Go to Related Reading
About this book

Joshua

About this book
Chapter 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. 2 This is the land that remains: all the territory of the Philistines and all the Geshurites,⁠ 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 4 to the south; all the Canaanite territory, from Arah in the region of Sidon to Aphek, as far as Amorite territory; 5 the territory of Byblos and all Lebanon to the east, from Baal Gad below Mount Hermon to Lebo Hamath. 6 I will drive out before the Israelites all who live in the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim, all the Sidonians; you be sure to parcel it out to Israel as I instructed you. 7 Now, divide up this land among the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh.” 8 The other half of Manasseh, Reuben, and Gad received their allotted tribal lands on the east side of the Jordan, just as Moses, the Lord’s servant, had assigned them. 9 Their territory started from Aroer (on the edge of the Arnon Valley), included the city in the middle of the valley, the whole plain of Medeba as far as Dibon, 10 and all the cities of King Sihon of the Amorites who ruled in Heshbon, and ended at the Ammonite border. 11 Their territory also included Gilead, Geshurite and Maacathite territory, all Mount Hermon, and all Bashan to Salecah— 12 the whole kingdom of Og in Bashan, who ruled in Ashtaroth and Edrei. (He was one of the few remaining Rephaites.) Moses defeated them and took their lands. 13 But the Israelites did not conquer the Geshurites and Maacathites; Geshur and Maacah live among Israel to this very day.⁠ 14 However, Moses did not assign land as an inheritance to the Levites; their inheritance is the sacrificial offerings made to the Lord God of Israel, as he instructed them. 15 Moses assigned land to the tribe of Reuben by its clans. 16 Their territory started at Aroer (on the edge of the Arnon Valley) and included the city in the middle of the valley, the whole plain of Medeba, 17 Heshbon and all its surrounding cities on the plain, including Dibon, Bamoth Baal, Beth Baal Meon, 18 Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath, 19 Kiriathaim, Sibmah, Zereth Shahar on the hill in the valley, 20 Beth Peor, the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth Jeshimoth. 21 It encompassed all the cities of the plain and the whole realm of King Sihon of the Amorites who ruled in Heshbon. Moses defeated him and the Midianite leaders Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba (they were subjects of Sihon and lived in his territory).⁠ 22 The Israelites killed Balaam son of Beor,⁠ the omen reader, along with the others. 23 The border of the tribe of Reuben was the Jordan. The land allotted to the tribe of Reuben by its clans included these cities and their towns. 24 Moses assigned land to the tribe of Gad by its clans. 25 Their territory included Jazer, all the cities of Gilead, and half the Ammonite territory as far as Aroer near Rabbah. 26 Their territory ran from Heshbon to Ramath Mizpah and Betonim, and from Mahanaim to the territory of Debir. 27 It included the valley of Beth Haram, Beth Nimrah, Sukkoth, and Zaphon, and the rest of the realm of King Sihon of Heshbon, the area east of the Jordan to the end of the Sea of Kinnereth. 28 The land allotted to the tribe of Gad by its clans included these cities and their towns. 29 Moses assigned land to the half-tribe of Manasseh by its clans. 30 Their territory started at Mahanaim and encompassed all Bashan, the whole realm of King Og of Bashan, including all 60 cities in Havvoth Jair in Bashan. 31 Half of Gilead, Ashtaroth, and Edrei, cities in the kingdom of Og in Bashan, were assigned to the descendants of Makir son of Manasseh, to half the descendants of Makir by their clans. 32 These are the land assignments made by Moses in the rift valley plains of Moab east of the Jordan River opposite Jericho. 33 However, Moses did not assign land as an inheritance to the Levites; their inheritance is the Lord God of Israel, as he instructed them.

Texts in conversation

Compare Joshua 13:2 and LXX Joshua 13:2

Hebrew Bible · Septuagint

Share:

Summary

The Septuagint translation of Joshua 13 adds the word “Canaanites,” not found in the Hebrew version, likely in an effort to harmonize the references to previously unconquered peoples more directly to Canaanite identity.

Passages

Joshua 13:2

Hebrew Bible
1 When Joshua was very old, the Lord told him, “You are very old, and a great deal of land remains to be conquered. 2 This is the land that remains: all the territory of the Philistines and all the Geshurites, 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
600–501 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in Joshua

LXX Joshua 13:2

Septuagint
1 And Joshua was old and advanced in years; and the Lord said to Joshua, You are advanced in years, and there is much land left to inherit. 2 And this is the land that is left: the borders of the Philistines, the Geshurite, and the Canaanite, 3 from the wilderness before Egypt, as far as the borders of Ekron on the left of the Canaanites the land is reckoned to the five principalities of the Philistines, to the inhabitant of Gaza, and of Ashdod, and of Ashkelon, and of Gath, and of Ekron, and to the Hivite;
200–101 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in LXX Joshua

References

"... Joshua 13:2 includes a list of territories not yet conquered and Joshua 13:13 a list of nations not driven out by Israel. In both cases, the Septuagint translator adds the plus χαναναῖος ('Canaanites'). Perhaps he had verse 3 in mind or Joshua 15:63; 16:10; 17:12–13, 16; Judges 1:19–35: Canaanites are still inhabiting some territories; they have not yet been conquered ..."
Martin Meiser, The Septuagint and Its Reception: Collected Essays (Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2022), 37.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

Tags

Your feedback

Joshua 13:2 and LXX Joshua 13:2

Leave a comment

Your questions and comments are welcome!

Comments

Glossary

Search the Library