God tells the aging Joshua that much land remains unconquered and commands the distribution of territory. The Transjordan allotments to Reuben, Gad, and half-Manasseh are detailed, and the Levites receive no territorial inheritance.
What Makes This Chapter Remarkable
The chapter opens with a startling admission after the conquest summary of chapters 11-12: 'You are old, advanced in years, and very much of the land remains to be possessed' (v. 1). The tension between 'Joshua took the whole land' (11:23) and 'very much remains' (13:1) is not contradiction but theology — God's gift is complete, but Israel's occupation is ongoing. The Levites' non-inheritance (v. 33) is stated with theological precision: 'the LORD God of Israel is their inheritance' — not land but God Himself.
Translation Friction
The geographical boundaries involve numerous place names whose ancient locations are debated. We rendered each name as the Hebrew gives it and noted identifications where scholarship is reasonably confident. The phrase ad hayyom hazzeh ('to this day,' v. 13) is the narrator's voice from a later period, acknowledging that Geshurites and Maacathites remained unconquered through the time of writing.
Connections
The unconquered territories become the nations that 'test' Israel in Judges 2:20-3:6. The Transjordan allotment fulfills Numbers 32 and Deuteronomy 3:12-17. The Levitical non-inheritance echoes Numbers 18:20 and Deuteronomy 10:9. Caleb's upcoming request (ch. 14) connects to the spy narrative of Numbers 13-14.
Joshua had grown old, advanced in years. The LORD said to him, "You have grown old, advanced in years, and a great deal of land still remains to be taken.
KJV Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the LORD said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Attah zaqanta bata vayyamim ('you have grown old, you have entered into the days') — God states Joshua's age not as a compliment but as an urgency: much remains to be done and Joshua's time is limited. V'ha-arets nish'arah harbeh me'od l'rishtah ('the land remaining is very great to possess') — the verb yarash ('to possess, to dispossess') reappears. Despite the conquest summary of chapters 10-12, significant territory remains outside Israelite control. The tension between 'Joshua took the whole land' (11:23) and 'very much land remains' (13:1) is deliberate: the initial military campaigns broke Canaanite power, but comprehensive settlement and control were incomplete.
This is the land that remains: all the regions of the Philistines and all Geshurite territory,
KJV This is the land that yet remaineth: all the borders of the Philistines, and all Geshuri,
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Kol g'lilot ha-P'lishtim ('all the districts/regions of the Philistines') — the Philistine territory along the southern coastal plain was never conquered during Joshua's campaigns. The Philistines, a Sea People who arrived in Canaan around the same time as the Israelite settlement, would become Israel's primary adversary through the period of the Judges and into the monarchy. Their five cities (v. 3) remained independent enclaves within the promised land.
from the Shihor east of Egypt to the border of Ekron on the north — territory considered Canaanite — the five Philistine rulers: of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron; also the Avvites.
KJV From Sihor, which is before Egypt, even unto the borders of Ekron northward, which is counted to the Canaanite: five lords of the Philistines; the Gazathites, and the Ashdothites, the Eshkalonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avites:
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Chameshet sarnei F'lishtim ('the five lords/rulers of the Philistines') — the word seren (plural sarnim) is a distinctly Philistine title, possibly cognate with Greek tyrannos ('tyrant, ruler'). Each of the five Philistine cities was governed by its own seren, forming a pentapolis confederation. The five cities — Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron — controlled the southern coastal plain and the trade routes connecting Egypt to Mesopotamia.
The Shihor (Shichor, 'black waters') is likely the easternmost branch of the Nile delta or the Wadi el-Arish, marking the traditional border with Egypt.
From the south, all the land of the Canaanites — including Mearah, which belongs to the Sidonians — as far as Aphek, to the Amorite border;
KJV From the south, all the land of the Canaanites, and Mearah that is beside the Sidonians, unto Aphek, to the borders of the Amorites:
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The unconquered territory extends northward along the Phoenician coast. M'arah asher la-Tsidonim ('Mearah belonging to the Sidonians') — likely a cave or cave-settlement in the Lebanese coast region. The Sidonians (Phoenicians) controlled the northern coastal territory that Israel never occupied.
also the land of the Gebalites and all of Lebanon to the east, from Baal-gad below Mount Hermon to Lebo-hamath.
