Joshua 13:30

וַיְהִ֣י גְבוּלָ֗ם מִמַּחֲנַ֨יִם כָּֽל־הַבָּשָׁ֜ן כָּֽל־מַמְלְכ֣וּת עֹ֣וג מֶֽלֶךְ־הַבָּשָׁ֗ן וְכָל־חַוֹּ֥ת יָאִ֛יר אֲשֶׁ֥ר בַּבָּשָׁ֖ן שִׁשִּׁ֥ים עִֽיר׃

And their boundary was from Maḥanayim, all the Bashan, all the kingdom of ʿOg king of the Bashan, and all the settlements of Yaʾir that are in the Bashan—sixty cities.

Morphology

1. וַיְהִ֣י (vayehi) – Root: היה (h-y-h); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (sequential imperfect) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And it was”; Notes: Indicates a transition to a description of territorial boundaries.
2. גְבוּלָ֗ם (gevulam) – Root: גבול (g-v-l); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “their boundary”; Notes: Refers to the territorial division.
3. מִמַּחֲנַ֨יִם (mi-Maḥanayim) – Root: מחנים (m-ḥ-n-y-m); Form: Proper noun, prefixed with מִן־ (from); Translation: “from Maḥanayim”; Notes: A key location east of the Jordan.
4. כָּֽל־הַבָּשָׁ֜ן (kol ha-Bashan) – Root: בשן (b-sh-n); Form: Noun, masculine singular definite; Translation: “all the Bashan”; Notes: A major region east of the Jordan.
5. כָּֽל־מַמְלְכ֣וּת (kol mamlakhut) – Root: מלך (m-l-k); Form: Noun, feminine singular construct; Translation: “all the kingdom of”; Notes: Refers to Og’s dominion.
6. עֹ֣וג (Og) – Root: עוג (ʿ-w-g); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Og”; Notes: The Amorite king of Bashan.
7. מֶֽלֶךְ־הַבָּשָׁ֗ן (melekh-ha-Bashan) – Root: מלך (m-l-k); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct; Translation: “king of the Bashan”; Notes: Describes Og’s rule.
8. וְכָל־חַוֹּ֥ת (ve-khol ḥavot) – Root: חוה (ḥ-w-h); Form: Noun, feminine plural construct; Translation: “all the settlements of”; Notes: The term “ḥavot” denotes smaller villages.
9. יָאִ֛יר (Ya’ir) – Root: יאיר (y-ʾ-y-r); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Ya’ir”; Notes: Refers to a descendant of Menasheh who captured these villages.
10. אֲשֶׁ֥ר (asher) – Root: אשר (ʾ-sh-r); Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “that”; Notes: Introduces a relative clause.
11. בַּבָּשָׁ֖ן (ba-Bashan) – Root: בשן (b-sh-n); Form: Noun, masculine singular definite, prefixed with ב־ (in); Translation: “in the Bashan”; Notes: Locates the settlements.
12. שִׁשִּׁ֥ים (shishim) – Root: ששים (sh-sh-m); Form: Numeral; Translation: “sixty”; Notes: Specifies the number of cities.
13. עִֽיר (ʿir) – Root: עיר (ʿ-y-r); Form: Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “city”; Notes: Part of the enumeration.

Syntax Analysis

The verse follows a descriptive pattern, with the verb “וַיְהִ֣י” (vayehi) introducing the subject “גְבוּלָ֗ם” (their boundary), followed by a list of locations and descriptions of the region included within their inheritance. The verse is structured with construct chains (“מַמְלְכ֣וּת עֹ֣וג מֶֽלֶךְ־הַבָּשָׁ֗ן”) and relative clauses (“אֲשֶׁ֥ר בַּבָּשָׁ֖ן”).

Grammatical Analysis

The use of “כָּֽל” (all) multiple times emphasizes the vastness of the land granted to this tribe. The construct form “מַמְלְכ֣וּת עֹ֣וג” links the word “kingdom” directly to Og, reinforcing that he was the ruler of this region. The final phrase “שִׁשִּׁ֥ים עִֽיר” (sixty cities) serves as a numerical summary of the extent of their inheritance.

Lexical Semantics

• גבול (gevul) – “boundary”: Often used to describe territorial divisions.
• חוה (ḥavah) – “settlement”: Used here to refer to smaller inhabited areas.
• ממלכה (mamlakhah) – “kingdom”: Denotes the political domain of Og.

Word Study

• גבול (gevul) – “border, boundary”: Appears frequently in biblical territorial descriptions.
• חוה (ḥavah) – “settlement, village”: Specific to rural regions, particularly in Bashan.
• בשן (Bashan) – “Bashan”: A fertile region east of the Jordan, known for its cattle and fortifications.

Textual Criticism