Joshua 19
Today’s Passage: Joshua 19
Allow me to walk through some of the clans, their inheritance, and point out some specifics that are really neat to consider. As the previous Jumpstarts have stated, God is proving His faithfulness to Israel in giving them the land He swore to, but let’s look a bit deeper into each one a see what nuggets we can find.
Regarding the Inheritance for Simeon
The clans of Simeon did not get their own allotted land, but rather got a compilation from cities in the regions of Judah (v. 9). Since Judah and Simeon fought together to defeat the Canaanites (Judges 1), their portion of land came from Judah since there was more than enough for those from Judah to have for themselves.
Regarding the Inheritance for Zebulun
Not much is mentioned here other than God making clear boundaries for this small, northern territory. The Bethlehem mentioned here is not the Bethlehem of David and Jesus, but it is neat to consider that 3 of the cities in Zebulun became Levitical cities (since Levi and the priests received no land as inheritance).
Regarding the Inheritance for Issachar
The eastern boundary for Issachar was the Jordan River, and part of the territory of Issachar was the popular and fertile area called the Jezreel Valley.
Regarding the Inheritance for Asher
Asher’s was the fifth lot cast, and its territory was a long, narrow strip in the far northwest of the tribal inheritances, with the Mediterranean Sea as its western boundary and the tribes of Zebulun and western Manasseh at its eastern edge.
Regarding the Inheritance for Naphtali
Naphtali was given the rich, forested land in the heart of the Galilee region. Asher was to the west, Zebulun and Asher to the south, and the Jordan River and eastern Manasseh to the east. One unique thing to Naphtali is that some of the cities are classified as “fortified cities.” (no other territory says this about its cities)
Regarding the Inheritance for Dan
The Danites were unique in that they abandoned their allotted territory and migrated elsewhere. They traveled to the far north of Canaan and took a city of a different name and then renamed It to Dan. It was one of the cities where Jeroboam made a golden calf.
Regarding the Inheritance for Joshua
Joshua himself was from this tribe (Num 13:8), and he was buried in the city given to him. The two references to this city in Joshua are the only two in the Bible. No other Israelite received a personal possession as an inheritance like Joshua did with this particular city.
Reading deeper is fun and the Bible is full of trivia, even if that’s not the main point of diving into God’s word. I do pray that we don’t let the Scriptures be dry or distant but find ways to get more acclimated to the joy of digging deeper. Go treasure hunting when you read, you might be shocked (in a good way!) of the things you’ll find.
Written By: Drew Dukes
Allow me to walk through some of the clans, their inheritance, and point out some specifics that are really neat to consider. As the previous Jumpstarts have stated, God is proving His faithfulness to Israel in giving them the land He swore to, but let’s look a bit deeper into each one a see what nuggets we can find.
Regarding the Inheritance for Simeon
The clans of Simeon did not get their own allotted land, but rather got a compilation from cities in the regions of Judah (v. 9). Since Judah and Simeon fought together to defeat the Canaanites (Judges 1), their portion of land came from Judah since there was more than enough for those from Judah to have for themselves.
Regarding the Inheritance for Zebulun
Not much is mentioned here other than God making clear boundaries for this small, northern territory. The Bethlehem mentioned here is not the Bethlehem of David and Jesus, but it is neat to consider that 3 of the cities in Zebulun became Levitical cities (since Levi and the priests received no land as inheritance).
Regarding the Inheritance for Issachar
The eastern boundary for Issachar was the Jordan River, and part of the territory of Issachar was the popular and fertile area called the Jezreel Valley.
Regarding the Inheritance for Asher
Asher’s was the fifth lot cast, and its territory was a long, narrow strip in the far northwest of the tribal inheritances, with the Mediterranean Sea as its western boundary and the tribes of Zebulun and western Manasseh at its eastern edge.
Regarding the Inheritance for Naphtali
Naphtali was given the rich, forested land in the heart of the Galilee region. Asher was to the west, Zebulun and Asher to the south, and the Jordan River and eastern Manasseh to the east. One unique thing to Naphtali is that some of the cities are classified as “fortified cities.” (no other territory says this about its cities)
Regarding the Inheritance for Dan
The Danites were unique in that they abandoned their allotted territory and migrated elsewhere. They traveled to the far north of Canaan and took a city of a different name and then renamed It to Dan. It was one of the cities where Jeroboam made a golden calf.
Regarding the Inheritance for Joshua
Joshua himself was from this tribe (Num 13:8), and he was buried in the city given to him. The two references to this city in Joshua are the only two in the Bible. No other Israelite received a personal possession as an inheritance like Joshua did with this particular city.
Reading deeper is fun and the Bible is full of trivia, even if that’s not the main point of diving into God’s word. I do pray that we don’t let the Scriptures be dry or distant but find ways to get more acclimated to the joy of digging deeper. Go treasure hunting when you read, you might be shocked (in a good way!) of the things you’ll find.
Written By: Drew Dukes
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