KJV And the land of the Giblites, and all Lebanon, toward the sunrising, from Baalgad under mount Hermon unto the entering into Hamath.
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Translator Notes
Ha-Givli ('the Gebalites') — inhabitants of Gebal (Byblos), the ancient Phoenician port city. Kol ha-L'vanon ('all Lebanon') — the Lebanon mountain range and its settlements remained unconquered. Ad l'vo Chamat ('to the entrance of Hamath') — Lebo-hamath (modern Lebweh in the Beqa'a Valley) marks the ideal northern boundary of the promised land (Numbers 34:8). The gap between the ideal boundary and the actual conquest is significant — the territory described in verses 2-6 represents the 'not yet' within God's 'already.'
All the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephoth-maim — all the Sidonians — I myself will drive them out before the Israelites. Only allocate the land to Israel as an inheritance, as I have commanded you.
KJV All the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon unto Misrephothmaim, and all the Sidonians, them will I drive out from before the children of Israel: only divide thou it by lot unto Israel for an inheritance, as I have commanded thee.
Here nachalah is used for territory not yet conquered — the inheritance is assigned by divine decree before it is physically possessed. The gap between grant and occupation will define the period of Judges.
Translator Notes
Anokhi orishem mip'nei b'nei Yisrael ('I myself will drive them out before the Israelites') — God takes personal responsibility for completing the conquest of the unconquered territories. The emphatic anokhi ('I myself') signals that the remaining dispossession is God's task, not Joshua's. Raq happilehah l'Yisrael b'nachalah ('only divide it for Israel as an inheritance') — Joshua's remaining assignment is allocation, not conquest. The verb nafal (hiphil, 'to cause to fall' — i.e., to cast lots) connects to the lot-casting method of land distribution.
The word nachalah ('inheritance') here carries its full covenantal weight: the land — including territory not yet controlled — is already Israel's inheritance by divine grant. Joshua is to distribute what God has promised, even before it is fully possessed.
Now divide this land as an inheritance among the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh.
KJV Now therefore divide this land for an inheritance unto the nine tribes, and the half tribe of Manasseh,
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
L'tish'at ha-sh'vatim va-chatsi ha-shevet ha-M'nasheh ('for the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh') — the western half of Manasseh receives its allotment west of the Jordan, while the eastern half already received its share in the Transjordan (v. 29-31). The nine-and-a-half tribes awaiting Cisjordan allocation are the focus of chapters 14-19.
With the other half-tribe, the Reubenites and Gadites had already received the inheritance that Moses gave them east of the Jordan, just as Moses the servant of the LORD assigned it to them:
KJV With whom the Reubenites and the Gadites had received their inheritance, which Moses gave them, beyond Jordan eastward, even as Moses the servant of the LORD gave them;
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Translator Notes
The narrative pauses to recapitulate the Transjordan allotment (vv. 8-13), confirming that Reuben, Gad, and eastern Manasseh already hold their nachalah by Mosaic grant. This establishes the precedent for the upcoming allocations: the same authority (divine command through Moses) governs both the Transjordan and Cisjordan distributions.
from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Valley, including the city in the middle of the valley, and the entire plateau from Medeba to Dibon;
KJV 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;
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The Transjordan boundary description begins at the Arnon gorge (the southern boundary) and moves north. Kol ha-mishor ('the entire plateau') — the Mishor is the flat, elevated tableland east of the Dead Sea, known today as the Madaba plain. This was prime agricultural and grazing land.
all the cities of Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled from Heshbon, as far as the border of the Ammonites;
KJV And all the cities of Sihon king of the Amorites, which reigned in Heshbon, unto the border of the children of Ammon;
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Translator Notes
Ad g'vul b'nei Ammon ('to the border of the Ammonites') — Israel's territory did not extend into Ammonite land, as God had prohibited (Deuteronomy 2:19). The Ammonite border served as the eastern limit of the Transjordan allotment.
