Joshua 19

Joshua 19:1

The Kings and Their Armies Defeated

The LORD encourages Joshua and says to him that he should not be afraid (Joshua 11:6). Often we are afraid instead of seeing the privilege of facing a large crowd. But God always wants a great victory by a few. He wants us to rely on Him (Psalms 20:8) and “striving together for the faith of the gospel; in no way alarmed by [the] opponents” (Philippians 1:27b-28). We have to learn this. That is why God allows us to gain such experiences.

The enemy’s means of combat must be disabled and destroyed. That makes reuse impossible, both for the enemy and for Israel. God does not want His people to use the means of the world to achieve victories through which the world can claim the honor of victory. Each victory may only be attributed to Him Who actually gives it.

Joshua 19:2

Judgment on the Cities

Hazor is taken. Because it is a mighty city, the human mind might reason that it could be a suitable capital for Israel. But God does not allow the seat of worldly power and influence to become the seat of His people, for His people depend solely on Him. Hazor will not become the new capital of Israel, but will be completely destroyed. God will not leave any trace of the power that has ruled before.

Unfortunately, by the unfaithfulness of God’s people this city is rebuilt. In the time of the judges it appears that this city even rules over God’s people for some time. This happens as a result of the discipline God has to impose on His people because of their unfaithfulness (Judges 4:1-2). When the people call to Him, He delivers them from this enemy by Barak and Deborah. Deborah sings with Barak of that deliverance in a song (Judges 5:1). In that song she mentions the downfall of this enemy (Judges 5:19-21). In Psalms 83 God is called up to do to the great northern collection of armies in the last days what He did with this king (Psalms 83:9).

Not all cities are burned. God has promised His people that they will live in cities which they themselves have not built (Deuteronomy 6:10-11). Not everything should be destroyed. Things that are of use to them must be spared (Deuteronomy 20:19-20). But all inhabitants are killed, according to the commandment of the LORD (Deuteronomy 7:1-6; Deuteronomy 20:16-18). This total extermination should not come as a surprise, as has happened so often, that a loving God commands it. Whoever accuses God of cruelty does not know Him, nor does he know himself.

The God of the Old Testament is no other God than the God of the New Testament, as if we had a God of love there and a God of revenge here. Of the New Testament God it says: “For our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29), while the God of the Old Testament is also a God of love.

Is it unjust that God should have all these people killed? No. There are several reasons to give that make it clear that God is right to do so: 1. God never judges without warning and sufficient time to take the warning to heart. These Canaanites have had a testimony of God in their midst in Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18). So they cannot say that they have never heard of God.

They also know what He did for His people in Egypt and after. 2. The meekness of God waited four hundred years, until the iniquity of the Amorites was complete (Genesis 15:16). He waits long, but not endlessly. He waited one hundred and twenty years before he let the flood come (Genesis 6:3). He has been waiting in His meekness for almost two thousand years now (2 Peter 3:8-9) since man has committed the greatest sin ever by killing His Son. But if the wickedness of the Canaanites goes beyond everything, God can only judge them.

They do everything a person can think of and do in sinning. They deserve judgment. 3. They know that God is a Judge. They know what He has done in and with Egypt. But none of the cities behave kindly toward the Israelites (Joshua 11:19). That is the result of the hardening of their hearts.

That does not undo their guilt. God hardens a heart only if someone has hardened his heart first. Hardening is a judgment from God, after man has refused to submit to God. There is a hardening of the Gentiles (Romans 1:24; 26; 28), the Jews (Romans 11:25) and the nominal Christians (2 Thessalonians 2:11-12).

The example of Rahab and the Gibeonites makes clear that God is unaltered in His desire to save people (Romans 10:13). Rahab and also the Gibeonites speak of the threat, of which all inhabitants of Canaan have heard (Joshua 2:9-11; Joshua 9:9-10). Yet only they resort to the people of God to escape the judgment, albeit in different ways. There, they both find the salvation against judgment.

God does not destine anyone to hell. It is now still “the acceptable time”, ” behold, now is “the day of salvation”” (2 Corinthians 6:2) to escape the judgment of hell. But God does determine the time of the end of that time and that day, while He still makes the call to repentance sound. “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all [people] everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:30-31).

Joshua 19:3

Judgment on the Cities

Hazor is taken. Because it is a mighty city, the human mind might reason that it could be a suitable capital for Israel. But God does not allow the seat of worldly power and influence to become the seat of His people, for His people depend solely on Him. Hazor will not become the new capital of Israel, but will be completely destroyed. God will not leave any trace of the power that has ruled before.

Unfortunately, by the unfaithfulness of God’s people this city is rebuilt. In the time of the judges it appears that this city even rules over God’s people for some time. This happens as a result of the discipline God has to impose on His people because of their unfaithfulness (Judges 4:1-2). When the people call to Him, He delivers them from this enemy by Barak and Deborah. Deborah sings with Barak of that deliverance in a song (Judges 5:1). In that song she mentions the downfall of this enemy (Judges 5:19-21). In Psalms 83 God is called up to do to the great northern collection of armies in the last days what He did with this king (Psalms 83:9).

Not all cities are burned. God has promised His people that they will live in cities which they themselves have not built (Deuteronomy 6:10-11). Not everything should be destroyed. Things that are of use to them must be spared (Deuteronomy 20:19-20). But all inhabitants are killed, according to the commandment of the LORD (Deuteronomy 7:1-6; Deuteronomy 20:16-18). This total extermination should not come as a surprise, as has happened so often, that a loving God commands it. Whoever accuses God of cruelty does not know Him, nor does he know himself.

The God of the Old Testament is no other God than the God of the New Testament, as if we had a God of love there and a God of revenge here. Of the New Testament God it says: “For our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29), while the God of the Old Testament is also a God of love.

Is it unjust that God should have all these people killed? No. There are several reasons to give that make it clear that God is right to do so: 1. God never judges without warning and sufficient time to take the warning to heart. These Canaanites have had a testimony of God in their midst in Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18). So they cannot say that they have never heard of God.

They also know what He did for His people in Egypt and after. 2. The meekness of God waited four hundred years, until the iniquity of the Amorites was complete (Genesis 15:16). He waits long, but not endlessly. He waited one hundred and twenty years before he let the flood come (Genesis 6:3). He has been waiting in His meekness for almost two thousand years now (2 Peter 3:8-9) since man has committed the greatest sin ever by killing His Son. But if the wickedness of the Canaanites goes beyond everything, God can only judge them.

They do everything a person can think of and do in sinning. They deserve judgment. 3. They know that God is a Judge. They know what He has done in and with Egypt. But none of the cities behave kindly toward the Israelites (Joshua 11:19). That is the result of the hardening of their hearts.

That does not undo their guilt. God hardens a heart only if someone has hardened his heart first. Hardening is a judgment from God, after man has refused to submit to God. There is a hardening of the Gentiles (Romans 1:24; 26; 28), the Jews (Romans 11:25) and the nominal Christians (2 Thessalonians 2:11-12).

The example of Rahab and the Gibeonites makes clear that God is unaltered in His desire to save people (Romans 10:13). Rahab and also the Gibeonites speak of the threat, of which all inhabitants of Canaan have heard (Joshua 2:9-11; Joshua 9:9-10). Yet only they resort to the people of God to escape the judgment, albeit in different ways. There, they both find the salvation against judgment.

God does not destine anyone to hell. It is now still “the acceptable time”, ” behold, now is “the day of salvation”” (2 Corinthians 6:2) to escape the judgment of hell. But God does determine the time of the end of that time and that day, while He still makes the call to repentance sound. “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all [people] everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:30-31).

Joshua 19:4

Judgment on the Cities

Hazor is taken. Because it is a mighty city, the human mind might reason that it could be a suitable capital for Israel. But God does not allow the seat of worldly power and influence to become the seat of His people, for His people depend solely on Him. Hazor will not become the new capital of Israel, but will be completely destroyed. God will not leave any trace of the power that has ruled before.

Unfortunately, by the unfaithfulness of God’s people this city is rebuilt. In the time of the judges it appears that this city even rules over God’s people for some time. This happens as a result of the discipline God has to impose on His people because of their unfaithfulness (Judges 4:1-2). When the people call to Him, He delivers them from this enemy by Barak and Deborah. Deborah sings with Barak of that deliverance in a song (Judges 5:1). In that song she mentions the downfall of this enemy (Judges 5:19-21). In Psalms 83 God is called up to do to the great northern collection of armies in the last days what He did with this king (Psalms 83:9).

Not all cities are burned. God has promised His people that they will live in cities which they themselves have not built (Deuteronomy 6:10-11). Not everything should be destroyed. Things that are of use to them must be spared (Deuteronomy 20:19-20). But all inhabitants are killed, according to the commandment of the LORD (Deuteronomy 7:1-6; Deuteronomy 20:16-18). This total extermination should not come as a surprise, as has happened so often, that a loving God commands it. Whoever accuses God of cruelty does not know Him, nor does he know himself.

The God of the Old Testament is no other God than the God of the New Testament, as if we had a God of love there and a God of revenge here. Of the New Testament God it says: “For our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29), while the God of the Old Testament is also a God of love.

Is it unjust that God should have all these people killed? No. There are several reasons to give that make it clear that God is right to do so: 1. God never judges without warning and sufficient time to take the warning to heart. These Canaanites have had a testimony of God in their midst in Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18). So they cannot say that they have never heard of God.

They also know what He did for His people in Egypt and after. 2. The meekness of God waited four hundred years, until the iniquity of the Amorites was complete (Genesis 15:16). He waits long, but not endlessly. He waited one hundred and twenty years before he let the flood come (Genesis 6:3). He has been waiting in His meekness for almost two thousand years now (2 Peter 3:8-9) since man has committed the greatest sin ever by killing His Son. But if the wickedness of the Canaanites goes beyond everything, God can only judge them.

They do everything a person can think of and do in sinning. They deserve judgment. 3. They know that God is a Judge. They know what He has done in and with Egypt. But none of the cities behave kindly toward the Israelites (Joshua 11:19). That is the result of the hardening of their hearts.

That does not undo their guilt. God hardens a heart only if someone has hardened his heart first. Hardening is a judgment from God, after man has refused to submit to God. There is a hardening of the Gentiles (Romans 1:24; 26; 28), the Jews (Romans 11:25) and the nominal Christians (2 Thessalonians 2:11-12).

The example of Rahab and the Gibeonites makes clear that God is unaltered in His desire to save people (Romans 10:13). Rahab and also the Gibeonites speak of the threat, of which all inhabitants of Canaan have heard (Joshua 2:9-11; Joshua 9:9-10). Yet only they resort to the people of God to escape the judgment, albeit in different ways. There, they both find the salvation against judgment.

God does not destine anyone to hell. It is now still “the acceptable time”, ” behold, now is “the day of salvation”” (2 Corinthians 6:2) to escape the judgment of hell. But God does determine the time of the end of that time and that day, while He still makes the call to repentance sound. “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all [people] everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:30-31).

Joshua 19:5

Judgment on the Cities

Hazor is taken. Because it is a mighty city, the human mind might reason that it could be a suitable capital for Israel. But God does not allow the seat of worldly power and influence to become the seat of His people, for His people depend solely on Him. Hazor will not become the new capital of Israel, but will be completely destroyed. God will not leave any trace of the power that has ruled before.

Unfortunately, by the unfaithfulness of God’s people this city is rebuilt. In the time of the judges it appears that this city even rules over God’s people for some time. This happens as a result of the discipline God has to impose on His people because of their unfaithfulness (Judges 4:1-2). When the people call to Him, He delivers them from this enemy by Barak and Deborah. Deborah sings with Barak of that deliverance in a song (Judges 5:1). In that song she mentions the downfall of this enemy (Judges 5:19-21). In Psalms 83 God is called up to do to the great northern collection of armies in the last days what He did with this king (Psalms 83:9).

Not all cities are burned. God has promised His people that they will live in cities which they themselves have not built (Deuteronomy 6:10-11). Not everything should be destroyed. Things that are of use to them must be spared (Deuteronomy 20:19-20). But all inhabitants are killed, according to the commandment of the LORD (Deuteronomy 7:1-6; Deuteronomy 20:16-18). This total extermination should not come as a surprise, as has happened so often, that a loving God commands it. Whoever accuses God of cruelty does not know Him, nor does he know himself.

The God of the Old Testament is no other God than the God of the New Testament, as if we had a God of love there and a God of revenge here. Of the New Testament God it says: “For our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29), while the God of the Old Testament is also a God of love.

Is it unjust that God should have all these people killed? No. There are several reasons to give that make it clear that God is right to do so: 1. God never judges without warning and sufficient time to take the warning to heart. These Canaanites have had a testimony of God in their midst in Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18). So they cannot say that they have never heard of God.

They also know what He did for His people in Egypt and after. 2. The meekness of God waited four hundred years, until the iniquity of the Amorites was complete (Genesis 15:16). He waits long, but not endlessly. He waited one hundred and twenty years before he let the flood come (Genesis 6:3). He has been waiting in His meekness for almost two thousand years now (2 Peter 3:8-9) since man has committed the greatest sin ever by killing His Son. But if the wickedness of the Canaanites goes beyond everything, God can only judge them.

