The Meaning of Joshua 13:6 Explained

Joshua 13:6

KJV: All the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon unto Misrephothmaim, and all the Sidonians, them will I drive out from before the children of Israel: only divide thou it by lot unto the Israelites for an inheritance, as I have commanded thee.

YLT: all the inhabitants of the hill-country, from Lebanon unto Misrephoth-Maim, all the Sidonians: I -- I dispossess them before the sons of Israel; only, cause it to fall to Israel for an inheritance, as I have commanded thee.

Darby: all the inhabitants of the hill-country from Lebanon to Misrephoth-maim, all the Sidonians; I will dispossess them from before the children of Israel. Only, partition it by lot to Israel for an inheritance, as I have commanded thee.

ASV: all the inhabitants of the hill-country from Lebanon unto Misrephoth-maim, even all the Sidonians; them will I drive out from before the children of Israel: only allot thou it unto Israel for an inheritance, as I have commanded thee.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

All the inhabitants  of the hill country  from Lebanon  unto Misrephothmaim,  [and] all the Sidonians,  them will I drive out  from before  the children  of Israel:  only divide thou it by lot  unto the Israelites  for an inheritance,  as I have commanded  thee. 

What does Joshua 13:6 Mean?

Verse Meaning

God"s promise to drive out all the remaining Canaanites depended on Israel"s obedience to the Mosaic Covenant ( Joshua 1:6-7). [1]

Context Summary

Joshua 13:1-7 - Much Land Yet To Be Possessed
We do not know how long the war lasted. Probably about seven years, Joshua 14:10 (forty-five less thirty-eight). It was only in David's reign that the Canaanites were finally subdued. Note that Joshua took the land and then gave it to Israel. So Christ received the fullness of the Spirit and all spiritual blessings as the Trustee of those who believe; but we must claim and appropriate our heritage. So at last there will be rest, Joshua 11:23.
With Joshua 13:1 begins the second division of this book. A Doomsday Book! How significant is the sentence, "Much land to be possessed." This is true of tracts of the Bible, seldom read by ordinary Christians; of regions of experience, such as those alluded to in Colossians 3:1-4; and of countries in the world which have never been trodden by the feet of the missionary!
Read also Joshua 13:13. What pathos it contains! Either they did not believe in God's assurances, or were too indolent to claim them! [source]

Chapter Summary: Joshua 13

1  The bounds of the land not yet conquered
8  The inheritance of the two tribes and a half
14  The Lord and his sacrifices are the inheritance of Levi
15  The bounds of the inheritance of Reuben
22  Balaam slain
24  The bounds of the inheritance of God
29  and of the half tribe of Manasseh

What do the individual words in Joshua 13:6 mean?

All the inhabitants of the mountains from Lebanon as far as from the Brook Misrephoth [and] all the Sidonians I will drive out them from before the sons of Israel only divide it by lot to Israel as an inheritance as I have commanded you
כָּל־ יֹשְׁבֵ֣י הָ֠הָר מִֽן־ הַלְּבָנ֞וֹן עַד־ מִשְׂרְפֹ֥ת מַ֙יִם֙ כָּל־ צִ֣ידֹנִ֔ים אָֽנֹכִי֙ אוֹרִישֵׁ֔ם מִפְּנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל רַ֠ק הַפִּלֶ֤הָ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בְּֽנַחֲלָ֔ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר צִוִּיתִֽיךָ

יֹשְׁבֵ֣י  the  inhabitants 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
הָ֠הָר  of  the  mountains 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: הַר  
Sense: hill, mountain, hill country, mount.
הַלְּבָנ֞וֹן  Lebanon 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: לְבָנׄון  
Sense: a wooded mountain range on the northern border of Israel.
עַד־  as  far  as 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
מַ֙יִם֙  the  Brook  Misrephoth 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִשְׂרְפֹות מַיִם  
Sense: a place in northern Palestine near Sidon.
כָּל־  [and]  all 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
צִ֣ידֹנִ֔ים  the  Sidonians 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: צִידֹנִי  
Sense: an inhabitant of Sidon.
אוֹרִישֵׁ֔ם  will  drive  out  them 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, first person common singular, third person masculine plural
Root: יָרַשׁ  
Sense: to seize, dispossess, take possession off, inherit, disinherit, occupy, impoverish, be an heir.
מִפְּנֵ֖י  from  before 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
בְּנֵ֣י  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
רַ֠ק  only 
Parse: Adverb
Root: רַק  
Sense: only, altogether, surely.
הַפִּלֶ֤הָ  divide  it  by  lot 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: נָפַל  
Sense: to fall, lie, be cast down, fail.
לְיִשְׂרָאֵל֙  to  Israel 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
בְּֽנַחֲלָ֔ה  as  an  inheritance 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular
Root: נַחֲלָה  
Sense: possession, property, inheritance, heritage.
צִוִּיתִֽיךָ  I  have  commanded  you 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, first person common singular, second person masculine singular
Root: צָוָה  
Sense: to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order.