The Meaning of Joshua 13:3 Explained

Joshua 13:3

KJV: From Sihor, which is before Egypt, even unto the borders of Ekron northward, which is counted to the Canaanite: five lords of the Philistines; the Gazathites, and the Ashdothites, the Eshkalonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avites:

YLT: from Sihor which is on the front of Egypt, and unto the border of Ekron northward, to the Canaanite it is reckoned, five princes of the Philistines, the Gazathite, and the Ashdothite, the Eshkalonite, the Gittite, and the Ekronite, also the Avim.

Darby: from the Shihor, which floweth before Egypt, as far as the borders of Ekron northward, and which is counted to the Canaanite; five lordships of the Philistines: of Gazah, and of Ashdod, of Eshkalon, of Gath, and of Ekron; also the Avvites;

ASV: from the Shihor, which is before Egypt, even unto the border of Ekron northward, which is reckoned to the Canaanites; the five lords of the Philistines; the Gazites, and the Ashdodites, the Ashkelonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avvim,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

From Sihor,  which [is] before  Egypt,  even unto the borders  of Ekron  northward,  [which] is counted  to the Canaanite:  five  lords  of the Philistines;  the Gazathites,  and the Ashdothites,  the Eshkalonites,  the Gittites,  and the Ekronites;  also the Avites: 

What does Joshua 13:3 Mean?

Context Summary

Joshua 13:1-7 - Much Land Yet To Be Possessed
We do not know how long the war lasted. Probably about seven years, Joshua 14:10 (forty-five less thirty-eight). It was only in David's reign that the Canaanites were finally subdued. Note that Joshua took the land and then gave it to Israel. So Christ received the fullness of the Spirit and all spiritual blessings as the Trustee of those who believe; but we must claim and appropriate our heritage. So at last there will be rest, Joshua 11:23.
With Joshua 13:1 begins the second division of this book. A Doomsday Book! How significant is the sentence, "Much land to be possessed." This is true of tracts of the Bible, seldom read by ordinary Christians; of regions of experience, such as those alluded to in Colossians 3:1-4; and of countries in the world which have never been trodden by the feet of the missionary!
Read also Joshua 13:13. What pathos it contains! Either they did not believe in God's assurances, or were too indolent to claim them! [source]

Chapter Summary: Joshua 13

1  The bounds of the land not yet conquered
8  The inheritance of the two tribes and a half
14  The Lord and his sacrifices are the inheritance of Levi
15  The bounds of the inheritance of Reuben
22  Balaam slain
24  The bounds of the inheritance of God
29  and of the half tribe of Manasseh

What do the individual words in Joshua 13:3 mean?

from Shihor which [is] upon east of Egypt and as far as the border of Ekron northward as Canaanite [which] is counted five the lords of the Philistines the Gazite and the Ashdodite the Ashkelonite the Gittite and the Ekronite and the Avite
מִֽן־ הַשִּׁיח֞וֹר אֲשֶׁ֣ר ׀ עַל־ פְּנֵ֣י מִצְרַ֗יִם וְעַ֨ד גְּב֤וּל עֶקְרוֹן֙ צָפ֔וֹנָה לַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֖י תֵּחָשֵׁ֑ב חֲמֵ֣שֶׁת ׀ סַרְנֵ֣י פְלִשְׁתִּ֗ים הָעַזָּתִ֤י וְהָאַשְׁדּוֹדִי֙ הָאֶשְׁקְלוֹנִ֣י הַגִּתִּ֔י וְהָעֶקְרוֹנִ֖י וְהָעַוִּֽים

הַשִּׁיח֞וֹר  Shihor 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: שִׁיחֹור  
Sense: a river or canal on east border of Egypt and a branch of the Nile.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר ׀  which  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
עַל־  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
פְּנֵ֣י  east 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
מִצְרַ֗יִם  of  Egypt 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.
וְעַ֨ד  and  as  far  as 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
גְּב֤וּל  the  border 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: גְּבוּל  
Sense: border, territory.
עֶקְרוֹן֙  of  Ekron 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֶקְרֹון  
Sense: the most northerly of the 5 principal cities of the Philistines; located in the lowlands of Judah and later given to Dan.
צָפ֔וֹנָה  northward 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: צָפֹון  
Sense: north (of direction), northward.
לַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֖י  as  Canaanite 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: כִּנְעָן 
Sense: descendant of inhabitant of Canaan n.
תֵּחָשֵׁ֑ב  [which]  is  counted 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: חָשַׁב 
Sense: to think, plan, esteem, calculate, invent, make a judgment, imagine, count.
חֲמֵ֣שֶׁת ׀  five 
Parse: Number, masculine singular construct
Root: חָמֵשׁ  
Sense: five.
סַרְנֵ֣י  the  lords 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: סֶרֶן 
Sense: lord, ruler, tyrant.
פְלִשְׁתִּ֗ים  of  the  Philistines 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: פְּלִשְׁתִּי  
Sense: an inhabitant of Philistia; descendants of Mizraim who immigrated from Caphtor (Crete?) to the western seacoast of Canaan.
הָעַזָּתִ֤י  the  Gazite 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַזָּתִי  
Sense: an inhabitant of the city of Gaza.
וְהָאַשְׁדּוֹדִי֙  and  the  Ashdodite 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַשְׁדֹּודִי  
Sense: an inhabitant of Ashdod.
הָאֶשְׁקְלוֹנִ֣י  the  Ashkelonite 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֶשְׁקְלֹונִי  
Sense: an inhabitant of Ashkelon.
הַגִּתִּ֔י  the  Gittite 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: גִּתִּי  
Sense: an inhabitant of Gath.
וְהָעֶקְרוֹנִ֖י  and  the  Ekronite 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֶקְרֹונִי  
Sense: an inhabitant of Ekron.
וְהָעַוִּֽים  and  the  Avite 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַוִּים  
Sense: inhabitants of Ava or Ivah.