They do everything a person can think of and do in sinning. They deserve judgment. 3. They know that God is a Judge. They know what He has done in and with Egypt. But none of the cities behave kindly toward the Israelites (Joshua 11:19). That is the result of the hardening of their hearts.

That does not undo their guilt. God hardens a heart only if someone has hardened his heart first. Hardening is a judgment from God, after man has refused to submit to God. There is a hardening of the Gentiles (Romans 1:24; 26; 28), the Jews (Romans 11:25) and the nominal Christians (2 Thessalonians 2:11-12).

The example of Rahab and the Gibeonites makes clear that God is unaltered in His desire to save people (Romans 10:13). Rahab and also the Gibeonites speak of the threat, of which all inhabitants of Canaan have heard (Joshua 2:9-11; Joshua 9:9-10). Yet only they resort to the people of God to escape the judgment, albeit in different ways. There, they both find the salvation against judgment.

God does not destine anyone to hell. It is now still “the acceptable time”, ” behold, now is “the day of salvation”” (2 Corinthians 6:2) to escape the judgment of hell. But God does determine the time of the end of that time and that day, while He still makes the call to repentance sound. “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all [people] everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:30-31).

Joshua 19:6

Judgment on the Cities

Hazor is taken. Because it is a mighty city, the human mind might reason that it could be a suitable capital for Israel. But God does not allow the seat of worldly power and influence to become the seat of His people, for His people depend solely on Him. Hazor will not become the new capital of Israel, but will be completely destroyed. God will not leave any trace of the power that has ruled before.

Unfortunately, by the unfaithfulness of God’s people this city is rebuilt. In the time of the judges it appears that this city even rules over God’s people for some time. This happens as a result of the discipline God has to impose on His people because of their unfaithfulness (Judges 4:1-2). When the people call to Him, He delivers them from this enemy by Barak and Deborah. Deborah sings with Barak of that deliverance in a song (Judges 5:1). In that song she mentions the downfall of this enemy (Judges 5:19-21). In Psalms 83 God is called up to do to the great northern collection of armies in the last days what He did with this king (Psalms 83:9).

Not all cities are burned. God has promised His people that they will live in cities which they themselves have not built (Deuteronomy 6:10-11). Not everything should be destroyed. Things that are of use to them must be spared (Deuteronomy 20:19-20). But all inhabitants are killed, according to the commandment of the LORD (Deuteronomy 7:1-6; Deuteronomy 20:16-18). This total extermination should not come as a surprise, as has happened so often, that a loving God commands it. Whoever accuses God of cruelty does not know Him, nor does he know himself.

The God of the Old Testament is no other God than the God of the New Testament, as if we had a God of love there and a God of revenge here. Of the New Testament God it says: “For our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29), while the God of the Old Testament is also a God of love.

Is it unjust that God should have all these people killed? No. There are several reasons to give that make it clear that God is right to do so: 1. God never judges without warning and sufficient time to take the warning to heart. These Canaanites have had a testimony of God in their midst in Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18). So they cannot say that they have never heard of God.

They also know what He did for His people in Egypt and after. 2. The meekness of God waited four hundred years, until the iniquity of the Amorites was complete (Genesis 15:16). He waits long, but not endlessly. He waited one hundred and twenty years before he let the flood come (Genesis 6:3). He has been waiting in His meekness for almost two thousand years now (2 Peter 3:8-9) since man has committed the greatest sin ever by killing His Son. But if the wickedness of the Canaanites goes beyond everything, God can only judge them.

They do everything a person can think of and do in sinning. They deserve judgment. 3. They know that God is a Judge. They know what He has done in and with Egypt. But none of the cities behave kindly toward the Israelites (Joshua 11:19). That is the result of the hardening of their hearts.

That does not undo their guilt. God hardens a heart only if someone has hardened his heart first. Hardening is a judgment from God, after man has refused to submit to God. There is a hardening of the Gentiles (Romans 1:24; 26; 28), the Jews (Romans 11:25) and the nominal Christians (2 Thessalonians 2:11-12).

The example of Rahab and the Gibeonites makes clear that God is unaltered in His desire to save people (Romans 10:13). Rahab and also the Gibeonites speak of the threat, of which all inhabitants of Canaan have heard (Joshua 2:9-11; Joshua 9:9-10). Yet only they resort to the people of God to escape the judgment, albeit in different ways. There, they both find the salvation against judgment.

God does not destine anyone to hell. It is now still “the acceptable time”, ” behold, now is “the day of salvation”” (2 Corinthians 6:2) to escape the judgment of hell. But God does determine the time of the end of that time and that day, while He still makes the call to repentance sound. “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all [people] everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:30-31).

Joshua 19:7

Joshua Has Been Obedient in Everything

At the end of the battle, the writer recalls that victory and blessing are the result of obedience. Joshua did everything as the LORD commanded him by Moses.

Joshua 19:8

Overview of the Conquests

The “long time” of war (Joshua 11:18) is about six to seven years. This can be deducted from the times that Caleb mentions in the review of his life (Joshua 14:7; 10). With the “long time” that the conquest has taken, what the LORD has said about expelling the enemies has also been fulfilled: “I will not drive them out before you in a single year, that the land may not become desolate and the beasts of the field become too numerous for you. I will drive them out before you little by little, until you become fruitful and take possession of the land” (Exodus 23:29-30; cf. Deuteronomy 7:22).

Also the Anakim, the giants of whom they were so afraid (Numbers 13:33), are exterminated (Joshua 11:21). Without God we are nothing and we lose to dwarves. With God we can do everything and giants are nothing. Yet there are still a few giants left (Joshua 11:22). One of their descendants will be Goliath. We should not see such individuals as little things. If we leave anything of the enemy behind, it will put us in the greatest trouble. The remaining giants find refuge in some cities of the Philistines, whose influence will soon be felt when the people become unfaithful.

Joshua 19:9

Overview of the Conquests

The “long time” of war (Joshua 11:18) is about six to seven years. This can be deducted from the times that Caleb mentions in the review of his life (Joshua 14:7; 10). With the “long time” that the conquest has taken, what the LORD has said about expelling the enemies has also been fulfilled: “I will not drive them out before you in a single year, that the land may not become desolate and the beasts of the field become too numerous for you. I will drive them out before you little by little, until you become fruitful and take possession of the land” (Exodus 23:29-30; cf. Deuteronomy 7:22).

Also the Anakim, the giants of whom they were so afraid (Numbers 13:33), are exterminated (Joshua 11:21). Without God we are nothing and we lose to dwarves. With God we can do everything and giants are nothing. Yet there are still a few giants left (Joshua 11:22). One of their descendants will be Goliath. We should not see such individuals as little things. If we leave anything of the enemy behind, it will put us in the greatest trouble. The remaining giants find refuge in some cities of the Philistines, whose influence will soon be felt when the people become unfaithful.

Joshua 19:10

Overview of the Conquests

The “long time” of war (Joshua 11:18) is about six to seven years. This can be deducted from the times that Caleb mentions in the review of his life (Joshua 14:7; 10). With the “long time” that the conquest has taken, what the LORD has said about expelling the enemies has also been fulfilled: “I will not drive them out before you in a single year, that the land may not become desolate and the beasts of the field become too numerous for you. I will drive them out before you little by little, until you become fruitful and take possession of the land” (Exodus 23:29-30; cf. Deuteronomy 7:22).

Also the Anakim, the giants of whom they were so afraid (Numbers 13:33), are exterminated (Joshua 11:21). Without God we are nothing and we lose to dwarves. With God we can do everything and giants are nothing. Yet there are still a few giants left (Joshua 11:22). One of their descendants will be Goliath. We should not see such individuals as little things. If we leave anything of the enemy behind, it will put us in the greatest trouble. The remaining giants find refuge in some cities of the Philistines, whose influence will soon be felt when the people become unfaithful.

Joshua 19:11

Overview of the Conquests

The “long time” of war (Joshua 11:18) is about six to seven years. This can be deducted from the times that Caleb mentions in the review of his life (Joshua 14:7; 10). With the “long time” that the conquest has taken, what the LORD has said about expelling the enemies has also been fulfilled: “I will not drive them out before you in a single year, that the land may not become desolate and the beasts of the field become too numerous for you. I will drive them out before you little by little, until you become fruitful and take possession of the land” (Exodus 23:29-30; cf. Deuteronomy 7:22).

Also the Anakim, the giants of whom they were so afraid (Numbers 13:33), are exterminated (Joshua 11:21). Without God we are nothing and we lose to dwarves. With God we can do everything and giants are nothing. Yet there are still a few giants left (Joshua 11:22). One of their descendants will be Goliath. We should not see such individuals as little things. If we leave anything of the enemy behind, it will put us in the greatest trouble. The remaining giants find refuge in some cities of the Philistines, whose influence will soon be felt when the people become unfaithful.

Joshua 19:12

Overview of the Conquests

The “long time” of war (Joshua 11:18) is about six to seven years. This can be deducted from the times that Caleb mentions in the review of his life (Joshua 14:7; 10). With the “long time” that the conquest has taken, what the LORD has said about expelling the enemies has also been fulfilled: “I will not drive them out before you in a single year, that the land may not become desolate and the beasts of the field become too numerous for you. I will drive them out before you little by little, until you become fruitful and take possession of the land” (Exodus 23:29-30; cf. Deuteronomy 7:22).

Also the Anakim, the giants of whom they were so afraid (Numbers 13:33), are exterminated (Joshua 11:21). Without God we are nothing and we lose to dwarves. With God we can do everything and giants are nothing. Yet there are still a few giants left (Joshua 11:22). One of their descendants will be Goliath. We should not see such individuals as little things. If we leave anything of the enemy behind, it will put us in the greatest trouble. The remaining giants find refuge in some cities of the Philistines, whose influence will soon be felt when the people become unfaithful.

Joshua 19:13

Overview of the Conquests

The “long time” of war (Joshua 11:18) is about six to seven years. This can be deducted from the times that Caleb mentions in the review of his life (Joshua 14:7; 10). With the “long time” that the conquest has taken, what the LORD has said about expelling the enemies has also been fulfilled: “I will not drive them out before you in a single year, that the land may not become desolate and the beasts of the field become too numerous for you. I will drive them out before you little by little, until you become fruitful and take possession of the land” (Exodus 23:29-30; cf. Deuteronomy 7:22).

Also the Anakim, the giants of whom they were so afraid (Numbers 13:33), are exterminated (Joshua 11:21). Without God we are nothing and we lose to dwarves. With God we can do everything and giants are nothing. Yet there are still a few giants left (Joshua 11:22). One of their descendants will be Goliath. We should not see such individuals as little things. If we leave anything of the enemy behind, it will put us in the greatest trouble. The remaining giants find refuge in some cities of the Philistines, whose influence will soon be felt when the people become unfaithful.

Joshua 19:14

Overview of the Conquests

The “long time” of war (Joshua 11:18) is about six to seven years. This can be deducted from the times that Caleb mentions in the review of his life (Joshua 14:7; 10). With the “long time” that the conquest has taken, what the LORD has said about expelling the enemies has also been fulfilled: “I will not drive them out before you in a single year, that the land may not become desolate and the beasts of the field become too numerous for you. I will drive them out before you little by little, until you become fruitful and take possession of the land” (Exodus 23:29-30; cf. Deuteronomy 7:22).

Also the Anakim, the giants of whom they were so afraid (Numbers 13:33), are exterminated (Joshua 11:21). Without God we are nothing and we lose to dwarves. With God we can do everything and giants are nothing. Yet there are still a few giants left (Joshua 11:22). One of their descendants will be Goliath. We should not see such individuals as little things. If we leave anything of the enemy behind, it will put us in the greatest trouble. The remaining giants find refuge in some cities of the Philistines, whose influence will soon be felt when the people become unfaithful.

Joshua 19:15

The Land Rests From War

After a long time of war there is peace. The rest here is the result of faithfulness in battle. This mention of rest in the land appears three times in the book: 1. here in connection with Joshua, 2. in Joshua 14 in connection with Caleb (Joshua 14:15) and 3. in Joshua 21 in connection with the inheritance of the Levites among the people of Israel (Joshua 21:44). You can only enjoy rest if you act faithfully according to what the LORD has said. If through the unfaithfulness of the people not all enemies are eradicated, the rest appears to be of limited duration.

The conquest of the land is complete. This means that there is no external strength left in a hostile power that can exist before them or form another kingdom. Yet there are still many enemies left. If they remain faithful, those enemies will not have to worry them. That is why rest is dangerous, it can so easily lead to laziness. Then it is forgotten that there are still enemies who keep land in their possession. There is always land to conquer.

Rest is good, but it should not lead to carelessness. It is important “having done everything, to stand firm” (Ephesians 6:13b). The biggest defeat is often suffered after the biggest victory. Rest is also dangerous for older brothers and sisters. The battle never ends as long as we are still in the body.

Joshua 11:23 concludes the first part of the book, which describes the histories of Joshua’s victories. The next chapter, Joshua 12, is a postscript in which the balance of the previous chapters is, as it were, drawn up. The conquered kings and their territories are listed.

