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1 Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the Lord said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed.

2 This is the land that yet remaineth: all the borders of the Philistines, and all Geshuri,

3 From Sihor, which is before Egypt, even unto the borders of Ekron northward, which is counted to the Canaanite: five lords of the Philistines; the Gazathites, and the Ashdothites, the Eshkalonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avites:

4 From the south, all the land of the Canaanites, and Mearah that is beside the Sidonians unto Aphek, to the borders of the Amorites:

5 And the land of the Giblites, and all Lebanon, toward the sunrising, from Baalgad under mount Hermon unto the entering into Hamath.

6 All the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon unto Misrephothmaim, and all the Sidonians, them will I drive out from before the children of Israel: only divide thou it by lot unto the Israelites for an inheritance, as I have commanded thee.

7 Now therefore divide this land for an inheritance unto the nine tribes, and the half tribe of Manasseh,

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 tribes of Levi he gave none inheritance; the sacrifices of the Lord God of Israel made by fire are their inheritance, as he said unto them.

15 And Moses gave unto the tribe of the children of Reuben inheritance according to their families.

16 And their coast was from Aroer, that is on the bank of the river Arnon, and the city that is in the midst of the river, and all the plain by Medeba;

17 Heshbon, and all her cities that are in the plain; Dibon, and Bamothbaal, and Bethbaalmeon,

18 And Jahaza, and Kedemoth, and Mephaath,

19 And Kirjathaim, and Sibmah, and Zarethshahar in the mount of the valley,

20 And Bethpeor, and Ashdothpisgah, and Bethjeshimoth,

21 And all the cities of the plain, and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, which reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses smote with the princes of Midian, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, which were dukes of Sihon, dwelling in the country.

22 Balaam also the son of Beor, the soothsayer, did the children of Israel slay with the sword among them that were slain by them.

23 And the border of the children of Reuben was Jordan, and the border thereof. This was the inheritance of the children of Reuben after their families, the cities and the villages thereof.

24 And Moses gave inheritance unto the tribe of Gad, even unto the children of Gad according to their families.

25 And their coast was Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the children of Ammon, unto Aroer that is before Rabbah;

26 And from Heshbon unto Ramathmizpeh, and Betonim; and from Mahanaim unto the border of Debir;

27 And in the valley, Betharam, and Bethnimrah, and Succoth, and Zaphon, the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon, Jordan and his border, even unto the edge of the sea of Chinnereth on the other side Jordan eastward.

28 This is the inheritance of the children of Gad after their families, the cities, and their villages.

29 And Moses gave inheritance unto the half tribe of Manasseh: and this was the possession of the half tribe of the children of Manasseh by their families.

30 And their coast was from Mahanaim, all Bashan, all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, and all the towns of Jair, which are in Bashan, threescore cities:

31 And half Gilead, and Ashtaroth, and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan, were pertaining unto the children of Machir the son of Manasseh, even to the one half of the children of Machir by their families.

32 These are the countries which Moses did distribute for inheritance in the plains of Moab, on the other side Jordan, by Jericho, eastward.

33 But unto the tribe of Levi Moses gave not any inheritance: the Lord God of Israel was their inheritance, as he said unto them.

<html><b>A great deal of the land remains—</b> Of the land I promised to Avrohom, much remains to be possessed [as an inheritance], for it has not been conquered.¹<i class=“footnote”>And since you are old, you will not be able to do so in your lifetime.</i></html>

<html><b>Borders.</b> Marche in old French.</html>

<html><b>From Shichor.</b> This is the Nile River, which is also referred to as the Egyptian brook. It is close to the southwestern border of Eretz Yisroel, as it is said in Parshas, “These are the journeys.”²<i class=“footnote”>Bamidbar 34:5.</i> From here we learn that in Yehoshua’s lifetime, he did not conquer the entire southern border except from the wilderness of Tzin, which is synonymous with the bare, divided mountain³<i class=“footnote”>See above 11:17.</i> that goes up to Seir; to the Nile. This is the boundry of Gaza mentioned above, “From Kodeish-Barneia to Gaza.⁴<i class=“footnote”>See above 10:41.</i></html>

<html><b>To the border of Ekron, to the north.</b> The Ekronites lived near the Sea, and they spread out northward further than the others.</html>

<html><b>Which is considered the territory of Canaan.</b> It is of the land of Canaan that I gave to Avrohom [as an inheritance].</html>

<html><b>The territory of the five Philistine rulers.</b> This is the territory from the end of the border to the Great [Mediterranean] Sea, westward.</html>

<html><b>The Azites, the Ashdodites, the Ashkelonites.</b> There are six rulers counted in the verse and he previously called them five [rulers]. Said Rav Yochanan, “Five of them were prominent. There were five prominent rulers [that were counted], for the Avites were not counted among the prominent rulers.⁵<i class=“footnote”>Maseches Chulin 60b.</i> It can be explained in an other way: The five Philistine rulers were: the Azites, the Ashdodites, the Ashkelonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites. These are the five [rulers mentioned]. The land of the Avites remained unconquered for they were not of the Philistine people.</html>

<html><b>From the south, all the land of Canaanites.</b> The preceding verse described the southern border going from east to west, and this verse describes the width of that area that remained to be conquered; describing how much there was from south to north.</html>

<html><b>From the south, all the land of the Canaanites.</b> From the south which is Gaza belonging to the Sidonites, to Apheik, to the Emorites.</html>

<html><b>The land of the Givlites and the entire Lebanon eastward foward the rising sun.</b> And on the eastern border, the northern end remained unconquered, [including] the entire Lebanon, from Baal-gad, to the end of the border; and in the width from east to west to Levo-Chamos. This is the entire northern border, for Levo-Chamos is at the northwestern corner, as stated in Parshas “These are the journeys.”⁶<i class=“footnote”>Bamidbar 34:7,8.</i></html>

<html><b>I will evict them—</b> after your death.</html>

<html><b>Cast lots to divide it as an inheritance to Bnei Yisroel—</b> and later they will conquer, each tribe [will conquer] that area which fell in its lot.</html>

<html><b>With him, the tribes of Reuvein and Gad.</b> With the first half of the tribe of Menashe, the tribes of Reuvein and Gad took their inheritance.</html>

<html><b>From Aroreir, which is on the bank etc.</b> He procedes to describe the entire land on the other side of the Jordan. Then he explains the boundry of each tribe; [as stated], “And Moshe gave”⁷<i class=“footnote”>Below V. 15.</i>—i.e., he gave to each tribe [their territory].</html>

<html><b>From the remnant of the giants—</b> who were slain by Kedorlaomeir and the kings who were aligned with him, as it is said, “And they struck the Rephaim in Ashteros Karnayim.”⁸<i class=“footnote”>Bereishis 14:5.</i></html>

<html><b>On the Mountain of the valley.</b> The mountain of the plain.</html>

<html><b>And half the land of the Bnei Amon.</b> Half the land they conquered from the Bnei Amon and from Sichon.</html>

<html><b>The Jordan and its border.</b> The Jordan and its boundary, [including] the cities which are on its bank.</html>

<html><b>The cities and their villages.</b> Referring to cities surrounded by walls.</html>

<html><b>And their villages.</b> The open cities without walls.</html>