Joshua | Chapter Summaries + Study Questionsنموونە

JOSHUA 13

LAND DISTRIBUTED EAST OF THE JORDAN RIVER

Because Joshua is growing old, God instructs him to allot the land to the Israelites as an inheritance, even though parts of the land had not yet been conquered.

Some of the tribes want to remain East of the Jordan River, so Joshua divides the land among them. The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh settle East of the river in the land known as the trans-Jordan. These tribes request this land in Numbers 32, but promise to help secure the land of Canaan before residing there. Once the land of Canaan was fully distributed, they would return to their land.

The Levites are not given a land inheritance, but are scattered across the land throughout the tribes to serve as priests and spiritual leaders.

STUDY QUESTIONS

The primary message of Joshua 13-22 is land allocation between the tribes. Why was this land so important to the Israelites?

Which tribe did not receive a land inheritance (Joshua 13:14, 13:33)? What was the specific role of this tribe?