Joshua 19:17

Introduction

Joshua 12 mentions the kings defeated by Joshua and the Israelites. The kings are the captains of the hostile armies. The kings represent the evil powers in the heavenly places. These evil powers are the leaders in the spiritual struggle that is being waged against us and that we must fight. Therefore it says: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual [forces] of wickedness in the heavenly [places]” (Ephesians 6:12).

If people want to do us harm, mock us for our faith or lie about us, we should first of all not look at those people, but at those evil powers. Thus the Lord Jesus says to Peter, if he wants to pull Him off the way of obedience to his Father: “Get behind Me, Satan!” (Matthew 16:23). Peter lets himself be used as an instrument of satan.

The Kings of the Wilderness Side of the Jordan

The Holy Spirit not only gives us the victory over our enemies, from whom a list is given here, but also teaches us to know and understand the whole vastness of the land. We learn the distinction between what God gives and the enjoyment of it. After the battle we learn to know the extent and value of the blessings. During the battle, the Christian is not busy with a list of his victories. He must be busy with his purpose. But when the battle has been fought, he may look back to measure the vastness of the grace of God that has worked for him.

For encouragement, now comes a list of the conquered kings. This summing-up begins with the defeating of Sihon and Og. The total number of kings, thirty-one (Joshua 12:24), does not include them. These two kings have ruled over territories that are not in the land; they are territories for which one did not have to go through the Jordan.

Yet these kings have been defeated (Numbers 21:21-35) and their territories conquered and referred to as possessions (Joshua 12:6). They speak of our earthly blessings, not of our heavenly blessings. We should not despise them, they are a blessing, but they are not specifically Christian. Believers share earthly blessings with the people of the world. We can think of things like health, children, work. The distinction between the world and the believer is that the world does not thank God for it, while the believer does.

We can possess and enjoy earthly blessings in three ways: 1. as they are enjoyed in the kingdom of peace, 2. like Sihon and Og enjoy them and 3. like Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh enjoy them.

In Ezekiel 48 it is written how the people possess the wilderness side of the Jordan in the kingdom of peace. There the land is divided from north to south in strips and each tribe gets one strip. Each tribe gets a large part in the land and a small part in the wilderness side of the Jordan. As far as we are concerned, God wants us not to possess most of our blessings in the land, but to possess all our blessings in the land.

Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh represent Christians to whom the earthly victories suffice. All the blessing for them consists of the earthly blessings. They don’t think of the heavenly ones. The two and a half tribes have no part in the land. Unfortunately, this applies to many Christians. They rejoice about the earthly blessings. They thank warmly for their food and drink and prosperity, and that is good. However, they do not know their true blessings and do not thank God for them, which is a pity, because God desires precisely that.

Unlike the two and a half tribes, Sihon and Og have done everything only for themselves, in pride. With them there is no thought of God, no feeling of gratitude. Why should they? They considered their possessions as the result or merit of their own effort. Why should you thank God for what you have earned yourself?

Joshua 19:18

Introduction

Joshua 12 mentions the kings defeated by Joshua and the Israelites. The kings are the captains of the hostile armies. The kings represent the evil powers in the heavenly places. These evil powers are the leaders in the spiritual struggle that is being waged against us and that we must fight. Therefore it says: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual [forces] of wickedness in the heavenly [places]” (Ephesians 6:12).

If people want to do us harm, mock us for our faith or lie about us, we should first of all not look at those people, but at those evil powers. Thus the Lord Jesus says to Peter, if he wants to pull Him off the way of obedience to his Father: “Get behind Me, Satan!” (Matthew 16:23). Peter lets himself be used as an instrument of satan.

The Kings of the Wilderness Side of the Jordan

The Holy Spirit not only gives us the victory over our enemies, from whom a list is given here, but also teaches us to know and understand the whole vastness of the land. We learn the distinction between what God gives and the enjoyment of it. After the battle we learn to know the extent and value of the blessings. During the battle, the Christian is not busy with a list of his victories. He must be busy with his purpose. But when the battle has been fought, he may look back to measure the vastness of the grace of God that has worked for him.

For encouragement, now comes a list of the conquered kings. This summing-up begins with the defeating of Sihon and Og. The total number of kings, thirty-one (Joshua 12:24), does not include them. These two kings have ruled over territories that are not in the land; they are territories for which one did not have to go through the Jordan.

Yet these kings have been defeated (Numbers 21:21-35) and their territories conquered and referred to as possessions (Joshua 12:6). They speak of our earthly blessings, not of our heavenly blessings. We should not despise them, they are a blessing, but they are not specifically Christian. Believers share earthly blessings with the people of the world. We can think of things like health, children, work. The distinction between the world and the believer is that the world does not thank God for it, while the believer does.

We can possess and enjoy earthly blessings in three ways: 1. as they are enjoyed in the kingdom of peace, 2. like Sihon and Og enjoy them and 3. like Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh enjoy them.

In Ezekiel 48 it is written how the people possess the wilderness side of the Jordan in the kingdom of peace. There the land is divided from north to south in strips and each tribe gets one strip. Each tribe gets a large part in the land and a small part in the wilderness side of the Jordan. As far as we are concerned, God wants us not to possess most of our blessings in the land, but to possess all our blessings in the land.

Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh represent Christians to whom the earthly victories suffice. All the blessing for them consists of the earthly blessings. They don’t think of the heavenly ones. The two and a half tribes have no part in the land. Unfortunately, this applies to many Christians. They rejoice about the earthly blessings. They thank warmly for their food and drink and prosperity, and that is good. However, they do not know their true blessings and do not thank God for them, which is a pity, because God desires precisely that.

Unlike the two and a half tribes, Sihon and Og have done everything only for themselves, in pride. With them there is no thought of God, no feeling of gratitude. Why should they? They considered their possessions as the result or merit of their own effort. Why should you thank God for what you have earned yourself?

Joshua 19:19

Introduction

Joshua 12 mentions the kings defeated by Joshua and the Israelites. The kings are the captains of the hostile armies. The kings represent the evil powers in the heavenly places. These evil powers are the leaders in the spiritual struggle that is being waged against us and that we must fight. Therefore it says: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual [forces] of wickedness in the heavenly [places]” (Ephesians 6:12).

If people want to do us harm, mock us for our faith or lie about us, we should first of all not look at those people, but at those evil powers. Thus the Lord Jesus says to Peter, if he wants to pull Him off the way of obedience to his Father: “Get behind Me, Satan!” (Matthew 16:23). Peter lets himself be used as an instrument of satan.

The Kings of the Wilderness Side of the Jordan

The Holy Spirit not only gives us the victory over our enemies, from whom a list is given here, but also teaches us to know and understand the whole vastness of the land. We learn the distinction between what God gives and the enjoyment of it. After the battle we learn to know the extent and value of the blessings. During the battle, the Christian is not busy with a list of his victories. He must be busy with his purpose. But when the battle has been fought, he may look back to measure the vastness of the grace of God that has worked for him.

For encouragement, now comes a list of the conquered kings. This summing-up begins with the defeating of Sihon and Og. The total number of kings, thirty-one (Joshua 12:24), does not include them. These two kings have ruled over territories that are not in the land; they are territories for which one did not have to go through the Jordan.

Yet these kings have been defeated (Numbers 21:21-35) and their territories conquered and referred to as possessions (Joshua 12:6). They speak of our earthly blessings, not of our heavenly blessings. We should not despise them, they are a blessing, but they are not specifically Christian. Believers share earthly blessings with the people of the world. We can think of things like health, children, work. The distinction between the world and the believer is that the world does not thank God for it, while the believer does.

We can possess and enjoy earthly blessings in three ways: 1. as they are enjoyed in the kingdom of peace, 2. like Sihon and Og enjoy them and 3. like Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh enjoy them.

In Ezekiel 48 it is written how the people possess the wilderness side of the Jordan in the kingdom of peace. There the land is divided from north to south in strips and each tribe gets one strip. Each tribe gets a large part in the land and a small part in the wilderness side of the Jordan. As far as we are concerned, God wants us not to possess most of our blessings in the land, but to possess all our blessings in the land.

Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh represent Christians to whom the earthly victories suffice. All the blessing for them consists of the earthly blessings. They don’t think of the heavenly ones. The two and a half tribes have no part in the land. Unfortunately, this applies to many Christians. They rejoice about the earthly blessings. They thank warmly for their food and drink and prosperity, and that is good. However, they do not know their true blessings and do not thank God for them, which is a pity, because God desires precisely that.

Unlike the two and a half tribes, Sihon and Og have done everything only for themselves, in pride. With them there is no thought of God, no feeling of gratitude. Why should they? They considered their possessions as the result or merit of their own effort. Why should you thank God for what you have earned yourself?

Joshua 19:20

Introduction

Joshua 12 mentions the kings defeated by Joshua and the Israelites. The kings are the captains of the hostile armies. The kings represent the evil powers in the heavenly places. These evil powers are the leaders in the spiritual struggle that is being waged against us and that we must fight. Therefore it says: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual [forces] of wickedness in the heavenly [places]” (Ephesians 6:12).

If people want to do us harm, mock us for our faith or lie about us, we should first of all not look at those people, but at those evil powers. Thus the Lord Jesus says to Peter, if he wants to pull Him off the way of obedience to his Father: “Get behind Me, Satan!” (Matthew 16:23). Peter lets himself be used as an instrument of satan.

The Kings of the Wilderness Side of the Jordan

The Holy Spirit not only gives us the victory over our enemies, from whom a list is given here, but also teaches us to know and understand the whole vastness of the land. We learn the distinction between what God gives and the enjoyment of it. After the battle we learn to know the extent and value of the blessings. During the battle, the Christian is not busy with a list of his victories. He must be busy with his purpose. But when the battle has been fought, he may look back to measure the vastness of the grace of God that has worked for him.

For encouragement, now comes a list of the conquered kings. This summing-up begins with the defeating of Sihon and Og. The total number of kings, thirty-one (Joshua 12:24), does not include them. These two kings have ruled over territories that are not in the land; they are territories for which one did not have to go through the Jordan.

Yet these kings have been defeated (Numbers 21:21-35) and their territories conquered and referred to as possessions (Joshua 12:6). They speak of our earthly blessings, not of our heavenly blessings. We should not despise them, they are a blessing, but they are not specifically Christian. Believers share earthly blessings with the people of the world. We can think of things like health, children, work. The distinction between the world and the believer is that the world does not thank God for it, while the believer does.

We can possess and enjoy earthly blessings in three ways: 1. as they are enjoyed in the kingdom of peace, 2. like Sihon and Og enjoy them and 3. like Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh enjoy them.

In Ezekiel 48 it is written how the people possess the wilderness side of the Jordan in the kingdom of peace. There the land is divided from north to south in strips and each tribe gets one strip. Each tribe gets a large part in the land and a small part in the wilderness side of the Jordan. As far as we are concerned, God wants us not to possess most of our blessings in the land, but to possess all our blessings in the land.

Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh represent Christians to whom the earthly victories suffice. All the blessing for them consists of the earthly blessings. They don’t think of the heavenly ones. The two and a half tribes have no part in the land. Unfortunately, this applies to many Christians. They rejoice about the earthly blessings. They thank warmly for their food and drink and prosperity, and that is good. However, they do not know their true blessings and do not thank God for them, which is a pity, because God desires precisely that.

Unlike the two and a half tribes, Sihon and Og have done everything only for themselves, in pride. With them there is no thought of God, no feeling of gratitude. Why should they? They considered their possessions as the result or merit of their own effort. Why should you thank God for what you have earned yourself?

Joshua 19:21

Introduction

Joshua 12 mentions the kings defeated by Joshua and the Israelites. The kings are the captains of the hostile armies. The kings represent the evil powers in the heavenly places. These evil powers are the leaders in the spiritual struggle that is being waged against us and that we must fight. Therefore it says: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual [forces] of wickedness in the heavenly [places]” (Ephesians 6:12).

If people want to do us harm, mock us for our faith or lie about us, we should first of all not look at those people, but at those evil powers. Thus the Lord Jesus says to Peter, if he wants to pull Him off the way of obedience to his Father: “Get behind Me, Satan!” (Matthew 16:23). Peter lets himself be used as an instrument of satan.

The Kings of the Wilderness Side of the Jordan

The Holy Spirit not only gives us the victory over our enemies, from whom a list is given here, but also teaches us to know and understand the whole vastness of the land. We learn the distinction between what God gives and the enjoyment of it. After the battle we learn to know the extent and value of the blessings. During the battle, the Christian is not busy with a list of his victories. He must be busy with his purpose. But when the battle has been fought, he may look back to measure the vastness of the grace of God that has worked for him.

For encouragement, now comes a list of the conquered kings. This summing-up begins with the defeating of Sihon and Og. The total number of kings, thirty-one (Joshua 12:24), does not include them. These two kings have ruled over territories that are not in the land; they are territories for which one did not have to go through the Jordan.

Yet these kings have been defeated (Numbers 21:21-35) and their territories conquered and referred to as possessions (Joshua 12:6). They speak of our earthly blessings, not of our heavenly blessings. We should not despise them, they are a blessing, but they are not specifically Christian. Believers share earthly blessings with the people of the world. We can think of things like health, children, work. The distinction between the world and the believer is that the world does not thank God for it, while the believer does.

