Keraia
Joshua 13

Joshua 13:17

Reuben’s Inheritance · Joshua 13:15–23
Read Joshua 13

Translations

Modern
…to Heshbon and all its cities on the plateau, including Dibon, Bamoth-baal, Beth-baal-meon,
Traditional
Heshbon, and all her cities that are in the plain; Dibon, and Bamoth–baal, and Beth–baal–meon,
Literal
Heshbon and all its cities that are in the plain, Dibon, and Bamoth-baal, and Beth-baal-meon,
Latin
…et Hesebon, cunctosque viculos earum, qui sunt in campestribus: Dibon quoque et Bamothbaal, et oppidum Baalmaon,

Original

Hebrew
English
…to Heshbon and all its cities on the plateau, including Dibon, Bamoth-baal, Beth-baal-meon,

Notes

Joshua 13:15–23

Reuben, Jacob's first son by Leah, lost his inheritance because he slept with his father's concubine (Genesis 29:32; 35:22). As a result, his tribe's inheritance was not very important. Although the tribe received productive land, it was hard to defend from nearby nations. Eventually, the tribe of Reuben lost the southern part to Moab.

Joshua 13:1–21:45

  • As he had promised, God brought Israel into the land. Joshua then focused on dividing the land among Israel's tribes.

  • The tribal allowances made the covenant of the Israelites with God real. It showed the fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Since God owned the land, giving it to the tribes was a gift. God gave them the land to live in and guided its distribution.

  • In these lists of tribal allowances, the author describes some borders in great detail, allowing them to be mapped. With others, they are less plainly defined.

Theme notes and profiles

Joshua Inheriting the Land

Events

Places

Baal-meon: Moabite town, allotted to Reuben, later retaken by Moab Bamoth-baal: Moabite high place where Balak took Balaam Dibon: Moabite city, allotted to Gad, later possessed by Moab Heshbon: Amorite city conquered by Moses, allotted to Reuben

Glossary

Allotment of the Land Ammon, Ammonites Ashtaroth, Ashterathite Baal-meon Bamah Bamoth, Bamoth-Baal Beth-baal-meon Dibon Heshbon Joshua (Person) Joshua, Book of Judges, Book of Kerioth Numbers, Book of Tribe of Dan

Topics

Amorites: Allotted to Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh Baal-Meon: Beth-Baal-Meon Bamoth: Called Bamoth-Baal, a City of Reuben Beth-Baal-Meon: A Place in the Territory of the Tribe of Reuben Beth-Baal-Meon: Assigned to the Reubenites Dibon: Also Called Dibon-Gad and Dimon: Allotted to Gad and Reuben Reubenites: Have Their Inheritance East of the Jordan River The Amorites: Land of, Given to Reubenites the Tribe of Reuben: Bounds of Their Inheritance Topography of Canaan