Joshua 13:15-23

The Portion of Reuben (Joshua 13:15).

Joshua 13:15

‘ And Moses gave to the tribe of Reuben according to their families.'

The division of the land took account of the sizes of the tribes (Numbers 26:53). Note how the ‘numbers' are expressed as ‘according to their families'. Thus ‘families' is basically a number word in these contexts. The word for ‘tribe' also signifies a staff or rod of authority, also used for chastisement. It is used especially in formal lists and descriptions where authority over, and responsibility for chastisement of, the people is in mind. In a sense the tribe was the rod, to direct and to punish.

Between Joshua 13:14 LXX adds ‘This is the division which Moses divided to the sons of Israel in the plains of Moab beyond Jordan over against Jericho.' This was clearly an insertion in order to explain ‘Moses gave'. It is stressed that the original division in the land Beyond Jordan Eastward was arranged by Moses.