We can possess and enjoy earthly blessings in three ways: 1. as they are enjoyed in the kingdom of peace, 2. like Sihon and Og enjoy them and 3. like Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh enjoy them.

In Ezekiel 48 it is written how the people possess the wilderness side of the Jordan in the kingdom of peace. There the land is divided from north to south in strips and each tribe gets one strip. Each tribe gets a large part in the land and a small part in the wilderness side of the Jordan. As far as we are concerned, God wants us not to possess most of our blessings in the land, but to possess all our blessings in the land.

Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh represent Christians to whom the earthly victories suffice. All the blessing for them consists of the earthly blessings. They don’t think of the heavenly ones. The two and a half tribes have no part in the land. Unfortunately, this applies to many Christians. They rejoice about the earthly blessings. They thank warmly for their food and drink and prosperity, and that is good. However, they do not know their true blessings and do not thank God for them, which is a pity, because God desires precisely that.

Unlike the two and a half tribes, Sihon and Og have done everything only for themselves, in pride. With them there is no thought of God, no feeling of gratitude. Why should they? They considered their possessions as the result or merit of their own effort. Why should you thank God for what you have earned yourself?

Joshua 19:22

Introduction

Joshua 12 mentions the kings defeated by Joshua and the Israelites. The kings are the captains of the hostile armies. The kings represent the evil powers in the heavenly places. These evil powers are the leaders in the spiritual struggle that is being waged against us and that we must fight. Therefore it says: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual [forces] of wickedness in the heavenly [places]” (Ephesians 6:12).

If people want to do us harm, mock us for our faith or lie about us, we should first of all not look at those people, but at those evil powers. Thus the Lord Jesus says to Peter, if he wants to pull Him off the way of obedience to his Father: “Get behind Me, Satan!” (Matthew 16:23). Peter lets himself be used as an instrument of satan.

The Kings of the Wilderness Side of the Jordan

The Holy Spirit not only gives us the victory over our enemies, from whom a list is given here, but also teaches us to know and understand the whole vastness of the land. We learn the distinction between what God gives and the enjoyment of it. After the battle we learn to know the extent and value of the blessings. During the battle, the Christian is not busy with a list of his victories. He must be busy with his purpose. But when the battle has been fought, he may look back to measure the vastness of the grace of God that has worked for him.

For encouragement, now comes a list of the conquered kings. This summing-up begins with the defeating of Sihon and Og. The total number of kings, thirty-one (Joshua 12:24), does not include them. These two kings have ruled over territories that are not in the land; they are territories for which one did not have to go through the Jordan.

Yet these kings have been defeated (Numbers 21:21-35) and their territories conquered and referred to as possessions (Joshua 12:6). They speak of our earthly blessings, not of our heavenly blessings. We should not despise them, they are a blessing, but they are not specifically Christian. Believers share earthly blessings with the people of the world. We can think of things like health, children, work. The distinction between the world and the believer is that the world does not thank God for it, while the believer does.

We can possess and enjoy earthly blessings in three ways: 1. as they are enjoyed in the kingdom of peace, 2. like Sihon and Og enjoy them and 3. like Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh enjoy them.

In Ezekiel 48 it is written how the people possess the wilderness side of the Jordan in the kingdom of peace. There the land is divided from north to south in strips and each tribe gets one strip. Each tribe gets a large part in the land and a small part in the wilderness side of the Jordan. As far as we are concerned, God wants us not to possess most of our blessings in the land, but to possess all our blessings in the land.

Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh represent Christians to whom the earthly victories suffice. All the blessing for them consists of the earthly blessings. They don’t think of the heavenly ones. The two and a half tribes have no part in the land. Unfortunately, this applies to many Christians. They rejoice about the earthly blessings. They thank warmly for their food and drink and prosperity, and that is good. However, they do not know their true blessings and do not thank God for them, which is a pity, because God desires precisely that.

Unlike the two and a half tribes, Sihon and Og have done everything only for themselves, in pride. With them there is no thought of God, no feeling of gratitude. Why should they? They considered their possessions as the result or merit of their own effort. Why should you thank God for what you have earned yourself?

Joshua 19:23

The Kings of the Land

It is said of the two and a half tribes that they have got their inheritance from Moses (Joshua 12:6). The nine and a half tribes get their property from Joshua. Each tribe has its own task, whereby one complements the other.

It is encouraging that the LORD Himself gives this list. It shows that He does not forget any victory we have achieved in His power. Each individual victory is noted, as we see in the recurring “one”. It should encourage us to fight “the good fight” (2 Timothy 4:7), so that we will receive the reward of every victory (Revelation 2:7; 11; 17; 26; Revelation 3:5; 12; 21).

The list shows how good God is to Israel by giving them the victory over all these kings and the possession of all their kingdoms. God “gave them also the lands of the nations, that they might take possession of [the fruit of] the peoples’ labor, so that they might keep His statutes and observe His laws, praise the LORD! (Psalms 105:44-45). These thirty-one kingdoms will be divided among nine and a half tribes.

First the sixteen kings in the south of Canaan are mentioned (Joshua 12:9-16), then the fifteen kings in the north of Canaan. In the previous chapters (Joshua 6-10), the conquest of the cities mentioned here (Joshua 12:9-13) is described in detail. It indicates the nature of the battle. By the enumeration here we see the enmity that has housed in every kingdom.

The defeat of all the kings is reason to sing the praises about the lovingkindness of the LORD in Psalm 136: “To Him who smote great kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And slew mighty kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting: Sihon, king of the Amorites, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And Og, king of Bashan, For His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psalms 136:17-20).

We read further in Psalms 136 that there were great and mighty kings among them. The greater and more violent the hostile king, the greater is the proof of God’s lovingkindness in defeating and killing that king. The land of the conquered kings He has given His people as inheritance. That too is reason to sing the praise of the LORD’s lovingkindness: “And gave their land as a heritage, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, Even a heritage to Israel His servant, For His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psalms 136:21-22).

Joshua 19:24

The Kings of the Land

It is said of the two and a half tribes that they have got their inheritance from Moses (Joshua 12:6). The nine and a half tribes get their property from Joshua. Each tribe has its own task, whereby one complements the other.

It is encouraging that the LORD Himself gives this list. It shows that He does not forget any victory we have achieved in His power. Each individual victory is noted, as we see in the recurring “one”. It should encourage us to fight “the good fight” (2 Timothy 4:7), so that we will receive the reward of every victory (Revelation 2:7; 11; 17; 26; Revelation 3:5; 12; 21).

The list shows how good God is to Israel by giving them the victory over all these kings and the possession of all their kingdoms. God “gave them also the lands of the nations, that they might take possession of [the fruit of] the peoples’ labor, so that they might keep His statutes and observe His laws, praise the LORD! (Psalms 105:44-45). These thirty-one kingdoms will be divided among nine and a half tribes.

First the sixteen kings in the south of Canaan are mentioned (Joshua 12:9-16), then the fifteen kings in the north of Canaan. In the previous chapters (Joshua 6-10), the conquest of the cities mentioned here (Joshua 12:9-13) is described in detail. It indicates the nature of the battle. By the enumeration here we see the enmity that has housed in every kingdom.

The defeat of all the kings is reason to sing the praises about the lovingkindness of the LORD in Psalm 136: “To Him who smote great kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And slew mighty kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting: Sihon, king of the Amorites, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And Og, king of Bashan, For His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psalms 136:17-20).

We read further in Psalms 136 that there were great and mighty kings among them. The greater and more violent the hostile king, the greater is the proof of God’s lovingkindness in defeating and killing that king. The land of the conquered kings He has given His people as inheritance. That too is reason to sing the praise of the LORD’s lovingkindness: “And gave their land as a heritage, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, Even a heritage to Israel His servant, For His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psalms 136:21-22).

Joshua 19:25

The Kings of the Land

It is said of the two and a half tribes that they have got their inheritance from Moses (Joshua 12:6). The nine and a half tribes get their property from Joshua. Each tribe has its own task, whereby one complements the other.

It is encouraging that the LORD Himself gives this list. It shows that He does not forget any victory we have achieved in His power. Each individual victory is noted, as we see in the recurring “one”. It should encourage us to fight “the good fight” (2 Timothy 4:7), so that we will receive the reward of every victory (Revelation 2:7; 11; 17; 26; Revelation 3:5; 12; 21).

The list shows how good God is to Israel by giving them the victory over all these kings and the possession of all their kingdoms. God “gave them also the lands of the nations, that they might take possession of [the fruit of] the peoples’ labor, so that they might keep His statutes and observe His laws, praise the LORD! (Psalms 105:44-45). These thirty-one kingdoms will be divided among nine and a half tribes.

First the sixteen kings in the south of Canaan are mentioned (Joshua 12:9-16), then the fifteen kings in the north of Canaan. In the previous chapters (Joshua 6-10), the conquest of the cities mentioned here (Joshua 12:9-13) is described in detail. It indicates the nature of the battle. By the enumeration here we see the enmity that has housed in every kingdom.

The defeat of all the kings is reason to sing the praises about the lovingkindness of the LORD in Psalm 136: “To Him who smote great kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And slew mighty kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting: Sihon, king of the Amorites, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And Og, king of Bashan, For His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psalms 136:17-20).

We read further in Psalms 136 that there were great and mighty kings among them. The greater and more violent the hostile king, the greater is the proof of God’s lovingkindness in defeating and killing that king. The land of the conquered kings He has given His people as inheritance. That too is reason to sing the praise of the LORD’s lovingkindness: “And gave their land as a heritage, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, Even a heritage to Israel His servant, For His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psalms 136:21-22).

Joshua 19:26

The Kings of the Land

It is said of the two and a half tribes that they have got their inheritance from Moses (Joshua 12:6). The nine and a half tribes get their property from Joshua. Each tribe has its own task, whereby one complements the other.

It is encouraging that the LORD Himself gives this list. It shows that He does not forget any victory we have achieved in His power. Each individual victory is noted, as we see in the recurring “one”. It should encourage us to fight “the good fight” (2 Timothy 4:7), so that we will receive the reward of every victory (Revelation 2:7; 11; 17; 26; Revelation 3:5; 12; 21).

The list shows how good God is to Israel by giving them the victory over all these kings and the possession of all their kingdoms. God “gave them also the lands of the nations, that they might take possession of [the fruit of] the peoples’ labor, so that they might keep His statutes and observe His laws, praise the LORD! (Psalms 105:44-45). These thirty-one kingdoms will be divided among nine and a half tribes.

First the sixteen kings in the south of Canaan are mentioned (Joshua 12:9-16), then the fifteen kings in the north of Canaan. In the previous chapters (Joshua 6-10), the conquest of the cities mentioned here (Joshua 12:9-13) is described in detail. It indicates the nature of the battle. By the enumeration here we see the enmity that has housed in every kingdom.

The defeat of all the kings is reason to sing the praises about the lovingkindness of the LORD in Psalm 136: “To Him who smote great kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And slew mighty kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting: Sihon, king of the Amorites, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And Og, king of Bashan, For His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psalms 136:17-20).

We read further in Psalms 136 that there were great and mighty kings among them. The greater and more violent the hostile king, the greater is the proof of God’s lovingkindness in defeating and killing that king. The land of the conquered kings He has given His people as inheritance. That too is reason to sing the praise of the LORD’s lovingkindness: “And gave their land as a heritage, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, Even a heritage to Israel His servant, For His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psalms 136:21-22).

Joshua 19:27

The Kings of the Land

It is said of the two and a half tribes that they have got their inheritance from Moses (Joshua 12:6). The nine and a half tribes get their property from Joshua. Each tribe has its own task, whereby one complements the other.

It is encouraging that the LORD Himself gives this list. It shows that He does not forget any victory we have achieved in His power. Each individual victory is noted, as we see in the recurring “one”. It should encourage us to fight “the good fight” (2 Timothy 4:7), so that we will receive the reward of every victory (Revelation 2:7; 11; 17; 26; Revelation 3:5; 12; 21).

The list shows how good God is to Israel by giving them the victory over all these kings and the possession of all their kingdoms. God “gave them also the lands of the nations, that they might take possession of [the fruit of] the peoples’ labor, so that they might keep His statutes and observe His laws, praise the LORD! (Psalms 105:44-45). These thirty-one kingdoms will be divided among nine and a half tribes.

First the sixteen kings in the south of Canaan are mentioned (Joshua 12:9-16), then the fifteen kings in the north of Canaan. In the previous chapters (Joshua 6-10), the conquest of the cities mentioned here (Joshua 12:9-13) is described in detail. It indicates the nature of the battle. By the enumeration here we see the enmity that has housed in every kingdom.

The defeat of all the kings is reason to sing the praises about the lovingkindness of the LORD in Psalm 136: “To Him who smote great kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And slew mighty kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting: Sihon, king of the Amorites, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And Og, king of Bashan, For His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psalms 136:17-20).

