Commento su Giosuè 13:3

From Shichor. This is the Nile River, which is also referred to as the Egyptian brook. It is close to the southwestern border of Eretz Yisroel, as it is said in Parshas, “These are the journeys.”²Bamidbar 34:5. From here we learn that in Yehoshua’s lifetime, he did not conquer the entire southern border except from the wilderness of Tzin, which is synonymous with the bare, divided mountain³See above 11:17. that goes up to Seir; to the Nile. This is the boundry of Gaza mentioned above, “From Kodeish-Barneia to Gaza.⁴See above 10:41.

To the border of Ekron, to the north. The Ekronites lived near the Sea, and they spread out northward further than the others.

Which is considered the territory of Canaan. It is of the land of Canaan that I gave to Avrohom [as an inheritance].

The territory of the five Philistine rulers. This is the territory from the end of the border to the Great [Mediterranean] Sea, westward.

The Azites, the Ashdodites, the Ashkelonites. There are six rulers counted in the verse and he previously called them five [rulers]. Said Rav Yochanan, “Five of them were prominent. There were five prominent rulers [that were counted], for the Avites were not counted among the prominent rulers.⁵Maseches Chulin 60b. It can be explained in an other way: The five Philistine rulers were: the Azites, the Ashdodites, the Ashkelonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites. These are the five [rulers mentioned]. The land of the Avites remained unconquered for they were not of the Philistine people.