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THE MESSAGE

Joshua 13:3

This verse is not available in the MSG!

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Ashdod;   Ashkelon;   Avites;   Egypt;   Ekron;   Gath;   Gaza;   Gazathites;   Geshur;   Lord;   Philistines;   Sihor;   Thompson Chain Reference - Ekron;   Philistines;   Sihor;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Hivites;   Nile, the River;   Philistines, the;   Theocracy, the, or Immediate Government by God;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Ashdod;   Avim, or Avites;   Gath;   Gaza or Azzah;   Sihor;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Ashdod;   Ashkelon;   Caleb;   Ekron;   Gath;   Gaza;   Philistia, philistines;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Joshua, Theology of;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Ashkelon;   Avim;   Ekron;   Gath;   Gaza;   Gittite;   Lebanon;   Lord;   Philistines;   Sihor;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Ashkelon;   Avim;   Beriah;   Canaan;   Caphtor;   Gath;   Hittites;   Joshua, the Book of;   Lebanon;   Nile;   Palestine;   Philistia;   River of Egypt;   Shihor of Egypt;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Ashdod;   Ashkelon;   Conquest of Canaan;   Gazathite;   Gittite;   Joshua, the Book of;   Rivers and Waterways in the Bible;   Shihor;   Sidon and Tyre;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ashdod;   Ashkelon;   Ekron;   Gazites;   Joshua;   Lord;   Lords of the Philistines;   Machpelah;   Priests and Levites;   Shihor;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Ashdod ;   Avim, Avites ;   Ekronites ;   Eshkalonites ;   Gazathites, Gazites ;   Sihor ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Ekron;   Nile;   Philistia;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Ashdodites,;   Ek'ron;   Esh'kalonites, the;   Gath;   Ga'za;   Ga'zathites, the,;   Leb'anon,;   Philis'tines;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Ashdod;   Ashdodites;   Ashkelon;   Ashkelonites;   Avvim;   Ekron;   Gath;   Gazathites;   Gazites;   Gittites;   Joshua, Book of;   Lords of the Philistines;   Negeb;   Palestine;   Philistines;   Shihor;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Ashdod;   Avim;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Abel-Mizraim;   Ashdod;   Ashkelon;   Avvites, Avva, Avvim;   Ekron;   Gath;   Gaza;   Gentile;   Giants;   Philistines;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
from the Shihor east of Egypt to the border of Ekron on the north (considered to be Canaanite territory)—the five Philistine rulers of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron, as well as the Avvites
Hebrew Names Version
from the Shichor, which is before Mitzrayim, even to the border of `Ekron northward, [which] is reckoned to the Kana`anim; the five lords of the Pelishtim; the `Azati, and the Ashdodi, the Eshkeloni, the Gitti, and the `Ekroni; also the `Avvim,
King James Version
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:
Lexham English Bible
from the Shihor, which is east of Egypt, up to the border of Ekron to the north, which is reckoned as Canaanite; there are five Philistine rulers: the Gazites, Ashdodites, Ashkelonites, Gittites, Ekronites, and the Avvim.
English Standard Version
(from the Shihor, which is east of Egypt, northward to the boundary of Ekron, it is counted as Canaanite; there are five rulers of the Philistines, those of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron), and those of the Avvim,
New Century Version
the area from the Shihor River at the border of Egypt to Ekron in the north, which belongs to the Canaanites; the five Philistine leaders at Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron; the Avvites,
New English Translation
from the Shihor River east of Egypt northward to the territory of Ekron (it is regarded as Canaanite territory), including the area belonging to the five Philistine lords who ruled in Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron, as well as Avvite land
Amplified Bible
from the Shihor [waterway] which is east of Egypt [at the southern end of Canaan], northward to the border of Ekron (all of it regarded as Canaanite); the five rulers of the Philistines: the Gazite, Ashdodite, the Ashkelonite, the Gittite, the Ekronite; and the Avvite
New American Standard Bible
from the Shihor which is east of Egypt, even as far as the border of Ekron to the north (it is counted as Canaanite); the five governors of the Philistines: the Gazite, the Ashdodite, the Ashkelonite, the Gittite, the Ekronite; and the Avvite
Geneva Bible (1587)
From Nilus which is in Egypt, euen vnto the borders of Ekron Northward: this is counted of the Canaanites, euen fiue Lordships of the Philistims, the Azzithites, and the Ashdodites, the Eshkelonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites, and the Auites:
Legacy Standard Bible
from the Shihor which is east of Egypt, even as far as the border of Ekron to the north (it is counted as Canaanite); the five lords of the Philistines: the Gazite, the Ashdodite, the Ashkelonite, the Gittite, the Ekronite; and the Avvite
Complete Jewish Bible
from the Shichor which fronts Egypt, to the border of ‘Ekron (northward from there the land is considered as belonging to the Kena‘ani) — that is, the territory of the rulers of the P'lishtim in ‘Azah, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gat and ‘Ekron; also the ‘Avim
Darby Translation
from 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;
Easy-to-Read Version
You have not yet taken the area from the Shihor River at Egypt to the border of Ekron and the land further north. That land still belongs to the Canaanites. You must still defeat the five Philistine leaders at Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron. You must also defeat the Avvites