We read further in Psalms 136 that there were great and mighty kings among them. The greater and more violent the hostile king, the greater is the proof of God’s lovingkindness in defeating and killing that king. The land of the conquered kings He has given His people as inheritance. That too is reason to sing the praise of the LORD’s lovingkindness: “And gave their land as a heritage, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, Even a heritage to Israel His servant, For His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psalms 136:21-22).

Joshua 19:28

The Kings of the Land

It is said of the two and a half tribes that they have got their inheritance from Moses (Joshua 12:6). The nine and a half tribes get their property from Joshua. Each tribe has its own task, whereby one complements the other.

It is encouraging that the LORD Himself gives this list. It shows that He does not forget any victory we have achieved in His power. Each individual victory is noted, as we see in the recurring “one”. It should encourage us to fight “the good fight” (2 Timothy 4:7), so that we will receive the reward of every victory (Revelation 2:7; 11; 17; 26; Revelation 3:5; 12; 21).

The list shows how good God is to Israel by giving them the victory over all these kings and the possession of all their kingdoms. God “gave them also the lands of the nations, that they might take possession of [the fruit of] the peoples’ labor, so that they might keep His statutes and observe His laws, praise the LORD! (Psalms 105:44-45). These thirty-one kingdoms will be divided among nine and a half tribes.

First the sixteen kings in the south of Canaan are mentioned (Joshua 12:9-16), then the fifteen kings in the north of Canaan. In the previous chapters (Joshua 6-10), the conquest of the cities mentioned here (Joshua 12:9-13) is described in detail. It indicates the nature of the battle. By the enumeration here we see the enmity that has housed in every kingdom.

The defeat of all the kings is reason to sing the praises about the lovingkindness of the LORD in Psalm 136: “To Him who smote great kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And slew mighty kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting: Sihon, king of the Amorites, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And Og, king of Bashan, For His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psalms 136:17-20).

We read further in Psalms 136 that there were great and mighty kings among them. The greater and more violent the hostile king, the greater is the proof of God’s lovingkindness in defeating and killing that king. The land of the conquered kings He has given His people as inheritance. That too is reason to sing the praise of the LORD’s lovingkindness: “And gave their land as a heritage, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, Even a heritage to Israel His servant, For His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psalms 136:21-22).

Joshua 19:29

The Kings of the Land

It is said of the two and a half tribes that they have got their inheritance from Moses (Joshua 12:6). The nine and a half tribes get their property from Joshua. Each tribe has its own task, whereby one complements the other.

It is encouraging that the LORD Himself gives this list. It shows that He does not forget any victory we have achieved in His power. Each individual victory is noted, as we see in the recurring “one”. It should encourage us to fight “the good fight” (2 Timothy 4:7), so that we will receive the reward of every victory (Revelation 2:7; 11; 17; 26; Revelation 3:5; 12; 21).

The list shows how good God is to Israel by giving them the victory over all these kings and the possession of all their kingdoms. God “gave them also the lands of the nations, that they might take possession of [the fruit of] the peoples’ labor, so that they might keep His statutes and observe His laws, praise the LORD! (Psalms 105:44-45). These thirty-one kingdoms will be divided among nine and a half tribes.

First the sixteen kings in the south of Canaan are mentioned (Joshua 12:9-16), then the fifteen kings in the north of Canaan. In the previous chapters (Joshua 6-10), the conquest of the cities mentioned here (Joshua 12:9-13) is described in detail. It indicates the nature of the battle. By the enumeration here we see the enmity that has housed in every kingdom.

The defeat of all the kings is reason to sing the praises about the lovingkindness of the LORD in Psalm 136: “To Him who smote great kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And slew mighty kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting: Sihon, king of the Amorites, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And Og, king of Bashan, For His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psalms 136:17-20).

We read further in Psalms 136 that there were great and mighty kings among them. The greater and more violent the hostile king, the greater is the proof of God’s lovingkindness in defeating and killing that king. The land of the conquered kings He has given His people as inheritance. That too is reason to sing the praise of the LORD’s lovingkindness: “And gave their land as a heritage, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, Even a heritage to Israel His servant, For His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psalms 136:21-22).

Joshua 19:30

The Kings of the Land

It is said of the two and a half tribes that they have got their inheritance from Moses (Joshua 12:6). The nine and a half tribes get their property from Joshua. Each tribe has its own task, whereby one complements the other.

It is encouraging that the LORD Himself gives this list. It shows that He does not forget any victory we have achieved in His power. Each individual victory is noted, as we see in the recurring “one”. It should encourage us to fight “the good fight” (2 Timothy 4:7), so that we will receive the reward of every victory (Revelation 2:7; 11; 17; 26; Revelation 3:5; 12; 21).

The list shows how good God is to Israel by giving them the victory over all these kings and the possession of all their kingdoms. God “gave them also the lands of the nations, that they might take possession of [the fruit of] the peoples’ labor, so that they might keep His statutes and observe His laws, praise the LORD! (Psalms 105:44-45). These thirty-one kingdoms will be divided among nine and a half tribes.

First the sixteen kings in the south of Canaan are mentioned (Joshua 12:9-16), then the fifteen kings in the north of Canaan. In the previous chapters (Joshua 6-10), the conquest of the cities mentioned here (Joshua 12:9-13) is described in detail. It indicates the nature of the battle. By the enumeration here we see the enmity that has housed in every kingdom.

The defeat of all the kings is reason to sing the praises about the lovingkindness of the LORD in Psalm 136: “To Him who smote great kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And slew mighty kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting: Sihon, king of the Amorites, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And Og, king of Bashan, For His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psalms 136:17-20).

We read further in Psalms 136 that there were great and mighty kings among them. The greater and more violent the hostile king, the greater is the proof of God’s lovingkindness in defeating and killing that king. The land of the conquered kings He has given His people as inheritance. That too is reason to sing the praise of the LORD’s lovingkindness: “And gave their land as a heritage, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, Even a heritage to Israel His servant, For His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psalms 136:21-22).

Joshua 19:31

The Kings of the Land

It is said of the two and a half tribes that they have got their inheritance from Moses (Joshua 12:6). The nine and a half tribes get their property from Joshua. Each tribe has its own task, whereby one complements the other.

It is encouraging that the LORD Himself gives this list. It shows that He does not forget any victory we have achieved in His power. Each individual victory is noted, as we see in the recurring “one”. It should encourage us to fight “the good fight” (2 Timothy 4:7), so that we will receive the reward of every victory (Revelation 2:7; 11; 17; 26; Revelation 3:5; 12; 21).

The list shows how good God is to Israel by giving them the victory over all these kings and the possession of all their kingdoms. God “gave them also the lands of the nations, that they might take possession of [the fruit of] the peoples’ labor, so that they might keep His statutes and observe His laws, praise the LORD! (Psalms 105:44-45). These thirty-one kingdoms will be divided among nine and a half tribes.

First the sixteen kings in the south of Canaan are mentioned (Joshua 12:9-16), then the fifteen kings in the north of Canaan. In the previous chapters (Joshua 6-10), the conquest of the cities mentioned here (Joshua 12:9-13) is described in detail. It indicates the nature of the battle. By the enumeration here we see the enmity that has housed in every kingdom.

The defeat of all the kings is reason to sing the praises about the lovingkindness of the LORD in Psalm 136: “To Him who smote great kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And slew mighty kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting: Sihon, king of the Amorites, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And Og, king of Bashan, For His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psalms 136:17-20).

We read further in Psalms 136 that there were great and mighty kings among them. The greater and more violent the hostile king, the greater is the proof of God’s lovingkindness in defeating and killing that king. The land of the conquered kings He has given His people as inheritance. That too is reason to sing the praise of the LORD’s lovingkindness: “And gave their land as a heritage, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, Even a heritage to Israel His servant, For His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psalms 136:21-22).

Joshua 19:32

The Kings of the Land

It is said of the two and a half tribes that they have got their inheritance from Moses (Joshua 12:6). The nine and a half tribes get their property from Joshua. Each tribe has its own task, whereby one complements the other.

It is encouraging that the LORD Himself gives this list. It shows that He does not forget any victory we have achieved in His power. Each individual victory is noted, as we see in the recurring “one”. It should encourage us to fight “the good fight” (2 Timothy 4:7), so that we will receive the reward of every victory (Revelation 2:7; 11; 17; 26; Revelation 3:5; 12; 21).

The list shows how good God is to Israel by giving them the victory over all these kings and the possession of all their kingdoms. God “gave them also the lands of the nations, that they might take possession of [the fruit of] the peoples’ labor, so that they might keep His statutes and observe His laws, praise the LORD! (Psalms 105:44-45). These thirty-one kingdoms will be divided among nine and a half tribes.

First the sixteen kings in the south of Canaan are mentioned (Joshua 12:9-16), then the fifteen kings in the north of Canaan. In the previous chapters (Joshua 6-10), the conquest of the cities mentioned here (Joshua 12:9-13) is described in detail. It indicates the nature of the battle. By the enumeration here we see the enmity that has housed in every kingdom.

The defeat of all the kings is reason to sing the praises about the lovingkindness of the LORD in Psalm 136: “To Him who smote great kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And slew mighty kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting: Sihon, king of the Amorites, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And Og, king of Bashan, For His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psalms 136:17-20).

We read further in Psalms 136 that there were great and mighty kings among them. The greater and more violent the hostile king, the greater is the proof of God’s lovingkindness in defeating and killing that king. The land of the conquered kings He has given His people as inheritance. That too is reason to sing the praise of the LORD’s lovingkindness: “And gave their land as a heritage, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, Even a heritage to Israel His servant, For His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psalms 136:21-22).

Joshua 19:33

The Kings of the Land

It is said of the two and a half tribes that they have got their inheritance from Moses (Joshua 12:6). The nine and a half tribes get their property from Joshua. Each tribe has its own task, whereby one complements the other.

It is encouraging that the LORD Himself gives this list. It shows that He does not forget any victory we have achieved in His power. Each individual victory is noted, as we see in the recurring “one”. It should encourage us to fight “the good fight” (2 Timothy 4:7), so that we will receive the reward of every victory (Revelation 2:7; 11; 17; 26; Revelation 3:5; 12; 21).

The list shows how good God is to Israel by giving them the victory over all these kings and the possession of all their kingdoms. God “gave them also the lands of the nations, that they might take possession of [the fruit of] the peoples’ labor, so that they might keep His statutes and observe His laws, praise the LORD! (Psalms 105:44-45). These thirty-one kingdoms will be divided among nine and a half tribes.

First the sixteen kings in the south of Canaan are mentioned (Joshua 12:9-16), then the fifteen kings in the north of Canaan. In the previous chapters (Joshua 6-10), the conquest of the cities mentioned here (Joshua 12:9-13) is described in detail. It indicates the nature of the battle. By the enumeration here we see the enmity that has housed in every kingdom.

The defeat of all the kings is reason to sing the praises about the lovingkindness of the LORD in Psalm 136: “To Him who smote great kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And slew mighty kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting: Sihon, king of the Amorites, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And Og, king of Bashan, For His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psalms 136:17-20).

We read further in Psalms 136 that there were great and mighty kings among them. The greater and more violent the hostile king, the greater is the proof of God’s lovingkindness in defeating and killing that king. The land of the conquered kings He has given His people as inheritance. That too is reason to sing the praise of the LORD’s lovingkindness: “And gave their land as a heritage, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, Even a heritage to Israel His servant, For His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psalms 136:21-22).

Joshua 19:34

The Kings of the Land

It is said of the two and a half tribes that they have got their inheritance from Moses (Joshua 12:6). The nine and a half tribes get their property from Joshua. Each tribe has its own task, whereby one complements the other.

It is encouraging that the LORD Himself gives this list. It shows that He does not forget any victory we have achieved in His power. Each individual victory is noted, as we see in the recurring “one”. It should encourage us to fight “the good fight” (2 Timothy 4:7), so that we will receive the reward of every victory (Revelation 2:7; 11; 17; 26; Revelation 3:5; 12; 21).

The list shows how good God is to Israel by giving them the victory over all these kings and the possession of all their kingdoms. God “gave them also the lands of the nations, that they might take possession of [the fruit of] the peoples’ labor, so that they might keep His statutes and observe His laws, praise the LORD! (Psalms 105:44-45). These thirty-one kingdoms will be divided among nine and a half tribes.

First the sixteen kings in the south of Canaan are mentioned (Joshua 12:9-16), then the fifteen kings in the north of Canaan. In the previous chapters (Joshua 6-10), the conquest of the cities mentioned here (Joshua 12:9-13) is described in detail. It indicates the nature of the battle. By the enumeration here we see the enmity that has housed in every kingdom.

The defeat of all the kings is reason to sing the praises about the lovingkindness of the LORD in Psalm 136: “To Him who smote great kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And slew mighty kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting: Sihon, king of the Amorites, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And Og, king of Bashan, For His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psalms 136:17-20).

We read further in Psalms 136 that there were great and mighty kings among them. The greater and more violent the hostile king, the greater is the proof of God’s lovingkindness in defeating and killing that king. The land of the conquered kings He has given His people as inheritance. That too is reason to sing the praise of the LORD’s lovingkindness: “And gave their land as a heritage, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, Even a heritage to Israel His servant, For His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psalms 136:21-22).

