Joshua 13:20 — Word Study
WLCוּבֵ֥ית פְּע֛וֹר וְאַשְׁדּ֥וֹת הַפִּסְגָּ֖ה וּבֵ֥ית הַיְשִׁמֽוֹת׃
BSABeth-peorBêyth Pᵉʻôwr [house of Peor, a place east of the Jordan] the slopesʼăshêdâh [or Ashdoth, natural formations like springs] of PisgahPiçgâh [a mountain in Moab] and Beth-jeshimothBêyth ha-Yshîy-môwth [house of desolation, a town east of the Jordan]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וּבֵ֥ית | and Beth | Conjunction, noun proper |
| פְּע֛וֹר | Peor | Noun proper |
| וְאַשְׁדּ֥וֹת | and [the] slopes of | Conjunction, noun common feminine plural construct |
| הַפִּסְגָּ֖ה | Pisgah | Particle, noun proper |
| וּבֵ֥ית | and Beth | Conjunction, noun proper |
| הַיְשִׁמֽוֹת׃ | Jeshimoth | Particle, noun proper |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Beth-peor, the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth-jeshimoth— |
| KJV | And Beth-peor, and Ashdoth-pisgah, and Beth-jeshimoth, |
| ASV | and Beth-peor, and the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth-jeshimoth, |
| YLT | and Beth-Peor, and the springs of Pisgah, and Beth-Jeshimoth, |
| WEB | Beth Peor, the slopes of Pisgah, Beth Jeshimoth, |
| BBE | And Beth-peor, and the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth-jeshimoth; |
Where they part company is in the specific names of the locations, which remain consistent across translations.
The verse consists of a list of significant locations without a finite verb, emphasizing the importance of each place.
6 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Ellicott, AdamClarke & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Joshua 13:20
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Allotment of the Landgenerated
Joshua 13:20 identifies specific locations in the land east of the Jordan that were significant to the Israelites. These places were part of the territories allotted to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, as they settled in the Promised Land. The mention of these locations emphasizes their importance in the history of Israel and their connection to the land of the Amorites.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Numbers 25:3 | So Israel joined in worshiping Baal of Peor, and the anger of the LORD burned against them. |
| 2 | Deuteronomy 4:46 | while they were in the valley across the Jordan facing Beth-peor in the land of Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon and was defeated by Moses and the Israelites after they had come out of Egypt. |
| 3 | Joshua 12:3 | as well as the Arabah east of the Sea of Chinnereth to the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea ), eastward through Beth-jeshimoth, and southward below the slopes of Pisgah. |
| 4 | Deuteronomy 3:17 | The Jordan River in the Arabah bordered it from Chinnereth to the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea ) with the slopes of Pisgah to the east. |
| 5 | Numbers 33:49 | And there on the plains of Moab they camped by the Jordan, from Beth-jeshimoth to Abel-shittim. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 6 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — פִּסְגָּה, ha.pis.Gahgenerated
The word פִּסְגָּה (pisgah) refers to a mountain in Moab, likely meaning 'cleft' due to its geographical features. It is a significant landmark where Moses viewed the Promised Land before his death, as noted in Deuteronomy 34:1.
The parsing shows that it is a noun proper, indicating a specific location rather than a common noun. This highlights its unique role in the narrative of Israel's journey.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, where the translations agree on the names of the locations mentioned: Beth-peor, the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth-jeshimoth.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb is absent in this verse, as it is a list of nouns. The structure is straightforward, presenting three noun phrases: בֵּית פְּעֹור, אַשְׁדּוֹת הַפִּסְגָּה, and בֵּית הַיְשִׁימוֹת.
The Hebrew word order emphasizes the locations, with conjunctions linking them together.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates פִּסְגָּה as φασγα, which shows a direct correspondence to the Hebrew term, maintaining the geographical reference.
