Joshua 19:1 – 51 “The second lot came out for the tribe of Simeon according to its clans. Their inheritance lay within the territory of Judah. It included: Beersheba (or Sheba), Moladah, Hazar Shual, Balah, Ezem, Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah, Ziklag, Beth Markaboth, Hazar Susah, 6 Beth Lebaoth and Sharuhen—thirteen towns and their villages; Ain, Rimmon, Ether and Ashan—four towns and their villages— and all the villages around these towns as far as Baalath Beer (Ramah in the Negev). This was the inheritance of the tribe of the Simeonites, according to its clans. The inheritance of the Simeonites was taken from the share of Judah, because Judah’s portion was more than they needed. So the Simeonites received their inheritance within the territory of Judah.
The third lot came up for Zebulun according to its clans: The boundary of their inheritance went as far as Sarid. Going west it ran to Maralah, touched Dabbesheth, and extended to the ravine near Jokneam. It turned east from Sarid toward the sunrise to the territory of Kisloth Tabor and went on to Daberath and up to Japhia. Then it continued eastward to Gath Hepher and Eth Kazin; it came out at Rimmon and turned toward Neah. There the boundary went around on the north to Hannathon and ended at the Valley of Iphtah El. Included were Kattath, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah and Bethlehem. There were twelve towns and their villages. These towns and their villages were the inheritance of Zebulun, according to its clans.
The fourth lot came out for Issachar according to its clans. Their territory included: Jezreel, Kesulloth, Shunem, Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath, Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez, Remeth, En Gannim, En Haddah and Beth Pazzez. The boundary touched Tabor, Shahazumah and Beth Shemesh, and ended at the Jordan. There were sixteen towns and their villages. These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Issachar, according to its clans.
The fifth lot came out for the tribe of Asher according to its clans. Their territory included: Helkath, Hali, Beten, Akshaph, Allammelek, Amad and Mishal. On the west the boundary touched Carmel and Shihor Libnath. It then turned east toward Beth Dagon, touched Zebulun and the Valley of Iphtah El, and went north to Beth Emek and Neiel, passing Kabul on the left. It went to Abdon, Rehob, Hammon and Kanah, as far as Greater Sidon. The boundary then turned back toward Ramah and went to the fortified city of Tyre, turned toward Hosah and came out at the Mediterranean Sea in the region of Akzib, Ummah, Aphek and Rehob. There were twenty-two towns and their villages. These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Asher, according to its clans.
The sixth lot came out for Naphtali according to its clans: Their boundary went from Heleph and the large tree in Zaanannim, passing Adami Nekeb and Jabneel to Lakkum and ending at the Jordan. The boundary ran west through Aznoth Tabor and came out at Hukkok. It touched Zebulun on the south, Asher on the west and the Jordan on the east. The fortified towns were Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Kinnereth, Adamah, Ramah, Hazor, Kedesh, Edrei, En Hazor, Iron, Migdal El, Horem, Beth Anath and Beth Shemesh. There were nineteen towns and their villages. These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Naphtali, according to its clans.
The seventh lot came out for the tribe of Dan according to its clans. The territory of their inheritance included: Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir Shemesh, Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Ithlah, Elon, Timnah, Ekron, Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath, Jehud, Bene Berak, Gath Rimmon, Me Jarkon and Rakkon, with the area facing Joppa. (When the territory of the Danites was lost to them, they went up and attacked Leshem, took it, put it to the sword and occupied it. They settled in Leshem and named it Dan after their ancestor.) These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Dan, according to its clans.
When they had finished dividing the land into its allotted portions, the Israelites gave Joshua son of Nun an inheritance among them, as the Lord had commanded. They gave him the town he asked for—Timnath Serah in the hill country of Ephraim. And he built up the town and settled there.” These are the territories that Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun and the heads of the tribal clans of Israel assigned by lot at Shiloh in the presence of the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting. And so they finished dividing the land.”
WOW! Just reading these lists of place names, villages, big trees, special rocks and streams is enough to make your brain go numb. Why was it so important for Joshua to include such specific lists in this book? Land disputes are as old as time. Proverbs 22:28 warns against moving ancient landmarks: “Do not move an ancient boundary stone which your fathers have placed.” Joshua had been with the Israelites ever since they left Egypt. Joshua knew full well just how argumentative the Israelites could be. If there were no absolutely clear record of the land boundaries, inevitably, somebody would be out there trying to change them, moving boundary stones and trying to claim that this was REALLY what Joshua had intended.
Ever notice something? Joshua didn’t get his inheritance until after everybody else had already been given theirs. By this point, Joshua might have been in his eighties or nineties; certainly, he was a senior citizen. Joshua could have claimed a large chunk of land; instead, he only claimed one town, Timnath Serah. Joshua “built up the town and settled there.” What a relief! By this point, Joshua might have been living in tents for 60 years, never knowing where God would have him move next. Finally, Joshua was able to settle in one place. Joshua had fulfilled God’s calling on his life, and now it was up to the Israelites to get things done for themselves.
APPLICATION: Sometimes we wonder if God really cares for us or even notices what is happening in our lives. While these lists in Joshua make for tedious reading, we should be grateful for what they represent. These lists should remind us that God knows all the most intimate details of our lives and is more abreast of what is going on with us than we are ourselves. When Joshua was casting lots for the various tribes to collect land, God was already guiding the process. God knew everyone in those tribes, their faults, their talents, their abilities. God was in every one of the details when those lands were assigned.
Next to Moses, nobody had suffered through more with the Israelites than had Joshua. Joshua came out of Egypt with Moses as a young man. Joshua was one of the two faithful spies who tried to get the Israelites to enter Canaan, only for the other ten spies to terrorize the people with accounts of giants. When Moses ascended Mount Sinai, Joshua was there. When Moses entered the Tent of Meeting, Joshua accompanied him and remained there. After Moses died, Joshua was the one tasked with leading a bunch of whining, feuding Israelites across the Jordan River and into battle. Little wonder if after all these years, Joshua just wanted to settle down in Timnath Serah and have some peace.
Do you feel as if God has abandoned you and doesn’t really care about your life? Nothing could be further from the truth! The same God who guided Joshua to divide up that land, drawing minutely specific boundaries with trees, streams, towns, and even large rocks, is the same God who cares for you today. God has not changed, but have you? When was the last time that you sat quietly and asked God to show you His Will for your life? When was the last time that you sat down quietly, period? These days with electronic media, silence is a scarce commodity. Many of us are so distracted by cell phones, television, etc., that we don’t know how to be quiet. Living in a noisy environment for most of our waking hours, we become uncomfortable when the noise stops.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, so many of us live in noisy environments where it is nearly impossible to hear Your Voice. Help us to learn to be still and to KNOW that You truly are God. Help us to trust that You love us and know more about us than we do about ourselves. In the matchless Name of King Jesus. Amen.
Burunche's Blog 
March 9, 2022 at 1:49 am
I loved it how Joshya waited until last and Caleb took a place that was hard to capture, but later easy to defend. They were fooled by the moldy bread and very responsibly took their portion last. I would be surprised if anyone thanked them for that, but had they taken first dibs, there would have been no end to the whining. Fine sermon.