Gilead, the territory of the Geshurites and Maacathites, all of Mount Hermon, and all of Bashan as far as Salecah —
KJV And Gilead, and the border of the Geshurites and Maachathites, and all mount Hermon, and all Bashan unto Salcah;
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The description moves north through the Transjordan: Gilead (the central Transjordan highlands), the Geshurite and Maacathite territories (northeast of the Sea of Galilee), Mount Hermon, and Bashan (the volcanic plateau of the modern Golan Heights and Hauran). This represents Og's former kingdom.
the entire kingdom of Og in Bashan, who had ruled from Ashtaroth and Edrei. He was one of the last surviving Rephaim. Moses defeated them and dispossessed them.
KJV 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.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Hu nishar mi-yeter ha-Refa'im ('he remained from the remnant of the Rephaim') — Og's identity as the last Rephaim giant is repeated from 12:4. Vayyakkhem Mosheh vayyorishem ('Moses struck them and dispossessed them') — the verb yarash in the hiphil ('to dispossess, to drive out') confirms that the Transjordan conquest under Moses achieved genuine dispossession of the former inhabitants.
But the Israelites did not drive out the Geshurites or the Maacathites. Geshur and Maacath live among Israel to this day.
KJV 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.
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Translator Notes
V'lo horishu b'nei Yisrael et ha-G'shuri v'et ha-Ma'akhati ('the Israelites did not dispossess the Geshurites or the Maacathites') — the first explicit acknowledgment of incomplete conquest in the allocation section. This failure foreshadows the pattern that will dominate Judges 1. Ad ha-yom ha-zeh ('to this day') — the narrator confirms the ongoing presence of these unconquered peoples in the narrator's own time. David will later marry Maacah, a Geshurite princess (2 Samuel 3:3), and Absalom will flee to his grandfather the king of Geshur (2 Samuel 13:37-38).
Only to the tribe of Levi he gave no territorial inheritance. The fire offerings of the LORD, the God of Israel, are their inheritance, as He promised them.
KJV 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.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Raq l'shevet ha-Levi lo natan nachalah ('only to the tribe of Levi he gave no inheritance') — Levi's exclusion from territorial allocation is stated three times in this chapter (vv. 14, 33) and repeatedly throughout Joshua. Ishei YHWH Elohei Yisrael hu nachalato ('the fire offerings of the LORD are his inheritance') — Levi's nachalah is not land but liturgical service. The tribe that serves at the altar receives its sustenance from the altar offerings. Their 'inheritance' is proximity to God — a theological statement that the divine presence is worth more than any territory. Levi will receive designated cities within other tribes' territories (chapter 21) but no contiguous tribal homeland.
Moses gave territory to the tribe of Reuben, clan by clan.
KJV And Moses gave unto the tribe of the children of Reuben inheritance according to their families.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
L'mishp'chotam ('according to their clans/families') — the allocation is not merely tribal but sub-tribal, organized by extended family groups (mishpachot). Each clan receives a specific portion within the tribal territory.
Their territory ran from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Valley, including the city in the middle of the valley, and the entire plateau near Medeba —
KJV And their coast was from Aroer, that is on the bank of the river Arnon, and the city that is in the midst of the river, and all the plain by Medeba;
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Reuben's territory occupies the southern portion of the Transjordan: from the Arnon gorge northward through the Medeba plateau. This is the same area described in verses 9-10 as part of Sihon's former kingdom.
Heshbon and all its towns on the plateau: Dibon, Bamoth-baal, Beth-baal-meon,
KJV Heshbon, and all her cities that are in the plain; Dibon, and Bamothbaal, and Bethbaalmeon,
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Several of these city names contain the element ba'al ('lord, master') — Bamot Ba'al ('high places of Baal'), Beit Ba'al M'on ('house of Baal of the dwelling'). The Canaanite religious names persist in the geography even after Israelite occupation, reflecting the enduring challenge of religious syncretism in the Transjordan.
