JOSHUA LESSON 19
We will begin this lesson in Joshua 19:1 "And the second lot came
forth to Simeon, [even] for the tribe of the children of Simeon
according to their families: and their inheritance was within the
inheritance of the children of Judah."
Simeon, at the last census, was the smallest of the tribes of
Israel. It appears that, the tribe of Judah had been allotted more
territory than they needed, and now, are willingly giving the southern
most area of their land to Simeon.
Joshua 19:2 "And they had in their inheritance Beer-sheba, and
Sheba, and Moladah," Joshua 19:3 "And Hazar-shual, and Balah, and
Azem," Joshua 19:4 "And Eltolad, and Bethul, and Hormah," Joshua 19:5
"And Ziklag, and Beth-marcaboth, and Hazar-susah," Joshua 19:6 "And
Beth-lebaoth, and Sharuhen; thirteen cities and their villages:"
We see from this that, this had already been allotted to Judah,
but Judah received more than they could use. Now, these thirteen
cities are given by Judah to the tribe of Simeon. It is interesting
that there are fourteen cities listed, and they are spoken of as
thirteen. It is possible that Beer-sheba and Sheba are speaking of
the same city. "Beer-sheba" means the well of the oath.
Joshua 19:7 "Ain, Remmon, and Ether, and Ashan; four cities and
their villages:" Joshua 19:8 "And all the villages that [were] round
about these cities to Baalath-beer, Ramath of the south. This [is] the
inheritance of the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their
families."
It appears, these cities were near the wilderness of Zin. They
were somewhere near the border of Edom. We see, then, all together
there were around 17 cities, and a number of smaller villages, in this
inheritance.
Joshua 19:9 "Out of the portion of the children of Judah [was]
the inheritance of the children of Simeon: for the part of the
children of Judah was too much for them: therefore the children of
Simeon had their inheritance within the inheritance of them."
It is not explained who decided that Judah had been allotted too
much, probably, it was Joshua, himself. Simeon's tribe became smaller
with time, it appears. There seems to be no border given for the tribe
of Simeon.
Joshua 19:10 "And the third lot came up for the children of
Zebulun according to their families: and the border of their
inheritance was unto Sarid:"
Zebulun's inheritance seems to be located north and west of
Issachar. Naphtali is their northern neighbor. Sarid seems to be at
the center of the southern border of Zebulun. It was southwest of the
present day Nazareth.
Joshua 19:11 "And their border went up toward the sea, and
Maralah, and reached to Dabbasheth, and reached to the river that [is]
before Jokneam;" Joshua 19:12 "And turned from Sarid eastward toward
the sunrising unto the border of Chisloth-tabor, and then goeth out to
Daberath, and goeth up to Japhia." Joshua 19:13 "And from thence
passeth on along on the east to Gittah-hepher, to Ittah-kazin, and
goeth out to Remmon-methoar to Neah;" Joshua 19:14 "And the border
compasseth it on the north side to Hannathon: and the outgoings
thereof are in the valley of Jiphthah-el:"
It appears, this is a narrow strip of land that goes
approximately from mount Tabor on the east, to mount Carmel on the
west. Some scholars believe Mount Tabor to be the mount of the
transfiguration. Others believe it could not have been, because it
was a fortress. Gittah-hepher is believed to be the birthplace of
Jonah. "Compasseth" is speaking of the border curving around Neah.
Joshua 19:15 "And Kattath, and Nahallal, and Shimron, and Idalah,
and Beth-lehem: twelve cities with their villages."
Beth-lehem, here, is not the same as the "Bethlehem" where Jesus
was born. They both mean house of bread, however.
Joshua 19:16 "This [is] the inheritance of the children of
Zebulun according to their families, these cities with their
villages."
Some of these areas are very small, because the tribes are small.
The cities are not named the same now, as they were then, and it makes
it difficult to pinpoint exactly where each tribe's boundary was.
Joshua 19:17 "[And] the fourth lot came out to Issachar, for the
children of Issachar according to their families."
The inheritance of Issachar was between Zebulun and Manasseh on
the side of the Jordan River.
Joshua 19:18 "And their border was toward Jezreel, and
Chesulloth, and Shunem,"
The valley of Jezreel has been a battlefield throughout history.
History records twenty great battles that have been fought in this
very place. In 1 Samuel the 29th chapter, there is a mention of the
Philistines coming against the army of Israel here. Deborah and Barak
led a battle here, as well.