George Lamsa Translation
From Sihor, which is before Egypt, as far as the border of Ekron northward, which is counted to the Canaanites; five lords of the Philistines; the Gazathites, the Ashdothites, the Eshkalonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; and also the Avites to the south;
Good News Translation
as well as all the territory of the Avvim to the south. (The land from the stream Shihor, at the Egyptian border, as far north as the border of Ekron was considered Canaanite; the kings of the Philistines lived at Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron.)
Literal Translation
from Shihor which fronts on Egypt, and to the border of Ekron northward (it is counted to the Canaanites) five lords of the Philistines, of Gaza, of Ashdod, of Ashkelon, of Gath, and of Ekron; also the Avim.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
from Sihor which floweth before Egipte, vnto the border of Ekron, northwarde, which is rekened vnto the Cananites: fyue lordes of the Philistynes, namely, the Gasites, the Aßdodites, the Ascalonites, the Gethites, the Ekronites & the Hauites.
American Standard Version
from 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,
Bible in Basic English
From 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;
Bishop's Bible (1568)
From Nilus which is vpon Egypt, vnto the borders of Accaron northward, which land is counted vnto Chananie, euen fiue lordeshippes of the Philistines, the Azathites, Asdothites, Ascalonites, Gethites, Accaronites, and the Euites.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
from the Shihor, which is before Egypt, even unto the border of Ekron northward--which is counted to the Canaanites; the five lords of the Philistines: the Gazite, and the Ashdodite, the Ashkelonite, the Gittite, and the Ekronite; also the Avvim
King James Version (1611)
From Sihor, which is before Egypt, euen vnto the borders of Ekron Northward, which is counted to the Canaanite: fiue lords of the Philistines; the Gazathites, and the Ashdothites, the Eshkalonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; Also the Auites.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
from the wilderness before Egypt, as far as the borders of Accaron on the left of the Chananites the land is reckoned to the five principalities of the Phylistines, to the inhabitant of Gaza, and of Azotus, and of Ascalon, and of Geth, and of Accaron, and to the Evite;
English Revised Version
from the Shihor, which is before Egypt, even unto the border of Ekron northward, which is counted to the Canaanites: the five lords of the Philistines. the Gazites, and the Ashdodites, the Ashkelonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avvim,
Berean Standard Bible
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 the Avvites;
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
fro the troblid flood that moistith Egipt, `til to the termes of Acaron ayenus the north; the lond of Chanaan, which is departid `in to fyue litle kyngis of Filistym, of Gaza, and of Azotus, of Ascolon, of Geth, and of Accaron.
Young's Literal Translation
from 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.
Update Bible Version
from the Shihor, which is before Egypt, even to 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,
Webster's Bible Translation
From 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:
World English Bible
from the Shihor, which is before Egypt, even to 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,
New King James Version
from Sihor, which is east of Egypt, as far as the border of Ekron northward (which is counted as Canaanite); the five lords of the Philistines--the Gazites, the Ashdodites, the Ashkelonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avites;
New Living Translation
and the larger territory of the Canaanites, extending from the stream of Shihor on the border of Egypt, northward to the boundary of Ekron. It includes the territory of the five Philistine rulers of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron. The land of the Avvites
New Life Bible
from the Shihor east of Egypt as far as the land of Ekron in the north (it is thought of as Canaanite). There are the five rulers of the Philistines, those of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, Ekron, and those of the Avvim.
New Revised Standard
(from the Shihor, which is east of Egypt, northward to the boundary of Ekron, it is reckoned as Canaanite; there are five rulers of the Philistines, those of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron), and those of the Avvim
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
from the Shihor which faceth Egypt, even as far as the boundary of Ekron, northward, to the Canaanites, is it counted, - five princes of Philistines, the Gazites, and the Ashdodites, the Ashkalonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites, also the Avvim
Douay-Rheims Bible
From the troubled river, that watereth Egypt, unto the border of Accaron northward: the land of Chanaan, which is divided among the lords of the Philistines, the Gazites, the Azotians, the Ascalonites, the Gethites, and the Accronites.
Revised Standard Version
(from the Shihor, which is east of Egypt, northward to the boundary of Ekron, it is reckoned as Canaanite; there are five rulers of the Philistines, those of Gaza, Ashdod, Ash'kelon, Gath, and Ekron), and those of the Avvim,
New American Standard Bible (1995)
from the Shihor which is east of Egypt, even as far as the border of Ekron to the north (it is counted as Canaanite); the five lords of the Philistines: the Gazite, the Ashdodite, the Ashkelonite, the Gittite, the Ekronite; and the Avvite

