Day. The Israelites were satisfied with what they had already conquered. (Menochius) --- But herein they deserved blame, as they were ordered to reduce them entirely, and never suffer them to continue their idolatrous practices in the country which God had chosen for his people. (Haydock) read more
7-33 The land must be divided among the tribes. It is the will of God that every man should know his own, and not take that which is another's. The world must be governed, not by force, but right. Wherever our habitation is placed, and in whatever honest way our portion is assigned, we should consider them as allotted of God; we should be thankful for, and use them as such, while every prudent method should be used to prevent disputes about property, both at present and in future. Joshua must... read more
The Command to Distribute the Land v. 1. Now, Joshua was old and stricken in years, literally, "well advanced in days," said of one whose age is showing plainly; and the Lord said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed. These sections are now, by way of parenthesis, enumerated. v. 2. This is the land that yet remaineth: all the borders of the Philistines, literally, all the circles of the Philistines, the five city-states of the... read more
PART SECONDThe Division of the Land of CanaanJoshua 13-24____________SECTION FIRSTGod’s Command to Joshua to distribute the Land in West Palestine. Retrospective Glance at the Territory already assigned to the Two and a Half Tribes East of the Jordan. Beginning of the Division. Caleb’s PortionJoshua 13:14____________1. God’s Command to Joshua to distribute the LandJoshua 13:1-71Now [And] Joshua was old and stricken in years [far gone in years; Fay: come into the days; De Wette: come into the... read more
The second half of the Book of Joshua deals with the settlement of the people in the promised land. Dean Stanley says: "In the Book of Joshua we have what may without offense be termed The Domesday Book of the Conquest of Canaan.' Ten chapters of that Book are devoted to a description of the country in which not only are its general features and boundaries laid down, but the names and situations of its towns and villages enumerated with the precision of geographical terms which encourages, and... read more
The Land Allocated to the Two and a Half Tribes Beyond the Jordan - Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh - And Levi’s Inheritance (Joshua 13:8-14 ). Joshua 13:8 ‘ With him the Reubenites and the Gadites received their inheritance, which Moses gave them Beyond Jordan Eastward, even as Moses the Servant of YHWH gave them.’ This takes up the previous reference to Manasseh. Manasseh (‘with him’) also received, along with Reuben and Gad, an inheritance east of Jordan. Note the double stress on it... read more
Joshua 13. Parts of the Land as yet Unconquered. In heritance of the Two and a Half Tribes on the E. of Jordan.— In Joshua 13:1 we meet with a statement which causes surprise. The whole land has been subdued ( Joshua 11:23 to Joshua 12:24), yet now we read that even in Joshua’ s old age there remained “ very much land to be possessed.” This plainly comes from an older source than ch. 12, and is very much nearer the true state of things. The later writer, however, in order to bring the... read more
These did Moses smite; not all now mentioned, as appears from Joshua 13:13, but Sihon and Og, and their people, and the generality of them, which he had now named, some of them being excepted. read more
This seems added by way of anticipation and reflection upon the present Israelites; implying, that although Moses did and might permit them to remain, both because the land which he had conquered was more than enough for the Israelitish possessors, and because being intent upon their passage over Jordan into the land of Canaan, he would not delay them, by searching their enemies out of all their corners; yet they were in fault, in not going on and perfecting the work which was begun by Moses,... read more
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Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary - Joshua 13:8-13
The portion of the Reubenites, the descendants of Israel's first-born, is here again mentioned. Moses had divided this before his death to this tribe. Deuteronomy 3:12-17 . And here Joshua confirms that grant, at the command of God. I would only detain the Reader to remark to him, that within the portion of this tribe, was situated the Mount of Pisgah, from whence Moses was permitted to see the promised land. And according to the history of the event, it could not be far remote, where the... read more