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VI. THE LAND TO BE ALLOTTED
TO THE REST OF THE SEVEN TRIBES

In 18:1 through 19:51 we have the record of the land to be allotted to the rest of the seven tribes. Joshua charged the children of Israel to take possession of the land not yet possessed by them (18:1-3). Then he sent three men from each of the seven tribes to go through the land and write a description of it with a view to it being their inheritance (vv. 4-6, 8-9). After this, Joshua allotted and divided the land unto the seven tribes (v. 10). No land was allotted to the Levites, for the priesthood of Jehovah was their inheritance (v. 7).

A. The Land Allotted to the Tribe of Benjamin

The land allotted to the tribe of Benjamin (vv. 11-28) was between the tribe of Judah and the tribe of Joseph (vv. 11-20). The land had twenty-six cities with their villages, including Jerusalem (vv. 21-28). Jerusalem was located in the land of Benjamin but was inherited by the children of Judah (15:63).

B. The Land Allotted to the Tribe of Simeon

The land allotted to the tribe of Simeon (19:1-9) was in the midst of the inheritance of the children of Judah (vv. 1, 9) and included seventeen cities with their villages (vv. 2-8).

C. The Land Allotted to the Tribe of Zebulun

The land allotted to the tribe of Zebulun (vv. 10-16) consisted of twelve cities with their villages, including Bethlehem (v. 15).

D. The Land Allotted to the Tribe of Issachar

The land allotted to the tribe of Issachar went from Jezreel to the river Jordan and included sixteen cities with their villages (vv. 17-23).

E. The Land Allotted to the Tribe of Asher

The land allotted to the tribe of Asher went from Helkath to the sea (vv. 24-31). It had twenty-two cities with their villages, including Great Sidon and the fortified city of Tyre (vv. 28-29).

F. The Land Allotted to the Tribe of Naphtali

The land allotted to the tribe of Naphtali (vv. 32-39) was in the midst of Zebulun on the south, Asher on the west, and Judah at the Jordan toward the rising of the sun. This land included nineteen cities with their villages.

G. The Land Allotted to the Tribe of Dan

The land allotted to the tribe of Dan (vv. 40-48) was opposite Japho (v. 46—Joppa, Acts 10:5). When the territory of the children of Dan was lost to them, they went up and fought against Leshem (Laish—Judg. 18:29, at the extreme north of the good land), taking possession of it and naming it according to the name of Dan their father (Josh. 19:47).

H. The Inheritance Given to Joshua

The inheritance given to Joshua (vv. 49-50) was the city of Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim. He asked for this city, and the children of Israel gave it to him according to the commandment of Jehovah.

VII. THE CITIES OF REFUGE

The record in chapter twenty is concerned with the cities of refuge (Exo. 21:13; Num. 35:6a, 10-15).

A. Designated for the Manslayer
Who Killed a Person by Mistake and Unwittingly

Jehovah charged Joshua to tell the children of Israel to designate the cities of refuge so that the manslayer who killed a person by mistake and unwittingly might flee there from the avenger of blood (Josh. 20:1-6).

B. Three in Canaan, West of the Jordan

There were to be three cities of refuge in Canaan, west of the Jordan (v. 7). These cities were Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Hebron in the hill country of Judah.

C. Three in the Land East of the Jordan

There were to be three other cities of refuge in the land east of the Jordan (vv. 8-9). These cities were Bezer in the wilderness on the plain out of the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan out of the tribe of Manasseh.

D. Allotted to the Levites

All the cities of refuge were allotted to the Levites (Num. 35:6a).


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Life-Study of Joshua, Judges & Ruth   pg 27