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Joshua Chapter 19

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October 7, 2025

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🏠 More Families Get Their New Homes! 🏠

After God helped Joshua and the Israelites win the Promised Land, it was time to give each family group their very own special place to live!

🎯 Simeon Gets a Home Inside Judah 🎯

The second family to pick from the special jar was Simeon. But something interesting happened – their new home was right inside Judah’s land! It was like getting an apartment inside your big brother’s house. Judah’s land was SO big that there was plenty of room to share. Simeon got 13 cities including a place called Beersheba, which means “well of the oath”ᵃ – a place where people made important promises to God!

⛵ Zebulun Gets Land by the Water ⛵

Next came Zebulun! They got beautiful land with 12 cities. Their territory had rolling hills and was close to the big lake called the Sea of Galilee. Years later, this is where Jesus would do many of His miracles!

🌾 Issachar Gets Fertile Farmland 🌾

Issachar’s family got amazing farmland in a valley called Jezreel. This land was perfect for growing crops because the soil was so rich and good. They got 16 cities, including places with names like “God’s garden” and “spring of gardens.” God knew exactly what each family needed!

🏔️ Asher Gets Mountain Views 🏔️

The tribe of Asher got land along the Mediterranean Sea with beautiful mountains. They had 22 cities, including some near the famous city of Tyre. From their homes, they could see both mountains AND the ocean! Talk about an amazing view!

🌲 Naphtali Gets the Northern Territory 🌲

Naphtali received the northern part of the Promised Land. Their territory included 19 fortified cities – these were cities with big strong walls to keep everyone safe. They lived near beautiful forests and lakes, including the Sea of Galilee where Jesus would later walk on water!

🦁 Dan Has an Adventure 🦁

Dan’s story was different! At first, they got cities near the coast, including one near Joppa (where Jonah would later try to run away from God). But some of their land was taken by enemies, so the brave people of Dan went north and conquered a city called Leshem. They renamed it Dan after their family! Sometimes when things don’t go as planned, God helps us find new solutions.

🏆 Joshua Gets His Special Reward 🏆

When all the families had their new homes, the people did something wonderful. They gave their leader Joshua his own special city as a thank-you gift! Yahweh told them to give Joshua any city he wanted. He chose Timnath-serah, which means “abundant portion”ᵇ. Joshua rebuilt this city and made it his home.

🎉 The Big Land Division is Complete! 🎉

All of this land-giving happened at a special place called Shilohᶜ, where God’s tent (the Tabernacle) was set up. Eleazar the priest and Joshua made sure everything was fair by drawing lots – kind of like pulling names out of a hat, but God was directing the choices! Finally, after many years of wandering in the desert and fighting battles, every single family in Israel had their own special place to call home in the Promised Land that God had given them.

Kid-Friendly Footnotes:

  • ᵃ Beersheba: A special place where Abraham and other Bible heroes dug wells and made promises to God. It became a famous city in Israel!
  • ᵇ Abundant portion: This means Joshua got more than enough – God blessed him with a really good place to live as a reward for being such a faithful leader!
  • ᶜ Shiloh: The special place where God’s house (the Tabernacle) was kept. It was like Israel’s first capital city where people came to worship God!
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Footnotes:

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Footnotes:

