The division of the land of Canaan among the tribes of Israel is a significant event in biblical history, marking the fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham regarding the inheritance of the Promised Land. This division was accomplished through the casting of lots, a method that underscored the divine sovereignty and impartiality in the allocation of the land.

Biblical Context

The division of Canaan is detailed primarily in the Book of Joshua, following the Israelites' conquest of the land under Joshua's leadership. After the successful military campaigns, the land was distributed among the twelve tribes of Israel. The casting of lots was employed to ensure that the distribution was conducted according to God's will, as stated in Numbers 26:55-56: "But the land must be divided by lot; they shall receive their inheritance according to the names of their ancestral tribes. Each inheritance is to be divided by lot among the larger and smaller tribes."

The Process of Division

The process began at Gilgal, where Joshua, Eleazar the priest, and the heads of the tribes gathered to oversee the distribution (Joshua 14:1-2). The use of lots was a common practice in ancient Israel for making decisions, believed to reflect God's guidance. Proverbs 16:33 affirms this belief: "The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD."

The land was divided into portions for each tribe, with specific territories assigned to each. The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had already received their inheritance on the east side of the Jordan River, as per their request and Moses' approval (Numbers 32:33). The remaining tribes received their portions west of the Jordan.

Tribal Inheritances

1. Judah: The tribe of Judah received a large portion in the southern part of Canaan, including the city of Hebron (Joshua 15:1-12). This area would later become significant as the birthplace of King David and the location of Jerusalem.

2. Ephraim and Manasseh: The descendants of Joseph, through his sons Ephraim and Manasseh, received substantial territories in central Canaan (Joshua 16-17). These areas were fertile and strategically important.

3. Benjamin: Positioned between Judah and Ephraim, the tribe of Benjamin's territory included the city of Jerusalem (Joshua 18:11-28).

4. Simeon: The tribe of Simeon received its inheritance within the territory of Judah, as their portion was too large for them alone (Joshua 19:1-9).

5. Zebulun, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Dan: These tribes received their inheritances in the northern regions of Canaan (Joshua 19:10-48).

6. Levi: The tribe of Levi was not given a specific territory, as they were set apart for priestly duties. Instead, they were allotted cities scattered throughout the other tribes' territories (Joshua 21:1-42).

Significance

The division of the land by lot was a testament to God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promises to the patriarchs. It also established a sense of order and identity among the tribes, each with its own inheritance and responsibilities. The method of casting lots ensured that the process was perceived as fair and divinely ordained, minimizing disputes among the tribes.

The division of Canaan set the stage for the subsequent history of Israel, influencing tribal interactions, territorial disputes, and the development of the nation. The land itself became a central element of Israel's covenant relationship with God, symbolizing His provision and the people's obligation to live according to His laws.Numbers 26:55
Notwithstanding the land shall be divided by lot: according to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit.
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Joshua 15:1
This then was the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah by their families; even to the border of Edom the wilderness of Zin southward was the uttermost part of the south coast.
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Joshua 18:10
And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the LORD: and there Joshua divided the land to the children of Israel according to their divisions.
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Joshua 19:51
These are the inheritances, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, divided for an inheritance by lot in Shiloh before the LORD, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. So they made an end of dividing the country.
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Joshua 21:1
Then came near the heads of the fathers of the Levites to Eleazar the priest, and to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel;
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1 Chronicles 6:61,65
And to the sons of Kohath, which were left of the family of that tribe, were cities given out of the half tribe, namely, out of the half tribe of Manasseh, by lot, ten cities.
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Ezekiel 45:1
Moreover, when you shall divide by lot the land for inheritance, you shall offer an oblation to the LORD, an holy portion of the land: the length shall be the length of five and twenty thousand reeds, and the breadth shall be ten thousand. This shall be holy in all the borders thereof round about.
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Ezekiel 47:22
And it shall come to pass, that you shall divide it by lot for an inheritance to you, and to the strangers that sojourn among you, which shall beget children among you: and they shall be to you as born in the country among the children of Israel; they shall have inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel.
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Ezekiel 48:29
This is the land which you shall divide by lot to the tribes of Israel for inheritance, and these are their portions, said the Lord GOD.
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Micah 2:5
Therefore you shall have none that shall cast a cord by lot in the congregation of the LORD.
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Acts 13:19
And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, he divided their land to them by lot.
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How Joshua, the Commander of the Hebrews, Made War with The
... And Overcame Them, And Destroyed Them, And Divided Their Land By Lot To The Tribes ...
of the Amorites, which was the seventh part of the land of Canaan, [1] he ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 1 how joshua the.htm

The Historical Books.
... under Joshua, and its distribution by lot among the tribes ... give to his posterity
the land of Canaan for an ... and take possession of the promised land; the people ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xx the historical books.htm

The Kingdom Conquering
... VI.1. Preparations to enter Canaan.1 to 5. ... 5. How, and by whom, and where was the
land divided among the tribes? ... 6. What was the lot of Levi? 13:33. ...
/.../palmer/a birds-eye view of the bible/iii the kingdom conquering.htm

The Israelites
... that we are told of his relationship to Lot or to ... days, and the invasion of the Promised
Land was postponed ... The conquest of Canaan was a slow process, which was ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter i the israelites.htm

The Millennium in Relation to Israel.
... And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated ... to be particularly noted
that they entered Canaan under the ... make them a nation in the land, upon the ...
/.../pink/the redeemers return/4 the millennium in relation.htm

Chapter xii
... 5. And Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his nephew and all their acquisition ... had
gotten in Haran, and they went forth to go to the land of Canaan, and (in ...
//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xii.htm

The Nations of the South-East
... Edom, as was natural, fell to the lot of Judah ... and carried terror to the inhabitants
of Canaan become merely a ... show that in southern Arabia, in the land of Sheba ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter iii the nations of.htm

The Antiquities of the Jews
... And Not, During That Time, Either Return Into Egypt Or Take Possession Of Canaan. ...
And Destroyed Their Whole Army And Then Divided Their Land By Lot To Two ...
//christianbookshelf.org/josephus/the antiquities of the jews/

Chapter xv
... and this may have implied that a similar lot, viz., being ... He would replace them in
the land of Canaan by the ... of Israel to be absent from the land while the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xv.htm

Egypt
... the Eighteenth dynasty was in power their lot could not ... armies were defeated on the
borders of Canaan, and Taharka ... now ready to march against the land of the ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter v egypt.htm

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