Joshua 13:1-7
New English Translation
The Lord Speaks to Joshua
13 When Joshua was very old,[a] the Lord told him, “You are very old, and a great deal of land remains to be conquered. 2 This is the land that remains: all the territory of the Philistines and all the Geshurites, 3 from the Shihor River[b] east of[c] Egypt northward to the territory of Ekron (it is regarded as Canaanite territory),[d] including the area belonging to the five Philistine lords who ruled in Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron, as well as Avvite land[e] 4 to the south;[f] all the Canaanite territory,[g] from Arah[h] in the region of Sidon[i] to Aphek, as far as Amorite territory; 5 the territory of Byblos[j] and all Lebanon to the east, from Baal Gad below Mount Hermon to Lebo Hamath.[k] 6 I will drive out before the Israelites all who live in the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim,[l] all the Sidonians; you be sure to parcel it out to Israel as I instructed you.[m] 7 Now, divide up this land[n] among the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Joshua 13:1 tn Heb “was old, coming into the days.” This expression, referring to advancing in years, also occurs in the following clause.
- Joshua 13:3 tn Heb “the Shihor”; the word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied to clarify the meaning.
- Joshua 13:3 tn Heb “in front of.”
- Joshua 13:3 tn Heb “it is reckoned to the Canaanites.”
- Joshua 13:3 tn Heb “the five lords of the Philistines, the Gazaite, the Ashdodite, the Ashkelonite, the Gathite, and the Ekronite, and the Avvites.”
- Joshua 13:4 tn Or “from Teman.” The phrase is especially problematic if taken with what follows, as the traditional verse division suggests. For further discussion see T. C. Butler, Joshua (WBC), 146.
- Joshua 13:4 tn Heb “all the land of the Canaanites.”
- Joshua 13:4 tc The reading “Arah” assumes a slight emendation of the Hebrew vowel pointing. The MT reads, “and a cave,” or “and Mearah” (if one understands the word as a proper noun).
- Joshua 13:4 tn Heb “which belongs to the Sidonians.”
- Joshua 13:5 tn Heb “and the land of the Gebalites.”
- Joshua 13:5 tn Or “the entrance to Hamath.” Most modern translations take the phrase “Lebo Hamath” to be a proper name, but often provide a note with the alternative, where “Hamath” is the proper name and לְבוֹא (levoʾ) is taken to mean “entrance to.”
- Joshua 13:6 tn The meaning of the Hebrew name “Misrephoth Maim” is perhaps “lime-kilns by the water” (see HALOT 641 s.v. מִשְׂרָפוֹת).
- Joshua 13:6 tn Heb “only you, assign it by lots to Israel as an inheritance as I commanded you.”
- Joshua 13:7 tn Heb “now apportion this land as an inheritance.”
Joshua 13:1-7
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Parts of Canaan Still Unconquered
13 Now Joshua was old and advanced in years, and the Lord said to him, “You are old and advanced in years, and very much of the land still remains to be possessed.(A) 2 This is the land that still remains: all the regions of the Philistines, and all those of the Geshurites 3 (from the Shihor, which is near Egypt, northward to the boundary of Ekron, it is reckoned as Canaanite; there are five rulers of the Philistines, those of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron), and those of the Avvim(B) 4 in the south; all the land of the Canaanites, and Mearah that belongs to the Sidonians, to Aphek, to the boundary of the Amorites, 5 and the land of the Gebalites, and all Lebanon, toward the east, from Baal-gad below Mount Hermon to Lebo-hamath, 6 all the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephoth-maim, even all the Sidonians. I will myself drive them out from before the Israelites; only allot the land to Israel for an inheritance, as I have commanded you.(C) 7 Now, therefore, divide this land for an inheritance to the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh.”
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