Joshua 14:2

2 Their inheritance was assigned by lot for the nine and a half tribes, as the LORD had commanded through 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 Now these are the portions that the Israelites inherited in the land of Canaan, as distributed by Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the families of the tribes of Israel.

2 Their inheritance was assigned by lot for the nine and a half tribes, as the LORD had commanded through Moses.

3 For Moses had given the inheritance east of the Jordan to the other two and a half tribes. But he granted no inheritance among them to the Levites.

4 The descendants of Joseph became two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. And no portion of the land was given to the Levites, except for cities in which to live, along with pasturelands for their flocks and herds.

5 So the Israelites did as the LORD had commanded Moses, and they divided the land.