Joshua 13 · Verse 3

Joshua 13:3

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:
Joshua 13:3, King James Version

Joshua 13:3 in other translations

BSBAll the territory of the Philistines and the Geshurites, from the Shihor east of Egypt to the territory of Ekron on the north (considered to be Canaanite territory)—that of the five Philistine rulers of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron, as well as that of the Avvites;
WEBfrom the Shihor, which is before Egypt, even to the border of Ekron northward, which is counted as Canaanite; the five lords of the Philistines; the Gazites, and the Ashdodites, the Ashkelonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avvim,
ASVfrom the Shihor, which is before Egypt, even unto the border of Ekron northward, which is reckoned to the Canaanites; the five lords of the Philistines; the Gazites, and the Ashdodites, the Ashkelonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avvim,
YLTfrom Sihor which is on the front of Egypt, and unto the border of Ekron northward, to the Canaanite it is reckoned, five princes of the Philistines, the Gazathite, and the Ashdothite, the Eshkalonite, the Gittite, and the Ekronite, also the Avim.
DARBYfrom the Shihor, which floweth before Egypt, as far as the borders of Ekron northward, and which is counted to the Canaanite; five lordships of the Philistines: of Gazah, and of Ashdod, of Eshkalon, of Gath, and of Ekron; also the Avvites;
BBEFrom the Shihor, which is before Egypt, to the edge of Ekron to the north, which is taken to be Canaanite property: the five chiefs of the Philistines; the Gazites, and the Ashdodites, the Ashkelonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites, as well as the Avvim;
WebsterFrom Sihor, which is before Egypt, even to 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:

What does Joshua 13:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Joshua 13:2-7

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…

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Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 From Sihor, which is before Egypt - Supposed by some to be the Pelusiac branch of the Nile, near to the Arabian Desert; called also the river of Egypt, Num 34:5; Jer 2:18. On this subject an intelligent friend favors me with the following opinion: - "The river Sihor is supposed by some to be the Nile, or a branch of it. Others think it the same as what is frequently called the river of Egypt, which lay before or towards the borders of Egypt; which arose out of the mountains of Paran, and ran westward, falling into that bay of the Mediterranean which lies south of the land of the Philistines. This river is often mentioned as the boundary of the Israelites to the southwest, as Euphrates, the great river, was on the northeast. "There was a desert of considerable distance between what is called the river of Egypt and the isthmus of Suez. Solomon reigned to the borders of Egypt, i.e., to this desert; but not in Egypt, nor to the river Nile. "Upon the whole, (though there are difficulties in the matter), I incline to think that the river in question was not the Nile. Sihor (black) might, from some circumstances, be applied to another river as well as the Nile; though some places in Isaiah and Jeremiah seem to restrict it to the Nile." - J. C. Ekron northward - Ekron was one of the five lordships of the Philistines, and the most northern of all the districts they possessed. Baal-zebub, its idol, is famous in Scripture; see 2Kgs 1:2, etc. The five lordships of the Philistines were Gaza, Ashdod, Askalon, Gath, and Ekron. There is no proof that ever the Israelites possessed Ekron; though, from Jos 15:11, some think it was originally given to Judah, but the text does not say so; it only states that the border of the tribe of Judah went out Unto the Side of Ekron. From Jos 19:43, we learn that it was a part of the lot of Dan, but it does not appear to have been possessed by any of those tribes. Counted to the Canaanite - It is generally allowed that the original possessors of this country were the descendants of Canaan, the youngest son of Ham. The Philistines sprang from Mizraim, the second son of Ham, and, having dispossessed the Avim from the places they held in this land, dwelt in their stead. See Gen 10:13, Gen 10:14. Five lords of the Philistines - These dynasties are famous in the Scriptures for their successful wars against the Israelites, of whom they were almost the perpetual scourge. Also the Avites - These must not be confounded with the Hivites. The Avites seem to have been a very inconsiderable tribe, who dwelt in some of the skirts of Palestine. They had been originally deprived of their country by the Caphtorim; and though they lived as a distinct people, they had never afterwards arrived to any authority.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Joshua 13:1-6

At this chapter begins the account of the dividing of the land of Canaan among the tribes of Israel by lot; a narrative showing the performance of the promise made to the fathers, that this land should be given to the seed of Jacob. We are not to pass over these chapters of hard names as useless. Where God has a mouth to speak, and a hand to write, we should find an ear to hear, and an eye to read; and may God give…

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Joshua 13:3 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

