Joshua 13 · WEB
Land Still to Be Taken; Allotments East of the Jordan
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Now Joshua was old and well advanced in years. Yahweh said to him, "You are old and advanced in years, and there remains very much land still to be possessed.
2This is the land that still remains: all the regions of the Philistines, and all the Geshurites;
3from the Shihor, which is before Egypt, even to the border of Ekron northward, which is counted as Canaanite; the five lords of the Philistines; the Gazites, and the Ashdodites, the Ashkelonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avvim,
4on the south; all the land of the Canaanites, and Mearah that belongs to the Sidonians, to Aphek, to the border of the Amorites;
5and the land of the Gebalites, and all of Lebanon toward the sunrise, from Baal Gad under Mount Hermon to the entrance of Hamath;
6all the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim, even all the Sidonians. I will drive them out from before the children of Israel. Only allocate it to Israel for an inheritance, as I have commanded you.
7Now therefore divide this land for an inheritance to the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh."
8With the other half-tribe, the Reubenites and the Gadites received their inheritance, which Moses gave them, beyond the Jordan eastward, even as Moses the servant of Yahweh gave them:
9from Aroer, which is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, and the city that is in the middle of the valley, and all the plain of Medeba to Dibon;
10and all the cities of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, to the border of the children of Ammon;
11and Gilead, and the border of the Geshurites and Maacathites, and all Mount Hermon, and all Bashan to Salecah;
12all the kingdom of Og in Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth and in Edrei—he alone was left of the remnant of the Rephaim—for Moses struck these and drove them out.
13Nevertheless the children of Israel didn't drive out the Geshurites or the Maacathites; but Geshur and Maacath live within Israel to this day.
14Only he gave no inheritance to the tribe of Levi. The offerings of Yahweh, the God of Israel, made by fire are their inheritance, as he spoke to him.
15Moses gave to the tribe of the children of Reuben according to their families.
16Their border was from Aroer, which is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, and the city that is in the middle of the valley, and all the plain by Medeba;
17Heshbon, and all its cities that are in the plain; Dibon, Bamoth Baal, Beth Baal Meon,
18Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath,
19Kiriathaim, Sibmah, Zereth Shahar in the mount of the valley,
20Beth Peor, the slopes of Pisgah, Beth Jeshimoth,
21all the cities of the plain, and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses struck with the chiefs of Midian: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the princes of Sihon, who lived in the land.
22The children of Israel also killed Balaam the son of Beor, the soothsayer, with the sword, among those who were killed by them.
23The border of the children of Reuben was the Jordan, and its banks. This was the inheritance of the children of Reuben according to their families, the cities and its villages.
24Moses gave to the tribe of Gad, to the children of Gad, according to their families.
25Their border was Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the children of Ammon, to Aroer that is before Rabbah;
26and from Heshbon to Ramath Mizpah, and Betonim; and from Mahanaim to the border of Debir;
27and in the valley, Beth Haram, Beth Nimrah, Succoth, and Zaphon, the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon, the Jordan and its banks, to the uttermost part of the sea of Chinneroth eastward beyond the Jordan.
28This is the inheritance of the children of Gad according to their families, the cities and their villages.
29Moses gave an inheritance to the half-tribe of Manasseh; and it was for the half-tribe of the children of Manasseh according to their families.
30Their border was from Mahanaim, all of Bashan, all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, and all the towns of Jair, which are in Bashan, sixty cities;
31and half of Gilead, and Ashtaroth, and Edrei, the cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan, were for the children of Machir the son of Manasseh, even for half of the children of Machir according to their families.
32These are the inheritances which Moses distributed in the plains of Moab, beyond the Jordan at Jericho, eastward.
33But Moses gave no inheritance to the tribe of Levi. Yahweh, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, as he spoke to them.
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Summary
God tells the aging Joshua that substantial portions of the land remain unconquered, particularly along the Philistine coast and in Lebanon. Nevertheless, God commands Joshua to immediately begin dividing the whole land among the tribes, including territory not yet in hand — an act of faith that God will complete what He has started. The chapter then records the eastern allotments (already given by Moses) for Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh in the Transjordan. The Levites receive no land inheritance; their inheritance is Yahweh Himself and the offerings made to Him.
Themes
- Incomplete obedience — much land remains; the task is unfinished
- Faith-based allocation — dividing land not yet fully conquered
- The Levites' unique inheritance: God Himself rather than territory
- The Transjordan tribes' settled inheritance east of the Jordan
Key verses
- Josh 13:1 — “You are old and advanced in years, and there remains very much land still to be possessed.”
- Josh 13:33 — “But Moses gave no inheritance to the tribe of Levi. Yahweh, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, as he spoke to them.”
- Josh 13:6 — “I will drive them out from before the children of Israel. Only allocate it to Israel for an inheritance, as I have commanded you.”
Context & background
The land "still to be possessed" includes the Philistine coastal plain (the five city-states of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron — all in modern Israel/Gaza), as well as the Phoenician coastline of modern Lebanon. These regions would remain a thorn in Israel's side for centuries — the Philistines in particular would become Israel's dominant enemy during the period of the Judges and early monarchy. The Transjordan allotments correspond to modern Jordan: Reuben received territory around modern Heshbon (Hisban), Gad received Gilead (northern Jordan), and the half-tribe of Manasseh received Bashan (the Golan Heights and southern Syria). The note about Balaam's death (v. 22) connects to Numbers 31:8.
Cross-references
- Ezekiel 48 — The eschatological redistribution of the land among the tribes, revisiting Joshua's allotments
- Judges 1:19-36 — The incomplete conquest described in Joshua 13 is confirmed; Israel fails to drive out many Canaanites
- Numbers 18:20 — "I am your portion and your inheritance" — God's promise to Aaron and the Levites
- Numbers 32:1-42 — The eastern tribes' request for land east of the Jordan and Moses' conditional granting of it
- Psalm 16:5 — "Yahweh is my chosen portion and my cup" — the Levites' inheritance applied spiritually