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13 Joshua was now an old man. “You are growing old,” the Lord said to him, “and there are still many nations to be conquered. 2-7 Here is a list of the areas still to be occupied:

All the land of the Philistines;

The land of the Geshurites;

The territory now belonging to the Canaanites from the brook of Egypt to the southern boundary of Ekron;

Five cities of the Philistines: Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, Ekron;

The land of the Avvim in the south;

In the north,[a] all the land of the Canaanites, including Mearah (which belongs to the Sidonians), stretching northward to Aphek at the boundary of the Amorites;

The land of the Gebalites on the coast and all of the Lebanon mountain area from Baal-gad beneath Mount Hermon in the south to the entrance of Hamath in the north;

All the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephoth-maim, including all the land of the Sidonians.

“I am ready to drive these people out from before the nation of Israel, so include all this territory when you divide the land among the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh as I have commanded you.”

The other half of the tribe of Manasseh and the tribes of Reuben and Gad had already received their inheritance on the east side of the Jordan, for Moses had previously assigned this land to them. Their territory ran from Aroer, on the edge of the valley of the Arnon River, included the city in the valley, and crossed the tableland of Medeba to Dibon; 10 it also included all the cities of King Sihon of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, and extended as far as the borders of Ammon. 11 It included Gilead; the territory of the Geshurites and the Maacathites; all of Mount Hermon; Mount Bashan with its city of Salecah; 12 and all the territory of King Og of Bashan, who had reigned in Ashtaroth and Edrei. (He was the last of the Rephaim, for Moses had attacked them and driven them out. 13 However, the people of Israel had not driven out the Geshurites or the Maacathites, who still live there among the Israelites to this day.)

14 The Territorial Assignments

The Land Given to the Tribe of Levi: Moses hadn’t assigned any land to the tribe of Levi: instead, they were given the offerings brought to the Lord.

15 The Land Given to the Tribe of Reuben: Fitting the size of its territory to the size of its population,[b] Moses had assigned the following area to the tribe of Reuben: 16 Their land extended from Aroer on the edge of the valley of the Arnon River, past the city of Arnon in the middle of the valley, to beyond the tableland near Medeba. 17 It included Heshbon and the other cities on the plain—Dibon, Bamoth-baal, Beth-baal-meon, 18 Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath, 19 Kiriathaim, Sibmah, Zereth-shahar on the mountain above the valley, 20 Beth-peor, Beth-jeshimoth, and the slopes of Mount Pisgah.

21 The land of Reuben also included the cities of the tableland and the kingdom of Sihon. Sihon was the king who had lived in Heshbon and was killed by Moses along with the other chiefs of Midian—Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba. 22 The people of Israel also killed Balaam the magician, the son of Beor. 23 The Jordan River was the western boundary of the tribe of Reuben.

24 The Land Given to the Tribe of Gad: Moses also assigned land to the tribe of Gad in proportion to its population.[c] 25 This territory included Jazer, all the cities of Gilead, and half of the land of Ammon as far as Aroer near Rabbah. 26 It also extended from Heshbon to Ramath-mizpeh and Betonim, and from Mahanaim to Lodebar. 27-28 In the valley were Beth-haram, and Beth-nimrah, Succoth, Zaphon, and the rest of the kingdom of King Sihon of Heshbon. The Jordan River was the western border, extending as far as the Lake of Galilee; then the border turned east from the Jordan River.

29 The Land Given to the Half-Tribe of Manasseh: Moses had assigned the following territory to the half-tribe of Manasseh in proportion to its needs:[d] 30 Their territory extended north from Mahanaim, included all of Bashan, the former kingdom of King Og, and the sixty cities of Jair in Bashan. 31 Half of Gilead and King Og’s royal cities of Ashtaroth and Edrei were given to half of the clan Machir, who was Manasseh’s son.

32 That was how Moses divided the land east of the Jordan River where the people were camped at that time across from Jericho. 33 But Moses had given no land to the tribe of Levi for, as he had explained to them, the Lord God was their inheritance. He was all they needed. He would take care of them in other ways.

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 13:2 In the north . . . stretching northward . . . on the coast, implied.
  2. Joshua 13:15 Fitting the size of its territory to the size of its population, literally, “according to its families.”
  3. Joshua 13:24 in proportion to its population, literally, “according to its families.”
  4. Joshua 13:29 in proportion to its needs, literally, “according to its families.”

Land Still to Be Taken

13 When Joshua had grown old,(A) the Lord said to him, “You are now very old, and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over.

