The Remaining Land and Caleb’s Inheritance

13:1 When Joshua was very old, the Lord told him, “You are very old, and a great deal of land remains to be conquered. 13:2 This is the land that remains: all the territory of the Philistines and all the Geshurites, 13:3 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 13:4 to the south; all the Canaanite territory, from Arah in the region of Sidon to Aphek, as far as Amorite territory; 13:5 the territory of Byblos and all Lebanon to the east, from Baal Gad below Mount Hermon to Lebo Hamath. 13:6 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.” 13:7 Now, divide up this land among the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh.” 13:8 The other half of Manasseh, Reuben, and Gad received their allotted tribal lands beyond the Jordan, just as Moses, the Lord’s servant, had assigned them. 13:9 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, 13:10 and all the cities of King Sihon of the Amorites who ruled in Heshbon, and ended at the Ammonite border. 13:11 Their territory also included Gilead, Geshurite and Maacathite territory, all Mount Hermon, and all Bashan to Salecah – 13:12 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. 13:13 But the Israelites did not conquer the Geshurites and Maacathites; Geshur and Maacah live among Israel to this very day. 13:14 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. 13:15 Moses assigned land to the tribe of Reuben by its clans. 13:16 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, 13:17 Heshbon and all its surrounding cities on the plain, including Dibon, Bamoth Baal, Beth Baal Meon, 13:18 Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath, 13:19 Kiriathaim, Sibmah, Zereth Shahar on the hill in the valley, 13:20 Beth Peor, the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth Jeshimoth. 13:21 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). 13:22 The Israelites killed Balaam son of Beor, the omen reader, along with the others. 13:23 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. 13:24 Moses assigned land to the tribe of Gad by its clans. 13:25 Their territory included Jazer, all the cities of Gilead, and half of Ammonite territory as far as Aroer near Rabbah. 13:26 Their territory ran from Heshbon to Ramath Mizpah and Betonim, and from Mahanaim to the territory of Debir. 13:27 It included the valley of Beth Haram, Beth Nimrah, Succoth, 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. 13:28 The land allotted to the tribe of Gad by its clans included these cities and their towns. 13:29 Moses assigned land to the half-tribe of Manasseh by its clans. 13:30 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. 13:31 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. 13:32 These are the land assignments made by Moses on the plains of Moab east of the Jordan River opposite Jericho. 13:33 However, Moses did not assign land as an inheritance to the Levites; their inheritance is the Lord God of Israel, as he instructed them. Judah’s Tribal Lands 14:1 The following is a record of the territory assigned to the Israelites in the land of Canaan by Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the Israelite tribal leaders. 14:2 The land assignments to the nine-and- a-half tribes were made by drawing lots, as the Lord had instructed Moses. 14:3 Now Moses had assigned land to the two-and-a-half tribes east of the Jordan, but he assigned no land to the Levites. 14:4 The descendants of Joseph were considered as two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. The Levites were allotted no territory, though they were assigned cities in which to live, along with the grazing areas for their cattle and possessions. 14:5 The Israelites followed the Lord’s instructions to Moses and divided up the land. 14:6 The men of Judah approached Joshua in Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the Lord said about you and me to Moses, the man of God, at Kadesh Barnea. 14:7 I was forty years old when Moses, the Lord’s servant, sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy on the land and I brought back to him an honest report. 14:8 My countrymen who accompanied me frightened the people, but I remained loyal to the Lord my God. 14:9 That day Moses made this solemn promise: ‘Surely the land on which you walked will belong to you and your descendants permanently, for you remained loyal to the Lord your God.’ 14:10 So now, look, the Lord has preserved my life, just as he promised, these past forty-five years since the Lord spoke these words to Moses, during which Israel traveled through the wilderness. Now look, I am today eighty-five years old. 14:11 Today I am still as strong as when Moses sent me out. I can fight and go about my daily activities with the same energy I had then. 14:12 Now, assign me this hill country which the Lord promised me at that time! No doubt you heard at that time that the Anakites live there in large, fortified cities. But, assuming the Lord is with me, I will conquer them, as the Lord promised.” 14:13 Joshua asked God to empower Caleb son of Jephunneh and assigned him Hebron. 14:14 So Hebron remains the assigned land of Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this very day because he remained loyal to the Lord God of Israel. 14:15 (Hebron used to be called Kiriath Arba. Arba was a famous Anakite.) Then the land was free of war.

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The Lord tells Joshua to divide the land even though much remains unconquered. The eastern tribes are listed, the Levites receive no territory, and Caleb asks for Hebron because he followed the Lord fully. Joshua asks God to help Caleb and gives him that land, showing that the Lord keeps His promise.

Joshua is old, but the Lord says the work is not finished. Much land still remains. Even so, the Lord tells Joshua to begin dividing the land among the tribes. This shows that Israel’s future depends on God’s promise, not on what they can see right now.

The chapter reviews the land given east of the Jordan. Moses had already assigned those areas to Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. The text also reminds us that some peoples were not fully driven out, and Geshur and Maacah still lived among Israel. The Levites did not receive a normal tribal inheritance. Their inheritance was the Lord and the offerings made to Him.

Then chapter 14 begins the allotment in Canaan itself. The land is divided by lot under the Lord’s instruction. This means the distribution was not by human favor, but by God’s order.

Caleb then comes to Joshua and reminds him of the promise made long ago. At Kadesh Barnea, Caleb brought back an honest report and remained loyal to the Lord when others caused fear. Moses promised him the land he had walked on. Now, at eighty-five years old, Caleb asks for Hebron. He still trusts that the Lord will be with him and help him drive out the Anakites.

Joshua asks God to help Caleb and assigns Hebron to him. The chapter closes by saying that Caleb kept this land because he remained loyal to the Lord. The passage ends with the land at rest from war in this part of the allotment. The main lesson is clear: the Lord remembers faithful trust, and He gives inheritance according to His promise.

• The Lord directs Joshua to divide the land even before all enemies are removed.
• The inheritance of Israel comes by God’s promise and command.
• The eastern tribes already had their land from Moses.
• The Levites do not receive territory; their inheritance is the Lord and the offerings.
• Caleb’s request for Hebron is based on God’s promise and his faithful report.
• Joshua asks God to empower Caleb and assigns him Hebron, showing that the Lord keeps His word to loyal servants.

• Warning: some peoples were not fully driven out, and Israel still lived among unfinished conflict.
• Warning: unbelief in the earlier generation kept them from receiving what God had promised.
• Promise: the Lord would drive out the remaining inhabitants as Joshua divided the land.
• Promise: Caleb would receive the land promised to him because he remained loyal to the Lord.
• Command: Joshua was to parcel out the land as the Lord instructed.
• Command: the people were to divide the land by lot under God’s direction.

This passage continues the Lord’s covenant plan to give Israel the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It shows that the promise governs the nation’s life even while enemies remain. Caleb’s inheritance also shows God’s care for faithful covenant living, while the Levites remind Israel that service to the Lord is itself a true inheritance.

Readers should learn patience when God’s promise is not fulfilled right away. They should also value faithful obedience more than outward strength or status. Like Caleb, they should trust the Lord’s word and keep following Him fully. And like Israel, they should do what God commands even when the situation still feels unfinished.

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