Joshua 19:19 "And Haphraim, and Shihon, and Anaharath," Joshua
19:20 "And Rabbith, and Kishion, and Abez," Joshua 19:21 "And Remeth,
and En-gannim, and En-haddah, and Beth-pazzez;" Joshua 19:22 "And the
coast reacheth to Tabor, and Shahazimah, and Beth-shemesh; and the
outgoings of their border were at Jordan: sixteen cities with their
villages."
"En-gannim" was thought to be the "garden house" mentioned where
Ahaziah, king of Judah was wounded. This seemed to be one of the
Levitical cities of Issachar. Chisloth-tabor is, probably, the same
as Tabor.
Joshua 19:23 "This [is] the inheritance of the tribe of the
children of Issachar according to their families, the cities and their
villages."
The land they had received was a continual battleground. Some
scholars believe their land stretched from Jezreel to the Jordan, and
from the sea of Tiberias to the border of Manasseh.
Joshua 19:24 "And the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the
children of Asher according to their families."
Asher's inheritance was actually west of Naphtali's.
Joshua 19:25 "And their border was Helkath, and Hali, and Beten,
and Achshaph," Joshua 19:26 "And Alammelech, and Amad, and Misheal;
and reacheth to Carmel westward, and to Shihorlibnath;" Joshua 19:27
"And turneth toward the sunrising to Beth-dagon, and reacheth to
Zebulun, and to the valley of Jiphthah-el toward the north side of
Beth-emek, and Neiel, and goeth out to Cabul on the left hand," Joshua
19:28 "And Hebron, and Rehob, and Hammon, and Kanah, [even] unto great
Zidon;" Joshua 19:29 "And [then] the coast turneth to Ramah, and to
the strong city Tyre; and the coast turneth to Hosah; and the
outgoings thereof are at the sea from the coast to Achzib:" Joshua
19:30 "Ummah also, and Aphek, and Rehob: twenty and two cities with
their villages."
Mount Carmel had been included in Asher's inheritance. This is
speaking of near there. At Beth-dagon, they worshipped the fish-god.
Hebron, here, should have been Ebron. This is not the Hebron in Judah.
Tyre and Zidon {Sidon} were both famous Phoenecian cities. Asher
really never quite subdued Zidon, and this entire area that Joshua
gave to them. The coast, mentioned, is on the northern portion of the
Mediterranean Sea.
Joshua 19:31 "This [is] the inheritance of the tribe of the
children of Asher according to their families, these cities with their
villages."
Asher's land seemed to be on the coast in a long narrow strip.
Joshua 19:32 "The sixth lot came out to the children of
Naphtali, [even] for the children of Naphtali according to their
families."
This allotment is located just north of Zebulun and south of Dan.
Joshua 19:33 "And their coast was from Heleph, from Allon to
Zaanannim, and Adami, Nekeb, and Jabneel, unto Lakum; and the
outgoings thereof were at Jordan:" Joshua 19:34 "And [then] the coast
turneth westward to Aznoth-tabor, and goeth out from thence to Hukkok,
and reacheth to Zebulun on the south side, and reacheth to Asher on
the west side, and to Judah upon Jordan toward the sunrising."
"Judah upon Jordan", here, is actually speaking of the daughter's
land in the Manasseh territory west of the Jordan.
Joshua 19:35 "And the fenced cities [are] Ziddim, Zer, and
Hammath, Rakkath, and Chinnereth," Joshua 19:36 "And Adamah, and
Ramah, and Hazor," Joshua 19:37 "And Kedesh, and Edrei, and En-hazor,"
Joshua 19:38 "And Iron, and Migdal-el, Horem, and Beth-anath, and
Beth-shemesh; nineteen cities with their villages."
This is the first mention of fenced cities. This, perhaps, was a
way of warding off war from the north. They were, probably, like
fortresses. Kedesh was the residence of Barak. "Migdal-el" is the same
as the city of Magdala in the New Testament, where Mary Magdalene was
from. It was on the lake of Gennesaret.
Joshua 19:39 "This [is] the inheritance of the tribe of the
children of Naphtali according to their families, the cities and their
villages."
Naphtali's inheritance was a small inland land, between their
other tribal brothers.
Joshua 19:40 "[And] the seventh lot came out for the tribe of
the children of Dan according to their families."
Dan's inheritance was the furthest north of any of them.
Joshua 19:41 "And the coast of their inheritance was Zorah, and
Eshtaol, and Ir-shemesh," Joshua 19:42 "And Shaalabbin, and Ajalon,
and Jethlah," Joshua 19:43 "And Elon, and Thimnathah, and Ekron,"
Joshua 19:44 "And Eltekeh, and Gibbethon, and Baalath," Joshua 19:45
"And Jehud, and Bene-berak, and Gath-rimmon," Joshua 19:46 "And Me-
jarkon, and Rakkon, with the border before Japho."
