Land That Remains
Study note
God told Joshua that he was now old and there was still a lot of land left to conquer. This included the Philistine territory along the coast with its five major cities, the land of the Geshurites, the area from the border of Egypt up to Ekron, the Canaanite land near Sidon, and the territory of the Giblites and Lebanon. God promised he would drive out the people from these areas himself. Joshua's job now was to divide the land among the nine remaining tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh, even though not all of it was fully conquered yet.
1 By this time Joshua had grown very old. The Lord told him, "You are getting on in years, and a great deal of land still needs to be taken." 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 "Here is what remains: all the Philistine territory and all the Geshurite land." This is the land that yet remaineth: all the borders of the Philistines, and all Geshuri,
3 "From the Shihor River east of Egypt to the Ekron border in the north -- all of this counts as Canaanite land. It includes the lands of the five Philistine rulers: Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron. It also includes the Avvite land." 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 "To the south, there is all the Canaanite land from Arah near Sidon to Aphek at the Amorite border." From the south, all the land of the Canaanites, and Mearah that is beside the Sidonians, unto Aphek, to the borders of the Amorites:
5 "There is also the Gebalite land and all of Lebanon to the east, from Baal-gad below Mount Hermon to Lebo-hamath." And the land of the Giblites, and all Lebanon, toward the sunrising, from Baal-gad under mount Hermon unto the entering into Hamath.
6 "I myself will drive out everyone living in the hill country between Lebanon and Misrephoth-maim, including all the Sidonians. Make sure to divide this land among the Israelites as I have told you." All the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon unto Misrephoth-maim, 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 divide this land as an inheritance among the nine remaining tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh." Now therefore divide this land for an inheritance unto the nine tribes, and the half tribe of Manasseh,
Territory of Reuben
Study note
The tribes of Reuben and Gad, along with the other half of Manasseh, had already received their inheritance east of the Jordan from Moses. Reuben's territory ran from Aroer on the Arnon River gorge northward to the area near Heshbon. This included the high plains east of the Dead Sea. The chapter notes that Reuben's territory included the land of Sihon, the Amorite king. It also mentions that the Israelites killed Balaam, the foreign prophet who had tried to curse Israel. The tribe of Levi received no land inheritance because their inheritance was the Lord himself and the offerings made to him.
8 The other half of Manasseh, along with Reuben and Gad, had already gotten their land from Moses. It was on the east side of the Jordan. 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 Their land ran from Aroer at the edge of the Arnon gorge. It included the town in the middle of the gorge. It stretched across the whole Medeba plain to Dibon. 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 It covered every city that belonged to King Sihon of the Amorites. He had ruled from Heshbon all the way to the Ammonite border. And all the cities of Sihon king of the Amorites, which reigned in Heshbon, unto the border of the children of Ammon;
11 It also included Gilead and the land of the Geshurites and Maacathites. It included all of Mount Hermon. It included all of Bashan as far as Salecah. And Gilead, and the border of the Geshurites and Maachathites, and all mount Hermon, and all Bashan unto Salcah;
12 This covered the whole kingdom of Og in Bashan, who had ruled from Ashtaroth and Edrei. Og was one of the last of the giant Rephaim. Moses had defeated these kings and taken their land. 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 But the Israelites never drove out the Geshurites or Maacathites. They continue living among the Israelites to this day. 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 The tribe of Levi was the only tribe that received no land. Their inheritance was the fire offerings made to the Lord, the God of Israel, just as God had told them. 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 Moses had given land to the tribe of Reuben, split among its family groups. And Moses gave unto the tribe of the children of Reuben inheritance according to their families.
16 Their land started at Aroer on the edge of the Arnon gorge. It included the town in the middle and covered the whole flat area near Medeba. 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 This included Heshbon and all the plateau towns: Dibon, Bamoth-baal, Beth-baal-meon, Heshbon, and all her cities that are in the plain; Dibon, and Bamoth-baal, and Beth-baal-meon,
18 Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath, And Jahazah, and Kedemoth, and Mephaath,
19 Kiriathaim, Sibmah, and Zereth-shahar on the hill overlooking the valley. And Kirjathaim, and Sibmah, and Zareth-shahar in the mount of the valley,
20 It also included Beth-peor, the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth-jeshimoth. And Beth-peor, and Ashdoth-pisgah, and Beth-jeshimoth,
21 It covered all the plateau towns and the whole kingdom of King Sihon of the Amorites. He had ruled from Heshbon. Moses had beaten Sihon and the five Midianite chiefs — Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba. They were Sihon's allies and lived in the area. 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 Among the people Israel killed in battle was Balaam son of Beor, the fortune-teller. Balaam also the son of Beor, the soothsayer, did the children of Israel slay with the sword among them that were slain by them.
23 The Jordan River formed Reuben's western boundary. This was the territory assigned to Reuben's tribe, divided among its family groups, with all its cities and villages. 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.
Territory of Gad
Study note
Gad received the territory of Jazer and all the cities of Gilead, plus half the land of the Ammonites as far as Aroer near Rabbah. Their land also included the area from Heshbon to Ramath-mizpeh and Betonim, and the Jordan Valley from Beth-haram to Beth-nimrah and Succoth. The Jordan River formed their western border.
24 Moses had also given land to the tribe of Gad, split among its family groups. And Moses gave inheritance unto the tribe of Gad, even unto the children of Gad according to their families.
25 Their land included Jazer and all the cities of Gilead. It included half the Ammonite land. It reached to Aroer near Rabbah. 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 It stretched from Heshbon to Ramath-mizpeh and Betonim. It went from Mahanaim to the Debir border. And from Heshbon unto Ramath-mizpeh, and Betonim; and from Mahanaim unto the border of Debir;
27 In the valley it included Beth-haram, Beth-nimrah, Succoth, and Zaphon. This was the rest of King Sihon's land, with Heshbon as his base. The Jordan River made up the western border, going up to the south end of the Sea of Galilee. And in the valley, Beth-aram, and Beth-nimrah, 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 was the land given to Gad's tribe, split among its family groups, with all its cities and villages. This is the inheritance of the children of Gad after their families, the cities, and their villages.
Territory of East Manasseh
Study note
The half-tribe of Manasseh received the territory north of Gad. Their land included the former kingdom of Og in Bashan, including all sixty towns of Jair and the cities of Ashtaroth and Edrei. Half of the descendants of Machir, Manasseh's son, received this land. The chapter ends by repeating that the tribe of Levi received no land inheritance because the Lord God of Israel was their inheritance.
29 Moses had also given land to the half-tribe of Manasseh. It was divided among its family groups. 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 Their land started at Mahanaim and covered all of Bashan — Og's whole former kingdom. This included all sixty towns of Jair in Bashan. 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 It also included half of Gilead plus Ashtaroth and Edrei, King Og's main cities in Bashan. This went to the children of Machir son of Manasseh -- half of Machir's children, sorted by their family groups. 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 Moses gave out these lands earlier. The Israelites were camped on the Moab plains then. They were across the Jordan from Jericho. 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 Moses gave no land to the tribe of Levi. The Lord, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, just as he promised them. But unto the tribe of Levi Moses gave not any inheritance: the LORD God of Israel was their inheritance, as he said unto them.