Joshua 13:1-6

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Joshua 13:1-6

Here, I. God puts Joshua in mind of his old age, Josh. 13:1. 1. It is said that Joshua was old and stricken in years, and he and Caleb were at this time the only old men among the thousands of Israel, none except them of all those who were numbered at Mount Sinai being now alive. He had been a man of war from his youth (Exod. 17:10); but now he yielded to the infirmities of age, with which it is in vain for the stoutest to think of contesting. It should seem Joshua had not the same strength... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 13:1

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 long after that: and the Lord said unto him : either spoke to him out of the tabernacle, or appeared to him in a dream or vision: thou art old, and stricken in years, and there... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 13:2

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 endeavour to possess themselves of, and what the Lord would deliver into their hands, provided they were obedient to his will, for, because they were not, hence many of these places never... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 13:3

From Sihor, which is before Egypt ,.... Which Jarchi and Kimchi interpret of the river Nile, and so that river is called, Jeremiah 2:18 ; 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 properly the river itself is here meant, which did not reach to the borders of Palestine, but a branch of it, a rivulet from it, for so a traveller F1 Jodocus a Gistella... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 13:4

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 Joshua 11:3 ; and, as it seems here, some in the south: now on the side of the south, as Kimchi interprets it, all the land of the Canaanites was left, that is, remained unconquered and not possessed: and Mearah that is beside... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 13:5

And the land of the Giblites ,.... This was another country that remained unconquered; the Greeks call it Byblus, and near to which Pliny F5 Ut supra. (Nat. Hist. l. 5. c. 20.) speaks of a place called Gabale, and is now called Gibyle; it is F6 Maundrel's Journey from Aleppo, &c.; p. 33. said to be"pleasantly situated by the seaside, and at present it contains but a little extent of ground, but yet more than enough for the small number of its inhabitants:'it was in greater... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 13:6

All the inhabitants of the hill country ,.... Not in Judea, but in and about Lebanon, as follows: from Lebanon unto Misrephothmaim ; of which see Joshua 11:8 , 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 possessed by the Israelites: them will I drive out from before the children of Israel : which, though it may have a special respect unto the Sidonians, with whom... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 13:1

Joshua was old - He is generally reputed to have been at this time about a hundred years of age: he had spent about seven years in the conquest of the land, and is supposed to have employed about one year in dividing it; and he died about ten years after, aged one hundred and ten years. It is very likely that he intended to subdue the whole land before he made the division of it among the tribes; but God did not think proper to have this done. So unfaithful were the Israelites that he... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 13:2

The borders of the Philistines, and all Geshuri - The borders of the Philistines may mean the land which they possessed on the sea-coast, southwest of the land of Canaan. There were several places named Geshuri, but that spoken of here was probably the region on the south of Canaan, towards Arabia, or towards Egypt. - Calmet. Cellarius supposes it to have been a country in the vicinity of the Amalekites. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 13:3

From Sihor, which is before Egypt - Supposed by some to be the Pelusiac branch of the Nile, near to the Arabian Desert; called also the river of Egypt, Numbers 34:5 ; Jeremiah 2:18 . On this subject an intelligent friend favors me with the following opinion: - "The river Sihor is supposed by some to be the Nile, or a branch of it. Others think it the same as what is frequently called the river of Egypt, which lay before or towards the borders of Egypt; which arose out of the mountains of... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Joshua 13:1-6

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 13:1

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 13:2

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 13:3

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 13:4

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 13:5

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 13:6

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 13:1

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 13:2

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 13:3

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