Joshua 13:8-14

Joshua 13:8-14

[8] With whom the Reubenites  and the Gadites  have received  their inheritance,  which Moses  gave  them, beyond  Jordan  eastward,  even as Moses  the servant  of the LORD  gave  them; [9] From Aroer,  that is upon the bank  of the river  Arnon,  and the city  that is in the midst  of the river,  and all the plain  of Medeba  unto Dibon;  [10] And all the cities  of Sihon  king  of the Amorites,  which reigned  in Heshbon,  unto the border  of the children  of Ammon;  [11] And Gilead,  and the border  of the Geshurites  and Maachathites,  and all mount  Hermon,  and all Bashan  unto Salcah;  [12] All the kingdom  of Og  in Bashan,  which reigned  in Ashtaroth  and in Edrei,  who remained  of the remnant  of the giants:  for these did Moses  smite,  and cast them out.  [13] Nevertheless the children  of Israel  expelled  not the Geshurites,  nor the Maachathites:  but the Geshurites  and the Maachathites  dwell  among  the Israelites  until this day.  [14] Only unto the tribe  of Levi  he gave  none inheritance;  of the LORD  God  of Israel  made by fire  are their inheritance,  as he said  unto them.

What does Joshua 13:8-14 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

This pericope of verses records the boundaries of Israel"s whole transjordanian territory. The peoples the Israelites did not annihilate, and their land that they did not possess, were in the northern part of this area (cf. Joshua 12:5). Gilead ( Joshua 13:11) included land on both sides of the Jabbok River east of the Jordan.
"The Transjordanian tribes receive a disproportionate amount of attention in this book that records the Conquest and division of the land west of the Jordan (cf. Joshua 1:12-15; Joshua 4:12; Joshua 12:1-6; Joshua 13:8-33; Joshua 22:1-34). The author was eager to uphold the unity of the Twelve Tribes in spite of the geographic separation and an undercurrent of feeling that only the land west of the Jordan was truly the Promised Land." [1]