the same…

And Bethpeor So called from Peor, the idol of the Moabites, and where very likely there had been a temple built to the honour of it; over against this place was a valley, where Israel abode some time, ; and Ashdodpisgah; of which see ; and Bethjeshimoth; of which see .

And all the cities of the plain In the champaign country, as well as those in the mountainous part: and all the kingdom of Sihon; or, as Masius renders the words, “which all had been the kingdom of Sihon”; for the whole kingdom of Sihon was not given to Reuben, only a part of it, and the rest to…

Balaam also, the son of Beor the soothsayer, did the children of Israel slay with the sword At the same time that the princes of Midian were slain, and which is also observed, (See Gill on Num. 31:8).

And the border of the children of Reuben was Jordan, and the border thereof As their border eastward was Aroer on the river Arnon, so their border westward was the river Jordan: this was the inheritance of the children of Reuben, after their families, the cities and the villages thereof; which…

And Moses gave inheritance unto the tribe of Gad On the other side Jordan, as he did to Reuben: even unto the children of Gad, according to their families: according to the number and largeness of them, dividing to each their part and portion.

And their coast was Jazer Their southern coast; of Jazer, see ; where it is called Jaazer, and is mentioned in ; and in , where it is spoken of as a city of Moab, as it was in the days of those prophets: and all the cities of Gilead; which lay in those parts, for the whole was not given to this…

And from Heshbon unto Ramathmizpeh, and Betonim This was their coast from the south to the north, and so describes their eastern border, which reached from Heshbon, given to the tribe of Reuben, ; to these places mentioned; Ramathmizpeh, the same with Ramothgilead, which Jerom [[13]] says was a…

And in the valley, Betharam The same with Bethharan, (See Gill on Num. 32:36): and Bethnimrah; sometimes called Nimrah, (Num. 32:3, Num. 32:36) ; near to which were some waters, called the waters of Nimrim, ; It was in Jerom’s [[14]] time a large village; it seems to have its name from leopards,…

This is the inheritance of the children of Gad, after their families As described in : the cities and their villages; the cities given them, some of which are mentioned by name, and the villages adjacent and belonging to them were included in them.

And Moses gave inheritance unto the half tribe of Manasseh, &c.] Whether at their request or of himself, there being land enough for them, and the two tribes of Gad and Reuben, is not certain: and this is the possession of the half tribe of Manasseh, by their families; which is after related and…

And their coast was from Mahanaim A place in the tribe of Gad, ; which was the boundary of the half tribe that way: all Bashan; so famous for its oxen, and for pasturage for them, and for its oaks, called by Josephus Batanea: all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan; which, besides Bashan, took in the…

And half Gilead The other half not given to the Gadites, who had that half of it which Sihon possessed, and the tribe of Manasseh that half of it which Og possessed, see (Deut. 3:12, Deut.

These are the countries which Moses did distribute for inheritance in the plains of Moab Which is particularly described, that each might know their proper portion: on the other side Jordan by Jericho eastward; of the land of Canaan; of Jordan by Jericho, (See Gill on Num. 22:1).

But unto the tribe of Levi Moses gave not any inheritance, &c.] Neither on the other side Jordan, nor did he order them any in Canaan; but expressly declared they were to have no part in the division of it, though they were his own tribe; which shows him to be a disinterested man, that he…