The second lot came out for the tribe of Simeon, and their inheritance lay within the territory of Judah, Joshua 19:1. Their land included thirteen towns and villages.
They are, Beersheba or Sheba, Moladah, Hazar Shual, Balah, Ezem, Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah, Ziklag, Beth Markaboth, Hazar Susah, Beth Lebaoth and Sharuhen, Joshua 19:2-6.
They received another four towns and their villages, they are Ain, Rimmon, Ether and Ashan and all the villages around these towns as far as Baalath Beer, Ramah in the Negev, Joshua 19:7-8.
The inheritance of the Simeonites was taken from the share of Judah because Judah’s portion was more than they needed, and so, the Simeonites received their inheritance within the territory of Judah, Joshua 19:9. The names of all these towns also occur in Judah’s list, Joshua 15:26-32 / Joshua 15:42.
Simeon and Levi, through a colossal lie, killed Shechem and his people for the rape of their sister Dinah, Genesis 34:25-26. Jacob had prophesied that they would be dispersed and they were, Genesis 49:5-7.
The third lot came up for Zebulun, Joshua 19:10 / Joshua 19:16 / Genesis 49:13, and their boundary went as far as Sarid, Joshua 19:10. Going west, it ran to Maralah, touched Dabbesheth, and extended to the ravine near Jokneam, and it turned east from Sarid toward the sunrise to the territory of Kisloth Tabor and went on to Daberath and up to Japhia, Joshua 19:11-12.
Then it continued eastward to Gath Hepher, where the prophet Jonah was from, 2 Kings 14:25, and Eth Kazin, it came out at Rimmon, which was a Levitical city, Joshua 21:35 / 1 Chronicles 6:77, and turned toward Neah.
And there the boundary went around on the north to Hannathon and ended at the Valley of Iphtah El, Joshua 19:13-14. They received twelve towns and villages, including Kattath, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah and Bethlehem, Joshua 19:15.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The territory of Zebulun accordingly would not anywhere reach to the Mediterranean, though its eastern side abutted on the sea of Galilee and gave the tribe those ‘outgoings’ attributed to it in the Blessing of Moses, Deuteronomy 33:18.’
The fourth lot came out for Issachar, Joshua 19:17 / Joshua 19:23 / Genesis 49:14-15. There were sixteen towns and villages. They are Jezreel, Joshua 17:16, Kesulloth, Shunem, Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath, Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez.
Remeth, En Gannim, which is also a Levitical city, Joshua 21:29, and called Ahem, 1 Chronicles 6:73. En Haddah and Beth Pazzez and the boundary touched Tabor, 1 Chronicles 6:77, Shahazumah and Beth Shemesh, and ended at the Jordan, Joshua 19:18-22.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following concerning Shunem, Joshua 19:17.
‘Here the Philistines pitched before the battle of Gilboa, 1 Samuel 28:4. The place is also known as the home of Abishag, 1 Kings 1:3, and in connection with Elisha, 2 Kings 4:8 / 2 Kings 8:1. It is identified with ‘Solam’ (or, Sulem), a small and poor village on the slope of Little Hermon.’
The fifth lot came out for the tribe of Asher, Joshua 19:24 / Joshua 19:31 / Genesis 49:20. There were twenty-two towns and villages, they are Helkath, which is also a Levitical town, Joshua 21:31, Hali, Beten, Akshaph, Allammelek, Amad and Mishal. To the west, the boundary touched Carmel and Shihor Libnath, Joshua 19:25-26.
The boundary then turned east toward Beth Dagon, touched Zebulun and the Valley of Iphtah El, and went north to Beth Emek and Neiel, passing Kabul on the left, and it went to Abdon, Rehob, Hammon and Kanah, as far as Greater Sidon, Joshua 19:27-28.
The boundary then turned back toward Ramah and went to the fortified city of Tyre, turned toward Hosah and came out at the Mediterranean Sea in the region of Akzib, Ummah, Aphek and Rehob, Joshua 19:29-30.