Contextual Overview

1When Joshua had reached a venerable age, God said to him, "You've had a good, long life, but there is a lot of land still to be taken. This is the land that remains: all the districts of the Philistines and Geshurites; the land from the Shihor River east of Egypt to the border of Ekron up north, Canaanite country (there were five Philistine tyrants—in Gaza, in Ashdod, in Ashkelon, in Gath, in Ekron); also the Avvim from the south; all the Canaanite land from Arah (belonging to the Sidonians) to Aphek at the Amorite border; the country of the Gebalites; all Lebanon eastward from Baal Gad in the shadow of Mount Hermon to the Entrance of Hamath; all who live in the mountains, from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim; all the Sidonians. "I myself will drive them out before the People of Israel. All you have to do is allot this land to Israel as an inheritance, as I have instructed you. Do it now: Allot this land as an inheritance to the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh." The other half-tribe of Manasseh, with the Reubenites and Gadites, had been given their inheritance by Moses on the other side of the Jordan eastward. Moses the servant of God gave it to them. This land extended from Aroer at the edge of the Arnon Gorge and the city in the middle of the valley, taking in the entire tableland of Medeba as far as Dibon, and all the towns of Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled from Heshbon, and out to the border of the Ammonites. It also included Gilead, the country of the people of Geshur and Maacah, all of Mount Hermon, and all Bashan as far as Salecah—the whole kingdom of Og in Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth and Edrei. He was one of the last survivors of the Rephaim. Moses had defeated them and taken their land. The People of Israel never did drive out the Geshurites and the Maacathites—they're still there, living in Israel. Levi was the only tribe that did not receive an inheritance. The Fire-Gift-Offerings to God , the God of Israel, are their inheritance, just as he told them. To the tribe of Reuben, clan by clan, Moses gave: the land from Aroer at the edge of the Arnon Gorge and the town in the middle of the valley, including the tableland around Medeba; Heshbon on the tableland with all its towns (Dibon, Bamoth Baal, Beth Baal Meon, Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath, Kiriathaim, Sibmah, Zereth Shahar on Valley Mountain, Beth Peor, the slopes of Pisgah, Beth Jeshimoth); and all the cities of the tableland, the whole kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled at Heshbon, whom Moses put to death along with the princes of Midian: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, who lived in that country, all puppets of Sihon. (In addition to those killed in battle, Balaam son of Beor, the soothsayer, was put to death by the People of Israel.) The boundary for the Reubenites was the bank of the Jordan River. This was the inheritance of the Reubenites, their villages and cities, according to their clans. To the tribe of Gad, clan by clan, Moses gave: the territory of Jazer and all the towns of Gilead and half the Ammonite country as far as Aroer near Rabbah; the land from Heshbon to Ramath Mizpah and Betonim, and from Mahanaim to the region of Debir; in the valley: Beth Haram, Beth Nimrah, Succoth, and Zaphon, with the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon (the east side of the Jordan, north to the end of the Sea of Kinnereth). This was the inheritance of the Gadites, their cities and villages, clan by clan. To the half-tribe of Manasseh, clan by clan, Moses gave: the land stretching out from Mahanaim; all of Bashan, which is the entire kingdom of Og king of Bashan, and all the settlements of Jair in Bashan—sixty towns in all. Half of Gilead with Ashtaroth and Edrei, the royal cities of Og in Bashan, belong to the descendants of Makir, a son of Manasseh (in other words, the half-tribe of the children of Makir) for their clans. This is the inheritance that Moses gave out when he was on the plains of Moab across the Jordan east of Jericho. But Moses gave no inheritance to the tribe of Levi. God , the God of Israel, is their inheritance, just as he told them. 7The Receiving of the Land When Joshua had reached a venerable age, God said to him, "You've had a good, long life, but there is a lot of land still to be taken. This is the land that remains: all the districts of the Philistines and Geshurites; the land from the Shihor River east of Egypt to the border of Ekron up north, Canaanite country (there were five Philistine tyrants—in Gaza, in Ashdod, in Ashkelon, in Gath, in Ekron); also the Avvim from the south; all the Canaanite land from Arah (belonging to the Sidonians) to Aphek at the Amorite border; the country of the Gebalites; all Lebanon eastward from Baal Gad in the shadow of Mount Hermon to the Entrance of Hamath; all who live in the mountains, from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim; all the Sidonians. "I myself will drive them out before the People of Israel. All you have to do is allot this land to Israel as an inheritance, as I have instructed you. Do it now: Allot this land as an inheritance to the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Sihor: Jeremiah 2:18