It seems Zorah and Eshtaol were abandoned by Judah, and given to
Dan. Samson was born in this rough terrain area. "Ir-shemesh" means
city of the sun. The worship of the sun was prevalent here. "Japho" is
the same as Joppa, where Peter had his vision.
Joshua 19:47 "And the coast of the children of Dan went out [too
little] for them: therefore the children of Dan went up to fight
against Leshem, and took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword,
and possessed it, and dwelt therein, and called Leshem, Dan, after the
name of Dan their father."
The borders of Dan reached out to the extreme borders of
Palestine. Dan had a small, but very fertile land. The fighting
Leshem was beyond the lines they had been allotted, but they felt they
needed that extra land, and took it. They even, re-named Leshem, Dan.
Joshua 19:48 "This [is] the inheritance of the tribe of the
children of Dan according to their families, these cities with their
villages."
Their land went as far north as Leshen {Dan}, and as far south as
the border with Naphtali.
Joshua 19:49 "When they had made an end of dividing the land for
inheritance by their coasts, the children of Israel gave an
inheritance to Joshua the son of Nun among them:"
Joshua was a true man of God. He did not think of his own
welfare, until after he had made provision for all of the people he
served. Joshua had to live as everyone else, so it was right that he
would receive an inheritance.
Joshua 19:50 "According to the word of the LORD they gave him the
city which he asked, [even] Timnath-serah in mount Ephraim: and he
built the city, and dwelt therein."
Timnath-serah was a city of his own tribe's. Tinmath means of the
sun. It is reported that Joshua had a sun on his tomb showing that
during his leading of Israel, the sun had stood still. The location of
the city Joshua chose is in the land of Ephraim. It appears that,
Joshua either built or re-built the city, and lived there with his
family.
Joshua 19:51 "These [are] the inheritances, which Eleazar the
priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the
tribes of the children of Israel, divided for an inheritance by lot in
Shiloh before the LORD, at the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation. So they made an end of dividing the country."
We remember, from earlier in these lessons, that the reason for
casting the lots at the tabernacle was for God to oversee the
operation. We see, again, that it was not just Joshua, but Eleazar the
priest and the heads of the tribes that worked together in this. All
aspects of the lives of these Israelites were covered in this. The
ruler of the state, and the ruler of the church, along with the
representatives of the people, were involved. There would be no room
for argument later about what parcel each received. We see, from this,
that the authority of God should control every aspect of our lives.
There really is no way to separate our spiritual life from our
physical life. Our good and welfare depend entirely upon our
relationship with our God. Christians should allow Jesus to control
every part of their lives.
Joshua 19 Questions
1. Where was Simeon's inheritance?
2. _________, at the last census, was the smallest of the tribes.
3. How many cities are listed for Simeon in verse 6?
4. Why are they taking this inheritance away from Judah?
5. It is possible that Beer-sheba and _________ are the same city.
6. What does "Beer-sheba" mean?
7. The cities in verse 7 and 8 were near the ________ of ________.
8. Who decided Judah had too much land?
9. Where was Zebulun's inheritance located?
10. The inheritance of Zebulon reaches to what two mountains?
11. What do some scholars believe about mount Tabor?
12. Why do some other scholars believe this could not be?
13. What does "Beth-lehem" mean?
14. The inheritance of Issachar was between what two tribes?
15. The valley of Jezreel has been a ___________ throughout history.
16. How many great battles fought there, have been recorded?
17. What two people mentioned in this lesson led a battle here?
18. "En-gannim" is thought to be the _________ ________ where Azariah,
king of Judah, was wounded.
19. Asher's inheritance was actually west of ____________.
20. At Beth-dagon, they worshipped the ___________.
21. Tyre and Sidon were both famous ___________ cities.
22. Where was Naphtali's inheritance located?
23. What is "Judah upon Jordan" speaking of?
24. Why were the cities fenced?
25. "Migdal-el" is the same as __________.
26. _______ inheritance was the furthest north of all the tribes.
27. "Ir-shemesh" means what?
28. "Japho" is the same as ________.
29. Dan had a small, but very _________ land.
30. What name did they change Leshem to?
31. When they had finished dividing the land, they gave an inheritance
to ___________.
32. Where was his inheritance?
33. During the leading of Israel by _________, the sun stood still.
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