Joshua 13:16

Jos 13:16 And their coast was from Aroer, that [is] on the bank of the river Arnon, and the city that [is] in the midst of the river, and all the plain by Medeba;

Ver. 16. And the city that is in the midst.] See Jos 13:9.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

16. their coast] Observe the use of the word “coast” here, without any allusion to the seaboard. The word comes from the Latin costa = “a rib,” “side,” through the Fr. “coste.” Hence it = “a border” generally, though now applied to the sea-coast only. Comp. “Bethlehem and in all the coasts thereof” (Mat_2:16); “the coasts of Judæa” (Mat_19:1); the coasts of Gadara (Mar_5:17); “the coasts” of Antioch in Pisidia (Act_13:50). The portion of country this tribe selected, under its modern name of the Belka, is still esteemed beyond all others by the Arab sheepmasters. It was the southernmost and smallest portion of the district east of the Jordan.

from Aroer] See above, ch. Jos_12:2; all the plain by Medeba = the plateau east of Abarim or mount Pisgah. See above, Jos_12:3.

the city that is in the midst] = Ar of Moab, as above, Jos_13:9.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Heshbon, and all her cities that are in the plain,.... Which was by Medeba, and reached to Dibon:

Dibon, and Bamothbaal, and Bethbaalmeon; Dibon was rebuilt by Gad, though it belonged to Reuben, and perhaps was inhabited by both, being on the borders of each; and Bamothbaal signifies the high places of Baal; see Num 22:41; perhaps this is the same with Bamoth in the valley, Num 21:20; and Bethbaalmeon is the same with Baalmeon in Num 32:38; where it is highly probable was a temple of Baal, since both "beth" signifies an house, and "meon" an habitation.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The city that is in the midst of the river; of which see Deu 3:16; Jos 12:2.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

16. Aroer — A city on the northern bank of the river Arnon, and on the southern border of the territory conquered from Sihon, king of the Amorites. Compare Num_21:26. Its ruins, called Araayr, were discovered by Burckhardt on the summit of a lofty wall of rock overlooking the ancient Arnon. It is to be distinguished from the Aroer before Rabbah (Jos_13:25) and the Aroer in the south of Judah. 1Sa_30:28. The city that is in the midst of the river is a subject of dispute. Some think it is the city Aroer itself. Others conjecture that Aroer consisted of two parts, or an upper and lower city, one on the high bank of the river, and the other in the valley below, where it may have been surrounded by the waters of the stream. Others think it was a city at the junction of the Arnon and one of its tributaries, where Burckhardt saw a hill with ruins on it. Keil thinks that it was Ar of Moab, and at that junction Ar Moab is located on Menke’s map.

Plain by Medeba — “The whole plain of Medeba was occupied by the Reubenites; but the city itself was, perhaps, strongly fortified, and suffered to remain, like many in western Palestine, in the hands of its old inhabitants. Its ruins still exist, and bear their old name under the Arabic form Madeba. They lie about four miles southeast of Heshbon, with which they are connected by an ancient paved road. The city occupied a low hill, a mile and a half in circumference. The whole site is covered with ruins; not a solitary building remains standing. The plain around it, though now desolate, is fertile, and thickly dotted with ancient cities.” — J.L. Porter.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.