which is counted: Genesis 10:15-19, Numbers 34:2-14

five Lords: Judges 3:3, 1 Samuel 6:4, 1 Samuel 6:16, 1 Samuel 6:17, Zephaniah 2:4, Zephaniah 2:5, The Philistine were not descended from Canaan, but from Mizraim, the son of Ham; - compare Genesis 10:6, with Joshua 13:13, yet they were numbered with the Canaanites in this distribution.

Avites: Deuteronomy 2:23, Avims

Reciprocal: Joshua 15:4 - river Joshua 15:45 - Ekron Joshua 15:47 - the river Judges 1:18 - General Judges 16:5 - the lords 1 Samuel 6:18 - the five lords 1 Samuel 29:2 - the lords 1 Kings 8:65 - the river 1 Chronicles 13:5 - Shihor 2 Chronicles 7:8 - from the entering Isaiah 14:29 - whole Ezekiel 48:28 - the river Obadiah 1:19 - the plain Acts 8:26 - Gaza

Cross-References

Genesis 13:8
Abram said to Lot, "Let's not have fighting between us, between your shepherds and my shepherds. After all, we're family. Look around. Isn't there plenty of land out there? Let's separate. If you go left, I'll go right; if you go right, I'll go left."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

From Sihor, which [is] before Egypt,.... Which Jarchi and Kimchi interpret of the river Nile, and so that river is called, Jeremiah 2:18; it seems to have this name from the waters of it being black and turbid; and hence it was called by the Greeks "Melas"; and by the Latins "Melo"; though it is thought, that not properly the river itself is here meant, which did not reach to the borders of Palestine, but a branch of it, a rivulet from it, for so a traveller a writes,

"in a journey of about five days from Gaza towards Egypt, the hithermost arm of the Nile is received by the sea, and is commonly called Carabus?''

even unto the borders of Ekron northward: that is, from the southwest of Palestine, near to which was the river Nile, to the northern part of it, where stood the principality of Ekron, one of the five which belonged to the Philistines:

