Annotations Upon the Historical Books Part 2, Joshua · Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII.
Verſ. 1. NOw Joſhua was old and ſtricken in years, and the Lord ſaid unto him, Thou art old, &c.] God had promiſed that Joſhua ſhould divide this land unto the people, chap. 1.6. Be ſtrong, and of a good courage: For unto this people ſhalt thou divide for an inheritance the land which I ſware unto their fathers to give them (and herein was he a type of Chriſt, who having vanquiſhed all our enemies, is now aſcended up into heaven to prepare a place for us, John 14.2. In my fathers houſe are many manſions; if it were not ſo, I would have told you: I go to prepare a place for you.) He therefore being now old, God calls upon him to diſpatch this work before he dyes, and not to deferre it till they were poſſeſſed of all, as happely he thought he muſt have done.
Verſ. 2. This is the land that ſtill remaineth: all the borders of the Philiſtines, and all Geſhuri.] The land of the Philiſtines lay along the coaſts of the midland ſea; and the land of Geſhuri was on the North part of Canaan.
Verſ. 3. From Sihor, which is before Egypt, even unto the borders of Ekron northward, which is counted to the Canaanite, &c.] That is, this land of the Philiſtines belongs to Canaan, & conſequently to the Iſraelites, though as yet they have not taken it: For the Philiſtines (called Caphtorims becauſe thence they came, Amos 9.7. Have not I brought up Iſrael out of the land of Egypt? and the Philiſtines from Caphtor?) entered upon this part of Canaan, drove out the old inhabitants and dwelt in it themſelves, Deut. 2.23. The Avims which dwelt in Hazerim, even unto Azzah, the Caphtorims, which came forth out of Caphtor, deſtroyed them and dwelt in their ſtead. Concerning Sihor, ſee the note upon Num. 34.30.
Alſo the Avites.] Or the Avims, Deut. 2.23. who being expelled out of their land by the Philiſtines as is above noted, did yet it ſeems continue in ſome portion of their land adjoyning to the Philiſtines.
Verſ. 4. From the ſouth all the land of the Canaanites, &c.] That is, as this land of the Philiſtines, which lies at the ſouth end of the ſea-coaſts, ſo alſo all the land of the Canaanites from thence along the ſea-coaſts, was not yet poſſeſſed by the Iſraelites, even Mearah (or the cave) that is beſides the Sidonians and Aphek, a town in the tribe of Aſher not farre from Sidon, and ſo to the borders of the Amorites; for there were Amorites on both ſides of Jordan: There was a town indeed called Aphek whoſe king was ſlain by Joſhua, chap. 12.18. but this it ſeems was not that, but another in the tribe of Aſher called Aphik, Judges 1.31.
Verſ. 5. And the land of the Giblites, and all Lebanon toward the ſunne riſing, &c.] The Giblites were a people who inhabited Gebel, Pſal. 83.7. a promontary near Sidon. All their countrey and all Lebanon, &c. was not yet ſubdued. For now he turns to the midland ſea, to ſhew what lay unvanquiſhed on the northern bounds, to wit, the countrey about Libanus; and ſo eaſternly as farre as Hamath, where even in Davids time there was a Canaanitiſh king, 2. Sam. 8.9.
Verſ. 6. Them will I drive out before the children of Iſrael.] This promiſe is to be underſtood conditionally, if they ſhould continue faithfull in keeping covenant with him; wherein failing they never came to poſſeſſe them, though in Davids and Solomons time they became tributary unto them.
OnelyOnly divide thou it by lot unto the Iſraelites, &c.] That is, even that land before ſpoken of, not yet conquered; which God enjoyns to ſtrengthen their faith, and that having it in their charter from God, this might be a ſpurre to them in future times not to neglect the ſeeking of it, and driving out the reſt of the nations. See the note upon Num. 26.53.
Verſ. 8. With whom the Reubenites, and the Gadites have received their inheritance, &c.] That is, with which tribe of Manaſſeh, (to wit, the other half of them) the Reubenites and the Gadites had already received their inheritance without Jordan. For theſe words are added, to ſhew the reaſon why in the foregoing verſe, Joſhua was commanded to divide the land within Jordan, to the nine tribes and the half tribe of Manaſſeh, to wit, becauſe the Reubenites and the Gadites had already received their inheritance together with the other half of the Manaſſites in the land without Jordan, which Moſes had given them. And though there may ſeem to be a tautology, or a vain repetition of the ſame thing in the following words, which Moſes gave them, even as Moſes the ſervant of the Lord gave them, yet if the words be well weighed we ſhall find it is not ſo; for that ſecond clauſe, even as Moſes the ſervant of the Lord gave them, is added, as it were, to imply the juſt confirming of the former donation now by Joſhua, and the reſt that now divided the land; as if it had been ſaid, they have already received their inheritance which Moſes gave them beyond Jordan, as is fitting, becauſe Moſes the ſervant of the Lord did ſo order it.