This choice reflects the translators' intent to preserve the significance of the location in the narrative of the Israelites.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Joshua 13:20 lists three places: Beth-peor, the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth-jeshimoth. These locations are important to the history of the Israelites as they settled in the land east of the Jordan River.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Beth-peor, meaning 'house of Peor', is a location east of the Jordan River, significant in the history of Israel.
The slopes of Pisgah refer to the geographical features of the mountain Pisgah, where Moses viewed the Promised Land.
Beth-jeshimoth means 'house of desolation', indicating its historical significance as a town east of the Jordan.
These locations are mentioned to highlight the land allotted to the tribes of Israel and their historical context.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What do these geographical locations tell us about the Israelites' journey?
- How does understanding the significance of Pisgah enhance our reading of the biblical narrative?
- In what ways can we see the importance of specific places in our own faith journeys?
- How can we apply the lessons from the allotment of land to our understanding of God's promises?
Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Joshua 13:20 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd Bethpeor,.... So called from Peor, the idol of the Moabites, and where very likely there had been a temple built to the honour of it; over against this place was a valley, where Israel abode some
Read John Gill on Joshua 13 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd Bethpeor, and Ashdothpisgah, and Beth-jeshimoth, Beth-peor = Baal-peor (Numbers 25:3; Numbers 25:5), and Peor (Numbers 23:28) - not yet identified.
Read Robert Jamieson on Joshua 13 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English ReadersOF THE BY MOSES ON THE EAST OF JORDAN (Joshua 13:15-33). (15) Reuben.—See also Numbers 32:33-42 and Deuteronomy 3:16, &c.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Joshua 13 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 20. Beth-peor] The house or temple of Peor, situated at the foot of the mountain of the same name. See Numbers 25:3.
Read AdamClarke on Joshua 13 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges20. and Beth-peor] A place dedicated to the god Baal-peor, on the east of the Jordan opposite Jericho, about six miles above Libias or Beth-haran. Comp. Deuteronomy 3:29; Deuteronomy 4:46. and Ashdoth-pisgah] See ch. Joshua 12:3.
Read Cambridge on Joshua 13 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible20. Beth-peor — That is, house of Peor. The town probably got its name from having been the chief seat of the worship of the Moabite god Baal-peor. Numbers 25:3-5.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Joshua 13 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Beth-peor, the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth-jeshimoth—
Beth Peor, the slopes of Pisgah, Beth Jeshimoth,
Beth-peor, the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth-jeshimoth—
Beth Peor, the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth Jeshimoth.
Tyndale line
And Beth-peor, and Ashdoth-pisgah, and Beth-jeshimoth,
and Beth-peor, and the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth-jeshimoth,
and Beth-peor, and the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth-jeshimoth;
And Beth-peor, and Ashdoth-pisgah, and Beth-jeshimoth,
And Beth-peor, and Ashdoth-pisgah, and Beth-ieshimoth:
Strictly literal
and Beth-Peor, and the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth-jeshimoth;
and Beth-Peor, and the springs of Pisgah, and Beth-Jeshimoth,
and Beth-Peor, and the Springs of Pisgah, and Beth-Jeshimoth,
And Beth-pe'or, and the declivities of Pisgah, and Beth-hayeshimoth,
Reuben also received Beth Peor, the slopes of Pisgah, Beth Jeshimoth,
From the Latin
Bethphogor and Asedoth, Phasga and Bethiesimoth,
Simplified
Beth-peor, the slopes of Pisgah, Beth-jeshimoth—
And Beth-peor, and the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth-jeshimoth;
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree in this verse, with four of the six words matched. The Septuagint's word order and articles differ from the Hebrew, but the core content remains consistent.
וּבֵ֥ית פְּע֛וֹר וְאַשְׁדּ֥וֹת הַפִּסְגָּ֖ה וּבֵ֥ית הַיְשִׁמֽוֹת׃
4 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Joshua 13:20
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
בֵּית פְּעוֹר n.pr.loc. E. of Jordan, in land of Amorites (where assigned to Reuben); in land of Moab
base
H1047 בֵּית פְּעוֹר E. of Jordan
1047 Beyth P`owr bayth pe-ore'
from 1004 and 6465; house of Peor; Beth- Peor, a place East
of the Jordan:--Beth-peor.
see HEBREW for 01004
see HEBREW for 06465
בֵּית פְּעוֹר (bet pe.or) — Beth-peor.
