Joshua 14:1-5--The Inheritance West of the Jordan

Joshua 14:1-5
English Standard Version

The Inheritance West of the Jordan
14 These are the inheritances that the people of Israel received in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest and Joshua the son of Nun and the heads of the fathers' houses of the tribes of the people of Israel gave them to inherit. 2 Their inheritance was by lot, just as the LORD had commanded by the hand of Moses for the nine and one-half tribes. 3 For Moses had given an inheritance to the two and one-half tribes beyond the Jordan, but to the Levites he gave no inheritance among them. 4 For the people of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. And no portion was given to the Levites in the land, but only cities to dwell in, with their pasturelands for their livestock and their substance. 5 The people of Israel did as the LORD commanded Moses; they allotted the land.

---

Last time we talked about the inheritance for the Trans-Jordan tribes to the East, but starting in Chapter 14, we will see how the Land will be distributed to the remaining nine-and-a-half tribes.  Their inheritance would be chosen by lot (a way in the Old Testament that was used to show that God had ordained the choice as God would fix the probabilities to come out with His desired outcome.  Something that most people would view as luck or chance the people knew was directed by the hand of the LORD.).

We are reminded that there were two-and-one-half tribes that already received their inheritance east of the Jordan River from Moses who were not included in this lottery.  Only the remaining nine-and-one-half tribes (remember that Joseph received a double portion by his first two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, being counted as a son of Israel).

The Levites were not part of the lottery here because the LORD was their portion as well as their portion of all the sacrifices made from burnt offerings (this was stated clearly in chapter 13), but they did receive 10 cities, the Cities of Refuge, from among the people in a separate lottery later.  These cities would not only act as homes but also as pastureland for the sustenance of the Levites and their livestock.  Everything would be done exactly as the LORD had commanded to Moses, so they allotted the Land to the Israelites as their inheritance from the LORD for these people and all future generations of the people of Israel.