Verſ. 9. From Aroer that is upon the bank of the river Arnon, &c.] Here firſt the whole land without Jordan is deſcribed, which was by Moſes given to the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the one half tribe of Manaſſeh; and then afterwards is ſhown what each of them had ſeverally.
Verſ. 11. And Gilead, and the border of the Geſhurites and Maachathites.] Even the border of the Geſhurites and the Maachathites are here mentioned as a part of the land without Jordan, belonging to the two tribes and a half planted there, becauſe Moſes had indeed given them their countrey together with the reſt, though as yet they had it not in their poſſeſſion, as is afterwards expreſſed verſe 13.
Verſ. 12. For theſe did Moſes ſmite and caſt them out.] To wit, Sihon and Og before mentioned and their people. For this cannot be referred to all the inhabitants of the land before named, becauſe it is expreſſely ſaid in the following verſe, that the Geſhurites and the Maachathites were not caſt out.
Verſ. 13. Nevertheleſſe the children of Iſrael expelled not the Geſhurites, &c.] Though the land without Jordan was vanquiſhed whileſt Moſes was yet living, yet they did not then drive out theſe Geſhurites & Maachathites, who inhabited the outmoſt skirts of the countrey, to wit, becauſe having in their poſſeſſion enough for the preſent uſe of the two tribes and a half that were planted there, it was not judged requiſite to delay their paſſing over Jordan till they had fully cleared all the utmoſt corners of that land. Neither was it therefore any ſinne in Moſes and the Iſraelites thus at firſt to forbear a while the caſting out of theſe people. But yet when in after times they continued ſtill to ſuffer them to rooſt amongſt them, that was an act of baſe ſloth, and is noted doubtleſſe in the laſt words of this verſe to their juſt reproch, the Geſhurites and the Maachathites dwell among the Iſraelites untill this day.
Verſ. 14. OnelyOnly unto the tribe of Levi he gave none inheritance.] This, which is in ſo many places repeated, is here inſerted to ſhew the reaſon of that, verſe 7. why God enjoyned Joſhua to divide the land within Jordan unto the nine tribes and the half of Manaſſeh, to wit, becauſe the tribe of Levi was to have no part of the land; for had they been to have had a ſhare too, there would have been ſtill ten tribes and a half to provide for.
Verſ. 15. And Moſes gave unto the tribe of the children of Reuben inheritance according to their families.] That is, proportionably according to the number of their families. Now the bounds of each tribe are thus exactly ſet down to prevent all diſcord and diviſion for the time to come.
Verſ. 16. And their coaſt was from Aroer, &c.] That is, it reached from Aroer excluſively. Aroer indeed belonged to the tribe of Gad, Num. 32.34. And the children of Gad built Dibon and Ataroth and Aroer. So that the city of Aroer and the outſides of the plains of Medeba (for the plain it ſelf was a part of Reubens poſſeſſion) are here made the bounds for this tribe.
Verſ. 17. Heſhbon and all her cities that are in the plain of Dibon, &c.] This town is reckoned amongſt Reubens poſſeſſions, Num. 32.37. And the children of Reuben built Heſhbon, yet Joſh. 21.39. and 1. Chron. 6.81. it is reckoned amongſt the cities of Gad given to the Levites. The next city Dibon is indeed reckoned amongſt the cities of Gad, Num. 32.34. And the children of Gad built Dibon, but the reaſon of this is, becauſe they ſtood in the confines of both tribes, and ſo were in common inhabited by both.
Verſ. 21. And all the kingdome of Sihon king of the Amorites which reigned in Heſhbon.] That is, and all the kingdome of Sihon in thoſe parts within the bounds before mentioned: for it is expreſſely ſaid, verſe 27. that the reſt of the kingdome of Sihon king of Heſhon was given to Gad. And this ſeems added, partly to imply that though ſome of theſe cities had been the Moabites, yet at that time they were Sihons, and ſo according to Gods commandment they meddled not with the Ammonites and Moabites countrey.
