Joshua 14:2

2 Each inheritance was assigned by lot to the nine and a half tribes, just as God had commanded Moses.

Joshua 14:2 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 14:2

By lot [was] their inheritance
Every tribe had its part and portion assigned to it, by the casting of lots; which was done to prevent any future quarrels, animosities and strifes among the tribes, the disposition being of the Lord; and to show the exact agreement between the lot and the divine predictions by Jacob and Moses; and to make it appear that the division of the land was not owing to the private combination of the above men, and their private settlement of it; but to the providence of God, the directors of the lot; their chief business was to see that the lot was executed in a faithful manner, and that every tribe had its allotment according to it. In this Canaan was a type of the heavenly inheritance, which the saints obtain by lot, in and through Christ, the antitypical Joshua, ( Ephesians 1:11 ) ;

as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses,
( Numbers 26:55 Numbers 26:56 ) ;

for the nine tribes, and [for] the half tribe;
see ( Joshua 13:7 ) ; the reason why this number of them is particularly mentioned follows.

Joshua 14:2 In-Context

1 Here are the inheritance allotments that the People of Israel received in the land of Canaan. Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the family clans made the allotments.
2 Each inheritance was assigned by lot to the nine and a half tribes, just as God had commanded Moses.
3 Moses had given the two and a half tribes their inheritance east of the Jordan, but hadn't given an inheritance to the Levites, as he had to the others.
4 Because the sons of Joseph had become two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim, they gave no allotment to the Levites; but they did give them cities to live in with pasture rights for their flocks and herds.
5 The People of Israel followed through exactly as God had commanded Moses. They apportioned the land. Caleb
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.