Joshua 19:35

The Kings of the Land

It is said of the two and a half tribes that they have got their inheritance from Moses (Joshua 12:6). The nine and a half tribes get their property from Joshua. Each tribe has its own task, whereby one complements the other.

It is encouraging that the LORD Himself gives this list. It shows that He does not forget any victory we have achieved in His power. Each individual victory is noted, as we see in the recurring “one”. It should encourage us to fight “the good fight” (2 Timothy 4:7), so that we will receive the reward of every victory (Revelation 2:7; 11; 17; 26; Revelation 3:5; 12; 21).

The list shows how good God is to Israel by giving them the victory over all these kings and the possession of all their kingdoms. God “gave them also the lands of the nations, that they might take possession of [the fruit of] the peoples’ labor, so that they might keep His statutes and observe His laws, praise the LORD! (Psalms 105:44-45). These thirty-one kingdoms will be divided among nine and a half tribes.

First the sixteen kings in the south of Canaan are mentioned (Joshua 12:9-16), then the fifteen kings in the north of Canaan. In the previous chapters (Joshua 6-10), the conquest of the cities mentioned here (Joshua 12:9-13) is described in detail. It indicates the nature of the battle. By the enumeration here we see the enmity that has housed in every kingdom.

The defeat of all the kings is reason to sing the praises about the lovingkindness of the LORD in Psalm 136: “To Him who smote great kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And slew mighty kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting: Sihon, king of the Amorites, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And Og, king of Bashan, For His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psalms 136:17-20).

We read further in Psalms 136 that there were great and mighty kings among them. The greater and more violent the hostile king, the greater is the proof of God’s lovingkindness in defeating and killing that king. The land of the conquered kings He has given His people as inheritance. That too is reason to sing the praise of the LORD’s lovingkindness: “And gave their land as a heritage, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, Even a heritage to Israel His servant, For His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psalms 136:21-22).

Joshua 19:36

The Kings of the Land

It is said of the two and a half tribes that they have got their inheritance from Moses (Joshua 12:6). The nine and a half tribes get their property from Joshua. Each tribe has its own task, whereby one complements the other.

It is encouraging that the LORD Himself gives this list. It shows that He does not forget any victory we have achieved in His power. Each individual victory is noted, as we see in the recurring “one”. It should encourage us to fight “the good fight” (2 Timothy 4:7), so that we will receive the reward of every victory (Revelation 2:7; 11; 17; 26; Revelation 3:5; 12; 21).

The list shows how good God is to Israel by giving them the victory over all these kings and the possession of all their kingdoms. God “gave them also the lands of the nations, that they might take possession of [the fruit of] the peoples’ labor, so that they might keep His statutes and observe His laws, praise the LORD! (Psalms 105:44-45). These thirty-one kingdoms will be divided among nine and a half tribes.

First the sixteen kings in the south of Canaan are mentioned (Joshua 12:9-16), then the fifteen kings in the north of Canaan. In the previous chapters (Joshua 6-10), the conquest of the cities mentioned here (Joshua 12:9-13) is described in detail. It indicates the nature of the battle. By the enumeration here we see the enmity that has housed in every kingdom.

The defeat of all the kings is reason to sing the praises about the lovingkindness of the LORD in Psalm 136: “To Him who smote great kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And slew mighty kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting: Sihon, king of the Amorites, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And Og, king of Bashan, For His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psalms 136:17-20).

We read further in Psalms 136 that there were great and mighty kings among them. The greater and more violent the hostile king, the greater is the proof of God’s lovingkindness in defeating and killing that king. The land of the conquered kings He has given His people as inheritance. That too is reason to sing the praise of the LORD’s lovingkindness: “And gave their land as a heritage, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, Even a heritage to Israel His servant, For His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psalms 136:21-22).

Joshua 19:37

The Kings of the Land

It is said of the two and a half tribes that they have got their inheritance from Moses (Joshua 12:6). The nine and a half tribes get their property from Joshua. Each tribe has its own task, whereby one complements the other.

It is encouraging that the LORD Himself gives this list. It shows that He does not forget any victory we have achieved in His power. Each individual victory is noted, as we see in the recurring “one”. It should encourage us to fight “the good fight” (2 Timothy 4:7), so that we will receive the reward of every victory (Revelation 2:7; 11; 17; 26; Revelation 3:5; 12; 21).

The list shows how good God is to Israel by giving them the victory over all these kings and the possession of all their kingdoms. God “gave them also the lands of the nations, that they might take possession of [the fruit of] the peoples’ labor, so that they might keep His statutes and observe His laws, praise the LORD! (Psalms 105:44-45). These thirty-one kingdoms will be divided among nine and a half tribes.

First the sixteen kings in the south of Canaan are mentioned (Joshua 12:9-16), then the fifteen kings in the north of Canaan. In the previous chapters (Joshua 6-10), the conquest of the cities mentioned here (Joshua 12:9-13) is described in detail. It indicates the nature of the battle. By the enumeration here we see the enmity that has housed in every kingdom.

The defeat of all the kings is reason to sing the praises about the lovingkindness of the LORD in Psalm 136: “To Him who smote great kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And slew mighty kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting: Sihon, king of the Amorites, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And Og, king of Bashan, For His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psalms 136:17-20).

We read further in Psalms 136 that there were great and mighty kings among them. The greater and more violent the hostile king, the greater is the proof of God’s lovingkindness in defeating and killing that king. The land of the conquered kings He has given His people as inheritance. That too is reason to sing the praise of the LORD’s lovingkindness: “And gave their land as a heritage, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, Even a heritage to Israel His servant, For His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psalms 136:21-22).

Joshua 19:38

The Kings of the Land

It is said of the two and a half tribes that they have got their inheritance from Moses (Joshua 12:6). The nine and a half tribes get their property from Joshua. Each tribe has its own task, whereby one complements the other.

It is encouraging that the LORD Himself gives this list. It shows that He does not forget any victory we have achieved in His power. Each individual victory is noted, as we see in the recurring “one”. It should encourage us to fight “the good fight” (2 Timothy 4:7), so that we will receive the reward of every victory (Revelation 2:7; 11; 17; 26; Revelation 3:5; 12; 21).

The list shows how good God is to Israel by giving them the victory over all these kings and the possession of all their kingdoms. God “gave them also the lands of the nations, that they might take possession of [the fruit of] the peoples’ labor, so that they might keep His statutes and observe His laws, praise the LORD! (Psalms 105:44-45). These thirty-one kingdoms will be divided among nine and a half tribes.

First the sixteen kings in the south of Canaan are mentioned (Joshua 12:9-16), then the fifteen kings in the north of Canaan. In the previous chapters (Joshua 6-10), the conquest of the cities mentioned here (Joshua 12:9-13) is described in detail. It indicates the nature of the battle. By the enumeration here we see the enmity that has housed in every kingdom.

The defeat of all the kings is reason to sing the praises about the lovingkindness of the LORD in Psalm 136: “To Him who smote great kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And slew mighty kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting: Sihon, king of the Amorites, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And Og, king of Bashan, For His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psalms 136:17-20).

We read further in Psalms 136 that there were great and mighty kings among them. The greater and more violent the hostile king, the greater is the proof of God’s lovingkindness in defeating and killing that king. The land of the conquered kings He has given His people as inheritance. That too is reason to sing the praise of the LORD’s lovingkindness: “And gave their land as a heritage, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, Even a heritage to Israel His servant, For His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psalms 136:21-22).

Joshua 19:39

The Kings of the Land

It is said of the two and a half tribes that they have got their inheritance from Moses (Joshua 12:6). The nine and a half tribes get their property from Joshua. Each tribe has its own task, whereby one complements the other.

It is encouraging that the LORD Himself gives this list. It shows that He does not forget any victory we have achieved in His power. Each individual victory is noted, as we see in the recurring “one”. It should encourage us to fight “the good fight” (2 Timothy 4:7), so that we will receive the reward of every victory (Revelation 2:7; 11; 17; 26; Revelation 3:5; 12; 21).

The list shows how good God is to Israel by giving them the victory over all these kings and the possession of all their kingdoms. God “gave them also the lands of the nations, that they might take possession of [the fruit of] the peoples’ labor, so that they might keep His statutes and observe His laws, praise the LORD! (Psalms 105:44-45). These thirty-one kingdoms will be divided among nine and a half tribes.

First the sixteen kings in the south of Canaan are mentioned (Joshua 12:9-16), then the fifteen kings in the north of Canaan. In the previous chapters (Joshua 6-10), the conquest of the cities mentioned here (Joshua 12:9-13) is described in detail. It indicates the nature of the battle. By the enumeration here we see the enmity that has housed in every kingdom.

The defeat of all the kings is reason to sing the praises about the lovingkindness of the LORD in Psalm 136: “To Him who smote great kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And slew mighty kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting: Sihon, king of the Amorites, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And Og, king of Bashan, For His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psalms 136:17-20).

We read further in Psalms 136 that there were great and mighty kings among them. The greater and more violent the hostile king, the greater is the proof of God’s lovingkindness in defeating and killing that king. The land of the conquered kings He has given His people as inheritance. That too is reason to sing the praise of the LORD’s lovingkindness: “And gave their land as a heritage, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, Even a heritage to Israel His servant, For His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psalms 136:21-22).

Joshua 19:40

The Kings of the Land

It is said of the two and a half tribes that they have got their inheritance from Moses (Joshua 12:6). The nine and a half tribes get their property from Joshua. Each tribe has its own task, whereby one complements the other.

It is encouraging that the LORD Himself gives this list. It shows that He does not forget any victory we have achieved in His power. Each individual victory is noted, as we see in the recurring “one”. It should encourage us to fight “the good fight” (2 Timothy 4:7), so that we will receive the reward of every victory (Revelation 2:7; 11; 17; 26; Revelation 3:5; 12; 21).

The list shows how good God is to Israel by giving them the victory over all these kings and the possession of all their kingdoms. God “gave them also the lands of the nations, that they might take possession of [the fruit of] the peoples’ labor, so that they might keep His statutes and observe His laws, praise the LORD! (Psalms 105:44-45). These thirty-one kingdoms will be divided among nine and a half tribes.

First the sixteen kings in the south of Canaan are mentioned (Joshua 12:9-16), then the fifteen kings in the north of Canaan. In the previous chapters (Joshua 6-10), the conquest of the cities mentioned here (Joshua 12:9-13) is described in detail. It indicates the nature of the battle. By the enumeration here we see the enmity that has housed in every kingdom.

The defeat of all the kings is reason to sing the praises about the lovingkindness of the LORD in Psalm 136: “To Him who smote great kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And slew mighty kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting: Sihon, king of the Amorites, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And Og, king of Bashan, For His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psalms 136:17-20).

We read further in Psalms 136 that there were great and mighty kings among them. The greater and more violent the hostile king, the greater is the proof of God’s lovingkindness in defeating and killing that king. The land of the conquered kings He has given His people as inheritance. That too is reason to sing the praise of the LORD’s lovingkindness: “And gave their land as a heritage, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, Even a heritage to Israel His servant, For His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psalms 136:21-22).

Joshua 19:42

Introduction

The enemy’s main power is broken. Joshua has taken the whole the land (Joshua 11:23). From Joshua 13 onward, the tribes, starting with the two and a half tribes on the other side of the Jordan, are each apportioned their own inheritance. They have to take possession of it themselves.

Through the work of the Lord Jesus, the Christian has been given earthly blessings and all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places. Yet there is a distinction in enjoying that blessing. Every Christian must take personal care to enjoy it. This can only happen by really experiencing the relationship with the Lord Jesus, by reading the Bible personally and prayerful.

This chapter is the beginning of the second part of the book, which deals with the division of the land. It is a most important moment in the history of this young nation. After centuries of Egyptian slavery, after decades of wandering in a wild wilderness and after years of heavy fighting, the moment has now come when the Israelites will get their home. They can now work the land, build families and live in peace in their own land, enjoying the fruit that the land produces.

In Joshua 1-12 we saw the entry into the land and its conquest. Joshua 13 is about the division, the apportioning of the land. When it comes to classification, God shows us the size it has in His eyes. That does not mean that it has all already been taken into possession. God speaks about it according to His purpose.

Joshua 13 is the general introduction to the possession of one’s own inheritance by each tribe individually. First there is a reference to what remains to be possessed (Joshua 13:1) and then to the apportioning (Joshua 13:7). When we take possession of it, we can count on God’s power. What must be taken possession of is determined by lot. Taking possession and dividing are two things.

The part that each tribe gets differs from each other tribe. So no two believers are equal. Every believer has his own character, gifts, possessions. The same applies to local churches. No two of them are equal. Nobody has everything, nobody has a total property. Every servant has his one-sidedness and each needs the other as a complement.

In the apportioning God shows the great scope of His blessings. But that is something else than to take possession of it. Taking possession of the land as a whole they did together. After the apportioning, everyone must take possession of what God has entrusted him, because there are still enemies living there.

