Joshua 13
יהושע פרק י״ג
Section: נביאים · נביאים ראשונים | Book: Joshua | Chapter: 13 of 24 | Day: 13 of 742
Date: February 24, 2026
קלאוד על הנ״ך
Joshua chapter 13 marks a pivotal transition in the Book of Joshua. The era of conquest gives way to the era of settlement, and the chapter opens with one of the most poignant verses in the book: “Joshua was now old, advanced in years. God said to him, ‘You have grown old, you are advanced in years; and very much of the land still remains to be taken possession of.’” The repetition of Joshua’s age is not merely descriptive — it carries urgency. The work of distribution cannot wait for the completion of conquest. The land must be apportioned now, even the parts not yet secured, as an act of faith in God’s ongoing promise.
God then provides a detailed inventory of unconquered territory (verses 2-6): the Philistine districts along the coast, the Sidonian territories in the north, the Gebalite region, and the entire Lebanese valley up to Lebo-hamath. The five Philistine city-states — Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron — are specifically named, foreshadowing the conflicts that will dominate the period of the Judges and the early monarchy. God’s assurance is striking: “I Myself will dispossess those nations for the Israelites; you have only to apportion their lands by lot.” Joshua is told to divide the land including territory not yet conquered — a remarkable act of allocating what is, in human terms, still in enemy hands.
The second half of the chapter (verses 8-33) turns to a detailed review of the Transjordanian allotments already made by Moses. The territories of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh are described with extensive geographical detail: the Tableland from Medeba to Dibon, the towns of Sihon’s former kingdom, the regions of Gilead and Bashan. The defeat of the Midianite princes and, notably, of “Balaam son of Beor, the augur” (verse 22) is recalled — a striking detail connecting this administrative text to the dramatic narrative of Numbers 22-24. The chapter also records a failure: “the Israelites failed to dispossess the Geshurites and the Maacathites, and Geshur and Maacath remain among Israel to this day” (verse 13). These small notes of incomplete conquest accumulate across the book, building toward the warnings of Judges chapter 1.
The chapter twice emphasizes the unique status of the tribe of Levi (verses 14 and 33): “No hereditary portion was assigned to the tribe of Levi, their portion being the fire offerings of the Eternal.” The Levites’ inheritance is not land but service — their relationship to God replaces territorial possession. This principle, articulated in Deuteronomy 18:1-2, sets up the later allotment of Levitical cities in Joshua 21. The repetition at both the beginning and end of the Transjordanian survey creates a literary frame, reminding the reader that amid all this meticulous geography, the deepest inheritance is spiritual.
פרק י״ג · Chapter 13
פסוק א׳ · Verse 1
Hebrew:
וִיהוֹשֻׁ֣עַ זָקֵ֔ן בָּ֖א בַּיָּמִ֑ים וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֵלָ֗יו אַתָּ֤ה זָקַ֙נְתָּה֙ בָּ֣אתָ בַיָּמִ֔ים וְהָאָ֛רֶץ נִשְׁאֲרָ֥ה הַרְבֵּֽה־מְאֹ֖ד לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ׃
English:
Joshua was now old, advanced in years. GOD said to him, “You have grown old, you are advanced in years; and very much of the land still remains to be taken possession of.
