What is the meaning of Joshua 13:5? The land of the Gebalites “the land of the Gebalites” (Joshua 13:5) • Gebal (later called Byblos) sits on the Mediterranean coast north of Mount Carmel. 1 Kings 5:18 and Ezekiel 27:9 show its skilled craftsmen and maritime trade, underscoring its strategic economic value. • Psalm 83:7 lists Gebal among enemies of Israel, reminding us that unfinished obedience leaves pockets of resistance. • For Joshua, this phrase identifies a coastal strip still to be claimed, assuring Israel that even prosperous, entrenched cities fall under God’s promise (cf. Deuteronomy 7:1–2). and all Lebanon to the east “and all Lebanon to the east” • The Lebanon range rises just inland from the coast. Deuteronomy 3:25 calls Lebanon “that good hill country,” and 1 Kings 5:6 highlights its cedars, prized for the temple. • “To the east” points to the high ridgeline that forms a natural barrier. By naming it, God marks the crest as Israel’s northern frontier. • The verse affirms that majestic terrain, not merely arable valleys, belongs to the covenant people (cf. Psalm 29:5–6). from Baal-gad below Mount Hermon “from Baal-gad below Mount Hermon” • Baal-gad lies in the valley at the foot of the towering, snow-capped Mount Hermon (Joshua 11:17; 12:7). • Hermon dominates the northern skyline and feeds the Jordan’s headwaters (Psalm 133:3). By pinpointing Baal-gad, God specifies the southwestern tip of the remaining northern land. • Israel once feared Amorite “high places;” now God claims even this Baal-named town, proving every stronghold must yield (cf. Judges 3:3). to Lebo-hamath “to Lebo-hamath” • “Lebo-hamath” means “entrance of Hamath,” the gateway to the great Syrian valley. Numbers 34:7-8 sets it as the ideal northern border of the promised land. • 2 Kings 14:25 records Jeroboam II extending Israel’s reach exactly to this point—evidence that what Joshua left unfinished later generations would realize. • The phrase draws a line between Israel and the larger Gentile world, assuring God’s people of secure, God-defined boundaries (cf. Amos 6:14). summary Joshua 13:5 outlines a northern arc—coast (Gebal), mountains (Lebanon), foothills (Baal-gad), and farthest gateway (Lebo-hamath). Each name reminds Israel that God’s promise is geographic, specific, and still awaiting complete possession. The verse calls believers to trust God’s detailed faithfulness: every location He names, He intends to give, and every spiritual stronghold He exposes, He empowers His people to conquer. |
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