Land Still to Be Possessed

God must tell Joshua that still “very much of the land remains” that must be taken into possession. Is he also sunk into rest? We no longer taste the atmosphere of spiritual energy to continue conquering. Eventually also Joshua did not bring the people into the promised peace (Hebrews 4:8). The people will only be brought into the true peace by the Lord Jesus, of whom Joshua is often a picture, but not a perfect picture.

God gives a description of what remains to be conquered. He wants them to see the value of those regions, what they can produce. In this way He wants to make them willing to fight again.

We also need this encouragement regularly. To make us willing to continue the battle, God shows us the glory of heavenly blessings. He encourages us by saying that He will drive out the enemies, even though the blessings have already been given us as inheritance (Joshua 13:6a).

Conquering the land means that it is still in the hands of the enemy. In practical application, this means that we must drive out powers from our lives that still have ‘land’, so that we cannot yet enjoy certain blessings. The enjoyment of the land is linked to taking possession of it. Taking possession of them can only be done by chasing away the enemy.

The enemies that still are present include the Philistines. They did not go through the Red Sea and the Jordan. They came into the land by the easy way. In them we have a picture of the nominal Christians, people who have a confession, but no new life. These people claim the land for themselves. We have to remove everything the Philistines speak of from our lives. There are also Canaanites in the land that need to be driven out. They have always lived in the land. They are a picture of the people of this world who want to prevent us from taking possession of the land.

God’s promise is that He will drive out these enemies from before His people (Joshua 13:6). Always the people must take the initiative and then God helps. We must have the desire to drive the enemy out of our lives. When we see the promise of God that He will give us all the blessings of heaven to fully enjoy at the end of the battle, that is a great exhortation to cleanse the land that is not yet subject from enemies.

The lot is the way God reveals His will to give Israel the land for an inheritance (Joshua 13:6b; Proverbs 16:33). The casting of lots is the way God divides the land among His people. Each of us has his own possession in the land, his own enjoyment of the blessing. No one has the same enjoyment of the blessing as any other.

Joshua 19:43

Introduction

The enemy’s main power is broken. Joshua has taken the whole the land (Joshua 11:23). From Joshua 13 onward, the tribes, starting with the two and a half tribes on the other side of the Jordan, are each apportioned their own inheritance. They have to take possession of it themselves.

Through the work of the Lord Jesus, the Christian has been given earthly blessings and all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places. Yet there is a distinction in enjoying that blessing. Every Christian must take personal care to enjoy it. This can only happen by really experiencing the relationship with the Lord Jesus, by reading the Bible personally and prayerful.

This chapter is the beginning of the second part of the book, which deals with the division of the land. It is a most important moment in the history of this young nation. After centuries of Egyptian slavery, after decades of wandering in a wild wilderness and after years of heavy fighting, the moment has now come when the Israelites will get their home. They can now work the land, build families and live in peace in their own land, enjoying the fruit that the land produces.

In Joshua 1-12 we saw the entry into the land and its conquest. Joshua 13 is about the division, the apportioning of the land. When it comes to classification, God shows us the size it has in His eyes. That does not mean that it has all already been taken into possession. God speaks about it according to His purpose.

Joshua 13 is the general introduction to the possession of one’s own inheritance by each tribe individually. First there is a reference to what remains to be possessed (Joshua 13:1) and then to the apportioning (Joshua 13:7). When we take possession of it, we can count on God’s power. What must be taken possession of is determined by lot. Taking possession and dividing are two things.

The part that each tribe gets differs from each other tribe. So no two believers are equal. Every believer has his own character, gifts, possessions. The same applies to local churches. No two of them are equal. Nobody has everything, nobody has a total property. Every servant has his one-sidedness and each needs the other as a complement.

In the apportioning God shows the great scope of His blessings. But that is something else than to take possession of it. Taking possession of the land as a whole they did together. After the apportioning, everyone must take possession of what God has entrusted him, because there are still enemies living there.

Land Still to Be Possessed

God must tell Joshua that still “very much of the land remains” that must be taken into possession. Is he also sunk into rest? We no longer taste the atmosphere of spiritual energy to continue conquering. Eventually also Joshua did not bring the people into the promised peace (Hebrews 4:8). The people will only be brought into the true peace by the Lord Jesus, of whom Joshua is often a picture, but not a perfect picture.

God gives a description of what remains to be conquered. He wants them to see the value of those regions, what they can produce. In this way He wants to make them willing to fight again.

We also need this encouragement regularly. To make us willing to continue the battle, God shows us the glory of heavenly blessings. He encourages us by saying that He will drive out the enemies, even though the blessings have already been given us as inheritance (Joshua 13:6a).

Conquering the land means that it is still in the hands of the enemy. In practical application, this means that we must drive out powers from our lives that still have ‘land’, so that we cannot yet enjoy certain blessings. The enjoyment of the land is linked to taking possession of it. Taking possession of them can only be done by chasing away the enemy.

The enemies that still are present include the Philistines. They did not go through the Red Sea and the Jordan. They came into the land by the easy way. In them we have a picture of the nominal Christians, people who have a confession, but no new life. These people claim the land for themselves. We have to remove everything the Philistines speak of from our lives. There are also Canaanites in the land that need to be driven out. They have always lived in the land. They are a picture of the people of this world who want to prevent us from taking possession of the land.

God’s promise is that He will drive out these enemies from before His people (Joshua 13:6). Always the people must take the initiative and then God helps. We must have the desire to drive the enemy out of our lives. When we see the promise of God that He will give us all the blessings of heaven to fully enjoy at the end of the battle, that is a great exhortation to cleanse the land that is not yet subject from enemies.

The lot is the way God reveals His will to give Israel the land for an inheritance (Joshua 13:6b; Proverbs 16:33). The casting of lots is the way God divides the land among His people. Each of us has his own possession in the land, his own enjoyment of the blessing. No one has the same enjoyment of the blessing as any other.

Joshua 19:44

Introduction

The enemy’s main power is broken. Joshua has taken the whole the land (Joshua 11:23). From Joshua 13 onward, the tribes, starting with the two and a half tribes on the other side of the Jordan, are each apportioned their own inheritance. They have to take possession of it themselves.

Through the work of the Lord Jesus, the Christian has been given earthly blessings and all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places. Yet there is a distinction in enjoying that blessing. Every Christian must take personal care to enjoy it. This can only happen by really experiencing the relationship with the Lord Jesus, by reading the Bible personally and prayerful.

This chapter is the beginning of the second part of the book, which deals with the division of the land. It is a most important moment in the history of this young nation. After centuries of Egyptian slavery, after decades of wandering in a wild wilderness and after years of heavy fighting, the moment has now come when the Israelites will get their home. They can now work the land, build families and live in peace in their own land, enjoying the fruit that the land produces.

In Joshua 1-12 we saw the entry into the land and its conquest. Joshua 13 is about the division, the apportioning of the land. When it comes to classification, God shows us the size it has in His eyes. That does not mean that it has all already been taken into possession. God speaks about it according to His purpose.

Joshua 13 is the general introduction to the possession of one’s own inheritance by each tribe individually. First there is a reference to what remains to be possessed (Joshua 13:1) and then to the apportioning (Joshua 13:7). When we take possession of it, we can count on God’s power. What must be taken possession of is determined by lot. Taking possession and dividing are two things.

The part that each tribe gets differs from each other tribe. So no two believers are equal. Every believer has his own character, gifts, possessions. The same applies to local churches. No two of them are equal. Nobody has everything, nobody has a total property. Every servant has his one-sidedness and each needs the other as a complement.

In the apportioning God shows the great scope of His blessings. But that is something else than to take possession of it. Taking possession of the land as a whole they did together. After the apportioning, everyone must take possession of what God has entrusted him, because there are still enemies living there.

Land Still to Be Possessed

God must tell Joshua that still “very much of the land remains” that must be taken into possession. Is he also sunk into rest? We no longer taste the atmosphere of spiritual energy to continue conquering. Eventually also Joshua did not bring the people into the promised peace (Hebrews 4:8). The people will only be brought into the true peace by the Lord Jesus, of whom Joshua is often a picture, but not a perfect picture.

God gives a description of what remains to be conquered. He wants them to see the value of those regions, what they can produce. In this way He wants to make them willing to fight again.

We also need this encouragement regularly. To make us willing to continue the battle, God shows us the glory of heavenly blessings. He encourages us by saying that He will drive out the enemies, even though the blessings have already been given us as inheritance (Joshua 13:6a).

Conquering the land means that it is still in the hands of the enemy. In practical application, this means that we must drive out powers from our lives that still have ‘land’, so that we cannot yet enjoy certain blessings. The enjoyment of the land is linked to taking possession of it. Taking possession of them can only be done by chasing away the enemy.

The enemies that still are present include the Philistines. They did not go through the Red Sea and the Jordan. They came into the land by the easy way. In them we have a picture of the nominal Christians, people who have a confession, but no new life. These people claim the land for themselves. We have to remove everything the Philistines speak of from our lives. There are also Canaanites in the land that need to be driven out. They have always lived in the land. They are a picture of the people of this world who want to prevent us from taking possession of the land.

God’s promise is that He will drive out these enemies from before His people (Joshua 13:6). Always the people must take the initiative and then God helps. We must have the desire to drive the enemy out of our lives. When we see the promise of God that He will give us all the blessings of heaven to fully enjoy at the end of the battle, that is a great exhortation to cleanse the land that is not yet subject from enemies.

The lot is the way God reveals His will to give Israel the land for an inheritance (Joshua 13:6b; Proverbs 16:33). The casting of lots is the way God divides the land among His people. Each of us has his own possession in the land, his own enjoyment of the blessing. No one has the same enjoyment of the blessing as any other.

Joshua 19:45

Introduction

The enemy’s main power is broken. Joshua has taken the whole the land (Joshua 11:23). From Joshua 13 onward, the tribes, starting with the two and a half tribes on the other side of the Jordan, are each apportioned their own inheritance. They have to take possession of it themselves.

Through the work of the Lord Jesus, the Christian has been given earthly blessings and all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places. Yet there is a distinction in enjoying that blessing. Every Christian must take personal care to enjoy it. This can only happen by really experiencing the relationship with the Lord Jesus, by reading the Bible personally and prayerful.

This chapter is the beginning of the second part of the book, which deals with the division of the land. It is a most important moment in the history of this young nation. After centuries of Egyptian slavery, after decades of wandering in a wild wilderness and after years of heavy fighting, the moment has now come when the Israelites will get their home. They can now work the land, build families and live in peace in their own land, enjoying the fruit that the land produces.

In Joshua 1-12 we saw the entry into the land and its conquest. Joshua 13 is about the division, the apportioning of the land. When it comes to classification, God shows us the size it has in His eyes. That does not mean that it has all already been taken into possession. God speaks about it according to His purpose.

Joshua 13 is the general introduction to the possession of one’s own inheritance by each tribe individually. First there is a reference to what remains to be possessed (Joshua 13:1) and then to the apportioning (Joshua 13:7). When we take possession of it, we can count on God’s power. What must be taken possession of is determined by lot. Taking possession and dividing are two things.

The part that each tribe gets differs from each other tribe. So no two believers are equal. Every believer has his own character, gifts, possessions. The same applies to local churches. No two of them are equal. Nobody has everything, nobody has a total property. Every servant has his one-sidedness and each needs the other as a complement.

In the apportioning God shows the great scope of His blessings. But that is something else than to take possession of it. Taking possession of the land as a whole they did together. After the apportioning, everyone must take possession of what God has entrusted him, because there are still enemies living there.

Land Still to Be Possessed

God must tell Joshua that still “very much of the land remains” that must be taken into possession. Is he also sunk into rest? We no longer taste the atmosphere of spiritual energy to continue conquering. Eventually also Joshua did not bring the people into the promised peace (Hebrews 4:8). The people will only be brought into the true peace by the Lord Jesus, of whom Joshua is often a picture, but not a perfect picture.

God gives a description of what remains to be conquered. He wants them to see the value of those regions, what they can produce. In this way He wants to make them willing to fight again.

We also need this encouragement regularly. To make us willing to continue the battle, God shows us the glory of heavenly blessings. He encourages us by saying that He will drive out the enemies, even though the blessings have already been given us as inheritance (Joshua 13:6a).

Conquering the land means that it is still in the hands of the enemy. In practical application, this means that we must drive out powers from our lives that still have ‘land’, so that we cannot yet enjoy certain blessings. The enjoyment of the land is linked to taking possession of it. Taking possession of them can only be done by chasing away the enemy.

The enemies that still are present include the Philistines. They did not go through the Red Sea and the Jordan. They came into the land by the easy way. In them we have a picture of the nominal Christians, people who have a confession, but no new life. These people claim the land for themselves. We have to remove everything the Philistines speak of from our lives. There are also Canaanites in the land that need to be driven out. They have always lived in the land. They are a picture of the people of this world who want to prevent us from taking possession of the land.

God’s promise is that He will drive out these enemies from before His people (Joshua 13:6). Always the people must take the initiative and then God helps. We must have the desire to drive the enemy out of our lives. When we see the promise of God that He will give us all the blessings of heaven to fully enjoy at the end of the battle, that is a great exhortation to cleanse the land that is not yet subject from enemies.

