Joshua 13:15-23

The Territory of Reuben Joshua 13:15-23

15 And Moses gave unto the tribe of the children of Reuben inheritance according to their families.
16 And their coast was from Aroer, that is on the bank of the river Arnon, and the city that is in the midst of the river, and all the plain by Medeba;
17 Heshbon, and all her cities that are in the plain; Dibon, and Bamoth-baal, and Beth-baalmeon,
18 And Jahazah, and Kedemoth, and Mephaath,
19 And Kirjathaim, and Sibmah, and Zareth-shahar in the mount of the valley,
20 And Beth-peor, and Ashdoth-pisgah, and Beth-jeshimoth,
21 And all the cities of the plain, and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, which reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses smote with the princes of Midian, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, which were dukes of Sihon, dwelling in the country.
22 Balaam also the son of Beor, the soothsayer, did the children of Israel slay with the sword among them that were slain by them.
23 And the border of the children of Reuben was Jordan, and the border thereof. This was the inheritance of the children of Reuben after their families, the cities and the villages thereof.

8.

Where was the land of Reuben? Joshua 13:15-23

In general terms, the borders of the land of the tribe of Reuben may be described as follows: on the west, the Dead Sea and the Jordan River; on the south, the land of Moab; on the east, the land of Ammon; and on the north, the Wady Nusariyat. Sihon, king of the Amorites, had ruled this land; and it had been taken from him by the children of Israel in the campaign led by Moses (Numbers 21:21-31).

9.

Who had ruled this land formerly? Joshua 13:21

Sihon, king of the Amorites, had ruled over this land before the children of Israel conquered it. The conquest was made under the leadership of Moses (Numbers 21:24). His capital had been in Heshbon, the town which had originally belonged to the Moabites. Later it was made a Levitical city (Joshua 21:39). The present location is called Hesban and lies twenty miles east of the Jordan and stands some four thousand feet above the valley. An excellent spring is located at this point and thus it is an extremely pleasant location. Extensive ruins are still on the site. The king had several chiefs who assisted him in government, and Moses destroyed these along with their leader.

10.

Who was Balaam, the son of Beor? Joshua 13:22

Balaam was the soothsayer from the east who had been summoned by Balak, king of the Moabites (Numbers 22:5). He had been warned of God to speak only those things which were revealed to him by God. His cupidity was so strong that he is described in the New Testament as the epitome of avarice (2 Peter 2:15-16; cf. Jude 1:11). When God revealed only blessings for Israel through Balaam, Balaam stayed among the Moabites and was slain when Israel was purged of the foreign seducers who had come in among them (Numbers 31:8).