Joshua 19 Study Notes

19:1-9 The allotment of the tribe of Simeon has no boundaries. It is a list of towns (vv. 2-8) located within the southern territory of Judah. This was given to Simeon because the share for Judah’s descendants was too large. The town list subdivides into an eastern (vv. 2-6) and a western (vv. 7-8) list. This area around the Beer-sheba Valley was already inhabited. Therefore, Simeon’s settlement would assist in giving the region an Israelite identity. It would also provide a defense against encroachment by Edomite tribes to the south and east.

19:10-16 The allotment for Zebulun’s descendants consists of a boundary description, beginning with the southern border (vv. 10-11), moving to the eastern border (vv. 12-13), and concluding with the northern boundary (vv. 14-15). The western border is Asher’s eastern border. Zebulun lay in the southwest corner of the hills of Galilee between the Jezreel Valley to the south and the Bet Netofa Valley northward in Galilee.

19:17-23 Issachar’s allotment preserves a town list that included sixteen cities in the Jezreel Valley around Mount Tabor and those in the southeastern hills of Galilee.

19:24-31 Asher’s allotment consists of a boundary list that began in the south (vv. 25-26), turned east along Zebulun (vv. 27-28), and reached north to greater Sidon before turning south along the coast (vv. 29-30). Cabul and the area around it was later given by Solomon to Hiram king of Tyre in payment for his assistance in constructing the temple of Jerusalem (1Kg 9:11-13).

19:32-39 Naphtali’s tribe received the largest area among the seven remaining allotments. However, it was perhaps the worst agriculturally, located in upper Galilee where the heights prevented much cultivation. The southern boundary (vv. 33-34) is supplemented with a town list (vv. 35-38). Its eastern boundaries stretched to the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee, including the rich and powerful centers of Chinnereth . . . Kedesh, and especially Hazor (chap. 11).

19:40-48 The territory of the descendants of Dan consists of a town list including eastern (vv. 41-44) and western towns (vv. 45-47). Its location alongside the Canaanite and Philistine coastal towns threatened its peace and prosperity. Dan lost part or all of this territory (v. 47) and migrated north to the town of Leshem which they captured and renamed Dan (Jdg 17-18).

19:49-51 As with Caleb, the other faithful spy of the exodus generation, Joshua received a special allotment in his tribal territory—Timnath-serah (modern Khirbet Tibnah), southwest of Shechem. As Caleb received the first allotment in the promised land (14:6-15), Joshua received the last. His humility and commitment to complete his God-given responsibilities is evident as he waited until all the other tribes and people had received their inheritance before accepting his own.