§ Beth-peor = "house of Peor"
a place east of the Jordan, in the land of the Amorites, allotted to the tribe of Reuben
N-proper — Conjunction · noun properHC/Npl
Beth
Occurs frequently as the appellation for a house, or dwelling-place, in such compounds as the words immediately following:
the most general word for a house or habitation. It has the special meaning of a temple or house of worship Beth is more frequently employed in compound names of places than any other word.
House, forms a part of many compounds names of places, and sometimes means the place or dwelling; and at others the temple. This word becomes Beit in modern Arabic.
בֵּית פְּעוֹר n.pr.loc. E. of Jordan, in land of Amorites (where assigned to Reuben); in land of Moab
base
H1047 בֵּית פְּעוֹר E. of Jordan
1047 Beyth P`owr bayth pe-ore'
from 1004 and 6465; house of Peor; Beth- Peor, a place East
of the Jordan:--Beth-peor.
see HEBREW for 01004
see HEBREW for 06465
בֵּית פְּעוֹר (bet pe.or) — Beth-peor.
§ Beth-peor = "house of Peor"
a place east of the Jordan, in the land of the Amorites, allotted to the tribe of Reuben
HNpl — Noun properHNpl
pe'-or (ha-pe`or; Phogor):
(1) A mountain in the land of Moab, the last of the three heights to which Balaam was guided by Balak in order that he might curse Israel (Nu 23:28). It is placed by Eusebius, Onomasticon on the way between Livias and Heshbon, 7 Roman miles from the latter. Buhl would identify it with Jebel el-Mashaqqar, on which are the ruins of an old town, between Wady A`yun Musa and Wady Chesban.
Peor
Opening. (1.) A mountain peak (Num. 23:28) to which Balak led Balaam as a last effort to induce him to pronounce a curse upon Israel. When he looked on the tribes encamped in the acacia groves below him, he could not refrain from giving utterance to a remarkable benediction (24:1-9). Balak was more than ever enraged at Balaam, and bade him flee for his life. But before he went he gave expression to that wonderful prediction regarding the future of this mysterious people, whose “goodly tents” were spread out before him, and the coming of a “Star” out of Jacob and a “Sceptre” out of Israel (24:14-17).
(2.) A Moabite divinity, called also “Baal-peor” (Num. 25:3, 5, 18; comp. Deut. 3:29).
(cleft), a mountain peak in Moab belonging to the Abarim range, and near Pisgah, to which, after having ascended Pisgah, the prophet Balaam was conducted by Balak that he might look upon the whole host of Israel and curse them. (Numbers 23:14,28) In four passages -- (Numbers 25:18) twice; Numb 31:16; Josh 22:17 --Peor occurs as a contraction for Baal-peor. [BAAL.)
פִּסְגָּה n.pr.mont. Pisgah (prob. cleft, fr. a natural feature of mt.)
base
H798 פִּסְגָּה, אַשְׁדּוֹת הַפִּסְגָּה
798 'Ashdowth hap-Picgah ash-doth' hap-pis-gaw'
from the plural of 794 and 6449 with the article interposed;
ravines of the Pisgah; Ashdoth- Pisgah, a place east of the
Jordan:--Ashdoth-pisgah.
see HEBREW for 0794
see HEBREW for 06449
אַשְׁדּוֹת (ash.dot hap.pis.gah) — Slopes (of Pisgah).
Ashdoth-pisgah = "slopes of Pisgah"
the mountains of Pisgah, which include Mt. Nebo
Combined with pis.gah (פִּסְגָּה "Pisgah" H6449)
HC/Ncfpc — Conjunction · noun common feminine plural constructHC/Ncfpc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
פִּסְגָּה (Pisgah) likely means 'cleft' and refers to a mountain located in Moab, east of the Jordan River, though its exact site is uncertain. The word is derived from a root meaning 'cleft' and is consistently identified as a geographical location in the Old Testament.