מִֽן\־min-fromH4480
הַשִּׁיח֞וֹרha.shi.Chorthe ShihorH7883
אֲשֶׁ֣ר\׀'a.SherwhichH834
עַל\־'al-[is] onH5921
פְּנֵ֣יpe.Nei[the] face ofH6440
מִצְרַ֗יִםmitz.Ra.yimEgyptH4714
וְעַ֨דve.'Adand toH5704
גְּב֤וּלge.Vul[the] border ofH1366
עֶקְרוֹן֙'ek.rOnEkronH6138
צָפ֔וֹנָהtza.Fo.nahnorth -wardH6828
לַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֖יla.ke.na.'a.Nito the Canaanite[s]H3669
תֵּחָשֵׁ֑בte.cha.Shevit is reckonedH2803
חֲמֵ֣שֶׁת\׀cha.Me.shet[the] fiveH2568
סַרְנֵ֣יsar.Nei[the] rulers ofH5633
פְלִשְׁתִּ֗יםfe.lish.Tim[the] PhilistinesH6430
הָעַזָּתִ֤יha.'a.za.Tithe Gazite[s]H5841
וְהָאַשְׁדּוֹדִי֙ve.ha.'ash.do.Diand the Ashdodite[s]H796
הָאֶשְׁקְלוֹנִ֣יha.'esh.ke.lo.Nithe Ashkelonite[s]H832
הַגִּתִּ֔יha.gi.Tithe Gittite[s]H1663
וְהָעֶקְרוֹנִ֖יve.ha.'ek.ro.Niand the Ekronite[s]H6139
וְהָעַוִּֽים\׃ve.ha.'a.Vimand the Avvite[s]H5761

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Joshua 13:3

  • Jeremiah 2:18

    And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?

  • Deuteronomy 2:23

    And the Avims which dwelt in Hazerim, even unto Azzah, the Caphtorims, which came forth out of Caphtor, destroyed them, and dwelt in their stead.)

  • Judges 3:3

    Namely, five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baal–hermon unto the entering in of Hamath.

  • 1 Samuel 6:4

    Then said they, What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to him? They answered, Five golden emerods, and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines: for one plague was on you all, and on your lords.

  • Numbers 34:2-14

    Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land of Canaan; (this is the land that shall fall unto you for an inheritance, even the land of Canaan with the coasts thereof:) Then your south quarter shall be from the wilderness of Zin along by the coast of Edom, and your south border shall be the outmost coast of the salt sea eastward: And your border shall turn from the south to the ascent of Akrabbim, and pass on to Zin: and the going forth thereof shall be from the south to Kadesh–barnea, and shall go on to Hazar–addar, and pass on to Azmon: And the border shall fetch a compass from Azmon unto the river of Egypt, and the goings out of it shall be at the sea. …

  • Genesis 10:15-19

    And Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn, and Heth, And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite, And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite, And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite: and afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad. …

  • 1 Samuel 6:16-17

    And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day. And these are the golden emerods which the Philistines returned for a trespass offering unto the Lord; for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Askelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one;

  • Joshua 13:13

    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.

  • Zephaniah 2:4-5

    For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up. Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! the word of the Lord is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant.

  • Genesis 10:6

    And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Sihor.
Jer 2:18
which is counted.
Ge 10:15-19; Nu 34:2-14
five Lords.
Jud 3:3; 1Sa 6:4,16,17; Zep 2:4,5The Philistine were not descended from Canaan, but from Mizraim, the son of Ham; (compare Ge 10:6 with ver. 13;) yet they were numbered with the Canaanites in this distribution.
Avites.
De 2:23
Avims.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Joshua 13:2

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

  • Joshua 13:3

    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:

  • Joshua 13:4

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

Read all of Joshua 13

Joshua 13:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Desde Sihor, que está delante de Egipto, hasta el término de Accarón al norte, repútase de los Cananeos: cinco provincias de los Philisteos; los Gazeos, Asdodios, Ascalonitas, Getheos, y Accaronitas; y los Heveos;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		depuis le Shikhor qui est devant l’Égypte, jusqu’à la frontière d’Ékron, vers le nord; il est réputé appartenir aux Cananéens: cinq princes des Philistins, celui de Gaza, et celui d’Asdod, celui d’Askalon, celui de Gath, et celui d’Ékron, et les Avviens;
German
Elberfelder 1871		von dem Sihor, der vor Ägypten fließt, bis an die Grenze von Ekron gegen Norden, wird es zu den Kanaanitern gerechnet; die fünf Fürsten der Philister: der Gasiter, der Asdoditer, der Askeloniter, der Gathiter und der Ekroniter, und die Awim.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		A fluvio turbido, qui irrigat Ægyptum, usque ad terminos Accaron contra aquilonem: terra Chanaan, quæ in quinque regulos Philisthiim dividitur, Gazæos, et Azotios, Ascalonitas, Gethæos, et Accaronitas.