This verse shows how Joshua’s orders to take the land involved details of its geography, city-states, and people groups.
“in the south, all the land of the Canaanite, and Mearah that belongs to the Sidonians, as far as Aphek, to the border of the Amorites;” (v.4). The LORD continues telling Joshua which portions of Canaan remain to be conquered and distributed among the Israelite tribes. The reference to “the south” points to areas south of the Promised Land’s central region, encompassing varied terrains held by the Canaanites. The term “Canaanite” here represents a broad group of inhabitants, many of whom had city-states and tribal territories spread across what we now identify as parts of modern-day Israel, the Palestinian territories, and Lebanon. This continued mission of taking full possession of the land underscores the Israelites’ responsibility to act in faith and obedience.
The verse specifically mentions “Mearah that belongs to the Sidonians” (v.4). Mearah refers to a cave, or perhaps a district, near the city of Sidon, which was an ancient Phoenician city-state. Sidon is in what is today Lebanon, located on the Mediterranean coast, and it was a powerful maritime hub in the second millennium BC. Historically, the Sidonians played a significant role in trade along the eastern Mediterranean. Joshua ministered during the Late Bronze Age (circa mid-15th century BC to mid-14th century BC), having succeeded Moses around 1406 BC. By referencing these places, Joshua 13:4 emphasizes that God’s promise extended farther than what the Israelites had yet occupied.
The mention of “as far as Aphek, to the border of the Amorites” (v.4) points toward a region northeast of the Holy Land. Aphek was situated near the juncture of major trade routes and was a strategic area that guarded entry into the Jezreel Valley. The Amorites, another influential group, were historically significant for their strongholds in various highland regions. Their territory needed to be overtaken so that the Israelites could fulfill God’s covenant promise of establishing a home in the land—a promise ultimately finding its culmination in Jesus, who is described in the New Testament as fulfilling all the law and the prophets (Matthew 5:17).
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Joshua 13:4 meaning
“in the south, all the land of the Canaanite, and Mearah that belongs to the Sidonians, as far as Aphek, to the border of the Amorites;” (v.4). The LORD continues telling Joshua which portions of Canaan remain to be conquered and distributed among the Israelite tribes. The reference to “the south” points to areas south of the Promised Land’s central region, encompassing varied terrains held by the Canaanites. The term “Canaanite” here represents a broad group of inhabitants, many of whom had city-states and tribal territories spread across what we now identify as parts of modern-day Israel, the Palestinian territories, and Lebanon. This continued mission of taking full possession of the land underscores the Israelites’ responsibility to act in faith and obedience.
The verse specifically mentions “Mearah that belongs to the Sidonians” (v.4). Mearah refers to a cave, or perhaps a district, near the city of Sidon, which was an ancient Phoenician city-state. Sidon is in what is today Lebanon, located on the Mediterranean coast, and it was a powerful maritime hub in the second millennium BC. Historically, the Sidonians played a significant role in trade along the eastern Mediterranean. Joshua ministered during the Late Bronze Age (circa mid-15th century BC to mid-14th century BC), having succeeded Moses around 1406 BC. By referencing these places, Joshua 13:4 emphasizes that God’s promise extended farther than what the Israelites had yet occupied.
The mention of “as far as Aphek, to the border of the Amorites” (v.4) points toward a region northeast of the Holy Land. Aphek was situated near the juncture of major trade routes and was a strategic area that guarded entry into the Jezreel Valley. The Amorites, another influential group, were historically significant for their strongholds in various highland regions. Their territory needed to be overtaken so that the Israelites could fulfill God’s covenant promise of establishing a home in the land—a promise ultimately finding its culmination in Jesus, who is described in the New Testament as fulfilling all the law and the prophets (Matthew 5:17).