The Remaining Land is Divided
November 30, 2019
Commentary
Joshua is now called to fulfill the final part of his commission from the Lord, to divide up the land that God has given them so that each tribe can claim its inheritance and enjoy the gift from God. Chapter 13 introduces four ways that their credibility is going to be tested.
1. The desire of the tribes (Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh) to stay east of the Jordan, rather than with the rest of the tribes of Israel (vv. 7-8).
2. The need to continue fighting as individual tribal groups against little pockets of resistance of Canaanites who weren’t driven out. (v. 13).
3. The need for the tribes to learn how to trust the Lord (v. 14). They had to focus on the spiritual resources, not the physical.
4. Idolatry or false religion (v.22). As we come to chapter 13, we turn a corner from conquest to settlement.
We’ve looked at four threats to credibility. Is there a gap developing in any of these areas, a little crack in your credibilityas a follower of Christ? First, is your Christianity borderline? Second, are you tempted to call a truce with the world, the flesh, and the devil? Third, are you waffling in this area of being sold out to the Lord? Fourth, have you been seduced by the lies of Balaam?
Application
Just as the Israelites failed to remove completely the sin from the land it is easy for me to fail to remove completely the sin from my life.
Joshua 13:1– 33 (NET)
1 When Joshua was very old, the Lord told him, “You are very old, and a great deal of land remains to be conquered. 2 This is the land that remains: all the territory of the Philistines and all the Geshurites, 3 from the Shihor River east of Egypt northward to the territory of Ekron (it is regarded as Canaanite territory), including the area belonging to the five Philistine lords who ruled in Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron, as well as Avvite land 4 to the south; all the Canaanite territory, from Arah in the region of Sidon to Aphek, as far as Amorite territory; 5 the territory of Byblos and all Lebanon to the east, from Baal Gad below Mount Hermon to Lebo Hamath. 6 I will drive out before the Israelites all who live in the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim, all the Sidonians; you be sure to parcel it out to Israel as I instructed you. 7 Now, divide up this land among the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh.”
8 The other half of Manasseh, Reuben, and Gad received their allotted tribal lands on east side of the Jordan, just as Moses, the Lord’s servant, had assigned them. 9 Their territory started from Aroer (on the edge of the Arnon Valley), included the city in the middle of the valley, the whole plain of Medeba as far as Dibon, 10 and all the cities of King Sihon of the Amorites who ruled in Heshbon, and ended at the Ammonite border. 11 Their territory also included Gilead, Geshurite and Maacathite territory, all Mount Hermon, and all Bashan to Salecah— 12 the whole kingdom of Og in Bashan, who ruled in Ashtaroth and Edrei. (He was one of the few remaining Rephaites.) Moses defeated them and took their lands. 13 But the Israelites did not conquer the Geshurites and Maacathites; Geshur and Maacah live among Israel to this very day. 14 However, Moses did not assign land as an inheritance to the Levites; their inheritance is the sacrificial offerings made to the Lord God of Israel, as he instructed them.
15 Moses assigned land to the tribe of Reuben by its clans. 16 Their territory started at Aroer (on the edge of the Arnon Valley) and included the city in the middle of the valley, the whole plain of Medeba, 17 Heshbon and all its surrounding cities on the plain, including Dibon, Bamoth Baal, Beth Baal Meon, 18 Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath, 19 Kiriathaim, Sibmah, Zereth Shahar on the hill in the valley, 20 Beth Peor, the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth Jeshimoth. 21 It encompassed all the cities of the plain and the whole realm of King Sihon of the Amorites who ruled in Heshbon. Moses defeated him and the Midianite leaders Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba (they were subjects of Sihon and lived in his territory). 22 The Israelites killed Balaam son of Beor, the omen reader, along with the others. 23 The border of the tribe of Reuben was the Jordan. The land allotted to the tribe of Reuben by its clans included these cities and their towns.
24 Moses assigned land to the tribe of Gad by its clans. 25 Their territory included Jazer, all the cities of Gilead, and half the Ammonite territory as far as Aroer near Rabbah. 26 Their territory ran from Heshbon to Ramath Mizpah and Betonim, and from Mahanaim to the territory of Debir. 27 It included the valley of Beth Haram, Beth Nimrah, Sukkoth, and Zaphon, and the rest of the realm of King Sihon of Heshbon, the area east of the Jordan to the end of the Sea of Kinnereth. 28 The land allotted to the tribe of Gad by its clans included these cities and their towns.
29 Moses assigned land to the half-tribe of Manasseh by its clans. 30 Their territory started at Mahanaim and encompassed all Bashan, the whole realm of King Og of Bashan, including all sixty cities in Havvoth Jair in Bashan. 31 Half of Gilead, Ashtaroth, and Edrei, cities in the kingdom of Og in Bashan, were assigned to the descendants of Makir son of Manasseh, to half the descendants of Makir by their clans.
32 These are the land assignments made by Moses in the rift valley plains of Moab east of the Jordan River opposite Jericho. 33 However, Moses did not assign land as an inheritance to the Levites; their inheritance is the Lord God of Israel, as he instructed them.