Daily reading

Today’s reading is: Josh. 19:49-21:45; 1 Chr. 6:54-81

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Joshua Chapter Nineteen

(Outline continues from yesterday)

  1. The final land grant was the personal request of Joshua within the hill country of Ephraim—Timnath-serah (Josh. 19:49-51). Just as the land apportionment began with Caleb (Josh. 14:6-15) it now concludes with Joshua.

Joshua Chapter Twenty

  1. The Lord directed Joshua to establish the six cities of refuge that He had previously instructed them in (Josh. 20:1-6; Num. 35).
  2. Israel set apart three cities within Canaan, and three cities across the Jordan (Josh. 20:7-9).

Joshua Chapter Twenty-One + 1st Chr. 6:54-81

  1. The 48 Levitical cities are distributed in chapter 21.
  2. Once the tribes received their inheritance, it was their privilege to give to the Levites cities and pasture lands for their support (Josh. 21:1-3).
  3. The clans of Levi received their cities by lot.
    1. The Aaronic priests, from the clan of Kohath, received 13 cities from Judah, Simeon, & Benjamin (Josh. 21:4,8-19).
    2. The remainder of the clan of Kohath received 10 cities from Ephraim, Dan, and ½ Manasseh (west Manasseh) (Josh. 21:5,20-26).
    3. The clan of Gershon received 13 cities from Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and ½ Manasseh (east Manasseh) (Josh. 21:6,27-33).
    4. The clan of Merari received 12 cities from Reuben, Gad & Zebulun (Josh. 21:7,34-40).
  4. The scattering of Levi throughout the other 12 tribes provided for accurate Bible teaching in every community (Josh. 21:41,42; Deut. 33:10).  Someone has estimated that no one in Israel lived more than 10 miles from 1 of the 48 Levite towns. Thus every Israelite had nearby a man well-versed in the Law of Moses who could give advice and counsel on the many problems of religious, family, and political life.
  5. The summary statement for the Conquest is most interesting (Josh. 21:43-45).
    1. Each tribe received their possession as a grace gift from the Lord.
    2. Each tribe was blessed with military victories in the conquest of that land.
    3. Many tribes, however, failed to achieve every victory the Lord had for them.
    4. The shortcomings in Joshua and Judges are therefore Israel’s shortcomings, and not the Lord’s (Rom. 3:3; 2nd Tim. 2:13).