Now … into the History of Israel – post-Moses.

Will the new leadership change the Nation?

What did you learn today about God’s faithfulness?

Joshua 19.

Another land distribution, with the last six tribes getting their portions.

1. Simeon – in the middle of Judah because they were small
2. Zebulun – a small portion near the Sea of Galilee
3. Issachar – a slightly larger portion to the south of Zebulun
4. Asher – runs along the Great Sea and includes Tyre, with Zebulun and Naphtali on the east
5. Naphtali – boarders Asher on the West, and touches the Sea of Galilee, then North up to Mount Hermon  (Jesus’ Galilean ministry largely took place in Naphtali. (See Matthew 4:13-17)
6. Dan – a small territory on the Great Sea coast at Joppa and touching Ephraim and Judah. Later they lose this land and settle on the far north edge of the Eastern Manasseh territory, which they also lose except for the city they named Dan. (See Judges 1:34-36, and 18:27-29)

Then, finally and last of all, Joshua took the territory saved for him. “By command of the LORD,” they gave him the city he asked for – Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim.  He rebuilt it and settled there.

Joshua 20.

Next, the LORD told Joshua to appoint the Cities of Refuge, where any who had accidentally killed someone without malice aforethought, could flee and live in safety from the “avenger of blood,” a family member of the deceased who sought vengeance. 

The cities were equally distributed in the Land, three east of the Jordan River, and three on the west side. 

KEDESH in Naphtali, SHECHEM in Ephraim, and HEBRON in Judah were on the west. 

BEZER in Reuben, RAMOTH in Gad, and GOLAN in Manasseh were east of the Jordan. 

Joshua 21.

And lastly, special cities within the tribes were given to the Levites, so they would be closer to the people to minister judgements of the law.

• The direct descendants of Aaron the Priest were given cities in Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin (13 cities)
• The rest of the Kohathites got cities from Ephraim, Dan, and the western 1/2 tribe of Manasseh (10 cities)
• The Gershonites received cities from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali and also the 1/2 tribe of Manasseh (13 cities)
• The Merarites received cities from Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun (12 cites)

All the cities included pasturelands. (The rest of the chapter names the cities that each clan of the tribe of Levi received, 48 in all.)

And … “Thus the LORD gave to Israel all the land that He swore to give their fathers. And they took possession of it, and they settled there. And the LORD gave them rest on every side just as He had sworn to their fathers. Not one of all their enemies had withstood them, for the LORD had given all their enemies into their hands. Not one word of all the good promises that the LORD had made to the house of Israel had failed, all came to pass.“