Josué 13

BLIVRE · Chapter 13/24

1E sendo Josué já velho, cheio de dias, o SENHOR lhe disse: Tu és já velho, de idade avançada, e resta ainda muita terra por possuir.

2Esta é a terra que resta; todos os termos dos filisteus, e todos os gessuritas;

3Desde Sior, que está diante do Egito, até o termo de Ecrom ao norte, considera-se dos cananeus: cinco províncias dos filisteus; os gazitas, asdoditas, asquelonitas, giteus, e ecronitas; e os heveus;

4Ao sul toda a terra dos cananeus, e Meara que é dos sidônios, até Afeque, até o termo dos amorreus;

5E a terra dos gebalitas, e todo o Líbano até o oriente, desde Baal-Gade o pdo monte Hermom, até entrar em Hamate;

6Todos os que habitam nas montanhas desde o Líbano até as águas quentes, todos os sidônios; eu os desarraigarei diante dos filhos de Israel:;somente repartirás tu por sorte aquela terra aos israelitas por herança, como te mandei.

7Reparte, pois, tu agora esta terra em herança às nove tribos, e à meia tribo de Manassés.

8Porque a outra meia recebeu sua herança com os rubenitas e gaditas, a qual lhes deu Moisés da outra parte do Jordão ao oriente, segundo que se a deu Moisés servo do SENHOR:

9Desde Aroer, que está à beira do ribeiro de Arnom, e a cidade que está em meio do ribeiro, e toda a campina de Medeba, até Dibom;

10E todas as cidades de Seom rei dos amorreus, o qual reinou em Hesbom, até os termos dos filhos de Amom;

11E Gileade, e os termos dos gessuritas, e dos maacatitas, e todo o monte de Hermom, e toda a terra de Basã até Salcá:

12Todo o reino de Ogue em Basã, o qual reinou em Astarote e Edrei, o qual havia ficados do resto dos refains; pois Moisés os feriu, e expulsou.

13Mas aos dos gessuritas e dos maacatitas não expulsaram os filhos de Israel; antes Gessur e Maacate habitaram entre os israelitas até hoje.

14Porém à tribo de Levi não deu herança: os sacrifícios do SENHOR Deus de Israel são sua herança, como ele lhes havia dito.

15Deu, pois, Moisés à tribo dos filhos de Rúben conforme suas famílias:

16E foi o termo deles desde Aroer, que está à beira do ribeiro de Arnom, e a cidade que está em meio do ribeiro, e toda a campina, até Medeba;

17Hesbom, com todas as suas vilas que estão na planície; Dibom, e Bamote-Baal, e Bete-Baal-Meom;

18E Jaza, e Quedemote, e Mefaate,

19E Quiriataim, e Sibma, e Zerete-Saar no monte do vale;

20E Bete-Peor, e as encostas de Pisga, e Bete-Jesimote;

21E todas as cidades da campina, e todo o reino de Seom rei dos amorreus, que reinou em Hesbom, ao qual feriu Moisés, e aos príncipes de Midiã, Evi, Requém, e Sur, e Hur, e Reba, príncipes de Seom que habitavam naquela terra.

22Também mataram à espada os filhos de Israel a Balaão adivinho, filho de Beor, com os demais que mataram.

23E foram os termos dos filhos de Rúben o Jordão com seu termo. Esta foi a herança dos filhos de Rúben conforme suas famílias, estas cidades com suas vilas.

24Deu também Moisés à tribo de Gade, aos filhos de Gade, conforme suas famílias.

25E o termo deles foi Jazer, e todas as cidades de Gileade, e a metade da terra dos filhos de Amom até Aroer, que está diante de Rabá.

26E desde Hesbom até Ramate-Mispa, e Betonim; e desde Maanaim até o termo de Debir:

27E a campina de Bete-Arã, e Bete-Ninra, e Sucote, e Zafom, resto do reino de Seom, rei em Hesbom: o Jordão e seu termo até a extremidade do mar de Quinerete da outra parte do Jordão ao oriente.

28Esta é a herança dos filhos de Gade, por suas famílias, estas cidades com suas vilas.

29Também deu Moisés herança à meia tribo de Manassés: e foi da meia tribo dos filhos de Manassés, conforme suas famílias.

30O termo deles foi desde Maanaim, todo Basã, todo o reino de Ogue rei de Basã, e todas as aldeias de Jair que estão em Basã, sessenta povoações.

31Deram-se também a metade de Gileade, e Astarote, e Edrei, cidades do reino de Ogue em Basã, aos filhos de Maquir, filho de Manassés, à metade dos filhos de Maquir conforme suas famílias.

32Isto é o que Moisés repartiu em herança nas planícies de Moabe, da outra parte do Jordão de Jericó, ao oriente.

33Mas à tribo de Levi não deu Moisés herança: o SENHOR Deus de Israel é a herança deles como ele lhes havia dito.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

God reminds Joshua, now old, that there is still land to be conquered. He details the distribution of the lands east of the Jordan to Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh.

