Bible Strands
Joshua 13:9
The area from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Valley, along with the city in the middle of the valley, the whole plateau of Medeba as far as Dibon,
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Joshua 13:9 continues Moses’ territorial assignment to the tribes of Reuben and Gad east of the Jordan. The narrator lists geographic markers to define the eastern portion of their inheritance.
The words — The text foregrounds מֵ/עֲרוֹעֵ֡ר (me./'a.ro.'Er), meaning "from Aroer," and שְׂפַת\־ נַ֨חַל (se.fat- Na.chal), meaning "edge of the wadi." These terms anchor the boundary description to specific topographical features.
The thread — This boundary line appears in Deuteronomy 3:12 and Numbers 21:30, where it marks the extent of Israel's conquest east of the Jordan. Joshua 13:16 repeats the starting point at Aroer but omits the reference to Dibon and alters the preposition for Medeba.
Why it lands — The verse requires the reader to recognize the precision of the territorial allocation to the eastern tribes. It establishes that the inheritance was bounded by natural landmarks and conquered cities, leaving no ambiguity about tribal allotments.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
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;
Cross-references
- Numbers 21:30 But we have overthrown them; Heshbon is destroyed as far as Dibon. We demolished them as far as Nophah, which reaches to Medeba.”
- Joshua 13:16 The territory from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Valley, along with the city in the middle of the valley, to the whole plateau beyond Medeba,
- Deuteronomy 3:12 So at that time we took possession of this land. To the Reubenites and Gadites I gave the land beyond Aroer along the Arnon Valley, and half the hill country of Gilead, along with its cities.
- Deuteronomy 3:16 and to the Reubenites and Gadites I gave the territory from Gilead to the Arnon Valley (the middle of the valley was the border) and up to the Jabbok River, the border of the Ammonites.
- Joshua 12:2 Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon. He ruled from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Valley, along the middle of the valley, up to the Jabbok River (the border of the Ammonites), that is, half of Gilead,
- Isaiah 15:2 Dibon goes up to its temple to weep at its high places. Moab wails over Nebo, as well as over Medeba. Every head is shaved, every beard is cut off.
- Jeremiah 48:18 Come down from your glory; sit on parched ground, O daughter dwelling in Dibon, for the destroyer of Moab has come against you; he has destroyed your fortresses.
- Jeremiah 48:22 upon Dibon, Nebo, and Beth-diblathaim,