פסוק ב׳ · Verse 2
Hebrew:
זֹ֥את הָאָ֖רֶץ הַנִּשְׁאָ֑רֶת כׇּל־גְּלִיל֥וֹת הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים וְכׇל־הַגְּשׁוּרִֽי׃
English:
This is the territory that remains: all the districts of the Philistines and all [those of] the Geshurites,
פסוק ג׳ · Verse 3
Hebrew:
מִֽן־הַשִּׁיח֞וֹר אֲשֶׁ֣ר ׀ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י מִצְרַ֗יִם וְעַ֨ד גְּב֤וּל עֶקְרוֹן֙ צָפ֔וֹנָה לַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֖י תֵּחָשֵׁ֑ב חֲמֵ֣שֶׁת ׀ סַרְנֵ֣י פְלִשְׁתִּ֗ים הָֽעַזָּתִ֤י וְהָֽאַשְׁדּוֹדִי֙ הָאֶשְׁקְלוֹנִ֣י הַגִּתִּ֔י וְהָעֶקְרוֹנִ֖י וְהָעַוִּֽים׃
English:
from the Shihor, which is close to Egypt, to the territory of Ekron on the north, are accounted Canaanite, namely, those of the five lords of the Philistines—the Gazites, the Ashdodites, the Ashkelonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites—and those of the Avvim
פסוק ד׳ · Verse 4
Hebrew:
מִתֵּימָ֞ן כׇּל־אֶ֣רֶץ הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֗י וּמְעָרָ֛ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר לַצִּידֹנִ֖ים עַד־אֲפֵ֑קָה עַ֖ד גְּב֥וּל הָאֱמֹרִֽי׃
English:
on the south; further, all the Canaanite country from Mearah of the Sidonians to Aphek at the Amorite border
פסוק ה׳ · Verse 5
Hebrew:
וְהָאָ֣רֶץ הַגִּבְלִ֗י וְכׇל־הַלְּבָנוֹן֙ מִזְרַ֣ח הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ מִבַּ֣עַל גָּ֔ד תַּ֖חַת הַר־חֶרְמ֑וֹן עַ֖ד לְב֥וֹא חֲמָ��ת׃
English:
and the land of the Gebalites, with the whole [Valley of the] Lebanon, from Baal-gad at the foot of Mount Hermon to Lebo-hamath on the east,
פסוק ו׳ · Verse 6
Hebrew:
כׇּל־יֹשְׁבֵ֣י הָ֠הָ֠ר מִֽן־הַלְּבָנ֞וֹן עַד־מִשְׂרְפֹ֥ת מַ֙יִם֙ כׇּל־צִ֣ידֹנִ֔ים אָֽנֹכִי֙ אֽוֹרִישֵׁ֔ם מִפְּנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל רַ֠ק הַפִּלֶ֤הָ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בְּֽנַחֲלָ֔ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר צִוִּיתִֽיךָ׃
English:
with all the inhabitants of the hill country from the [Valley of the] Lebanon to Misrephoth-maim,aMisrephoth-maim See note at 11.8. namely, all the Sidonians. I Myself will dispossess those nationsbthose nations Lit. “them.” for the Israelites; you have only to apportion their landsctheir lands Lit. “it.” by lot among Israel, as I have commanded you.
פסוק ז׳ · Verse 7
Hebrew:
וְעַתָּ֗ה חַלֵּ֞ק אֶת־הָאָ֧רֶץ הַזֹּ֛את בְּנַחֲלָ֖ה לְתִשְׁעַ֣ת הַשְּׁבָטִ֑ים וַֽחֲצִ֖י הַשֵּׁ֥בֶט הַֽמְנַשֶּֽׁה׃
English:
Therefore, divide this territory into hereditary portions for the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh.”
פסוק ח׳ · Verse 8
Hebrew:
עִמּ֗וֹ הָרֽאוּבֵנִי֙ וְהַגָּדִ֔י לָקְח֖וּ נַחֲלָתָ֑ם אֲשֶׁר֩ נָתַ֨ן לָהֶ֜ם מֹשֶׁ֗ה בְּעֵ֤בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן֙ מִזְרָ֔חָה כַּֽאֲשֶׁר֙ נָתַ֣ן לָהֶ֔ם מֹשֶׁ֖ה עֶ֥בֶד יְהֹוָֽה׃
English:
Now the Reubenites and the Gadites, along with the other half-tribe,dthe other half-tribe Lit. “it.” had already received the shares that Moses assigned to them on the east side of the Jordan—as assigned to them by Moses the servant of GOD:
