Joshua 18-20 More Allotment and Refuge

Thoughts

Joshua 18

Israel gathers and sets up the Tabernacle (Tent of Meeting) at Shiloh

Although much of the land has been conquered, seven tribes have not yet received their inheritance to which Joshua says “How long will you wait before you begin to take possession of the land…?” 

Joshua gives some instructions

• Choose three men from each tribe to describe the remaining land
• Divide it into seven parts
• Bring the description to Joshua, who will cast lots before the Lord and assign

(Levites receive no land and Reuben, Gad, and half-Manasseh already received land east of Jordan and Judah, Ephraim half-Manasseh west of Jordan) 

The first lot falls on Benjamin

Benjamin Boundaries:

• North Boundary: Began at the Jordan River, passed the northern slope of Jericho, went west through the hill country, and ended at the wilderness of Beth-aven 
• South Boundary: Ran from the end of Kiriah-jearim, passed to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah, down toward the Valley of Ben Hinnom (south of Jebus), and ended at En-rogel 
• West Boundary: Followed the western slope of Beth-horon and ended at the Kiriath-baal area 
• East Boundary: From the Jordan, past the slopes of Jericho, and along the Jordan Valley 

Key Cities Included (26 total):
Jericho, Beth-hoglah, Emek-keziz, Beth-arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel, Avvim, Parah, Ophrah, Chephar-ammoni, Ophni, Geba, Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth, Mizpah, Chephirah, Mozah, Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah, Zelah, Haeleph, the Jebusite city (Jerusalem), Gibeah, Kiriath.

Joshua 19

The rest are the lots in order

.Simeon

• Their territory was within the inheritance of Judah because Judah’s portion was too large.
• Key Cities: Beersheba (Sheba), Moladah, Hazar Shual, Balah, Ezem, Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah, Ziklag, Beth Markaboth, Hazar Susah, Beth Lebaoth, Sharuhen.

Zebulun

• Boundaries ran from Sarid, west to Maralah, Dabbesheth, Jokneam, east to Chisloth Tabor, Daberath, and up to Jiphthah El.

Issachar

• Territory included Jezreel, Chesulloth, Shunem, Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath, Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez, Remeth, En Gannim, En Haddah, Beth Pazzez.
• Border touched Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth Shemesh.

Asher

• Territory included Helkath, Hali, Beten, Achshaph, Alammelech, Amad, Mishal; reached Carmel and Shihor Libnath; turned east to Beth Dagon, reached Zebulun and the Valley of Iphtah El, and north to Cabul, Ebron, Rehob, Hammon, Kanah, up to Great Sidon.
• Border went to Tyre, Hosah, and the sea.

Naphtali

• Boundary ran from Heleph, Zaanannim, Adami Nekeb, Jabneel, to Lakkum, ending at the Jordan.
• Included fortified cities: Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Chinnereth, Adamah, Ramah, Hazor, Kedesh, Edrei, En Hazor, Iron, Migdal El, Horem, Beth Anath, Beth Shemesh.

Dan

• Territory 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.
• Dan had trouble with their territory, so they attacked and took Leshem, renaming it Dan

Joshua

• After dividing the land, Israel gave Joshua a city he requested: Timnath Serah in the hill country of Ephraim.
• Joshua rebuilt it and settled there.

Joshua 20

The Lord tells Joshua to appoint the cities of refuge as commanded through Moses (Numbers 35 and Deuteronomy 19).

Reminder the purpose is so anyone who kills a person unintentionally or without premeditation may flee there and be protected from ‘avengers of blood’. 

The fugitive must:

1. Flee to one of the cities of refuge.
2. Stand at the city gate and state their case before the elders.
3. Be admitted into the city and given a place to live.

The fugitive will be protected, but must stay in the city until they stand trial and the death of the high priest serving occurs.

The Appointed Cities (see map below)

• West of the Jordan:
  • Naphtali: Kedesh in Galilee
  • Ephraim: Shechem
  • Judah: Kiriath Arba (Hebron)
• East of the Jordan:
  • Reuben: Bezer in the wilderness
  • Gad: Ramoth in Gilead
  • Manasseh: Golan in Bashan

Israelites and foreigners among them free to use these cities.

Questions

Why did the 7 tribes delay in taking possession of the land?

How did they create/maintain boundaries back then?

What happens if the high priest dies right when someone flees to a city of refuge?

Application

God appointed six cities of refuge where both Israelites and the foreigners living among them could flee for safety. I like to think of this as a picture of Jesus -offering true refuge to both Jew and Gentile. And isn’t it interesting that the person was only truly free once the high priest died? Psalm 46:1 reminds us that God is our refuge and strength, and Hebrews points to Jesus as the true High Priest. Parts of the Old Testament, especially lists of cities and boundaries, can be hard to read, but we shouldn’t stop looking for what God might be showing us through them.