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Texts -- Joshua 13:1-4 (NET)

Context
The Lord Speaks to Joshua
13:1 When Joshua was very old , the Lord told him, “You are very old , and a great deal of land remains to be conquered . 13:2 This is the land that remains : all the territory of the Philistines and all the Geshurites , 13:3 from the Shihor River east of Egypt northward to the territory of Ekron (it is regarded as Canaanite territory), including the area belonging to the five Philistine lords who ruled in Gaza , Ashdod , Ashkelon , Gath , and Ekron , as well as Avvite land 13:4 to the south ; all the Canaanite territory , from Arah in the region of Sidon to Aphek , as far as Amorite territory ;

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Bible Dictionary

  • LEBANON

    [ebd] white, "the white mountain of Syria," is the loftiest and most celebrated mountain range in Syria. It is a branch running southward from the Caucasus, and at its lower end forking into two parallel ranges, the eastern or Ant...
    [smith] a mountain range in the north of Palestine. The name Lebanon signifies white, and was applied either on account of snow which, during a great part of the year, cover its whole summit, or on account of the white color of its l...

  • Philistines

    [ebd] (Gen. 10:14, R.V.; but in A.V., "Philistim"), a tribe allied to the Phoenicians. They were a branch of the primitive race which spread over the whole district of the Lebanon and the valley of the Jordan, and Crete and other ...
    [isbe] PHILISTINES - fi-lis'-tinz, fil'-is-tinz, fil'-is-tinz (pelishtim; Phulistieim, allophuloi): I. OLD TESTAMENT NOTICES 1. Race and Origin 2. Religion 3. Individual Philistines Mentioned 4. Title of Ruler and Circumcision 5. H...
    [smith] (immigrants), The origin of the Philistines is nowhere expressly stated in the Bible; but as the prophets describe them as "the Philistines-from Caphtor," (Amos 9:7) and "the remnant of the maritime district of Caphtor" (Jere...
    [nave] PHILISTINES Descendants of Mizraim, Gen. 10:14; 1 Chr. 1:12; Jer. 47:4; Amos 9:7. Called Cherethites, 1 Sam. 30:14-16; Ezek. 25:16; Zeph. 2:5; Casluhim, Gen. 10:14; 1 Chr. 1:12; Caphtorim, Jer. 47:4; Amos 9:7. Territory of...

  • Geshur

    [isbe] GESHUR - ge'-shur (geshur, "bridge"): An Aramean kingdom (2 Sam 15:8) of no great size which lay probably to the South of Maacah, and formed with it the western boundary of the land of Bashan (Dt 3:14; Josh 12:5; 13:11). The...
    [nave] GESHUR 1. District E. of the sources of the Jordan. The inhabitants of, not subdued by the Israelites, Deut. 3:14; Josh. 13:2-13; 1 Chr. 2:23. Inhabitants of one of the villages of, exterminated, and the spoils taken by Dav...

  • Mearah

    [ebd] a cave, a place in the northern boundary of Palestine (Josh. 13:4). This may be the cave of Jezzin in Lebanon, 10 miles east of Sidon, on the Damascus road; or probably, as others think, Mogheirizeh, north-east of Sidon.
    [isbe] MEARAH - me-a'-ra (me`arah; omitted in the Septuagint): A town or district mentioned only in Josh 13:4, as belonging to the Zidonians. The name as it stands means "cave." If that is correct it may be represented by the moder...
    [smith] (a cave), a place named in (Joshua 13:4) only. The word means in Hebrew a cave, and it is commonly assumed that the reference is to some remarkable cavern in the neighborhood of Zidon.
    [nave] MEARAH Josh. 13:4

  • Gaza

    [ebd] called also Azzah, which is its Hebrew name (Deut. 2:23; 1 Kings 4:24; Jer. 25:20), strong, a city on the Mediterranean shore, remarkable for its early importance as the chief centre of a great commercial traffic with Egypt....
    [smith] (the fortified; the strong) (properly Azzah), one of the five chief cities of the Philistines. It is remarkable for its continuous existence and importance from the very earliest times. The secret of this unbroken history is ...
    [nave] GAZA 1. Called also Azzah. A city of the Philistines, Josh. 13:3; Jer. 25:20. One of the border cities of the Canaanites, Gen. 10:19. A city of the Avim and Anakim, Deut. 2:23; Josh. 11:22. Allotted to Judah, Josh. 15:47;...

  • Joshua

    [nave] JOSHUA 1. Called also Jehoshua, and Jehoshuah, and Oshea. Son of Nun, Num. 13:8; 1 Chr. 7:27. Intimately associated with Moses, Ex. 24:13; 32:17; 33:11. A religious zealot, Num. 11:28. Sent with others to view the promise...