פסוק ט׳ · Verse 9
Hebrew:
מֵעֲרוֹעֵ֡ר אֲשֶׁר֩ עַל־שְׂפַת־נַ֨חַל אַרְנ֜וֹן וְהָעִ֨יר אֲשֶׁ֧ר בְּתוֹךְ־הַנַּ֛חַל וְכׇל־הַמִּישֹׁ֥ר מֵידְבָ֖א עַד־דִּיבֽוֹן׃
English:
from Aroer on the edge of the Wadi Arnon and the town in the middle of the wadi, the entire Tableland [from] Medeba to Dibon,
פסוק י״ · Verse 10
Hebrew:
וְכֹ֗ל עָרֵי֙ סִיחוֹן֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ הָאֱמֹרִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר מָלַ֖ךְ בְּחֶשְׁבּ֑וֹן עַד־גְּב֖וּל בְּנֵ֥י עַמּֽוֹן׃
English:
embracing all the towns of King Sihon of the Amorites, who had reigned in Heshbon, up to the border of the Ammonites;
פסוק י״א · Verse 11
Hebrew:
וְהַגִּלְעָ֞ד וּגְב֧וּל הַגְּשׁוּרִ֣י וְהַמַּעֲכָתִ֗י וְכֹ֨ל הַ֥ר חֶרְמ֛וֹן וְכׇל־הַבָּשָׁ֖ן עַד־סַלְכָֽה׃
English:
further, Gilead, the territories of the Geshurites and the Maacathites, and all of Mount Hermon, and the whole of Bashan up to Salcah—
פסוק י״ב · Verse 12
Hebrew:
כׇּל־מַמְלְכ֥וּת עוֹג֙ בַּבָּשָׁ֔ן אֲשֶׁר־מָלַ֥ךְ בְּעַשְׁתָּר֖וֹת וּבְאֶדְרֶ֑עִי ה֤וּא נִשְׁאַר֙ מִיֶּ֣תֶר הָרְפָאִ֔ים וַיַּכֵּ֥ם מֹשֶׁ֖ה וַיֹּרִשֵֽׁם׃
English:
the entire kingdom of Og, who had reigned over Bashan at Ashtaroth and at Edrei. (He was the last of the remaining Rephaim.) These were defeated and dispossessed by Moses;
פסוק י״ג · Verse 13
Hebrew:
וְלֹ֤א הוֹרִ֙ישׁוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶת־הַגְּשׁוּרִ֖י וְאֶת־הַמַּעֲכָתִ֑י וַיֵּ֨שֶׁב גְּשׁ֤וּר וּמַֽעֲכָת֙ בְּקֶ֣רֶב יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃
English:
but the Israelites failed to dispossess the Geshurites and the Maacathites, and Geshur and Maacath remain among Israel to this day.
פסוק י״ד · Verse 14
Hebrew:
רַ֚ק לְשֵׁ֣בֶט הַלֵּוִ֔י לֹ֥א נָתַ֖ן נַחֲלָ֑ה אִשֵּׁ֨י יְהֹוָ֜ה אֱלֹהֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ ה֣וּא נַחֲלָת֔וֹ כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּר־לֽוֹ׃ {פ}
English:
No hereditary portion, however, was assigned to the tribe of Levi, their portion being the fire offerings of the ETERNAL, the God of Israel, as [God] spoke concerning them.eas [God] spoke concerning them See Deut. 18.1.
פסוק ט״ו · Verse 15
Hebrew:
וַיִּתֵּ֣ן מֹשֶׁ֔ה לְמַטֵּ֥ה בְנֵי־רְאוּבֵ֖ן לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָֽם׃
English:
And so Moses assigned [the following] to the tribe of the Reubenites, for their various clans,
פסוק ט״ז · Verse 16
Hebrew:
וַיְהִ֨י לָהֶ֜ם הַגְּב֗וּל מֵעֲרוֹעֵ֡ר אֲשֶׁר֩ עַל־שְׂפַת־נַ֨חַל אַרְנ֜וֹן וְהָעִ֨יר אֲשֶׁ֧ר בְּתוֹךְ־הַנַּ֛חַל וְכׇל־הַמִּישֹׁ֖ר עַל־מֵידְבָֽא׃
English:
and it became theirs: The territory from Aroer, on the edge of the Wadi Arnon and the town in the middle of the wadi, up to Medeba—the entire Tableland—
פסוק י״ז · Verse 17
Hebrew:
חֶשְׁבּ֥וֹן וְכׇל־עָרֶ֖יהָ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּמִּישֹׁ֑ר דִּיבֹן֙ וּבָמ֣וֹת בַּ֔עַל וּבֵ֖ית בַּ֥עַל מְעֽוֹן׃