  • 1
    And the second lot came forth to Simeon, [even] for the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families: and their inheritance was within the inheritance of the children of Judah.
  • 2
    And they had in their inheritance Beersheba, or Sheba, and Moladah,
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    And Hazarshual, and Balah, and Azem,
  • 4
    And Eltolad, and Bethul, and Hormah,
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    And Ziklag, and Bethmarcaboth, and Hazarsusah,
  • 6
    And Bethlebaoth, and Sharuhen; thirteen cities and their villages:
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    Ain, Remmon, and Ether, and Ashan; four cities and their villages:
  • 8
    And all the villages that [were] round about these cities to Baalathbeer, Ramath of the south. This [is] the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families.
  • 9
    Out of the portion of the children of Judah [was] the inheritance of the children of Simeon: for the part of the children of Judah was too much for them: therefore the children of Simeon had their inheritance within the inheritance of them.
  • 10
    And the third lot came up for the children of Zebulun according to their families: and the border of their inheritance was unto Sarid:
  • 11
    And their border went up toward the sea, and Maralah, and reached to Dabbasheth, and reached to the river that [is] before Jokneam;
  • 12
    And turned from Sarid eastward toward the sunrising unto the border of Chislothtabor, and then goeth out to Daberath, and goeth up to Japhia,
  • 13
    And from thence passeth on along on the east to Gittahhepher, to Ittahkazin, and goeth out to Remmonmethoar to Neah;
  • 14
    And the border compasseth it on the north side to Hannathon: and the outgoings thereof are in the valley of Jiphthahel:
  • 15
    And Kattath, and Nahallal, and Shimron, and Idalah, and Bethlehem: twelve cities with their villages.
  • 16
    This [is] the inheritance of the children of Zebulun according to their families, these cities with their villages.
  • 17
    [And] the fourth lot came out to Issachar, for the children of Issachar according to their families.
  • 18
    And their border was toward Jezreel, and Chesulloth, and Shunem,
  • 19
    And Hapharaim, and Shion, and Anaharath,
  • 20
    And Rabbith, and Kishion, and Abez,
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    And Remeth, and Engannim, and Enhaddah, and Bethpazzez;
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    And the coast reacheth to Tabor, and Shahazimah, and Bethshemesh; and the outgoings of their border were at Jordan: sixteen cities with their villages.
  • 23
    This [is] the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Issachar according to their families, the cities and their villages.
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    And the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families.
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    And their border was Helkath, and Hali, and Beten, and Achshaph,
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    And Alammelech, and Amad, and Misheal; and reacheth to Carmel westward, and to Shihorlibnath;
  • 27
    And turneth toward the sunrising to Bethdagon, and reacheth to Zebulun, and to the valley of Jiphthahel toward the north side of Bethemek, and Neiel, and goeth out to Cabul on the left hand,
  • 28
    And Hebron, and Rehob, and Hammon, and Kanah, [even] unto great Zidon;
  • 29
    And [then] the coast turneth to Ramah, and to the strong city Tyre; and the coast turneth to Hosah; and the outgoings thereof are at the sea from the coast to Achzib:
  • 30
    Ummah also, and Aphek, and Rehob: twenty and two cities with their villages.
  • 31
    This [is] the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families, these cities with their villages.
  • 32
    The sixth lot came out to the children of Naphtali, [even] for the children of Naphtali according to their families.
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    And their coast was from Heleph, from Allon to Zaanannim, and Adami, Nekeb, and Jabneel, unto Lakum; and the outgoings thereof were at Jordan:
  • 34
    And [then] the coast turneth westward to Aznothtabor, and goeth out from thence to Hukkok, and reacheth to Zebulun on the south side, and reacheth to Asher on the west side, and to Judah upon Jordan toward the sunrising.
  • 35
    And the fenced cities [are] Ziddim, Zer, and Hammath, Rakkath, and Chinnereth,
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    And Adamah, and Ramah, and Hazor,
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    And Kedesh, and Edrei, and Enhazor,
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    And Iron, and Migdalel, Horem, and Bethanath, and Bethshemesh; nineteen cities with their villages.
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    This [is] the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Naphtali according to their families, the cities and their villages.
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    [And] the seventh lot came out for the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families.
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    And the coast of their inheritance was Zorah, and Eshtaol, and Irshemesh,
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    And Shaalabbin, and Ajalon, and Jethlah,
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    And Elon, and Thimnathah, and Ekron,
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    And Eltekeh, and Gibbethon, and Baalath,
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    And Jehud, and Beneberak, and Gathrimmon,
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    And Mejarkon, and Rakkon, with the border before Japho.
  • 47
    And the coast of the children of Dan went out [too little] for them: therefore the children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem, and took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and possessed it, and dwelt therein, and called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their father.
  • 48
    This [is] the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families, these cities with their villages.
  • 49
    When they had made an end of dividing the land for inheritance by their coasts, the children of Israel gave an inheritance to Joshua the son of Nun among them:
  • 50
    According to the word of the LORD they gave him the city which he asked, [even] Timnathserah in mount Ephraim: and he built the city, and dwelt therein.
  • 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.
  • 1
