Joshua 19:49-51 & Joshua 20:1-9
Q.1. Where was Joshua’s inheritance located? Who decided what inheritance each of the tribes should be given? – (Josh.19:49-51)
The tribes of Israel honoured their leader Joshua, by apportioning land to him and his family (Josh.19:49). He was from the tribe of Ephraim. God gave him a special place in the hill country, where he built the city of Timnath-serah (Josh.19:50). The tribal territories were not determined by the strength of the tribes but were assigned by God – These are the inheritances which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the households of the tribes of the sons of Israel distributed by lot in Shiloh before the Lord at the doorway of the tent of meeting … (Josh.19:51). All the land was divided by sacred lot, i.e. by God’s direction. The only exception was the land chosen for Joshua. It is a blessing to be godly.
Q.2. For what were Cities of Refuge? Could a criminal escape justice? What was the penalty for manslaughter? Where were these cities located? Why? – (Josh.20:1-9)
God had already told Moses to make provision for accidental killing in the Promised Land, by setting aside Cities of Refuge. This was so that families would not take the law into their own hands – that the manslayer who kills any person unintentionally, without premeditation, may flee there, and they shall become your refuge from the avenger of blood (Josh.20:3). The Cities of Refuge were not established to avoid justice, but to stop the revenge killing of those involved in accidental killing. Moses was given clear guidelines for the elders, to help them determine what constituted accidental killing (Num.35:6-34). This meant that someone could – … flee to one of these cities, and shall stand at the entrance of the gate of the city and state his case in the hearing of the elders of that city; and they shall take him into the city to them and give him a place, so that he may dwell among them … He shall dwell in that city until he stands before the congregation for judgment, until the death of the one who is high priest in those days. Then the manslayer shall return to his own city and to his own house, to the city from which he fled (Josh.20:4 & 6). If the offender was found to be guiltless of a premeditated crime, he would still be cut off from his own house, city, and tribal area, as a real punishment. This would help the deceased person’s family to recognize that both parties were paying a price. Joshua 20:7-9 gives the location of these cities throughout the twelve tribal territories, on both sides of the Jordan River. They were accessible, so that – … whoever kills any person unintentionally may flee there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood until he stands before the congregation (Josh.20:9). These Cities of Refuge were within easy reach in the tribal areas of Naphtali, Ephraim & Judah, plus Reuben, Gad, & Manasseh.