“This is the land that remains: all the regions of the Philistines(B) and Geshurites,(C) from the Shihor River(D) on the east of Egypt to the territory of Ekron(E) on the north, all of it counted as Canaanite though held by the five Philistine rulers(F) in Gaza, Ashdod,(G) Ashkelon,(H) Gath and Ekron; the territory of the Avvites(I) on the south; all the land of the Canaanites, from Arah of the Sidonians as far as Aphek(J) and the border of the Amorites;(K) the area of Byblos;(L) and all Lebanon(M) to the east, from Baal Gad below Mount Hermon(N) to Lebo Hamath.(O)

“As for all the inhabitants of the mountain regions from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim,(P) that is, all the Sidonians, I myself will drive them out(Q) before the Israelites. Be sure to allocate this land to Israel for an inheritance, as I have instructed you,(R) and divide it as an inheritance(S) among the nine tribes and half of the tribe of Manasseh.”

Division of the Land East of the Jordan

The other half of Manasseh,[a] the Reubenites and the Gadites had received the inheritance that Moses had given them east of the Jordan, as he, the servant of the Lord, had assigned(T) it to them.(U)

It extended from Aroer(V) on the rim of the Arnon Gorge, and from the town in the middle of the gorge, and included the whole plateau(W) of Medeba as far as Dibon,(X) 10 and all the towns of Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon,(Y) out to the border of the Ammonites.(Z) 11 It also included Gilead,(AA) the territory of the people of Geshur and Maakah, all of Mount Hermon and all Bashan as far as Salekah(AB) 12 that is, the whole kingdom of Og in Bashan,(AC) who had reigned in Ashtaroth(AD) and Edrei.(AE) (He was the last of the Rephaites.(AF)) Moses had defeated them and taken over their land.(AG) 13 But the Israelites did not drive out the people of Geshur(AH) and Maakah,(AI) so they continue to live among the Israelites to this day.(AJ)

14 But to the tribe of Levi he gave no inheritance, since the food offerings presented to the Lord, the God of Israel, are their inheritance, as he promised them.(AK)

15 This is what Moses had given to the tribe of Reuben, according to its clans:

16 The territory from Aroer(AL) on the rim of the Arnon Gorge, and from the town in the middle of the gorge, and the whole plateau past Medeba(AM) 17 to Heshbon and all its towns on the plateau,(AN) including Dibon,(AO) Bamoth Baal,(AP) Beth Baal Meon,(AQ) 18 Jahaz,(AR) Kedemoth,(AS) Mephaath,(AT) 19 Kiriathaim,(AU) Sibmah,(AV) Zereth Shahar on the hill in the valley, 20 Beth Peor,(AW) the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth Jeshimoth— 21 all the towns on the plateau(AX) and the entire realm of Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled at Heshbon. Moses had defeated him and the Midianite chiefs,(AY) Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur and Reba(AZ)—princes allied with Sihon—who lived in that country. 22 In addition to those slain in battle, the Israelites had put to the sword Balaam son of Beor,(BA) who practiced divination.(BB) 23 The boundary of the Reubenites was the bank of the Jordan. These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the Reubenites, according to their clans.(BC)

24 This is what Moses had given to the tribe of Gad, according to its clans:

25 The territory of Jazer,(BD) all the towns of Gilead(BE) and half the Ammonite country as far as Aroer, near Rabbah;(BF) 26 and from Heshbon(BG) to Ramath Mizpah and Betonim, and from Mahanaim(BH) to the territory of Debir;(BI) 27 and in the valley, Beth Haram, Beth Nimrah,(BJ) Sukkoth(BK) and Zaphon(BL) with the rest of the realm of Sihon king of Heshbon (the east side of the Jordan, the territory up to the end of the Sea of Galilee[b](BM)). 28 These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the Gadites,(BN) according to their clans.

29 This is what Moses had given to the half-tribe of Manasseh, that is, to half the family of the descendants of Manasseh, according to its clans:

30 The territory extending from Mahanaim(BO) and including all of Bashan,(BP) the entire realm of Og king of Bashan(BQ)—all the settlements of Jair(BR) in Bashan, sixty towns, 31 half of Gilead, and Ashtaroth and Edrei (the royal cities of Og in Bashan).(BS) This was for the descendants of Makir(BT) son of Manasseh—for half of the sons of Makir, according to their clans.(BU)

32 This is the inheritance Moses had given when he was in the plains of Moab(BV) across the Jordan east of Jericho.(BW) 33 But to the tribe of Levi, Moses had given no inheritance;(BX) the Lord, the God of Israel, is their inheritance,(BY) as he promised them.(BZ)

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 13:8 Hebrew With it (that is, with the other half of Manasseh)
  2. Joshua 13:27 Hebrew Kinnereth