  • Gath

    [ebd] a wine-vat, one of the five royal cities of the Philistines (Josh. 13:3) on which the ark brought calamity (1 Sam. 5:8, 9; 6:17). It was famous also as being the birthplace or residence of Goliath (1 Sam. 17:4). David fled f...
    [isbe] GATH - gath (gath; Septuagint Geth, "winepress"): One of the five chief cities of the Philistines (Josh 13:3; 1 Sam 6:17). It was a walled town (2 Ch 26:6) and was not taken by Joshua, and, although many conflicts took place...
    [smith] (a wine press), one of the five royal cities of the Philistines; (Joshua 13:3; 1 Samuel 6:17) and the native place of the giant Goliath. (1 Samuel 17:4,23) It probably stood upon the conspicuous hill now called Tell-es-...
    [nave] GATH One of the five chief cities of the Philistines, Josh. 13:3; 1 Sam. 6:17; Amos 6:2; Mic. 1:10. Anakim, a race of giants, inhabitants of, Josh. 11:22. Goliath dwelt in, 1 Sam. 17:4; 1 Chr. 20:5-8. Obed-edom belonged t...

  • Ashkelon

    [ebd] =Askelon=Ascalon, was one of the five cities of the Philistines (Josh. 13:3; 1 Sam. 6:17). It stood on the shore of the Mediterranean, 12 miles north of Gaza. It is mentioned on an inscription at Karnak in Egypt as having be...
    [isbe] ASHKELON - ask'-ke-lon, esh'-ka-lon, as'-ke-lon (the King James Version Eshkalon, (Eshkalonites; Josh 13:3); Askelon, (Jdg 1:18; 1 Sam 6:17; 2 Sam 1:20); 'ashqelon; modern Askelan): A maritime town between Jaffa and Gaza, on...
    [nave] ASHKELON, called also Askelon. One of the five chief cities of the Philistines, Josh. 13:3. Captured by the people of Judah, Judg. 1:18. Samson slays thirty men of, Judg. 14:19. Golden tumors of, 1 Sam. 6:17. Prophecies c...

  • Ekron

    [ebd] firm-rooted, the most northerly of the five towns belonging to the lords of the Philistines, about 11 miles north of Gath. It was assigned to Judah (Josh. 13:3), and afterwards to Dan (19:43), but came again into the full po...
    [smith] (torn up by the roots; emigration), one of the five towns belonging to the lords of the Philistines, and the most northerly of the five. (Joshua 13:3) Like the other Philistine cities its situation was in the lowlands. It fel...
    [nave] EKRON One of the five chief cities of the Philistines, Josh. 13:3. Conquered and allotted to Judah, Josh. 15:11, 45; Judg. 1:18. Allotted to Dan, Josh. 19:43. The Ark of God taken to, 1 Sam. 5:10. Temple of Baal-zebub at...

  • ASHDODITES

    [isbe] ASHDODITES - ash'-dod-its, ash'-doth-its: Inhabitants of ASHDOD (which see) (Josh 13:3; the King James Version Ashdothites, Neh 4:7).
    [smith] the inhabitants of Ashdod, (Nehemiah 4:7) called Ashdothites in (Joshua 13:3)

  • AVVIM; AVITES

    [isbe] AVVIM; AVITES - av'-im a'-vits `awwim; Heuaioi, also unaspirated; also used to represent the name of the Hivites): The early inhabitants of the southern extremity of Canaan afterward occupied by the Philistines (Dt 2:23; com...

  • SIDONIANS

    [isbe] SIDONIANS - si-do'-ni-anz: Natives or inhabitants of Sidon (Dt 3:9; Josh 13:4,6; Jdg 3:3; 1 Ki 5:6).
    [smith] the Greek form of the word Zidonians, usually so exhibited in the Authorized Version of the Old Testament. It occurs (3:9; Joshua 13:4,6; Judges 3:3; 1 Kings 5:6) [ZIDON, OR SIDON]

  • Ashdod

    [isbe] ASHDOD - ash'-dod ('ashdodh; Azotos; modern Esdud): One of the five chief cities of the Philistines. The name means stronghold or fortress, and its strength may be inferred by the fact that Psammetik I, of Egypt, besieged it...
    [nave] ASHDOD A city of the Philistines, Josh. 13:3; 1 Sam. 6:17; Amos 3:9. Anakim inhabit, Josh. 11:22. Assigned to Judah, Josh. 15:47. Dagon's temple in, in which was deposited the ark, 1 Sam. 5. Conquest of, by Uzziah, 2 Chr...

  • Gazathites

    [isbe] GAZATHITES - ga'-zath-its (`azzathim): The inhabitants of GAZA (which see) (Josh 13:3 the King James Version), rendered "Gazites" (Jdg 16:2).
    [nave] GAZATHITES, inhabitants of Gaza, Josh. 13:3. Called Gazites, in Judg. 16:2.

  • APHEK

    [isbe] APHEK - a'-fek ('apheq, "fortress"; Aphek): (1) In Josh 12:18 we should probably read with the Septuagint "the king of Aphek in Sharon." This may correspond to Aphek in 1 Sam 4:1. It was a royal city of the Canaanites whose ...
    [smith] (strength), the name of several places in Palestine. A royal city of the Canaanites, the king of which was killed by Joshua, (Joshua 12:18) probably the same as APHEKAH in (Joshua 15:53) A city, apparently in the extreme nor...

