7 Do it now: Allot this land as an inheritance to the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh." Land East of the Jordan 8 The other half-tribe of Manasseh, with the Reubenites and Gadites, had been given their inheritance by Moses on the other side of the Jordan eastward. Moses the servant of God gave it to them. 9 This land extended from Aroer at the edge of the Arnon Gorge and the city in the middle of the valley, taking in the entire tableland of Medeba as far as Dibon, 10 and all the towns of Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled from Heshbon, and out to the border of the Ammonites. 11 It also included Gilead, the country of the people of Geshur and Maacah, all of Mount Hermon, and all Bashan as far as Salecah 12 - the whole kingdom of Og in Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth and Edrei. He was one of the last survivors of the Rephaim. Moses had defeated them and taken their land. 13 The People of Israel never did drive out the Geshurites and the Maacathites - they're still there, living in Israel.

The Inheritances Given by Moses

14 Levi was the only tribe that did not receive an inheritance. The Fire-Gift offerings to God, the God of Israel, are their inheritance, just as he told them. 15 To the tribe of Reuben, clan by clan, Moses gave: 16 the land from Aroer at the edge of the Arnon Gorge and the town in the middle of the valley, including the tableland around Medeba; 17 Heshbon on the tableland with all its towns (Dibon, Bamoth Baal, Beth Baal Meon, 18 Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath, 19 Kiriathaim, Sibmah, Zereth Shahar on Valley Mountain, 20 Beth Peor, the slopes of Pisgah, Beth Jeshimoth); 21 and all the cities of the tableland, the whole kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled at Heshbon, whom Moses put to death along with the princes of Midian: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, who lived in that country, all puppets of Sihon. 22 (In addition to those killed in battle, Balaam son of Beor, the soothsayer, was put to death by the People of Israel.) 23 The boundary for the Reubenites was the bank of the Jordan River. This was the inheritance of the Reubenites, their villages and cities, according to their clans. 24 To the tribe of Gad, clan by clan, Moses gave: 25 the territory of Jazer and all the towns of Gilead and half the Ammonite country as far as Aroer near Rabbah; 26 the land from Heshbon to Ramath Mizpah and Betonim, and from Mahanaim to the region of Debir; 27 in the valley: Beth Haram, Beth Nimrah, Succoth, and Zaphon, with the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon (the east side of the Jordan, north to the end of the Sea of Kinnereth). 28 This was the inheritance of the Gadites, their cities and villages, clan by clan. 29 To the half-tribe of Manasseh, clan by clan, Moses gave: 30 the land stretching out from Mahanaim; all of Bashan, which is the entire kingdom of Og king of Bashan, and all the settlements of Jair in Bashan - sixty towns in all. 31 Half of Gilead with Ashtaroth and Edrei, the royal cities of Og in Bashan, belong to the descendants of Makir, a son of Manasseh (in other words, the half-tribe of the children of Makir) for their clans. 32 This is the inheritance that Moses gave out when he was on the plains of Moab across the Jordan east of Jericho. 33 But Moses gave no inheritance to the tribe of Levi. God, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, just as he told them.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Joshua 13:7-33

Commentary on Joshua 13:7-33

(Read Joshua 13:7-33)

The land must be divided among the tribes. It is the will of God that every man should know his own, and not take that which is another's. The world must be governed, not by force, but right. Wherever our habitation is placed, and in whatever honest way our portion is assigned, we should consider them as allotted of God; we should be thankful for, and use them as such, while every prudent method should be used to prevent disputes about property, both at present and in future. Joshua must be herein a type of Christ, who has not only conquered the gates of hell for us, but has opened to us the gates of heaven, and having purchased the eternal inheritance for all believers, will put them in possession of it. Here is a general description of the country given to the two tribes and a half, by Moses. Israel must know their own, and keep to it; and may not, under pretence of their being God's peculiar people, encroach on their neighbours. Twice in this chapter it is noticed, that to the tribe of Levi Moses gave no inheritance: see Numbers 18:20. Their maintenance must be brought out of all the tribes. The ministers of the Lord should show themselves indifferent about worldly interests, and the people should take care they want nothing suitable. And happy are those who have the Lord God of Israel for their inheritance, though little of this world falls to their lot. His providences will supply their wants, his consolations will support their souls, till they gain heavenly joy and everlasting pleasures.