Joshua 16-18

1. Allotment for Ephraim and Manasseh
In this passage, the Lord allots land for the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh - here, land is provided for that subset of Manasseh not on the east side of the Jordan. It is noted that Zelophehad, a descendant of Makir son of Manasseh, only had daughters - and no sons; yet his daughters are given an inheritance, fulfilling the promises of the Lord through Moses in Numbers 27 and 36. It is also noted that Ephraim and Manasseh feared the Perizzites and Rephaites, as they possessed iron chariots.

Reviewing the history of warfare - in particular, the evolution of weaponry - provides a sound basis for Israel's fear of the iron chariots that belonged to the inhabitants of the Promised Land. Iron chariots assuredly belong to the class of transformational weapons that includes the longbow, the Gatling gun and the cruise missile. While the Israelites were woefully inadequate in terms of technological nous, the Lord used this shortcoming to compel them to depend on Him for their military successes.

2. Division of the Rest of the Land
In this passage, Joshua chastises the remaining seven tribes for not dividing up the rest of the Promised Land and taking possession of their inheritance. He has each of these tribes select three men to survey the land; based on the results of these surveys, the land will be divided into seven parts, and lots will be cast for each part. The lots are to be cast at Shiloh in the presence of the Lord, as Shiloh is the site of the Tent of Meeting.

Again, it is (depressingly) simple to understand why the remaining seven tribes failed to obey the Lord and claim their inheritance. Going forth and slaying all of the inhabitants of the Promised Land must have been a frightening, stomach-churning proposition for the Israelites. Someday I hope to ask God why the Canaanites were beyond redemption and obtain an answer of some sort from Him...

3. Allotment for Benjamin
In this passage, the first lot is cast at Shiloh, and it comes up for Benjamin. They receive land between Judah and Ephraim; their inheritance happens to include important cities such as Jerusalem, Jericho and Bethel.

Clearly the Lord had designed to bless the tribe of Benjamin in abundance, which reminds me of the favor that Jacob showed Benjamin - as one of the sons of his beloved wife Rachel. The territory that Benjamin inherited was rather compact, yet - according to Deuteronomy 33:12 - one could say that it was closest to God's heart. It should be noted that Benjamin plays a rather significant role in the New Testament, as the apostle Paul was a Benjamite.