English:
Heshbon and all its towns in the Tableland: Dibon, Bamoth-baal, Beth-baal-meon,
פסוק י״ח · Verse 18
Hebrew:
וְיַ֥הְצָה וּקְדֵמֹ֖ת וּמֵפָֽעַת׃
English:
Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath,
פסוק י״ט · Verse 19
Hebrew:
וְקִרְיָתַ֣יִם וְשִׂבְמָ֔ה וְצֶ֥רֶת הַשַּׁ֖חַר בְּהַ֥ר הָעֵֽמֶק׃
English:
Kiriathaim, Sibmah, and Zereth-shahar in the hill of the valley,fin the hill of the valley Emendation yields “in the hill country; and in the Valley…”
פסוק כ׳ · Verse 20
Hebrew:
וּבֵ֥ית פְּע֛וֹר וְאַשְׁדּ֥וֹת הַפִּסְגָּ֖ה וּבֵ֥ית הַיְשִׁמֽוֹת׃
English:
Beth-peor, the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth-jeshimoth—
פסוק כ״א · Verse 21
Hebrew:
וְכֹל֙ עָרֵ֣י הַמִּישֹׁ֔ר וְכׇֽל־מַמְלְכ֗וּת סִיחוֹן֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ הָאֱמֹרִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר מָלַ֖ךְ בְּחֶשְׁבּ֑וֹן אֲשֶׁר֩ הִכָּ֨ה מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֹת֣וֹ ׀ וְאֶת־נְשִׂיאֵ֣י מִדְיָ֗ן אֶת־אֱוִ֤י וְאֶת־רֶ֙קֶם֙ וְאֶת־צ֤וּר וְאֶת־חוּר֙ וְאֶת־רֶ֔בַע נְסִיכֵ֣י סִיח֔וֹן יֹשְׁבֵ֖י הָאָֽרֶץ׃
English:
all the towns of the Tableland and the entire kingdom of Sihon, the king of the Amorites, who had reigned in Heshbon. (For Moses defeated him and the Midianite chiefs Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, who had dwelt in the land as princes of Sihon.
פסוק כ״ב · Verse 22
Hebrew:
וְאֶת־בִּלְעָ֥ם בֶּן־בְּע֖וֹר הַקּוֹסֵ֑ם הָרְג֧וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל בַּחֶ֖רֶב אֶל־חַלְלֵיהֶֽם׃
English:
Together with the others that they slew, the Israelites put Balaam son of Beor, the augur, to the sword.)
פסוק כ״ג · Verse 23
Hebrew:
וַיְהִ֗י גְּבוּל֙ בְּנֵ֣י רְאוּבֵ֔ן הַיַּרְדֵּ֖ן וּגְב֑וּל זֹ֣את נַחֲלַ֤ת בְּנֵֽי־רְאוּבֵן֙ לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹתָ֔ם הֶעָרִ֖ים וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽן׃ {פ}
English:
The boundary of the Reubenites was the edge of the Jordan. That was the portion of the Reubenites for their various clans—those towns with their villages.
פסוק כ״ד · Verse 24
Hebrew:
וַיִּתֵּ֤ן מֹשֶׁה֙ לְמַטֵּה־גָ֔ד לִבְנֵי־גָ֖ד לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָֽם׃
English:
To the tribe of Gad, for the various Gadite clans, Moses assigned [the following],
פסוק כ״ה · Verse 25
Hebrew:
וַיְהִ֤י לָהֶם֙ הַגְּב֔וּל יַעְזֵר֙ וְכׇל־עָרֵ֣י הַגִּלְעָ֔ד וַחֲצִ֕י אֶ֖רֶץ בְּנֵ֣י עַמּ֑וֹן עַד־עֲרוֹעֵ֕ר אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֥י רַבָּֽה׃
English:
and it became their territory: Jazer, all the towns of Gilead, part of the country of the Ammonites up to Aroer, which is close to Rabbah,
פסוק כ״ו · Verse 26
Hebrew:
וּמֵחֶשְׁבּ֛וֹן עַד־רָמַ֥ת הַמִּצְפֶּ֖ה וּבְטֹנִ֑ים וּמִֽמַּחֲנַ֖יִם עַד־גְּב֥וּל לִדְבִֽר׃
English:
and from Heshbon to Ramath-mizpeh and Betonim, and from Mahanaim to the border of Lidbir;gLidbir Change of vocalization yields “Lo-debar”; cf. 2 Sam. 9.4, 5; 17.27.
