“And the border went over from thence toward Luz, to the side of Luz (which is Bethel) southward; and the border descended to Atarothadar, near the hill that lieth on the south side of the nether Bethhoron.”
To understand this verse, we need to consider its broader context. The book of Joshua details the events following the death of Moses and the Israelites’ conquest of the Promised Land under Joshua’s leadership. After dividing the land among the tribes of Israel, Joshua assigns the remaining land portions to the remaining seven tribes.
In Joshua 18:13, the verse describes the border of Benjamin’s allotted land. The border starts from a point toward Luz and extends southward. It mentions the city of Luz, which is also known as Bethel. Luz/Bethel was an important city in Israelite history, as it was the place where Jacob had his famous dream of a ladder reaching heaven (Genesis 28:10-19).
The verse further mentions Atarothadar, a location near the hill on the south side of Bethhoron. Bethhoron was a town in the territory of Ephraim, situated on the border between Ephraim and Benjamin.
The purpose of these detailed descriptions of borders and locations in the Book of Joshua was to ensure clarity and accuracy in dividing the land among the tribes. It was important for each tribe to have clearly defined boundaries for their inheritance.
Overall, Joshua 18:13 is part of the description of the division of the land among the tribes of Israel, specifically the delineation of Benjamin’s territory, including references to significant landmarks such as Luz/Bethel and Bethhoron. It illustrates the meticulousness with which the Israelites divided the land and fulfilled God’s promises to the twelve tribes of Israel.