Explanation

Even as Joshua grows old, God does not treat the mission as finished - there is still territory yet to be taken, and yet he instructs that the land be divided by lot as an inheritance, an expression of faith that God would continue completing what he had promised. The tribe of Levi receives no territory because their 'inheritance' is the offerings dedicated to the Lord, reflecting their special role of serving in worship rather than accumulating property like the other tribes. The detailed list of borders, though repetitive at first glance, documented concrete ownership rights, something essential in an agrarian society.

Fun facts

  • Balaam, the prophet who tried to curse Israel in the book of Numbers, is mentioned here as having died in battle against the Midianites, bringing his story to a tragic close.
  • The tribe of Levi being left without fixed territory fulfilled a prophecy of Jacob in Genesis 49:7, who foretold that Levi would be 'scattered' in Israel - though here that scattering becomes a priestly role rather than a curse.

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. Josué 13:1Even with Joshua now old, the text admits there was still much land left to conquer, and the division that begins here happens before possession is complete. It is a sign that dividing the land by lot was more about establishing a promise and a right than about describing military control already finished.
  2. Josué 13:2The list of lands still to be conquered begins with the territories of the Philistines and the region of Geshur, along the coast.
  3. Josué 13:3The text details the Philistine strip, with its five main cities — Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron — which remained outside Israel’s control.
  4. Josué 13:4The list continues, including the Canaanite region to the south and Phoenician territories like Mearah, reaching all the way to the Amorite border.
  5. Josué 13:5Also left out are the territory of the Giblites and the whole region of Lebanon, on the east side, toward the entrance of Hamath.
  6. Josué 13:6God promises to drive out the inhabitants of these hill regions later, but for now He tells Joshua to simply divide the land by lot among the tribes, including what has not yet been conquered.
  7. Josué 13:7The practical order is to divide the land among the nine and a half tribes that had not yet received territory.
  8. Josué 13:8The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh had already received their share of land even before crossing the Jordan, by Moses’ own decision. The casting of lots that Joshua organizes afterward is only for the remaining tribes, not to reopen what had already been settled.
  9. Josué 13:9Here begins the description of the portion Reuben and Gad had already received from Moses, east of the Jordan, starting from the region of Aroer.
  10. Josué 13:10The territory includes all the cities that belonged to Sihon, the Amorite king defeated back in the time of Moses.
  11. Josué 13:11The area extends to Gilead and Mount Hermon, covering a large part of Bashan.
  12. Josué 13:12It also includes the former kingdom of Og, the other giant king defeated by Moses before reaching Canaan.
  13. Josué 13:13One important note: Israel never fully drove out the peoples of Geshur and Maacah, who kept living there even after the conquest.
  14. Josué 13:14The tribe of Levi does not receive a continuous territory because its role was to care for worship and live off the offerings brought to the Lord by the other tribes, not off farming or raising livestock like the rest. This deliberate lack of land is repeated more than once in the book, as if the text wanted to make very clear that it was no oversight.
  15. Josué 13:15Here begins the specific description of the territory given to the tribe of Reuben.
  16. Josué 13:16Reuben’s borders start at Aroer and reach the region of Medeba, covering a large part of the plain.
  17. Josué 13:17Heshbon and several neighboring cities on the plain fall within Reuben’s territory.
  18. Josué 13:18More cities are listed within Reuben’s area, forming a detailed map of the territory.
  19. Josué 13:19The list continues with more cities from the hill country of the valley.
  20. Josué 13:20Beth-peor and other hillside cities round out Reuben’s list.
  21. Josué 13:21Reuben’s territory includes the entire former kingdom of Sihon, including the lands of the Midianite chiefs who served under him.
  22. Josué 13:22Among those killed in the conquest of this region is Balaam, the prophet hired to curse Israel, who ended up dying along with the enemy.
  23. Josué 13:23The Jordan marks the western boundary of Reuben’s territory, closing out the description of this tribe’s inheritance.
  24. Josué 13:24From here, the text moves on to detail the territory given to the tribe of Gad.
  25. Josué 13:25Gad’s territory begins at Jazer and covers half the land of the Ammonites, including the whole region of Gilead.
  26. Josué 13:26Gad’s borders extend to Ramoth-mizpeh and Mahanaim, reaching the region of Debir.
  27. Josué 13:27In the valley, Gad’s territory includes several cities left over from Sihon’s former kingdom, reaching as far as the Sea of Galilee.
  28. Josué 13:28This is the summary of the complete inheritance of the tribe of Gad, with its cities and villages.
  29. Josué 13:29The text now moves to the half of the tribe of Manasseh that received land east of the Jordan.
  30. Josué 13:30This territory includes the whole region of Bashan, Og’s former kingdom, with sixty cities known as the towns of Jair.
  31. Josué 13:31Half of Gilead and the cities of Ashtaroth and Edrei also fall within this portion, given to the family of Machir, a descendant of Manasseh.
  32. Josué 13:32This is the summary of everything Moses distributed on the east side of the Jordan, even before Joshua took over the leadership.
  33. Josué 13:33What was already said is repeated here: the tribe of Levi receives no land of its own, because their “inheritance” is to serve God directly.

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