Project 119: Joshua 13

 |  Project 119  |  Amy Hirsch

As an English nerd, I love thinking about the different parts of stories. I especially enjoy trying to pick out the climax happening in a story. Whether it’s in a book or on screen, I love trying to guess if the conflict we are seeing played out is what will bring about the climax of the tale with its final resolution. And, a really good story can keep you guessing when it comes to discovering the climax quickly! Sometimes looks can be deceiving.

When we arrive at Joshua 13, we could imagine that things are wrapping up. After all, Joshua is “old and advanced in years” (Joshua 13:1). We’ve heard about all of the kingdoms they have conquered. Won’t the Israelites be able to just easily move into the land and live in peace and happily ever after? If this was your first thought, it must have been refuted by the end of verse 1 when the Lord tells Joshua that, though he is old, “there remains yet very much land to possess” (Joshua 13:1). In fact, if we keep on reading the Old Testament, we’ll discover that some of these unconquered lands will not come into complete Israelite possession until the reigns of David and Solomon. We aren’t quite to the resolution of the problem yet.

One of the things that I love about Scripture is that it really isn’t a story about one human figure. You might think our story is wrapping up because Joshua is old. But the story of Israel didn’t end with the death of Moses, and it won’t end with the death of Joshua, because the story of Israel isn’t really about any one biblical character. Rather, it’s about the steadfast love of God who has made a covenant with His people, Israel, and will see to it that the promises He made to Abraham are fulfilled. So while we don’t have a resolution here, we do see Israel moving into lands they had been promised by Moses. We see the hand of God and His faithfulness. And we see that the story continues on!

Sometimes I try to guess how my story might end up. What might happen from here? Where might we go next? If anything, Joshua 13 is an encouragement to me as I am reminded that ultimately, my story isn’t about me. My story is about God’s faithfulness and goodness made known to me in Jesus. Instead of focusing in on my story, I want to focus more on how my own small, insignificant tale is a tiny part of His bigger story of faithfulness. My earthly story will end one day, yes. But God’s story continues on forever, and our small stories get to be a part of this majestic story —when we will dwell in His land, in His presence. When the true enemy, sin, will be forever conquered and we will be set free from the dominion of sin and death. Our stories will continue on in the new Jerusalem, where we will forever live in the resolution of God’s faithfulness.

Joshua 13 (ESV):

Now Joshua was old and advanced in years, and the Lord said to him, “You are old and advanced in years, and there remains yet very much land to possess. 2 This is the land that yet remains: all the regions of the Philistines, and all those of the Geshurites 3 (from the Shihor, which is east of Egypt, northward to the boundary of Ekron, it is counted as Canaanite; there are five rulers of the Philistines, those of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron), and those of the Avvim, 4 in the south, all the land of the Canaanites, and Mearah that belongs to the Sidonians, to Aphek, to the boundary of the Amorites, 5 and the land of the Gebalites, and all Lebanon, toward the sunrise, from Baal-gad below Mount Hermon to Lebo-hamath, 6 all the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephoth-maim, even all the Sidonians. I myself will drive them out from before the people of Israel. Only allot the land to Israel for an inheritance, as I have commanded you. 7 Now therefore divide this land for an inheritance to the nine tribes and half the tribe of Manasseh.”

8 With the other half of the tribe of Manasseh the Reubenites and the Gadites received their inheritance, which Moses gave them, beyond the Jordan eastward, as Moses the servant of the Lord gave them: 9 from Aroer, which is on the edge of the Valley of the Arnon, and the city that is in the middle of the valley, and all the tableland of Medeba as far as Dibon; 10 and all the cities of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, as far as the boundary of the Ammonites; 11 and Gilead, and the region of the Geshurites and Maacathites, and all Mount Hermon, and all Bashan to Salecah; 12 all the kingdom of Og in Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth and in Edrei (he alone was left of the remnant of the Rephaim); these Moses had struck and driven out. 13 Yet the people of Israel did not drive out the Geshurites or the Maacathites, but Geshur and Maacath dwell in the midst of Israel to this day.

14 To the tribe of Levi alone Moses gave no inheritance. The offerings by fire to the Lord God of Israel are their inheritance, as he said to him.

15 And Moses gave an inheritance to the tribe of the people of Reuben according to their clans. 16 So their territory was from Aroer, which is on the edge of the Valley of the Arnon, and the city that is in the middle of the valley, and all the tableland by Medeba; 17 with Heshbon, and all its cities that are in the tableland; Dibon, and Bamoth-baal, and Beth-baal-meon, 18 and Jahaz, and Kedemoth, and Mephaath, 19 and Kiriathaim, and Sibmah, and Zereth-shahar on the hill of the valley, 20 and Beth-peor, and the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth-jeshimoth, 21 that is, all the cities of the tableland, and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses defeated with the leaders of Midian, Evi and Rekem and Zur and Hur and Reba, the princes of Sihon, who lived in the land. 22 Balaam also, the son of Beor, the one who practiced divination, was killed with the sword by the people of Israel among the rest of their slain. 23 And the border of the people of Reuben was the Jordan as a boundary. This was the inheritance of the people of Reuben, according to their clans with their cities and villages.

24 Moses gave an inheritance also to the tribe of Gad, to the people of Gad, according to their clans. 25 Their territory was Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the Ammonites, to Aroer, which is east of Rabbah, 26 and from Heshbon to Ramath-mizpeh and Betonim, and from Mahanaim to the territory of Debir, 27 and in the valley Beth-haram, Beth-nimrah, Succoth, and Zaphon, the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon, having the Jordan as a boundary, to the lower end of the Sea of Chinnereth, eastward beyond the Jordan. 28 This is the inheritance of the people of Gad according to their clans, with their cities and villages.

29 And Moses gave an inheritance to the half-tribe of Manasseh. It was allotted to the half-tribe of the people of Manasseh according to their clans. 30 Their region extended from Mahanaim, through all Bashan, the whole kingdom of Og king of Bashan, and all the towns of Jair, which are in Bashan, sixty cities, 31 and half Gilead, and Ashtaroth, and Edrei, the cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan. These were allotted to the people of Machir the son of Manasseh for the half of the people of Machir according to their clans.

32 These are the inheritances that Moses distributed in the plains of Moab, beyond the Jordan east of Jericho. 33 But to the tribe of Levi Moses gave no inheritance; the Lord God of Israel is their inheritance, just as he said to them.