Joshua 13:23-33

Jos 13:23

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.

 

Then that finished up the inheritance which God gave to the tribe of Reuben which included all the cities, towns, valleys along with the borders of their allotted land.

 

Jos 13:24

And Moses gave inheritance unto the tribe of Gad, even unto the children of Gad according to their families.

 

Now the inheritance which Moses gave to the tribe of Gad.  Gad’s inheritance was on the east side of Jordan and north of the tribe of Reuben.

 

Jos 13:25

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;

 

Jazer was about 15 miles (24 KM) north of Heshbon.  The cities in Gilead did not comprise the entire place as half of Gilead was given to the tribe of Manasseh.  Rabbah was a city located in the Ammonite territory.  Aroer was about 17 miles (27 KM) due south of Rabbah. Rabbah was also a royal city.

 

Jos 13:26

And from Heshbon unto Ramath-mizpeh, and Betonim; and from Mahanaim unto the border of Debir;

 

Heshbon to Ramath-mizpeh which is called Ramoth-Gilead is about 55 miles (89 KM) northeast.  Betonim to Mahanaim is 12 miles (19 KM) due north.  Betonim was located 15 miles (24 KM) northwest of Heshbon.  The border of Debir was the river Jabbok which was the border for Gad and Manasseh.

 

Jos 13:27

And in the valley, Beth-aram, and Beth-nimrah, 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.

 

Beth-aram was 10 miles (16 KM) northwest of Heshbon.  Beth-nimrah was 13 miles (21 KM) northwest of Heshbon.  Succoth was 30 miles (48 KM) northwest of Heshbon.  Heshbon to Zaphon which was located on the Jordan River was 18 miles (29 KM) northwest.  The portion of the kingdom of Sihon which was not given to Reuben.  It extended to the tip of Lake Chinnereth which was northward.

 

Jos 13:28

This is the inheritance of the children of Gad after their families, the cities, and their villages.

 

This completed the area given to the children of Gad by decree from Moses.


Jos 13:29

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.

 

Then the half tribe of Manasseh is given their inheritance according to the decree of Moses.

 

Jos 13:30

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:

 

Mahanaim was about 1 mile south of the River Jabbok.  Bashan was east of the Sea of Chinnereth and extended northeast.  Og took the kingdom of Argob and half the land of Gilead.  All of this was possessed by the half tribe of Manasseh.  Jair is also Havvoth-Jair which is just southeast of the Sea of Chinnereth.  A total of 60 cities probably most were very small and have since been lost to antiquity.

 

Jos 13:31

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.

 

This half Gilead is the part owned by Og which was not given to the tribe of Gad.  They were given the portion that was owned by Sihon.  Ashtaroth was about 11 miles (17 KM) due east of the Sea of Chinnereth.  Edrei was about 15 miles (24 KM) southeast of the Sea of Chinnereth.  Manasseh had only one son and his name was Machir.  And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third generation: the children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were brought up upon Joseph's knees. (Genesis 50:23) 

 

Jos 13:32

These are the countries which Moses did distribute for inheritance in the plains of Moab, on the other side Jordan, by Jericho, eastward.

 

This completed the distribution of the land for the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh according to the dictates of Moses concerning those tribes on the east side of the Jordan.

 

Jos 13:33

But unto the tribe of Levi Moses gave not any inheritance: the LORD God of Israel was their inheritance, as he said unto them.

 

The tribe of Levi received no official inheritance as they were to receive their sustenance from the individual tribes which they served.  The LORD God was their inheritance as it is for the true believer in Christ.  We have no inheritance in this sinful world but as Abraham did, we search for that city called the New Jerusalem.  After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. (Genesis 15:1)

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