Joshua 13:16-20

‘ And their border was from Aroer which is on the edge of the valley of Arnon, and the city which is in the middle of the valley, and all the tableland by Medeba; Heshbon and all her cities which are in the tableland; Dibon and Bamoth-baal and Beth-baal-meon, and Jahaz and Kedemoth and Mephaath, and Kiriathaim and Sibmah, and Zereth-shahar in the mount of the valley, and Beth-peor, and the slopes of Pisgah and Beth-jeshimoth.'

The inheritance was deliberately listed in terms of cities and villages rather than borders (see verse 23), although borders were briefly mentioned. This was to bring out the splendour of what they had received. As they had already been settled the identification of borders was not so important (they were already practically determined). For the first mentioned cities see on Joshua 12:2; Joshua 13:9.

Bamoth-baal means ‘high places of Baal' (Numbers 22:41). Thus it had almost certainly been a centre of Baal worship. It is also mentioned in Numbers 21:19. Balak took Balaam to it when he wanted to look down over the full extent of the forces of Israel so it must have been in a commanding position. For Beth-baal-meon, modern Ma‘in, compare ‘Beth-meon' (Jeremiah 48:23) and Beon (Numbers 32:3). Built by the Reubenites it was later captured by the Moabites and along with Kiriathaim and Jahaz was mentioned in the Moabite Stone.

For Jahaz see Joshua 21:36; Numbers 21:23; Deuteronomy 2:32; Judges 11:20. It was the place where Sihon fought Israel and was vanquished. Residence in it was soon to be assigned to the Merarite Levites (Joshua 21:24; Joshua 21:36). It was later lost to Israel. Its site is in doubt. Kedemoth is probably modern ez-Za‘feran about sixteen kilometres north of the Arnon just inside Sihon's territory on the eastern border. It became a levitical city (Joshua 21:37; 1 Chronicles 6:29) giving its name to a nearby desert area (Deuteronomy 2:26). The site of Mephaath is unknown (but see Joshua 21:37; Jeremiah 48:21) although Tel el-Yawah has been suggested. Kiriathaim is the dual form of qirya (city, town) and therefore means double city. See Numbers 32:37; Genesis 14:5). Its site has not yet been located.

“Sibmah, and Zereth-shahar in the mount of the valley, and Beth-peor, and the slopes of Pisgah and Beth-jeshimoth.” Sibmah is identical with Sebam (Numbers 32:3; Numbers 32:38). Originally a land for cattle (Numbers 32:4) it became famous for its vines and summer fruit. It later reverted to Moab. Isaiah 16:8 and Jeremiah 48:32 bewailed its desolation. It is possibly to be identified with Khirbet Qurn el-Qibsh near Heshbon. Zereth-shahar was probably situated on a height overlooking the Jordan Rift valley (compare verse 27). It has been connected with es-Sara, the hot springs on the north west slope of Mount ‘Attarus.

Beth-peor (House or Temple of Peor) was probably related to the worship of Baal-peor (Numbers 25:3). It was near here that Israel gathered to hear Moses' final exhortation (Deuteronomy 3:29; Deuteronomy 4:44) and that Moses was buried (Deuteronomy 34:6). It was thus near Mount Nebo. It is remarkable that the site of Moses' sepulchre was so quickly forgotten (Deuteronomy 34:6), a sign of how involved the people were with the conflicts in Canaan. Possibly he was buried secretly by Joshua at his own request to prevent an obsession with his tomb, because he did not want men's eyes fixed outside the land of God's promises and covenant. Or it simply be that his body was never found. (We do not know what, ‘He (YHWH) buried him in the valley in the land of Moab opposite Beth-peor' actually indicates, and whether He was to be seen as using a human instrument).

Beth-jeshimoth (house of the deserts) was near the north east shore of the Dead Sea (Numbers 33:49) in the Jordan Rift valley. The ‘slopes of Pisgah' (Ashdoth-pisgah') may refer to the entire edge of the Moabite plateau east and north east of the Dead Sea (compare Joshua 13:20; Deuteronomy 3:17; Deuteronomy 4:49). Pisgah also refers to a specific peak or ridge associated with Mount Nebo (Numbers 21:20; Deuteronomy 3:27; Deuteronomy 34:1).

So all these towns and cities had been redeemed for YHWH. But because of Israel's later disobedience they were lost and seized by Moab. It is a warning of what happens if we start well but fail to go on in the same way.