Matthew Henry Commentary Joshua 13:1-6

"Now Joshua was old and well stricken in years; and Jehovah said unto him, Thou art old and well stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed. This is the land that yet remaineth: all the regions of the Philistines, and all the Geshurites; 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, on the south; all the land of the Canaanites, and Mearah that belongeth to the Sidonians, unto Aphek, to the border of the Amorites; and the land of the Gebalites, and all Lebanon, toward the sunrising, from Baal-gad under mount Hermon unto the entrance of Hamath; 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." — Joshua 13:1-6 (ASV)

This chapter begins the account of dividing the land of Canaan among the tribes of Israel by lot, a narrative showing the fulfillment of the promise made to the fathers that this land would be given to the seed of Jacob. We are not to pass over these chapters of hard names as useless. Where God has a mouth to speak and a hand to write, we should have 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 one hundred years old at this time. It is good for those who are old and advanced in years to be reminded of this. God considers the frailty of His people and does not want them burdened with work beyond their strength. And all people, especially old people, should quickly do what must be done before they die, lest death prevent them (Ecclesiastes 9:10). God promised that He would make the Israelites masters of all the countries yet unsubdued, though Joshua 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 as 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 them under our feet; we must go forth to our Christian work and warfare, then God will go forth before us.