The sixth lot came out for Naphtali, Joshua 19:32 / Joshua 19:29 / Genesis 49:21. Their boundary went from Heleph and the large tree in Zaanannim, passing Adami Nekeb and Jabneel to Lakkum and ending at the Jordan, Joshua 19:33.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following concerning Zaanannim, Joshua 19:33.
‘From Judges 4:11, it appears that this oak or oak-forest was near Kedesh.’
The boundary ran west through Aznoth Tabor and came out at Hukkok, and it touched Zebulun on the south, Asher on the west and the Jordan on the east, Joshua 19:34.
There were nineteen towns and villages, which were fortified, they are Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, which is also a Levitical city, Joshua 21:32 / 1 Chronicles 6:76, Rakkath, Kinnereth, Adamah, Ramah, Hazor, Kedesh, Edrei, En Hazor, Iron, Migdal El, Horem, Beth Anath and Beth Shemesh, Joshua 19:35-38.
The seventh lot came out for the tribe of Dan, Joshua 19:40 / Joshua 19:48 / Genesis 49:17-18. The territory included Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir Shemesh, Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Ithlah, Elon, Timnah, Ekron, Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath, Jehud, Bene Berak, Gath Rimmon, Me Jarkon and Rakkon, with the area facing Joppa, Joshua 19:41-46.
We are told that when the territory of the Danites was lost to them, they went up and attacked Leshem, took it, put it to the sword, and occupied it, and they settled in Leshem and named it Dan after their ancestor, Joshua 19:47 / Numbers 26:5 / Judges 1:34-35.
Davis and Whitcomb, in their commentary, say the following.
‘The Amorites, who settled portions of the Philistine plain, Judges 1:34, drove the Danites out of the plains and into the hills. This led to a migration of part of the tribe of Dan northward to Leshem near the northern part of Naphtali, Judges 17-18.’
After everyone else received their inheritance, the Israelites gave Joshua an inheritance among them as God had commended, Joshua 19:49-50 / Joshua 1:3. They gave him the town he asked for, which was Timnath Serah, Judges 2:9, in the hill country of Ephraim, and he built up the town and settled there, Joshua 19:50.
Madvig, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Caleb and Joshua were the two faithful spies who believed God was able to give Israel the land, Numbers 14:6-9 / Numbers 14:30. The receiving of their inheritances frames the story of the dividing of the land among the nine and a half tribes, with Caleb’s at the beginning, Joshua 14:6-15, and Joshua’s at the end. Caleb and Joshua are living examples of God’s faithfulness in fulfilling his promises made more than forty years earlier.’
These are the territories that Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun and the heads of the tribal clans of Israel assigned by lot at Shiloh in the presence of God at the entrance to the tent of meeting, that is, the tabernacle, Joshua 19:51 / Joshua 18:1, and so the work was complete, Joshua 19:51.
Butler, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The gift of the land brought blessings not only to the nation as a whole and to the individual tribes. It also brought blessings to the faithful leader. God commanded Israel to reward the individual for his faithfulness. Thus, the Deuteronomic understanding of blessing and curse is expressed not only on the corporate, but also on the individual level. This, too, stands as a source of encouragement to Israel through the years as many of her people become dispersed from the main body of the people of God.’
It seems like God’s people always need to be stirred up; it took the encouragement from Caleb and Joshua to stir God’s people into action. We all need a bit of stirring up at times.
Paul did it to Timothy, 2 Timothy 1:16, Peter did it to his readers, 2 Peter 1:13 / 2 Peter 3:1, and Paul did it to the Corinthians, 2 Corinthians 8:10 / 2 Corinthians 8:11.
Encouraging other people is a gift from God, Romans 12:7-8, and as Christians, we too must be in the encouragement business. Whether at work, at home or in our congregations, we should try our best to encourage others, 1 Thessalonians 5:11 / 2 Peter 3:18. Encouraging one another may be simply listening to someone or comforting someone who is going through a difficult time, Romans 12:15.
In most congregations there is someone who is a great encourager, the question is who encourages the encourager? Why not go out of your way to encourage those who encourage others?