  • NEGEB

    [isbe] NEGEB - neg'-eb (ha-neghebh, "the negeb" or simply, neghebh, from a root meaning "to be dry," and therefore in the first instance implying the "dry" or "parched regions," hence, in the Septuagint it is usually translated ere...

  • Sihor

    [ebd] (correctly Shi'hor) black; dark the name given to the river Nile in Isa. 23:3; Jer. 2:18. In Josh. 13:3 it is probably "the river of Egypt", i.e., the Wady el-Arish (1 Chr. 13:5), which flows "before Egypt", i.e., in a north...
    [nave] SIHOR, called also Shihor. A river of Egypt, given by some authorities as the Nile, Josh. 13:3; 1 Chr. 13:5; Isa. 23:3; Jer. 2:18.

  • Lord

    [ebd] There are various Hebrew and Greek words so rendered. (1.) Heb. Jehovah, has been rendered in the English Bible LORD, printed in small capitals. This is the proper name of the God of the Hebrews. The form "Jehovah" is retain...
    [nave] LORD, a prince, Josh. 13:3; Judg. 3:3; 1 Sam. 5:8; 6:4. See: God; Jesus.

  • Egypt

    [nave] EGYPT The country of: Called Rahab, Psa. 87:4; 89:10; Land of Ham, Psa. 105:23; 106:22. Limits of, Ezek. 29:10. Fertility of, Gen. 13:10. Productions of, Num. 11:5; Psa. 78:47; Prov. 7:16; Isa. 19:5-9. Irrigation employ...

  • PHOENICIA; PHOENICIANS

    [isbe] PHOENICIA; PHOENICIANS - fe-nish'-i-a, fe-nish'-anz: 1. The Land 2. The Colonies 3. The People 4. Arts and Manufactures 5. Commerce and Trade 6. Language and Culture 7. Religion 8. History LITERATURE 1. The Land: The term "P...
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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • I. The conquest of the land chs. 1-12A. Preparations for entering Canaan chs. 1-21. God's charge to Joshua 1:1-92. Joshua's charge to Israel 1:10-183. The spying out of Jericho ch. 2B. Entrance into the land 3:1-5:121. Passag...
  • In one sense verses 1-9 are a preamble to the whole book. They contain the basic principles that were to guide Joshua and Israel so they could obtain all that God had promised their forefathers.1:1 The first word of the book ...
  • Having received his marching orders from Yahweh, Joshua prepared to mobilize the nation.1:10-11 Joshua expected to be able to cross the Jordan within three days."The Jordan River wanders about two hundred miles to cover the s...
  • To this point Israel's victories had taken place in central Canaan. God's strategy was to give His people a base of operation in the middle part of the land first. From there they could then advance to the South and then to t...
  • The writer referred to Canaan as "the land of the sons of Israel"first here in Scripture (v. 22). The Anakim were the mighty warriors that the 10 spies had feared (Num. 13:28). Israel destroyed most of these."The hardening of...
  • The writer identified 31 kings in the order in which Joshua defeated them."Many of the same names appear in the Amarna letters, thus confirming the historicity of our text."158"The description was not complete. Shechem is not...
  • Chapters 13-24 describe how Joshua divided the land and the results of that division. Many if not all the Israelite tribes did not conquer or control all the land allotted to them (15:63; 16:10; 17:12-13). The record of the a...
  • 13:1 Joshua was probably in his 80s at this time.13:2 The Philistines were not native Canaanite peoples. They had migrated to Canaan from the northwest. They had by this time displaced the Canaanites in the southwest portion ...
  • After the process of assigning land to the three tribes mentioned above, Israel's attention turned to relocating the tabernacle in a more central location (v. 1). God undoubtedly made the choice of Shiloh (lit. rest; cf. Deut...
  • These verses conclude the account of the division of the land proper (chs. 13-21; cf. 1:2-6; 11:23). They bind the two parts of the second half of the book together. They form a theological conclusion to the entire book up to...
  • The main part of the second half of the Book of Joshua dealing with the division of the land ends with the appointment of the Levitical cities (chs. 13-21). The rest of the book deals with settlement in the land (chs. 22-24)....
  • Joshua had reached what he believed were the final days of his life. Before he died, he wished to address the whole nation, as Moses had done before his death (Deut. 31). Therefore he assembled all the leaders of the people f...
  • This chapter begins with another reference to the fact that there was no king in Israel then (cf. 17:6). The writer reminded us again that the Israelites were living unrestrained lives. Abundant evidence of this follows in ch...
  • The five Danites continued northward about 100 miles and finally came upon an area they felt would be ideal for their needs. They discovered the isolated town of Laish (Leshem, Josh. 19:47) that they believed they could captu...
  • The Book of Samuel covers the period of Israel's history bracketed by Samuel's conception and the end of David's reign. David turned the kingdom over to Solomon in 971 B.C.3David reigned for 40 and one-half years (2 Sam. 2:11...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

  • Joshua 13:1-6Joshua was now a very old man and had occupied seven years in the conquest. His work was over, and now he had only to take steps to secure the completion by others of the triumph which he would never see. Tills i...
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