Joshua 13

Joshua was now, it appears, about a century old, and might justly be called stricken in years; and his great activity since the death of Moses must necessarily have impaired his strength, so as to unfit him for the fatigues and dangers of military warfare. Still, however much land remained to be conquered and possessed; the Lord therefore urges him to proceed with the division of the land, leaving the respective tribes to contend for their appropriate lots, with the promise that, in case of their persevering activity and obedience, they should be assisted to gain possession of the remainder. The condition here understood, is fully expressed in Joshua’s farewell address to Israel, (Joshua 23)

ver. 11-13. | € This division of the land, though in some sense premature, was calculated to answer several valuable ends. It would Let us, however, place ourselves in Joshua’s situation, who, while he gave them these directions as to the earthly Canaan, was himself admonished to prepare to enter the Canaan that is above. “The Lord said unto him, thou art old and stricken in years.” By how many infirmities and diseases (messengers from heaven) are the aged warned to prepare to die; and yet, alas! how backward are we to attend to the kind and merciful admonition. But there is another useful view we should take of this passage; we that are ‘old and stricken in years,’ should inquire, what duties remain unaccomplished.

When Bede, the venerable, was in the article of death, he was engaged in completing a translation of St. John’s Gospel: his amanuensis, seeing he was ready to depart, cried, ‘My beloved master, there yet remains one sentence unwritten.’—O for such a monitor, to O for grace to perform it as Bede did, and then expire!

Notes on the verses

Chap. XIII. Ver. 3. From Sihor.—This, in some places, seems to be the old name for the river Nile; but Dr. Wall observes, the borders of Canaan never came so far south. Perhaps some other river might be called Sihor, (or black,) perhaps the Nile, or supposed to have some connexion with it. See Dr. Ver. 4. Aphek.—{This is probably the Aphek spoken of in (1 Kings 20:26). (2 Kings 13:18), as the capital of the kings of Syria; and the same as is mentioned by Sozomen, Eusebius, and Theophanes, as situated near the river Adonis, (now Nahr Ibrahim, between Heliopolis and Byblos, and celebrated for the infamous temple of Venus the Aphacite). The village Afka, situated in the bottom of a [valley] and an hour and three quarters from Akoura, and three hours’ distance from Lake Liemoun, is supposed to occupy its site.

Burckhardt, Pomeyer could not hear of any remains of antiquity in its neighbourhood, |—Bagster. Ver. 5. Giblites.—[Probably the inhabitants of the country around Geta. ((Ezekiel 27:9).) or Byblos, as the LXX. render, a city of Phoenicia, situated on the Mediterranean between Sidon and Tripoli, on the north of the river Adonis. It is now called Gibyle, or Djedail, situated about a day’s journey south of Tripoli; its walls are about a mile in circumference, with square towers about every forty yards’ distance.—Anciently, it must have been a place = no mean extent and of considerable beauty, from the ruins still visible. |—. Ver. 6. Them will I drive out.—This was conditional;—Israel rebelled, and it was not wholly fulfilled.

Ver. 17. Bamoth, the high places of Baal,—Seth, the house or temple of Baal-meon. See (Numbers 32:38). Ver. 19. Sibmah.—[{Called Shibmah, (Numbers 32:38). and celebrated for its vines. (Jeremiah 48:32). (Isaiah 16:8-9).; on which last place, Jerome says, there were scarcely 500 paces between it and Heshbon.|—Bagster.—In the mount of the valley.—Probably on the side of a hill. Ver. 20. Beth-peor.—The house or temple of Peor, See (Numbers 25:13). | | Ver. 22. Balaam…. the soothsayer.—Margin, ‘Divine.” For the history of Balaam, see (Numbers 22), &c. Here we have his melancholy end! Ver. 25. Half the land of the children of Ammon —That half, probably, which had been taken from them by Sihon, king of the Amorites.

Ver. 27. Beth-aram.—{A city near mount Peor, and not far from the entrance of the Jordan into the Dead sea; rebuilt and called Livias by Herod, in honour of Livia, wife of Augustus.]—Bagster.. Ver. 30. The towns of Jair.—(Havoth Jair, (Numbers 32:41).) There were sixty cities; (1 Chronicles 2:21), &c. y