    The second lot came out for the clans of the tribe of Simeon: Their inheritance lay within the territory of Judah
  • 2
    and included Beersheba (or Sheba), Moladah,
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    Hazar-shual, Balah, Ezem,
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    Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah,
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    Ziklag, Beth-marcaboth, Hazar-susah,
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    Beth-lebaoth, and Sharuhen—thirteen cities, along with their villages.
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    Ain, Rimmon, Ether, and Ashan—four cities, along with their villages,
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    and all the villages surrounding these cities as far as Baalath-beer (Ramah of the Negev). This was the inheritance of the clans of the tribe of Simeon.
  • 9
    The inheritance of the Simeonites was taken from the territory of Judah, because the share for Judah’s descendants was too large for them. So the Simeonites received an inheritance within Judah’s portion.
  • 10
    The third lot came up for the clans of the tribe of Zebulun: The border of their inheritance stretched as far as Sarid.
  • 11
    It went up westward to Maralah, reached Dabbesheth, and met the brook east of Jokneam.
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    From Sarid it turned eastward along the border of Chisloth-tabor and went on to Daberath and up to Japhia.
  • 13
    From there it crossed eastward to Gath-hepher and to Eth-kazin; it extended to Rimmon and curved around toward Neah.
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    Then the border circled around the north side of Neah to Hannathon and ended at the Valley of Iphtah-el.
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    It also included Kattath, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem. There were twelve cities, along with their villages.
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    This was the inheritance of the clans of the tribe of Zebulun, including these cities and their villages.
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    The fourth lot came out for the clans of the tribe of Issachar:
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    Their territory included Jezreel, Chesulloth, Shunem,
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    Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath,
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    Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez,
  • 21
    Remeth, En-gannim, En-haddah, and Beth-pazzez.
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    The border reached Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth-shemesh, and ended at the Jordan. There were sixteen cities, along with their villages.
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    This was the inheritance of the clans of the tribe of Issachar, including these cities and their villages.
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    The fifth lot came out for the clans of the tribe of Asher:
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    Their territory included Helkath, Hali, Beten, Achshaph,
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    Allammelech, Amad, and Mishal. On the west the border touched Carmel and Shihor-libnath,
  • 27
    then turned eastward toward Beth-dagon, touched Zebulun and the Valley of Iphtah-el, and went north to Beth-emek and Neiel, passing Cabul on the left.
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    It went on to Ebron, Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah, as far as Greater Sidon.
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    The border then turned back toward Ramah as far as the fortified city of Tyre, turned toward Hosah, and came out at the Sea in the region of Achzib,
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    Ummah, Aphek, and Rehob. There were twenty-two cities, along with their villages.
  • 31
    This was the inheritance of the clans of the tribe of Asher, including these cities and their villages.
  • 32
    The sixth lot came out for the clans of the tribe of Naphtali:
  • 33
    Their border started at Heleph and the great tree of Zaanannim, passing Adami-nekeb and Jabneel as far as Lakkum and ending at the Jordan.
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    Then the border turned westward to Aznoth-tabor and ran from there to Hukkok, touching Zebulun on the south side, Asher on the west, and Judah at the Jordan on the east.
  • 35
    The fortified cities were Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Chinnereth,
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    Adamah, Ramah, Hazor,
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    Kedesh, Edrei, En-hazor,
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    Iron, Migdal-el, Horem, Beth-anath, and Beth-shemesh. There were nineteen cities, along with their villages.
  • 39
    This was the inheritance of the clans of the tribe of Naphtali, including these cities and their villages.
  • 40
    The seventh lot came out for the clans of the tribe of Dan:
  • 41
    The territory of their inheritance included Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir-shemesh,
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    Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Ithlah,
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    Elon, Timnah, Ekron,
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    Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath,
  • 45
    Jehud, Bene-berak, Gath-rimmon,
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    Me-jarkon, and Rakkon, including the territory across from Joppa.
  • 47
    (Later, when the territory of the Danites was lost to them, they went up and fought against Leshem, captured it, and put it to the sword. So they took possession of Leshem, settled there, and renamed it after their father Dan.)
  • 48
    This was the inheritance of the clans of the tribe of Dan, including these cities and their villages.
  • 49
    When they had finished distributing the land into its territories, the Israelites gave Joshua son of Nun an inheritance among them,
  • 50
    as the LORD had commanded. They gave him the city of Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim, as he requested. He rebuilt the city and settled in it.
  • 51
    These are the inheritances that Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the families distributed by lot to the tribes of Israel at Shiloh before the LORD at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. So they finished dividing up the land.

