God commandeth Josue to divide the land – Joshua, chapter 13

God commandeth Josue to divide the land: the possessions of Ruben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasses, beyond the Jordan.

[1] Josue was old, and far advanced in years, and the Lord said to him: Thou art grown old, and advanced in age, and there is a very large country left, which is not yet divided by lot: [2] To wit, all Galilee, Philistia, and all Gessuri. [3] From the troubled river, that watereth Egypt, unto the borders of Accaron northward: the land of Chanaan, which is divided among the lords of the Philistines, the Gazites, the Azotians, the Ascalonites, the Gethites, and the Accronites. [4] And on the south side are the Hevites, all the land of Chanaan, and Maara of the Sidonians as far as Apheca, and the borders of the Amorrhite, [5] And his confines. The country also of Libanus towards the east from Baalgad under mount Hermon to the entering into Emath.

[6] Of all that dwell in the mountains from Libanus, to the waters of Maserephoth, and all the Sidonians. I am he that will cut them off from before the face of the children of Israel. So let their land come in as a part of the inheritance of Israel, as I have commanded thee. [7] And now divide the land in possession to the nine tribes, and to the half tribe of Manasses, [8] With whom Ruben and Gad have possessed the land, which Moses the servant of the Lord delivered to them beyond the river Jordan, on the east side. [9] From Aroer, which is upon the bank of the torrent Arnon, and in the midst of the valley and all the plains of Medaba, as far as Dibon: [10] And all the cities of Sehon, king of the Amorrhites, who reigned in Hesebon, unto the borders of the children of Ammon.

[11] And Galaad, and the borders of Gessuri and Machati, and all mount Hermon, and all Basan as far as Salecha, [12] All the kingdom of Og in Basan, who reigned in Astaroth and Edrai, he was of the remains of the Raphaims: and Moses overthrew and destroyed them. [13] And the children of Israel would not destroy Gessuri and Machati: and they have dwelt in the midst of Israel, until this present day. [14] But to the tribe of Levi he gave no possession: but the sacrifices and victims of the Lord God of Israel, are his inheritance, as he spoke to him. [15] And Moses gave a possession to the children of Ruben according to their kindreds.

[16] And their border was from Aroer, which is on the bank of the torrent Arnon, and in the midst of the valley of the same torrent: all the plain, that leadeth to Medaba, [17] And Hesebon, and all their villages, which are in the plains. Dibon also, and Bamothbaal, and the town of Baalmaon, [18] And Jassa, and Cidimoth, and Mephaath, [19] And Cariathaim, and Sabama, and Sarathasar in the mountain of the valley. [20] Bethphogor and Asedoth, Phasga and Bethiesimoth,

[21] And all the cities of the plain, and all the kingdoms of Sehon king of the Amorrhites, that reigned in Hesebon, whom Moses slew with the princes of Madian: Hevi, and Recem, and Sur and Hur, and Rebe, dukes of Sehon inhabitants of the land. [22] Balaam also the son of Beer the soothsayer, the children of Israel slew with the sword among the rest that were slain. [23] And the river Jordan was the herder of the children of Ruben. This is the possession of the Rubenites, by their kindreds, of cities and villages. [24] And Moses gave to the tribe of Gad and to his children by their kindreds a possession, of which this is the division. [25] The border of Jaser, and all the cities of Galaad, and half the land of the children of Ammon: as far as Aroer which is over against Rabba:

[26] And from Hesebon unto Ramoth, Masphe and Betonim: and from Manaim unto the borders of Dabir. [27] And in the valley Betharan and Bethnemra, and Socoth, and Saphon the other part of the kingdom of Sehon king of Hesebon: the limit of this also is the Jordan, as far as the uttermost part of the sea of Cenereth beyond the Jordan on the east side. [28] This is the possession of the children of Gad by their families, their cities, and villages. [29] He gave also to the half tribe of Manasses and his children possession according to their kindreds, [30] The beginning whereof is this: from Manaim all Basan, and all the kingdoms of Og king of Basan, and all the villages of Jair, which are in Basan, threescore towns.

[31] And half Galaad, and Astaroth, and Edrai, cities of the kingdom of Og in Basan: to the children of Machir, the son of Manasses, to one half of the children of Machir according to their kindreds. [32] This possession Moses divided in the plains of Moab, beyond the Jordan, over against Jericho on the east side. [33] But to the tribe of Levi he gave no possession: because the Lord the God of Israel himself is their possession, as he spoke to them.

Commentary

[1] “Josue was old, and far advanced in years”: He was then about one hundred and one years old.– And there is a very large country left.

[1] “Which is not yet divided by lot”: Not yet possessed by the children of Israel.

[8] “With whom”: That is, with the other half of that same tribe.

[21] “The princes of Madian”: It appears from hence that these were subjects of king Sehon: they are said to have been slain with him, that is, about the same time, but not in the same battle.

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