Chapters 15, 16, 17 describe the allotment of the land to the tribes. Please don’t think I believe it is unimportant as it is detailed description of the actual borders of the land allocated. I will make certain references only.
One such reference is again to Caleb (15:13-19). On receiving his allocation, he wastes no time in doing as The LORD commanded to drive out the inhabitants, even giants, the three sons of Anak. He then turns attention to his daughter Achsah and offers her as wife to whoever attacks Kirjath Sepher (Hebron) and takes it will be given his daughter. Othniel his nephew takes up the offer and took Kirjath Sepher. Othniel persuaded Achsah to ask her father for a field, which she did, and Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs to irrigate the land.
However, not all was rosy – the children of Judah could not drive out the Jebusites from Jerusalem (v63). Jerusalem was on a hill therefore easy to defend, and Judah failed in 2 Samuel 5:6-10 we are told that the Jebusites still lived side by side with the children of Judah. I guess it is still a problem to this day.
In chapter 16:10 we read that the tribe of Ephraim did not drive out the Canaanites from Gezer. They could have done because God told them to, but it seems they preferred an easy way out by making the Canaanites forced labourers. This was obviously a compromise, but it was clear disobedience to God’s instructions. Interestingly Joshua had already conquered this city (10:33 and 12:12) so there shouldn’t have been much of a problem but compromise always spells danger and this was no exception.
In chapter 17 we have further allocation, this time for Manasseh, Joseph’s firstborn (v1,2). However, (v3-6) we read that Zelophehad, Manasseh’s great great grandson only had daughters and inheritance passed only to sons. In Numbers 27 he approached Moses and requested that his inheritance should pass to his daughters. On God’s instructions Moses granted his request. Thus, Zelophehad’s daughters received an inheritance among Manasseh’s male inheritors.
As with Ephraim, there was another similar compromise in v13 “Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities, but the Canaanites were determined to dwell in that land. And it happened, when the children of Israel grew strong, that they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but did not utterly drive them out.”
This spelt trouble as compromise always does.
In verses 14-18 Ephraim and Manasseh, the children of Joseph, complained that they had not been given enough land in view of the fact that they were a large family. They recognised that the LORD had blessed them. Joshua wisely told them that if they were great like they said, they should go and occupy land for themselves. They were allocated land but had not occupied all of it, particularly the mountain region. How different to Caleb who asked for a mountain. The mountain region was wooded and would require hard work.
How important that we are completely obedient and faithful to God. It is no good complaining to God when we are not being faithful in what He has already given to us.