פסוק כ״ז · Verse 27
Hebrew:
וּבָעֵ֡מֶק בֵּ֣ית הָרָם֩ וּבֵ֨ית נִמְרָ֜ה וְסֻכּ֣וֹת וְצָפ֗וֹן יֶ֚תֶר מַמְלְכ֗וּת סִיחוֹן֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ חֶשְׁבּ֔וֹן הַיַּרְדֵּ֖ן וּגְבֻ֑ל עַד־קְצֵה֙ יָם־כִּנֶּ֔רֶת עֵ֥בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֖ן מִזְרָֽחָה׃
English:
and in the Valley, Beth-haram, Beth-nimrah, Succoth, and Zaphon—the rest of the kingdom of Sihon, the king of Heshbon—down to the edge of the Jordan and up to the tip of the Sea of Chinnereth on the east side of the Jordan.
פסוק כ״ח · Verse 28
Hebrew:
זֹ֛את נַחֲלַ֥ת בְּנֵי־גָ֖ד לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם הֶעָרִ֖ים וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽם׃ {ס}
English:
That was the portion of the Gadites, for their various clans—those towns with their villages.
פסוק כ״ט · Verse 29
Hebrew:
וַיִּתֵּ֣ן מֹשֶׁ֔ה לַחֲצִ֖י שֵׁ֣בֶט מְנַשֶּׁ֑ה וַיְהִ֗י לַחֲצִ֛י מַטֵּ֥ה בְנֵי־מְנַשֶּׁ֖ה לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹתָֽם׃
English:
And to the half-tribe of Manasseh Moses assigned [the following], so that it went to the half-tribe of Manasseh, for its various clans,
פסוק ל׳ · Verse 30
Hebrew:
וַיְהִ֣י גְבוּלָ֗ם מִמַּחֲנַ֨יִם כׇּֽל־הַבָּשָׁ֜ן כׇּֽל־מַמְלְכ֣וּת ׀ ע֣וֹג מֶֽלֶךְ־הַבָּשָׁ֗ן וְכׇל־חַוֺּ֥ת יָאִ֛יר אֲשֶׁ֥ר בַּבָּשָׁ֖ן שִׁשִּׁ֥ים עִֽיר׃
English:
and became their territory: Mahanaim,hMahanaim Lit. “from Mahanaim.” all of Bashan, the entire kingdom of Og, king of Bashan, and all of Havvoth-jairiHavvoth-jair See note at Num. 32.41. in Bashan, sixty towns;
פסוק ל״א · Verse 31
Hebrew:
וַחֲצִ֤י הַגִּלְעָד֙ וְעַשְׁתָּר֣וֹת וְאֶדְרֶ֔עִי עָרֵ֛י מַמְלְכ֥וּת ע֖וֹג בַּבָּשָׁ֑ן לִבְנֵ֤י מָכִיר֙ בֶּן־מְנַשֶּׁ֔ה לַחֲצִ֥י בְנֵֽי־מָכִ֖יר לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹתָֽם׃
English:
and part of Gilead, and Ashtaroth and Edrei, the royal cities of Og in Bashan, were assigned to the descendants of Machir son of Manasseh—to a part of the descendants of Machir—for their various clans.
פסוק ל״ב · Verse 32
Hebrew:
אֵ֕לֶּה אֲשֶׁר־נִחַ֥ל מֹשֶׁ֖ה בְּעַֽרְב֣וֹת מוֹאָ֑ב מֵעֵ֛בֶר לְיַרְדֵּ֥ן יְרִיח֖וֹ מִזְרָֽחָה׃ {פ}
English:
Those, then, were the portions that Moses assigned in the steppes of Moab, on the east side of the Jordan.
פסוק ל״ג · Verse 33
Hebrew:
וּלְשֵׁ֙בֶט֙ הַלֵּוִ֔י לֹא־נָתַ֥ן מֹשֶׁ֖ה נַחֲלָ֑ה יְהֹוָ֞ה אֱלֹהֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ ה֣וּא נַחֲלָת��֔ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּ֥ר לָהֶֽם׃ {ס}
English:
But no portion was assigned by Moses to the tribe of Levi; the ETERNAL, the God of Israel, is their portion—as [God] spoke concerning them.jas [God] spoke concerning them See Deut. 18.1.