The lot is the way God reveals His will to give Israel the land for an inheritance (Joshua 13:6b; Proverbs 16:33). The casting of lots is the way God divides the land among His people. Each of us has his own possession in the land, his own enjoyment of the blessing. No one has the same enjoyment of the blessing as any other.

Joshua 19:46

Introduction

The enemy’s main power is broken. Joshua has taken the whole the land (Joshua 11:23). From Joshua 13 onward, the tribes, starting with the two and a half tribes on the other side of the Jordan, are each apportioned their own inheritance. They have to take possession of it themselves.

Through the work of the Lord Jesus, the Christian has been given earthly blessings and all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places. Yet there is a distinction in enjoying that blessing. Every Christian must take personal care to enjoy it. This can only happen by really experiencing the relationship with the Lord Jesus, by reading the Bible personally and prayerful.

This chapter is the beginning of the second part of the book, which deals with the division of the land. It is a most important moment in the history of this young nation. After centuries of Egyptian slavery, after decades of wandering in a wild wilderness and after years of heavy fighting, the moment has now come when the Israelites will get their home. They can now work the land, build families and live in peace in their own land, enjoying the fruit that the land produces.

In Joshua 1-12 we saw the entry into the land and its conquest. Joshua 13 is about the division, the apportioning of the land. When it comes to classification, God shows us the size it has in His eyes. That does not mean that it has all already been taken into possession. God speaks about it according to His purpose.

Joshua 13 is the general introduction to the possession of one’s own inheritance by each tribe individually. First there is a reference to what remains to be possessed (Joshua 13:1) and then to the apportioning (Joshua 13:7). When we take possession of it, we can count on God’s power. What must be taken possession of is determined by lot. Taking possession and dividing are two things.

The part that each tribe gets differs from each other tribe. So no two believers are equal. Every believer has his own character, gifts, possessions. The same applies to local churches. No two of them are equal. Nobody has everything, nobody has a total property. Every servant has his one-sidedness and each needs the other as a complement.

In the apportioning God shows the great scope of His blessings. But that is something else than to take possession of it. Taking possession of the land as a whole they did together. After the apportioning, everyone must take possession of what God has entrusted him, because there are still enemies living there.

Land Still to Be Possessed

God must tell Joshua that still “very much of the land remains” that must be taken into possession. Is he also sunk into rest? We no longer taste the atmosphere of spiritual energy to continue conquering. Eventually also Joshua did not bring the people into the promised peace (Hebrews 4:8). The people will only be brought into the true peace by the Lord Jesus, of whom Joshua is often a picture, but not a perfect picture.

God gives a description of what remains to be conquered. He wants them to see the value of those regions, what they can produce. In this way He wants to make them willing to fight again.

We also need this encouragement regularly. To make us willing to continue the battle, God shows us the glory of heavenly blessings. He encourages us by saying that He will drive out the enemies, even though the blessings have already been given us as inheritance (Joshua 13:6a).

Conquering the land means that it is still in the hands of the enemy. In practical application, this means that we must drive out powers from our lives that still have ‘land’, so that we cannot yet enjoy certain blessings. The enjoyment of the land is linked to taking possession of it. Taking possession of them can only be done by chasing away the enemy.

The enemies that still are present include the Philistines. They did not go through the Red Sea and the Jordan. They came into the land by the easy way. In them we have a picture of the nominal Christians, people who have a confession, but no new life. These people claim the land for themselves. We have to remove everything the Philistines speak of from our lives. There are also Canaanites in the land that need to be driven out. They have always lived in the land. They are a picture of the people of this world who want to prevent us from taking possession of the land.

God’s promise is that He will drive out these enemies from before His people (Joshua 13:6). Always the people must take the initiative and then God helps. We must have the desire to drive the enemy out of our lives. When we see the promise of God that He will give us all the blessings of heaven to fully enjoy at the end of the battle, that is a great exhortation to cleanse the land that is not yet subject from enemies.

The lot is the way God reveals His will to give Israel the land for an inheritance (Joshua 13:6b; Proverbs 16:33). The casting of lots is the way God divides the land among His people. Each of us has his own possession in the land, his own enjoyment of the blessing. No one has the same enjoyment of the blessing as any other.

Joshua 19:47

Introduction

The enemy’s main power is broken. Joshua has taken the whole the land (Joshua 11:23). From Joshua 13 onward, the tribes, starting with the two and a half tribes on the other side of the Jordan, are each apportioned their own inheritance. They have to take possession of it themselves.

Through the work of the Lord Jesus, the Christian has been given earthly blessings and all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places. Yet there is a distinction in enjoying that blessing. Every Christian must take personal care to enjoy it. This can only happen by really experiencing the relationship with the Lord Jesus, by reading the Bible personally and prayerful.

This chapter is the beginning of the second part of the book, which deals with the division of the land. It is a most important moment in the history of this young nation. After centuries of Egyptian slavery, after decades of wandering in a wild wilderness and after years of heavy fighting, the moment has now come when the Israelites will get their home. They can now work the land, build families and live in peace in their own land, enjoying the fruit that the land produces.

In Joshua 1-12 we saw the entry into the land and its conquest. Joshua 13 is about the division, the apportioning of the land. When it comes to classification, God shows us the size it has in His eyes. That does not mean that it has all already been taken into possession. God speaks about it according to His purpose.

Joshua 13 is the general introduction to the possession of one’s own inheritance by each tribe individually. First there is a reference to what remains to be possessed (Joshua 13:1) and then to the apportioning (Joshua 13:7). When we take possession of it, we can count on God’s power. What must be taken possession of is determined by lot. Taking possession and dividing are two things.

The part that each tribe gets differs from each other tribe. So no two believers are equal. Every believer has his own character, gifts, possessions. The same applies to local churches. No two of them are equal. Nobody has everything, nobody has a total property. Every servant has his one-sidedness and each needs the other as a complement.

In the apportioning God shows the great scope of His blessings. But that is something else than to take possession of it. Taking possession of the land as a whole they did together. After the apportioning, everyone must take possession of what God has entrusted him, because there are still enemies living there.

Land Still to Be Possessed

God must tell Joshua that still “very much of the land remains” that must be taken into possession. Is he also sunk into rest? We no longer taste the atmosphere of spiritual energy to continue conquering. Eventually also Joshua did not bring the people into the promised peace (Hebrews 4:8). The people will only be brought into the true peace by the Lord Jesus, of whom Joshua is often a picture, but not a perfect picture.

God gives a description of what remains to be conquered. He wants them to see the value of those regions, what they can produce. In this way He wants to make them willing to fight again.

We also need this encouragement regularly. To make us willing to continue the battle, God shows us the glory of heavenly blessings. He encourages us by saying that He will drive out the enemies, even though the blessings have already been given us as inheritance (Joshua 13:6a).

Conquering the land means that it is still in the hands of the enemy. In practical application, this means that we must drive out powers from our lives that still have ‘land’, so that we cannot yet enjoy certain blessings. The enjoyment of the land is linked to taking possession of it. Taking possession of them can only be done by chasing away the enemy.

The enemies that still are present include the Philistines. They did not go through the Red Sea and the Jordan. They came into the land by the easy way. In them we have a picture of the nominal Christians, people who have a confession, but no new life. These people claim the land for themselves. We have to remove everything the Philistines speak of from our lives. There are also Canaanites in the land that need to be driven out. They have always lived in the land. They are a picture of the people of this world who want to prevent us from taking possession of the land.

God’s promise is that He will drive out these enemies from before His people (Joshua 13:6). Always the people must take the initiative and then God helps. We must have the desire to drive the enemy out of our lives. When we see the promise of God that He will give us all the blessings of heaven to fully enjoy at the end of the battle, that is a great exhortation to cleanse the land that is not yet subject from enemies.

The lot is the way God reveals His will to give Israel the land for an inheritance (Joshua 13:6b; Proverbs 16:33). The casting of lots is the way God divides the land among His people. Each of us has his own possession in the land, his own enjoyment of the blessing. No one has the same enjoyment of the blessing as any other.

Joshua 19:48

Introduction

The enemy’s main power is broken. Joshua has taken the whole the land (Joshua 11:23). From Joshua 13 onward, the tribes, starting with the two and a half tribes on the other side of the Jordan, are each apportioned their own inheritance. They have to take possession of it themselves.

Through the work of the Lord Jesus, the Christian has been given earthly blessings and all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places. Yet there is a distinction in enjoying that blessing. Every Christian must take personal care to enjoy it. This can only happen by really experiencing the relationship with the Lord Jesus, by reading the Bible personally and prayerful.

This chapter is the beginning of the second part of the book, which deals with the division of the land. It is a most important moment in the history of this young nation. After centuries of Egyptian slavery, after decades of wandering in a wild wilderness and after years of heavy fighting, the moment has now come when the Israelites will get their home. They can now work the land, build families and live in peace in their own land, enjoying the fruit that the land produces.

In Joshua 1-12 we saw the entry into the land and its conquest. Joshua 13 is about the division, the apportioning of the land. When it comes to classification, God shows us the size it has in His eyes. That does not mean that it has all already been taken into possession. God speaks about it according to His purpose.

Joshua 13 is the general introduction to the possession of one’s own inheritance by each tribe individually. First there is a reference to what remains to be possessed (Joshua 13:1) and then to the apportioning (Joshua 13:7). When we take possession of it, we can count on God’s power. What must be taken possession of is determined by lot. Taking possession and dividing are two things.

The part that each tribe gets differs from each other tribe. So no two believers are equal. Every believer has his own character, gifts, possessions. The same applies to local churches. No two of them are equal. Nobody has everything, nobody has a total property. Every servant has his one-sidedness and each needs the other as a complement.

In the apportioning God shows the great scope of His blessings. But that is something else than to take possession of it. Taking possession of the land as a whole they did together. After the apportioning, everyone must take possession of what God has entrusted him, because there are still enemies living there.

Land Still to Be Possessed

God must tell Joshua that still “very much of the land remains” that must be taken into possession. Is he also sunk into rest? We no longer taste the atmosphere of spiritual energy to continue conquering. Eventually also Joshua did not bring the people into the promised peace (Hebrews 4:8). The people will only be brought into the true peace by the Lord Jesus, of whom Joshua is often a picture, but not a perfect picture.

God gives a description of what remains to be conquered. He wants them to see the value of those regions, what they can produce. In this way He wants to make them willing to fight again.

We also need this encouragement regularly. To make us willing to continue the battle, God shows us the glory of heavenly blessings. He encourages us by saying that He will drive out the enemies, even though the blessings have already been given us as inheritance (Joshua 13:6a).

Conquering the land means that it is still in the hands of the enemy. In practical application, this means that we must drive out powers from our lives that still have ‘land’, so that we cannot yet enjoy certain blessings. The enjoyment of the land is linked to taking possession of it. Taking possession of them can only be done by chasing away the enemy.

The enemies that still are present include the Philistines. They did not go through the Red Sea and the Jordan. They came into the land by the easy way. In them we have a picture of the nominal Christians, people who have a confession, but no new life. These people claim the land for themselves. We have to remove everything the Philistines speak of from our lives. There are also Canaanites in the land that need to be driven out. They have always lived in the land. They are a picture of the people of this world who want to prevent us from taking possession of the land.

God’s promise is that He will drive out these enemies from before His people (Joshua 13:6). Always the people must take the initiative and then God helps. We must have the desire to drive the enemy out of our lives. When we see the promise of God that He will give us all the blessings of heaven to fully enjoy at the end of the battle, that is a great exhortation to cleanse the land that is not yet subject from enemies.

The lot is the way God reveals His will to give Israel the land for an inheritance (Joshua 13:6b; Proverbs 16:33). The casting of lots is the way God divides the land among His people. Each of us has his own possession in the land, his own enjoyment of the blessing. No one has the same enjoyment of the blessing as any other.

Joshua 19:49

Land to Be Divided Beyond the Jordan

The division of the wilderness side of the Jordan is done by Moses (Joshua 13:8). The conquest of the land to be divided in the other side of the Jordan is attributed to Moses (Joshua 13:12). But just like in the land also in the wilderness side of the Jordan all enemies have not been driven out (Joshua 13:13). This is not because of Moses, but because of the unfaithfulness of the people. The power of faith of Moses is not shared by the people.

Joshua 19:50

Land to Be Divided Beyond the Jordan

The division of the wilderness side of the Jordan is done by Moses (Joshua 13:8). The conquest of the land to be divided in the other side of the Jordan is attributed to Moses (Joshua 13:12). But just like in the land also in the wilderness side of the Jordan all enemies have not been driven out (Joshua 13:13). This is not because of Moses, but because of the unfaithfulness of the people. The power of faith of Moses is not shared by the people.

Joshua 19:51

Land to Be Divided Beyond the Jordan

The division of the wilderness side of the Jordan is done by Moses (Joshua 13:8). The conquest of the land to be divided in the other side of the Jordan is attributed to Moses (Joshua 13:12). But just like in the land also in the wilderness side of the Jordan all enemies have not been driven out (Joshua 13:13). This is not because of Moses, but because of the unfaithfulness of the people. The power of faith of Moses is not shared by the people.