Study Desk

"The Sidonians are living in the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim, but I will force all of them out ahead of the Israelites. Be sure to remember this land when you divide the land among the Israelites, as I told you.

But Moses had given no land to the tribe of Levi because the Lord , the God of Israel, promised that he himself would be the gift for the Levites.

Moses had already given the two-and-a-half tribes their land east of the Jordan River. But the tribe of Levi was not given any land like the others.

The other men who went with me frightened the people, but I fully believed the Lord would allow us to take the land.

So give me the mountain country the Lord promised me that day long ago. Back then you heard that the Anakite people lived there and the cities were large and well protected. But now with the Lord helping me, I will force them out, just as the Lord said."

Many of the towns were actually within Manasseh's borders, but the people of Ephraim got those towns and their villages.

The Ephraimites could not force the Canaanites to leave Gezer, so the Canaanites still live among the Ephraimites today, but they became slaves of the Ephraimites.

Zelophehad was the son of Hepher, who was the son of Gilead, who was the son of Makir, who was the son of Manasseh. Zelophehad had no sons, but he had five daughters, named Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.

The people from the tribes of Joseph said to Joshua, "You gave us only one area of land, but we are many people. Why did you give us only one part of all the land the Lord gave his people?"

The people of Joseph said, "It is true. The mountain country of Ephraim is not enough for us, but the land where the Canaanites live is dangerous. They are skilled fighters. They have powerful weapons in Beth Shan and all the small towns in that area, and they are also in the Valley of Jezreel."

You also will have the mountain country. It is a forest, but you can cut down the trees and make it a good place to live. You will own all of it because you will force the Canaanites to leave the land even though they have powerful weapons and are strong."

But there were still seven tribes of Israel that had not yet received their land.

But the Levites do not get any part of these lands, because they are priests, and their work is to serve the Lord . Gad, Reuben, and East Manasseh have received the land promised to them, which is east of the Jordan River. Moses, the servant of the Lord , gave it to them."

(But the Danites had trouble taking their land. They went and fought against Leshem, defeated it, and killed the people who lived there. So the Danites moved into the town of Leshem and changed its name to Dan, because he was the father of their tribe.)

But if the one who is chasing him follows him to that city, the leaders of the city must not hand over the killer. It was an accident. He did not hate him beforehand or kill him on purpose.

But the fields and the villages around Kiriath Arba had been given to Caleb son of Jephunneh.

But be careful to obey the teachings and laws Moses, the Lord 's servant, gave you: to love the Lord your God and obey his commands, to continue to follow him and serve him the very best you can."

If your land is unclean, come over into our land where the Lord 's Tent is. Share it with us. But don't turn against the Lord and us by building another altar for the Lord our God.

Remember how Achan son of Zerah refused to obey the command about what must be completely destroyed. That one man broke God's law, but all the Israelites were punished. Achan died because of his sin, but others also died.'"

"That is why we decided to build this altar. But it is not for burnt offerings and sacrifices.