Joshua 13:7-14

A Description of the Land East of Jordan Joshua 13:7-14

7 Now therefore divide this land for an inheritance unto the nine tribes, and the half tribe of Manasseh,
8 With whom the Reubenites and the Gadites have received their inheritance, which Moses gave them, beyond Jordan eastward, even as Moses the servant of the Lord gave them;
9 From Aroer, that is upon the bank of the river Arnon, and the city that is in the midst of the river, and all the plain of Medeba unto Dibon;
10 And all the cities of Sihon king of the Amorites, which reigned in Heshbon, unto the border of the children of Ammon;
11 And Gilead, and the border of the Geshurites and Maachathites, and all mount Hermon, and all Bashan unto Salcah;
12 All the kingdom of Og in Bashan, which reigned in Ashtaroth and in Edrei, who remained of the remnant of the giants: for these did Moses smite, and cast them out.
13 Nevertheless the children of Israel expelled not the Geshurites, nor the Maachathites: but the Geshurites and the Maachathites dwell among the Israelites until this day.
14 Only unto the tribe of Levi he gave none inheritance; the sacrifices of the Lord God of Israel made by fire are their inheritance, as he said unto them.

3.

Why were there nine and a half tribes? Joshua 13:7

Since Reuben, Gad, and part of the tribe of Manasseh received an inheritance east of the Jordan, there were nine and a half tribes left to receive land west of the Jordan, The western tribes were to receive the major part of the Promised Land. They received territory which lay west of the Jordan River and extended to the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Since all of Simeon's territory lay within the boundaries of the land given to Judah, the Simeonites are not counted as a separate tribe. In reality, they were divided in Jacob and scattered in Israel (Genesis 49:7).

4.

What was the extent of the land east of the Jordan? Joshua 13:8-14

The territory east of the Jordan had all been conquered in the days of Moses. It is apparent that there was less territory unconquered in those campaigns. At least no mention is made of land which had not been taken from its original inhabitants. The land east of the Jordan extended north from Aroer, a settlement on the north bank of the Arnon River. This river flowed into the Dead Sea about halfway up the east coast of that body of water. The territory extended through all of what was called Gilead and reached to the territory east of the Sea of Galilee, This northern part had been ruled by Og and was best described by the word Bashan.

5.

Who were the giants? Joshua 13:12

The American Standard Version translates the word from the original language with the English word Rephaim. The word is elsewhere translated as dead things (Job 26:5), and the word seems to be a derivative of the verb which means to sink or to relax. It probably was a reference to the descendants of Rapha, and properly translated as a proper noun in the American Standard translation. Og did have a large bedstead, but he may have had this as a symbol of his affluence as much as for the accommodation of his large body (Deuteronomy 3:11).

6.

How did these people live among the Israelites? Joshua 13:13

Reference is made to the fact that the Geshurites and the Maachathites dwelt among the Israelites for a considerable length of time. If Joshua lived fifty years after he came into the Promised Land and perhaps even forty years after the original conquest was finished, sufficient time had elapsed to incline him to make mention of the fact that these people were still among the Israelites. Radical critics say this reference is an indication of the fact that the book was not written by Joshua, but the argument is not strong enough to overcome all the other indications of its having been written by Joshua.

7.

Why did the Levites receive no inheritance? Joshua 13:14

In two different verses of this chapter mention is made of the fact that the Levites did not receive an inheritance. One is in this verse and the other is in the closing verse of the chapter. In the latter instance it is said that the Lord God of Israel was their inheritance (Joshua 13:33). At this point it is said that the sacrifices of the Lord God of Israel made by fire are their inheritance. The descendants of Levi were given the responsibility of teaching the Law to the people of God. Out of their midst came the priestly family, the descendants of Aaron. They did not receive land which they could till, but they were given forty-eight cities in which they might live. Around these cities lay suburbs, or open ground which they could use for grazing animals or for other small crops, but it was not their privilege to have vineyards and fields of grain. They lived from the tithes and offerings made by the people of Israel. Certain portions of the sacrifices were designated for their consumption. This was God's way of taking care of these servants.