Joshua 13 Devotional
By Pastor Lawrence

Now that most of the regions of the Promised Land have been taken by the Israelites, God commands Joshua to divide the land into allotments as an inheritance for the nine and a half remaining tribes who had not yet received their inheritance east of the Jordan River through the hands of Moses. The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had received their inheritances early after defeating the Amorite Kings Sihon and Og, as described in Numbers 21. Joshua then recounts the distribution of land to these eastern tribes before proceeding to the new allocations that he will explain in the following chapter.

In this account, Joshua highlights that some peoples still lived in these eastern lands that Israel had not driven out, including the Geshurites and the Maacathites. Later in Israel’s history, we discover that King David marries one of the daughters of the King of Geshur, named Maacah, and Absalom is the outcome of their marriage. When Absalom rebels against his father David, he actually flees to the king of Geshur for protection, indicating that these enemies continue to be a thorn in Israel’s side for many years to come.

On a more positive note, Joshua reminds us in verse 22 that amidst conquering their eastern enemies, they also put Balaam to death with the sword. Balaam, the diviner who attempted to curse God’s people, later advised the Midianite women to entice Israelite men into idolatry. Moses demanded his death, as well as the death of every woman in Midian who had been with a man, bringing God’s righteous judgment upon the wicked.

In addition to describing the allotments of these three tribes, Joshua points out that the Levites were not assigned a specific territory, unlike the other tribes. Instead, they were designated to serve as priests in various cities scattered throughout the lands of the other tribes. This arrangement aimed to have a sanctifying influence across the entire Promised Land, as they would teach God’s law and serve as spiritual leaders throughout the nation. Though devoid of a physical inheritance, Joshua tells us that they received a much greater blessing: the Lord God Himself was their inheritance. Instead of having their own territory, they were richly blessed to reside in sanctuary cities where they continually stood on holy ground, extending the grace of God to their brothers and sisters.

Of course, not every tribe received the same amount of land, and it might have seemed unfair that the Levites didn’t receive any. However, King David’s perspective contrasts this notion. In Psalm 16, as one destined to dwell in a royal palace, he proclaimed, “The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.” In this context, he wasn’t referring to any building or plot of land. After all, the paramount blessing of the Promised Land was not the size of one’s plot, but the immeasurable privilege of dwelling with God. The Levites enjoyed even greater access to God by not possessing a territory of their own. This prompts us to ponder: would we prefer more houses and lands, or a deeper connection with God?