Joshua 13:18
וְיַ֥הְצָה וּקְדֵמֹ֖ת וּמֵפָֽעַת׃
Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath,
KJV And Jahazah, and Kedemoth, and Mephaath,
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Translator Notes
Yahtsah ('Jahaz') — the site where Israel defeated Sihon in the original battle (Numbers 21:23; Deuteronomy 2:32). The city where the Transjordan conquest began is now part of Reuben's inheritance.
Kiriathaim, Sibmah, and Zereth-shahar on the hill overlooking the valley,
KJV And Kirjathaim, and Sibmah, and Zarethshahar in the mount of the valley,
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Translator Notes
Tseret ha-Shachar b'har ha-emeq ('Zereth-shahar on the mount of the valley') — a town perched on a ridge above the Dead Sea valley. Sibmah was known for its vineyards (Isaiah 16:8-9; Jeremiah 48:32).
Beth-peor, the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth-jeshimoth,
KJV And Bethpeor, and Ashdothpisgah, and Bethjeshimoth,
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Translator Notes
Beit P'or ('house of Peor') — associated with the Baal-peor apostasy (Numbers 25), where Israelite men engaged in sexual idolatry with Moabite women. The site's inclusion in Reuben's territory places them as guardians of a place of prior disgrace. Ashdot ha-Pisgah ('slopes of Pisgah') — the mountain range where Moses viewed the promised land and died (Deuteronomy 34:1-6).
all the plateau cities and the entire kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled from Heshbon — the one Moses defeated along with the Midianite chieftains Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the vassals of Sihon who lived in the land.
KJV And all the cities of the plain, and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, which reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses smote with the princes of Midian, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, which were dukes of Sihon, dwelling in the country.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
N'sikhei Sichon yosh'vei ha-arets ('vassals/princes of Sihon, inhabitants of the land') — these five Midianite leaders were client-rulers under Sihon's overlordship. Their defeat is narrated in Numbers 31:8. Zur is the father of Cozbi, the Midianite woman killed by Phinehas during the Baal-peor incident (Numbers 25:15, 18). The listing connects the territorial allocation to the broader story of Transjordan conflict.
The Israelites also killed Balaam son of Beor, the diviner, with the sword, along with the others they slew.
KJV Balaam also the son of Beor, the soothsayer, did the children of Israel slay with the sword among them that were slain by them.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Bil'am ben B'or ha-qosem ('Balaam son of Beor, the diviner') — Balaam, who could not curse Israel (Numbers 22-24) but who advised Moab to seduce Israel through the Baal-peor strategy (Numbers 31:16), met his end in the Transjordan battles. The term qosem ('diviner') is pejorative — contrasting his pagan practice with legitimate prophetic authority. His death is recorded here within Reuben's territorial description because he died in this region.
The western border of the Reubenites was the Jordan River itself. This was the inheritance of the Reubenites, clan by clan — their cities and surrounding settlements.
KJV And the border of the children of Reuben was Jordan, and the border thereof. This was the inheritance of the children of Reuben after their families, the cities and the villages thereof.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Ha-Yarden ug'vul ('the Jordan and its border') — the Jordan River formed Reuben's western boundary, separating them from the tribes in Canaan proper. He-arim v'chatsreihen ('the cities and their villages/enclosures') — each city had dependent satellite settlements (chatserim, from chatser, 'courtyard, enclosure').
Their territory included Jazer, all the cities of Gilead, and half the Ammonite territory as far as Aroer, east of Rabbah;
KJV And their coast was Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the children of Ammon, unto Aroer that is before Rabbah;
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Translator Notes
V'kol arei ha-Gil'ad ('all the cities of Gilead') — Gad received the central highlands of the Transjordan, the fertile and well-watered region of Gilead. Va-chatsi erets b'nei Ammon ('half the land of the Ammonites') — this appears to contradict Deuteronomy 2:19, which forbade taking Ammonite land. The territory described was likely land Sihon had previously taken from Ammon (cf. Judges 11:13, 22), making it legitimately Israelite through conquest from Sihon rather than directly from Ammon.
from Heshbon to Ramath-mizpeh and Betonim, and from Mahanaim to the border of Lo-debar;
KJV And from Heshbon unto Ramathmizpeh, and Betonim; and from Mahanaim unto the border of Debir;
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Translator Notes
Machanayim ('double camp') — the place where Jacob saw the angels of God and exclaimed 'This is God's camp!' (Genesis 32:2). It will later serve as the capital for Ish-bosheth (2 Samuel 2:8) and as David's refuge during Absalom's rebellion (2 Samuel 17:24). The patriarchal memory is embedded in the tribal geography.
and in the valley: Beth-haram, Beth-nimrah, Succoth, and Zaphon — the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon — with the Jordan as its western border, extending to the southern end of the Sea of Chinnereth, east of the Jordan.
