And the Lord gave unto Israel all the land which he sware
to
give unto their fathers
It was all given them by lot, whether subdued or not subdued, and
the far greater part was actually put into their hands, and they
had as much as they could for the present occupy and cultivate;
and such as were in the hands of the Canaanites, were subject to
pay tribute to them; and it was owing to their own slothfulness
and sluggishness that they did not possess more hereafter; though
it was the will of God that their enemies should be driven out by
little and little, until the Israelites were so increased as to
occupy the whole, lest any part of the land should lie waste and
become barren, and lest the wild beasts of the field should
multiply upon them:
and they possessed it, and dwelt therein;
each according to their lot in the several places assigned them,
as many cities as they could at present people, and as much land
as they could now manage.