Joshua Chapter 19 Commentary

1What’s Joshua 19 about?
2The Full Context
3What the Ancient Words Tell Us
4What Would the Original Audience Have Heard?
5Wrestling with the Text
6How This Changes Everything
7Key Takeaway
8Further Reading

Drawing Lines in the Sand

What’s Joshua 19 about?

This chapter wraps up the land distribution with the final six tribes getting their inheritance – including the Levites getting their special cities and Joshua himself finally getting his personal portion. It’s like watching the last pieces of a massive puzzle click into place, but with eternal significance for God’s covenant people.

The Full Context

Joshua 19 represents the climactic conclusion of one of the most systematic land distributions in ancient history. After the conquest campaigns of chapters 1-12 and the initial distributions to the larger tribes in chapters 13-18, we’re now witnessing the final allocation process around 1400 BC. Joshua, as Moses’ successor and military commander, is overseeing this monumental task of transforming a nomadic people into settled landowners. The audience includes not just the Israelites receiving their portions, but future generations who would need to know their territorial boundaries and inheritance rights.

This passage addresses the critical need for order, justice, and divine fulfillment of promises made centuries earlier to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Within the broader structure of Joshua, chapter 19 serves as the capstone to the “settlement” section (chapters 13-21), bridging the gap between conquest and the final challenges Joshua will address in his farewell speeches. The theological purpose is profound: demonstrating God’s faithfulness to His covenant promises while establishing the physical foundation for Israel’s spiritual mission as a light to the nations. Modern readers should understand that ancient Near Eastern land grants were sacred, legal documents that established not just ownership but identity, security, and divine relationship.

What the Ancient Words Tell Us

The Hebrew word nachalah (inheritance) appears throughout this chapter, and it’s so much more than just “property.” When we see “inheritance” in English, we might think of something passed down through death, but nachalah carries the idea of a permanent possession given by divine grace. It’s what God gives, not what humans earn.

Grammar Geeks

The phrase “according to their families” (lemishpechotam) appears repeatedly in this chapter. The root mishpachah doesn’t just mean nuclear family – it refers to extended clan networks that could include hundreds of people. Land wasn’t given to individuals but to these larger kinship groups, ensuring no one would ever be truly alone or without support.

Notice how the text describes the boundaries with such precision – “the border went out to…” and “the border turned…” This isn’t just ancient surveying; it’s covenant language. Every hill, stream, and stone marker represented God’s faithfulness. When you’re dealing with nomads who’ve been wandering for 40 years, fixed boundaries must have felt revolutionary.

The Levites receiving cities instead of territorial blocks reveals something beautiful about God’s design. While other tribes got farmland and pastures, the Levites got something better – they were distributed throughout all the other tribes. They became the living reminder of God’s presence in every corner of the promised land.

What Would the Original Audience Have Heard?

Picture the emotional weight of this moment. Families who had carried their ancestors’ bones through the wilderness could finally say, “This is where we belong.” The original hearers would have recognized the fulfillment of promises made to their great-great-grandfathers.

Did You Know?

Ancient Near Eastern land grants typically required the recipient to perform military service or pay tribute to maintain ownership. But Israel’s land grants came with different conditions – obedience to God’s covenant. The land was both gift and responsibility, blessing and test.

When they heard about Simeon’s inheritance being “within the inheritance of Judah” (Joshua 19:1), they would have remembered Jacob’s prophetic words about Simeon being “scattered in Israel” (Genesis 49:7). Even in this joyful distribution, divine justice was being worked out.

The mention of specific cities would have triggered memories and hopes. Dan receiving coastal territory (Joshua 19:40-46) meant access to Mediterranean trade routes. Naphtali’s portion in the fertile north (Joshua 19:32-39) promised agricultural abundance.

Wrestling with the Text

But here’s where things get interesting – and a bit puzzling. Why does Joshua get his inheritance last? (Joshua 19:49-50) As the leader who conquered the land, wouldn’t you expect him to choose first?

Wait, That’s Strange…

Joshua asks for Timnath-serah, which means “portion of the sun” in Hebrew. But in Judges 2:9, the same city is called Timnath-heres, meaning “portion of pottery.” Did the name change? Was this wordplay? The mystery adds intrigue to Joshua’s final resting place.

This detail reveals something profound about biblical leadership. True leaders serve others first and themselves last. Joshua ensures every tribe receives their God-ordained portion before claiming his own. It’s a masterclass in servant leadership that would have deeply impressed the original audience.

The geographical details also raise questions. Some of these boundary descriptions are incredibly specific, while others seem more general. Why the difference? Archaeological evidence suggests some of these territories weren’t fully settled for generations after Joshua’s time, which might explain the varying levels of detail.

How This Changes Everything

This chapter transforms how we understand God’s faithfulness and human responsibility. The land distribution wasn’t arbitrary – it was precise, intentional, and covenantal. Every family knew exactly where they belonged in God’s plan.

“True inheritance isn’t just about receiving something – it’s about becoming someone worthy of what you’ve received.”

The Levitical cities spread throughout the land create a beautiful picture of how God’s presence should permeate every aspect of life. Instead of being confined to one location, the priesthood was distributed so that every tribe had access to spiritual guidance and sacrifice.

For modern readers, this chapter challenges our understanding of blessing and calling. Just as each tribe received a specific inheritance suited to their character and role, we each have unique callings that aren’t random but intentional. The question isn’t whether we have an inheritance, but whether we’re ready to occupy it faithfully.

The emphasis on boundaries also speaks to our time. In a world that often sees limits as restrictions, Joshua 19 presents them as gifts. Boundaries provide security, identity, and the framework within which we can flourish.

Key Takeaway

God’s promises aren’t just kept – they’re kept with precision. Every detail of your calling, every boundary of your life, every season of waiting has divine purpose behind it.

Further Reading

Internal Links:

External Scholarly Resources:

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