Joshua 14:1-5·~1 min

Land Division West of the Jordan

Eleazar, Joshua, and the tribal heads distribute Canaan by lot in the way the LORD commanded through Moses, with the tribal count clarified by Joseph’s two sons and the Levites’ separate provision. Israel carries out the division in obedience.

N¹ow these are the portions that the Israelites inherited in the land of Canaan, as distributed by Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the families of the tribes of Israel. ²Their inheritance was assigned by lot for the nine and a half tribes, as the LORD had commanded through Moses. ³For Moses had given the inheritance east of the Jordan to the other two and a half tribes. But he granted no inheritance among them to the Levites. ⁴The descendants of Joseph became two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. And no portion of the land was given to the Levites, except for cities in which to live, along with pasturelands for their flocks and herds. ⁵So the Israelites did as the LORD had commanded Moses, and they divided the land.

Section summaryThe chapter begins by setting out how the land west of the Jordan is assigned: Eleazar, Joshua, and the tribal heads oversee the inheritance, and the lots are cast as the LORD had commanded through Moses. The note about Joseph’s two tribes and the Levites’ cities clarifies the shape of the division before the narrative turns to Caleb.

Role in the chapterThis section establishes the framework for the chapter’s action. It anchors the coming allotments in ordered obedience, showing that the division of the land is being carried out according to the LORD’s earlier word through Moses.