Whom Moſes ſmote with the princes of Midian, Evi, and Rekem, &c.] Theſe five princes of Midian were not ſlain at the ſame time, and in the ſame battell, wherein Sihon was ſlain at Jahaz, Numb. 21.23, 24. but long after, by a party that were purpoſely ſent out by Moſes againſt the Medianites, Numb. 31.8. and therefore it is very probably conceived by Expoſitours, that the reaſon why the death of Sihon, & theſe princes, is mentioned here together is, becauſe theſe princes, though they were princes of Midian, yet withall were (as it follows here in the next words) Dukes of Sihon, dwelling in the countrey, to wit, in the countrey of the Amorites, where Sihon reigned, and ſo aided him in his warre againſt the Iſraelites, and however they were not ſlain then together with Sihon, but eſcaped away into the land of Midian, and Sihon being now dead, took upon them the power and title of kings (for ſo they are therefore called, Numb. 31.8.) in ſome cities of Midian, that were happely before tributary to Sihon, yet afterward in another expedition of the Iſraelites, which they undertook by the direction of Moſes, againſt the Midianites, they were ſlain as Sihon their Lord was before in a former battell, and ſo the cutting off both of Sihon and theſe his vaſſals, is here mentioned together. Some Expoſitours do indeed otherwiſe conceive of that laſt clauſe, Which were Dukes of Sihon, dwelling in the countrey, to wit, that though they were the vaſſals of Sihon, yet they were native Midianites, and ſuch as dwelt in that countrey, and ſo were the more zealous for the defence of their countrey againſt the Iſraelites, and ſo the ſlaying of Sihon and theſe princes of Midian is here mentioned together, onelyonly becauſe both the one and the other were ſlain by the Iſraelites, and much about the ſame time; but that where the text is diſcribing the countrey of Sihon, it ſhould be ſaid of theſe princes, that they were Dukes of Sihon, dwelling in the countrey, meaning thereby the countrey of Midian, may be juſtly thought ſomewhat improbable, and therefore the firſt Expoſition ſeems to me the beſt.
Verſ. 22. Balaam alſo the ſonne of Beor the Soothſayer did the children of Iſrael ſlay, &c. See the note upon Numb. 24.25.
Verſ. 23. And the border of the children of Reuben was Jordan and the border thereof.] That is, the banks, or border, or coaſts of Jordan all along was the border, to wit, the weſtern border of Reuben.
Verſ. 25. And their coaſt was Jaſher, and all the cities of Giliad.] That is, all the cities of Gilead within the bounds afterward mentioned; for half Gilead was given to the tribe of Manaſſeh, verſ. 31.
And half the land of the children of Ammon, &c.] Which it ſeems Sihon had taken away from the Ammonites, as he had alſo encroched upon the Moabites countrey, Numb. 21.26. For Heſhbon was the city of Sihon, the king of the Amorites, who had fought againſt the former king of Moab, and taken all his land out of his hand, even unto Arnon, which might be the ground of that challenge which the king of the Ammonites made to this land, Judg. 11.13. And the king of the children of Ammon anſwered unto the meſſengers of Jephthah, becauſe Iſrael took away my land, when they came up out of Egypt, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and unto Jordan: now therefore restore thoſe lands again peaceably. For otherwiſe the Iſraelites were forbidden to take any part of the Ammonites land away from them, Deut. 2.19. And when thou comest nigh to the children of Ammon, diſtreſſe them not, nor meddle with them.
Verſ. 26. And from Heſhbon, unto Ramath-mizpeh, &c.] Called Ramoth in Gilead, chap. 20.8.
Verſ. 29. And Moſes gave inheritance unto the half tribe of Manaſſeh.] See the note upon Num. 32.33.
Verſ. 30. And all the towns of Jair which are in Baſhan, threeſcore cities.] See the note upon Num. 32.41.
Verſ. 31. And half Gilead, and Aſhtaroth, and Edrei, cities of the kingdome of Og in Baſhan, were pertaining unto the children of Machir, the ſonne of Manaſſeh.] See Num. 32.39.
Even unto the one half of the children of Machir by their families.] For Manaſſeh had onelyonly one ſonne, to wit, Machir, whoſe ſonnes had their inheritance half within Jordan, and half without.
Verſ. 33. But unto the tribe of Levi Moſes gave not any inheritance.] See the note above upon verſe 14.