פִּסְגָּה n.pr.mont. Pisgah (prob. cleft, fr. a natural feature of mt.)
base
H6449 פִּסְגָּה Pisgah (prob. cleft, fr. a natural feature of mt.)
6449 Picgah pis-gaw'
from 6448; a cleft; Pisgah, a mt. East of Jordan:--Pisgah.
see HEBREW for 06448
פִּסְגָּה (pis.gah) — Pisgah.
§ Pisgah = "cleft"
mountain in Moab on the northeast shore of the Dead Sea; site uncertain
Art | N-proper — Particle · noun properHTd/Npl
piz'-ga (ha-picgah; Phasga, to lelaxeumenon, he laxeute): This name, which has always the definite article, appears only in combination either with ro'sh, "head," "top," or 'ashdoth, not translated in the King James Version save in De 4:49, where it is rendered "springs" the Revised Version (British and American) uniformly "slopes," the Revised Version margin "springs."
Pisgah is identified with Nebo in De 34:1; compare 3:27. "The top of Pisgah, which looketh down upon the desert" marks a stage in the march of the host of Israel (Nu 21:20). Hither Balak brought Balaam to the field of Zophim (Nu 23:14). Here Moses obtained his view of the Promised Land, and died. See NEBO.…
Pisgah
A part, a mountain summit in the land of Moab, in the territory of Reuben, where Balak offered up sacrifices (Num. 21:20; 23:14), and from which Moses viewed the promised land (Deut. 3:27). It is probably the modern Jebel Siaghah. (See NEBO.)
(section , i.e. peak), (Numbers 21:20; 23:14; 3:27; 34:1) a mountain range or district, the same as or a part of, that called the mountains of Abarim. Comp. (32:49) with Deuteronomy 34:1 It lay on the east of Jordan contiguous to the field of Moab, and immediately opposite Jericho. Its highest point or summit --its "head"--was Mount Nebo. [See NEBO]
בֵּית הַיְשִׁימוֹת n.pr.loc. E. of Jordan (place of the desert) in Moab; given to Reuben
base
H1020 בֵּית הַיְשִׁימוֹת
1020 Beyth ha-Yshiy-mowth bayth hah-yesh-ee-moth'
from 1004 and the plural of 3451 with the article interposed;
house of the deserts; Beth-ha- Jeshimoth, a town East of the
Jordan:--Beth-jeshimoth.
see HEBREW for 01004
see HEBREW for 03451
בֵּית הַיְשִׁימוֹת (bet hay.shi.mot) — Beth-jeshimoth.
§ Beth-jesimoth = "house of the desolation"
a place in Moab given to the tribe of Reuben
N-proper — Conjunction · noun properHC/Npl
Beth
Occurs frequently as the appellation for a house, or dwelling-place, in such compounds as the words immediately following:
the most general word for a house or habitation. It has the special meaning of a temple or house of worship Beth is more frequently employed in compound names of places than any other word.
House, forms a part of many compounds names of places, and sometimes means the place or dwelling; and at others the temple. This word becomes Beit in modern Arabic.
בֵּית הַיְשִׁימוֹת n.pr.loc. E. of Jordan (place of the desert) in Moab; given to Reuben
base
H1020 בֵּית הַיְשִׁימוֹת
1020 Beyth ha-Yshiy-mowth bayth hah-yesh-ee-moth'
from 1004 and the plural of 3451 with the article interposed;
house of the deserts; Beth-ha- Jeshimoth, a town East of the
Jordan:--Beth-jeshimoth.
see HEBREW for 01004
see HEBREW for 03451
בֵּית הַיְשִׁימוֹת (bet hay.shi.mot) — Beth-jeshimoth.
§ Beth-jesimoth = "house of the desolation"
a place in Moab given to the tribe of Reuben
HTd/Npl — Particle · noun properHTd/Npl