[which] is counted to the Canaanite; which was reckoned as belonging to the posterity of Canaan, though the Philistines got possession of it, who descended from Mizraim; and indeed it was only accounted as belonging to Canaan and his sons; of right, and according to the grant of God, it belonged to the seed of Abraham:

five lords of the Philistines; who had not kings, as other countries and cities in the land of Canaan had, and their cities were called lordships, principalities, and not kingdoms, and are as follow:

the Gazathites, and the Ashdothites, the Eshkalonites, the Gittites,

and the Ekronites: so called from Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron, the cities they were in possession of:

also the Avites; it is not certain whether these were a distinct principality from the other five, or a people dispersed among them; which seems most likely, since those were the original inhabitants, but were driven out or destroyed by the Philistines, though it seems some remained and dwelt among them; see Deuteronomy 2:23.

a Jodocus a Gistella apud Drusium in loc.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Sihor is derived from a root signifying “to be black,” and is suitable enough as an appellative of the Nile Isaiah 23:3. Here it most probably stands for “the river of Egypt” (Numbers 34:3 note), the modern “Wady el Arish”.

Ekron (“Akir”) lay on the northern boundary of Judah Joshua 15:11, and was actually conquered by the men of that tribe Judges 1:18, though assigned in the allotment of the land to Dan Joshua 19:43. It seems to have fallen again into the hands of the Philistines in the days of the Judges 1 Samuel 5:10, was reconquered by Samuel (compare 1 Samuel 7:14), but figures in subsequent times as a Philistine city only (compare 1 Samuel 17:52; 2 Kings 1:2, 2 Kings 1:16, etc.).

Lords - The Hebrew word סרן seren means “an axle,” and is applied as a title special to the chiefs (compare Judges 3:3 and marginal references) of the Philistines Genesis 10:14.

Gaza was the most southern of the Philistine cities (compare Joshua 10:41; Joshua 11:22). It was allotted to the tribe of Judah Joshua 15:47, and was, with Askalon, taken by the warriors of that tribe Judges 1:18. Both cities were soon re-occupied by the Philistines, and subsequently are always mentioned as Philistine cities. Gaza lay on the direct route of the Egyptian armies in their invasions of Syria, by whom it was captured more than once. Special judgments are denounced against Gaza for the cruelty of its people toward the Jews in the time of their humiliation Amos 1:6-7; Zephaniah 2:4; Zechariah 9:5, and in the time of Jerome the ancient city was a ruin of which the foundations could hardly be traced, and the then existing town was built on another site. Gaza was in later times an episcopal see, and is now a thriving place containing some 15,000 inhabitants, a larger population than that of Jerusalem.

Ashdod (“Esdud;” Azotus, Acts 8:40) was, like Gaza, allotted to Judah (see Joshua 15:46-47), but was soon regained by the Philistines, and became a principal seat of their Dagon worship. Here the ark of God was taken after its capture by the Philistines (1 Samuel 5:1 ff). Its name ( “fortress,” “castle”), no less than its history (compare 2 Chronicles 26:6; Isaiah 20:1; Nehemiah 4:7, etc.) indicates its importance as a stronghold; it withstood for twenty-nine years the longest siege on record by the Egyptian king Psammetichus. Like Gaza, it was doomed by the Jewish prophets to desolation, and it was utterly destroyed by the Maccabees (1 Macc. 10:77-84; 11:4). It was, however, rebuilt by the Romans, and figures in Christian times as an episcopal city.

Askelon (see Judges 1:18), the birthplace of Herod the Great, figures as an important town and seaport in the history of the Crusades, and very massive ruins still attest the ancient strength and grandeur of the place. It is situated about midway between Gaza and Ashdod.

Gath seems to have been first taken by David 1 Chronicles 18:1. It is not named again in the book of Joshua. It was the town of Goliath 1 Samuel 17:4, and is mentioned in David’s elegy over Saul as a leading Philistine city 2 Samuel 1:20. It was the nearest of the Philistine cities to Jerusalem, but both the name and the city have perished; its site is conjecturally placed (by Condor) at Tell es Safi.

Avites - See Deuteronomy 2:23 note.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Joshua 13:3. 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, Numbers 34:5; Jeremiah 2:18. On this subject an intelligent friend favours 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 2 Kings 1:2, c. 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 Joshua 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 Joshua 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 Genesis 10:13-14.

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.


 
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