Chapter commentary
Joshua Chapter 13
1
Jos 13:1-33.
English original
Jos 13:1-33.
BOUNDS OF THE LAND NOT YET CONQUERED.
1. Now Joshua was old and stricken in years--He was probably above a hundred years old; for the conquest and survey of the land occupied about seven years, the partition one; and he died at the age of one hundred ten years
(Jos 24:29).
The distribution, as well as the conquest of the land, was included in the mission of Joshua; and his advanced age supplied a special reason for entering on the immediate discharge of that duty; namely, of allocating Canaan among the tribes of Israel--not only the parts already won, but those also which were still to be conquered.
2
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2-6. 还有未得之地——即尚待取得之地。本段是一个插叙，史家在此简述尚未征服的各区：首先是非利士人的全境——沿地中海海岸延伸约六十英里的狭长地带，以及其南面基述人的地
(撒上 27:8)。
两地都包括"从埃及前的西曷河"（即阿里什附近的一条小河，是迦南东面的南界）直到以革伦（非利士人五大主要城邦之首领城中最北的一座）那一片国土。
English original
2-6. This is the land that yet remaineth--that is, to be acquired. This section forms a parenthesis, in which the historian briefly notices the districts yet unsubdued; namely, first, the whole country of the Philistines--a narrow tract stretching about sixty miles along the Mediterranean coast, and that of the Geshurites to the south of it
(1Sa 27:8).
Both included that portion of the country "from Sihor, which is before Egypt," a small brook near El-Arish, which on the east was the southern boundary of Canaan, to Ekron, the most northerly of the five chief lordships or principalities of the Philistines.
3
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3、4. 亚卫人：从［在］南方——七十士译本及多种其他译本将这两句如此相连。亚卫人被赶出之后
(申 2:23)，
便在非利士地的南方安顿下来。尚未征服之地中的第二部分包括
English original
3, 4. also the Avites: From [on] the south--The two clauses are thus connected in the Septuagint and many other versions. On being driven out
(De 2:23),
they established themselves in the south of Philistia. The second division of the unconquered country comprised
4
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4. 迦南人全地，并米亚拉——（「洞穴」之意）
就是属西顿人的地——上加利利一带多山的地区，以洞穴和险塞著称。
到亚弗——即今日之 Afqa，在黎巴嫩境内偏东。
到亚摩利人的交界——这是东北方原属噩的一部分地业。尚未征服的第三区：
English original
4. all the land of the Canaanites, and Mearah--("the cave")
that is beside the Sidonians--a mountainous region of Upper Galilee, remarkable for its caves and fastnesses.
unto Aphek--now Afka; eastward, in Lebanon.
to the borders of the Amorites--a portion of the northeastern territory that had belonged to Og. The third district that remained unsubdued:
5
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5. 迦巴勒人全地——他们的首府是迦巴勒，即希腊人所说的 Bylbos（比布罗斯），在地中海滨、西顿以北四十英里处。
向日出的全黎巴嫩——即反黎巴嫩山，其东支山脉，至黑门山为其正当的尽头。
哈马口——即巴力bek（Baalbec）谷地。
English original
5. all the land of the Giblites--Their capital was Gebal or Bylbos (Greek), on the Mediterranean, forty miles north of Sidon.
all Lebanon, toward the sunrising--that is, Anti-libanus; the eastern ridge, which has its proper termination in Hermon.
entering into Hamath--the valley of Baalbec.
6
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6、7. 山地一切居民，从黎巴嫩直到米斯利弗玛音——
(参
书 11:8)
——即「一切西顿人和腓尼基人」。
我必将他们赶出去——这应许的成全是有条件的。以色列人若不忠心、不听从，便不能征服此处所指定的各区；事实上，以色列人终未能占有这些地方，尽管其居民后来臣服于大卫和所罗门的权下。
你只要拈阄分给以色列人为业——括号中的插叙既毕，作者在此重接本章的主旨——神吩咐约书亚立刻分地的命令。以拈阄之法分配，无论从哪方面看都是最佳的办法，因为它杜绝了一切不满的借口，也免除了领袖独断偏私的指控；在摩西生前
(民 33:54)
即已宣告以此为各支派分地之法，正是要引导百姓承认神是那地之主，对全地有绝对的主权。况且，郑重地诉诸拈阄，正表明此非出于人的智慧，而是出于神的智慧。只是拈阄只用于决定支派定居之区——定居地的广狭则另按别的原则决定
(民 26:54)。
神在万事之上掌权，这事有确凿的明证：各支派所得的产业，正与雅各
(创 49:3-28)
和摩西
(申 33:6-25)
所预言的相符。
English original
6, 7. All the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon unto Misrephoth-maim--(See on
Jos 11:8)
--that is, "all the Sidonians and Phœnicians."
them will I drive out--The fulfilment of this promise was conditional. In the event of the Israelites proving unfaithful or disobedient, they would not subdue the districts now specified; and, in point of fact, the Israelites never possessed them though the inhabitants were subjected to the power of David and Solomon.
only divide thou it by lot unto the Israelites for an inheritance--The parenthetic section being closed, the historian here resumes the main subject of this chapter--the order of God to Joshua to make an immediate allotment of the land. The method of distribution by lot was, in all respects, the best that could have been adopted, as it prevented all ground of discontent, as well as charges of arbitrary or partial conduct on the part of the leaders; and its announcement in the life of Moses
(Nu 33:54),
as the system according to which the allocations to each tribe should be made, was intended to lead the people to the acknowledgment of God as the proprietor of the land and as having the entire right to its disposal. Moreover, a solemn appeal to the lot showed it to be the dictate not of human, but divine, wisdom. It was used, however, only in determining the part of the country where a tribe was to be settled--the extent of the settlement was to be decided on a different principle
(Nu 26:54).
The overruling control of God is conclusively proved because each tribe received the possession predicted by Jacob
(Ge 49:3-28)
and by Moses
(De 33:6-25).
8
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8. 与他们同得——希伯来文作「他」。这前词显然是指玛拿西，不过不是刚刚提到的那个半支派，而是另外的半支派；因为作者仿佛被这字的发音所牵引，转而记述约旦河东已分给流便、迦得和玛拿西半支派的产业
(参
民 32:1；
民 32:33；
另参
申 3:8-17)。
值得留意的是，把这些疆界记在案乃是智慧之举。一旦对各区或各产业的确实界限发生误会或争端，便总可诉诸这一权威文献，从而得以充分了解他们从神所领受的，并对此心存感恩
(诗 16:5、6)。
English original
8. With whom--Hebrew, "him." The antecedent is evidently to Manasseh, not, however, the half-tribe just mentioned, but the other half; for the historian, led, as it were, by the sound of the word, breaks off to describe the possessions beyond Jordan already assigned to Reuben, Gad, and the half of Manasseh (see on
Nu 32:1;
Nu 32:33;
also see
De 3:8-17).
It may be proper to remark that it was wise to put these boundaries on record. In case of any misunderstanding or dispute arising about the exact limits of each district or property, an appeal could always be made to this authoritative document, and a full knowledge as well as grateful sense obtained of what they had received from God
(Ps 16:5, 6).
约书亚记 13:1-33。
尚未征服之地的疆界
1. 约书亚年纪老迈——他此时大概已超过一百岁；因为征服并丈量那地用了约七年，分地用了一年；他死时是一百一十岁
(书 24:29)。
分地与征服那地一样，都包括在约书亚的使命之内；而他年事已高，正是他立即着手履行这一职责的特别理由，即把迦南分给以色列各支派——不仅包括已经攻取的部分，也包括尚待征服的地方。