SEV Biblia, Chapter 13:4
al mediodía toda la tierra de los cananeos, y Mehara que es de los de Sidón, hasta Afec, hasta el término del amorreo;
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Joshua 13:4
Verse 4. The land of the Canaanites] This lay on the south of the country of the Philistines, towards the sea-coast. Mearah] Supposed to be the city Maratha, on the Mediterranean Sea. - Calmet. Or the river Majora, which falls into the Mediterranean Sea, between Sidon and Berytus. See PLINY, Hist. Nat. lib. v., c. 20.
Aphek] See on chap. xii. 18.
To the borders of the Amorites] Though the term Amorite is sometimes used to designate the inhabitants in general of the land of Canaan, yet it must be considered in a much more restricted sense in this place. As no Amorites are known to have dwelt in this quarter, Calmet supposes we should read Aramites or Syrians. Joshua, says he, proceeds from Sidon to Aphek, a city of Syria, between Heliopolis and Babylon where was the temple of the Venus of Aphek, and which is spoken of in 1 Kings xx. 26; 2 Kings xiii. 17, as the capital of the kings of Syria. From this Joshua passes on to the frontiers of the Syrians, towards Gebal or Gabala, which, according to Ptolemy, was situated in Phoenicia. This conjecture of Calmet is not supported by any authority either from the ancient versions or MSS. Houbigant, however, approves of it: the emendation is simple as it consists in the interchange of only two letters in the same word, ymrah haarammi, for yrmah haemori.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 4. From the south, all the land of the Canaanites , etc.] That is, of those Canaanites who were particularly so called, in distinction from those of the other nations or tribes, and who dwelt in several parts of the land, some in the east and others in the west, (see Joshua 11:3); and, as it seems here, some in the south: now on the side of the south, as Kimchi interprets it, all the land of the Canaanites was left, that is, remained unconquered and not possessed: and Mearah that [is] beside the Sidonians ; the inhabitants of Sidon, and parts adjacent: what this place was, which belonged to the Sidonians, for so it may better be rendered, is not certain; some take it to be a cave belonging to them: Sandys speaks of a number of caves cut out of the rock in those parts, called the caves of the Sidonians, and afterwards the caves of Tyre; so it is interpreted by the Targum, and in the Syriac and Arabic versions others take it to be the river Magoras, Pliny makes mention of as on the borders of Lebanon near Zidon and Berytus: mention is made of the waters of Mearah along with the waters of Tiberias in Jewish writings f275 ; but rather something of more importance than a cave or a river is meant; most likely a tract of land near Sidon, and which belonged to it, and reached unto Aphek, to the borders of the Amorites ; of this place, (see Gill on “ Joshua 12:18”).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 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 shoul be given to the seed of Jacob. We are not to pass over these chapter 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 us a heart to profit! Joshua is supposed to have been about on hundred years old at this time. It is good for those who are old an stricken in years to be put in remembrance of their being so. God considers the frame of his people, and would not have them burdene with work above their strength. And all people, especially old people should set to do that quickly which must be done before they die, les death prevent them, Ec 9:10. God promise that he would make the Israelites masters of all the countries yet unsubdued, through Joshu was old, and not able to do it; old, and not likely to live to see it done. Whatever becomes of us, and however we may be laid aside a despised, broken vessels, God will do his own work in his own time. We must work out our salvation, then God will work in us, and work with us; we must resist our spiritual enemies, then God will tread the under our feet; we must go forth to our Christian work and warfare then God will go forth before us.
Original Hebrew
מתימן 8486 כל 3605 ארץ 776 הכנעני 3669 ומערה 4632 אשׁר 834 לצידנים 6722 עד 5704 אפקה 663 עד 5704 גבול 1366 האמרי׃ 567
