Dividing the Promised Land (13-24)

Possessing the Promise
Part 9: Joshua 13-24

Dividing the Promised Land (13:1-14:5, 15:1-19:48)
Now that the heart of the Promised Land had been won, it was time for Joshua to send the tribes to their allotted territories to defeat remaining enemies and begin to live out their lives as God’s holy nation. A special meeting was held at Shiloh to work out the details.

Special Cities & Towns (14:6-15, 19:49-21:45)
There were, of course, some exceptional cases in regards to land allotment. Caleb was given the suburbs and fields around Hebron within the territory of Judah. Joshua was given Timnath-Serah within the territory of Ephraim. The clans of the Levite tribe were given 48 individual towns scattered throughout the territories. Six of these Levitical towns were designated as ‘Cities of Refuge’

Joshua’s Farewell (22:1-24:33)
Now that wars had been won and boundaries determined, Joshua allowed the 3 ‘east-of-the-Jordan’ tribes to return to their homes providing that they continue to love and obey the Lord. When they crossed over the Jordan, they built a large replica of the tabernacle’s altar. The ‘west-of-the-Jordan’ tribes assumed they intended this as an alternate place of sacrifice and were preparing for war, but the ‘east-of-the-Jordan’ tribes explained to them that it was only intended as a witness of union between the east and west. After leading all Israel in a vow of covenant renewal, Joshua died.