Joshua 13

Passage overview

Joshua 13 details, during the process of the Israelites conquering the land of Canaan, the remaining areas that had not yet been conquered, as well as the boundaries of the land to be allotted to each tribe. Before the full-scale land allotment begins, this chapter serves as an important turning point that summarizes the current situation and confirms God’s instructions regarding the remaining tasks.

1verseNow Joshua was old and well advanced in years. The LORD said to him, “You are old and advanced in years, and there remains yet very much land to be possessed.

2verse“This is the land that still remains: all the regions of the Philistines, and all the Geshurites;

3versefrom the Shihor, which is before Egypt, even to the border of Ekron northward, which is counted as Canaanite; the five lords of the Philistines; the Gazites, and the Ashdodites, the Ashkelonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avvim,

4verseon the south; all the land of the Canaanites, and Mearah that belongs to the Sidonians, to Aphek, to the border of the Amorites;

5verseand the land of the Gebalites, and all Lebanon, toward the sunrise, from Baal Gad under Mount Hermon to the entrance of Hamath;

6verseall the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim, even all the Sidonians. I will drive them out from before the children of Israel. Just allocate it to Israel for an inheritance, as I have commanded you.

7verseNow therefore divide this land for an inheritance to the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh.”

8verseWith him the Reubenites and the Gadites received their inheritance, which Moses gave them, beyond the Jordan eastward, even as Moses the servant of the LORD gave them:

9versefrom Aroer, that is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, and the city that is in the middle of the valley, and all the plain of Medeba to Dibon;

10verseand all the cities of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, to the border of the children of Ammon;

11verseand Gilead, and the border of the Geshurites and Maacathites, and all Mount Hermon, and all Bashan to Salecah;

12verseall the kingdom of Og in Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth and in Edrei (who was left of the remnant of the Rephaim); for Moses attacked these, and drove them out.

13verseNevertheless the children of Israel didn’t drive out the Geshurites, nor the Maacathites: but Geshur and Maacath live within Israel to this day.

14verseOnly he gave no inheritance to the tribe of Levi. The offerings of the LORD, the God of Israel, made by fire are his inheritance, as he spoke to him.

15verseMoses gave to the tribe of the children of Reuben according to their families.

16verseTheir border was from Aroer, that is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, and the city that is in the middle of the valley, and all the plain by Medeba;

17verseHeshbon, and all its cities that are in the plain; Dibon, Bamoth Baal, Beth Baal Meon,

18verseJahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath,

19verseKiriathaim, Sibmah, Zereth Shahar in the mount of the valley,

20verseBeth Peor, the slopes of Pisgah, Beth Jeshimoth,

21verseall the cities of the plain, and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses struck with the chiefs of Midian, Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the princes of Sihon, who lived in the land.

22verseThe children of Israel also killed Balaam the son of Beor, the soothsayer, with the sword, among the rest of their slain.

23verseThe border of the children of Reuben was the bank of the Jordan. This was the inheritance of the children of Reuben according to their families, the cities and its villages.

24verseMoses gave to the tribe of Gad, to the children of Gad, according to their families.

25verseTheir border was Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the children of Ammon, to Aroer that is near Rabbah;

26verseand from Heshbon to Ramath Mizpeh, and Betonim; and from Mahanaim to the border of Debir;

27verseand in the valley, Beth Haram, Beth Nimrah, Succoth, and Zaphon, the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon, the Jordan’s bank, to the uttermost part of the sea of Chinnereth beyond the Jordan eastward.

28verseThis is the inheritance of the children of Gad according to their families, the cities and its villages.

29verseMoses gave an inheritance to the half-tribe of Manasseh. It was for the half-tribe of the children of Manasseh according to their families.

30verseTheir border was from Mahanaim, all Bashan, all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, and all the villages of Jair, which are in Bashan, sixty cities.

31verseHalf Gilead, Ashtaroth, and Edrei, the cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan, were for the children of Machir the son of Manasseh, even for the half of the children of Machir according to their families.

32verseThese are the inheritances which Moses distributed in the plains of Moab, beyond the Jordan at Jericho, eastward.

33verseBut Moses gave no inheritance to the tribe of Levi. The LORD, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, as he spoke to them.

Structure and Flow

  • Verses 1-7: God tells Joshua that he has grown old and commands him to allot the still-undistributed land (such as the land of the Philistines, the Geshurites, and various other Canaanite peoples) to Israel by listing those lands.
  • Verses 8-33: The status of the allotment east of the Jordan (the land that Moses has already assigned) is summarized. It also includes the land and boundaries received by the half-tribe of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh, as well as the special circumstances of the Levites mentioned in that process (they have no inheritance).

Overall Meaning

Even though the conquest is not fully complete, Joshua 13 makes us think about why the land allotment is commanded and what the faith contained within it means. Since God has already promised it, He wants the Israelites to move forward, receiving the land allotted to each tribe by faith before complete conquest is achieved. In addition, this process records both the past history (the eastern land already assigned through Moses) and the future promises (the land that has not yet been taken), showing the faithfulness of God and the continuity of His plan.

Meditation Points

  • Even though Joshua’s age is mentioned, we can consider what it looks like for God to use a person to the very end in our own lives—because God still assigns him a mission.
  • While facing parts that have not yet been conquered, we can meditate on the faith and trust contained in God’s words declaring that He has already given that land to Israel.

Applying It to Myself

  • When there are still things I have not yet completed and assignments that remain, I can examine and apply how I should take one step at a time in obedience while looking to the future that God has already promised.
  • It can also become a time for me to reflect once again on what roles and missions God has given me and how I am currently carrying them out—turning away from my age and abilities and returning to myself before God’s command.