Joshua 13:1-7
Context13:1 When Joshua was very old, 1 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 2 east of 3 Egypt northward to the territory of Ekron (it is regarded as Canaanite territory), 4 including the area belonging to the five Philistine lords who ruled in Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron, as well as Avvite land 5 13:4 to the south; 6 all the Canaanite territory, 7 from Arah 8 in the region of Sidon 9 to Aphek, as far as Amorite territory; 13:5 the territory of Byblos 10 and all Lebanon to the east, from Baal Gad below Mount Hermon to Lebo Hamath. 11 13:6 I will drive out before the Israelites all who live in the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim, 12 all the Sidonians; you be sure to parcel it out to Israel as I instructed you.” 13 13:7 Now, divide up this land 14 among the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh.”
[13:1] 1 tn Heb “was old, coming into the days.” This expression, referring to advancing in years, also occurs in the following clause.
[13:3] 2 tn Heb “the Shihor”; the word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied to clarify the meaning.
[13:3] 3 tn Heb “in front of.”
[13:3] 4 tn Heb “it is reckoned to the Canaanites.”
[13:3] 5 tn Heb “the five lords of the Philistines, the Gazaite, the Ashdodite, the Ashkelonite, the Gathite, and the Ekronite, and the Avvites.”
[13:4] 6 tn Or “from Teman.” The phrase is especially problematic if taken with what follows, as the traditional verse division suggests. For further discussion see T. C. Butler, Joshua (WBC), 146.
[13:4] 7 tn Heb “all the land of the Canaanites.”
[13:4] 8 tc The reading “Arah” assumes a slight emendation of the Hebrew vowel pointing. The MT reads, “and a cave,” or “and Mearah” (if one understands the word as a proper noun).
[13:4] 9 tn Heb “which belongs to the Sidonians.”
[13:5] 10 tn Heb “and the land of the Gebalites.”
[13:5] 11 tn Or “the entrance to Hamath.” Most modern translations take the phrase “Lebo Hamath” to be a proper name, but often provide a note with the alternative, where “Hamath” is the proper name and לְבוֹא (lÿvo’) is taken to mean “entrance to.”
[13:6] 12 tn The meaning of the Hebrew name “Misrephoth Maim” is perhaps “lime-kilns by the water” (see HALOT 2:641).
[13:6] 13 tn Heb “only you, assign it by lots to Israel as an inheritance as I commanded you.”
[13:7] 14 tn Heb “now apportion this land as an inheritance.”