KJV And in the valley, Betharam, and Bethnimrah, and Succoth, and Zaphon, the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon, Jordan and his border, even unto the edge of the sea of Chinnereth on the other side Jordan eastward.
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Sukkot ('Succoth,' meaning 'shelters/booths') — where Jacob built shelters for his livestock after his reconciliation with Esau (Genesis 33:17). The patriarchal narrative is woven into the tribal geography at every turn. Ad q'tseh yam Kinneret ('to the edge of the Sea of Chinnereth') — Gad's territory extended north along the Jordan Valley to the southern shore of the Sea of Galilee.
Moses gave territory to the half-tribe of Manasseh, and it was allocated to the half-tribe of Manasseh clan by clan.
KJV And Moses gave inheritance unto the half tribe of Manasseh: and this was the possession of the half tribe of the children of Manasseh by their families.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The eastern half of Manasseh receives the northernmost Transjordan territory — Bashan and northern Gilead. The split of Manasseh between east and west of the Jordan creates a unique situation: one tribe spanning the river, divided by geography but united by kinship.
Their territory extended from Mahanaim through all of Bashan — the entire kingdom of Og king of Bashan — including all the settlements of Jair in Bashan: sixty towns.
KJV And their coast was from Mahanaim, all Bashan, all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, and all the towns of Jair, which are in Bashan, threescore cities:
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Kol chavvot Ya'ir asher ba-Bashan shishim ir ('all the tent-villages of Jair in Bashan, sixty cities') — the chavvot ('tent-villages, encampments') of Jair were settlements named after Jair son of Manasseh, who captured them (Numbers 32:41; Deuteronomy 3:14). Sixty towns represents a substantial territory in the rich volcanic region of Bashan.
Half of Gilead, along with Ashtaroth and Edrei — the royal cities of Og's kingdom in Bashan — went to the descendants of Machir son of Manasseh, that is, to half the Machirites, clan by clan.
KJV And half Gilead, and Ashtaroth, and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan, were pertaining unto the children of Machir the son of Manasseh, even to the one half of the children of Machir by their families.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Livnei Makhir ben M'nasheh ('to the descendants of Machir son of Manasseh') — Machir was Manasseh's firstborn son (Genesis 50:23), and his clan was the dominant military force within the tribe. They received the most formidable territory: the former royal cities of Og, the last of the Rephaim giants. The warrior clan receives the giant's kingdom.
These are the territories Moses allocated on the plains of Moab, east of the Jordan across from Jericho.
KJV These are the countries which Moses did distribute for inheritance in the plains of Moab, on the other side Jordan, by Jericho, eastward.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
B'arvot Mo'av ('on the plains of Moab') — Moses made these allocations during Israel's encampment on the Moabite plain, opposite Jericho, in the final days before the Jordan crossing. The Transjordan section closes by returning to the scene of Moses's last acts.
But to the tribe of Levi, Moses gave no inheritance. The LORD, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, as He promised them.
KJV But unto the tribe of Levi Moses gave not any inheritance: the LORD God of Israel was their inheritance, as he said unto them.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
YHWH Elohei Yisrael hu nachalatam ('the LORD, the God of Israel, is their inheritance') — the chapter's closing verse escalates from verse 14. There, Levi's inheritance was the fire offerings (the produce of the altar service). Here, the inheritance is God Himself. The LORD is not merely the source of Levi's sustenance but the substance of their portion. This is the highest theological statement about inheritance in Joshua: the ultimate nachalah is not land but the living God.