13:26a

the territory from Heshbon to Ramath-mizpeh and Betonim: It is recommended that you begin a new sentence here.

Heshbon: The town of Heshbon was about 25 kilometers northeast of the Dead Sea, and southwest of Amman, Jordan. It formed the south boundary of the land of the tribe of Gad.

Ramath-mizpeh: The town of Ramath-mizpeh was one of the towns that the tribe of Gad inherited. The location of Ramath-mizpeh is uncertain.

Here is another way to spell the name of this town:

Ramath Mizpah (New International Version, NET Bible)

Betonim: The town of Betonim was sixteen miles northeast of Jericho. Its name today is Khirbet Batneh.

13:26b

and from Mahanaim: The phrase from Mahanaim indicates that the land of the tribe of Gad included the town of Mahanaim. Mahanaim was to the north, at the border between the tribes of Gad and Manasseh. Its location is uncertain.

to the border of Debir: There is a textual issue with the word Debir.

(1) In the Hebrew text this word is spelled lidber. In 2 Samuel 9:4 there is a town called Lo-debar. Some scholars think that the town mentioned here in Joshua is Lo-debar. However, they have to amend the Hebrew spelling slightly to make it fit.

The town of Lo-debar in 2 Samuel 9:4 was in the Jordan River Valley, ten miles south of the Sea of Galilee.

Here are some ways that English versions spell this name:

Lo-debar (New Living Translation (2004), New American Bible, Revised Edition)
-or-
Lodebar (Good News Translation)
-or-
Lidbir (God’s Word, Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)
-or-
Lidebor (Contemporary English Version)

(2) Some ancient versions of Joshua omit the letter “l” when they spell this name. They spell it idber. From this we get the English name Debir as in the Berean Standard Bible. However, there is no town known by the name of Debir east of the Jordan River. For example:

Debir (New International Version)

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, Revised Standard Version, English Standard Version, NET Bible, New American Standard Bible, King James Version)

The commentaries do not agree on this issue. It is recommended that you follow the majority language version of your area in translating this word.

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