The Divine Allotment: Inheritance by Command Text: Joshua 14:1-5
Introduction: God's Real Estate
We live in an age that is allergic to authority, particularly divine authority. Our culture is built on the sandy foundation of expressive individualism, the notion that every man is his own king, his own priest, and his own god, defining his own reality. This manifests in our politics, our morality, and even in how we think about something as basic as property. To the modern mind, land is a commodity, something to be bought, sold, and exploited according to the whims of the market and the power of the state. Ownership is a matter of deeds, titles, and legal force.
But the Bible presents a radically different picture. The Scriptures teach that God is the ultimate owner of all things by right of creation. The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof. He is the great landlord, and we are at best tenants. This means that all human property rights are derivative; they are delegated from Him. And nowhere is this principle more clearly and practically demonstrated than in the book of Joshua, as Israel takes possession of the Promised Land.
The passage before us today is not a dry, dusty record of ancient property lines. It is a profound theological statement about the nature of God's promises, the basis of our security, and the structure of His kingdom. It is a declaration that God is not an absentee landlord. He is intimately involved in the affairs of His people, down to the very parcel of ground they inhabit. This is not a land grab; it is a land gift. It is not a conquest driven by human ambition; it is an inheritance received by divine command. And in this, we see a pattern that extends far beyond the geography of ancient Canaan. We see the blueprint for our own spiritual inheritance in Christ.
As we examine these verses, we must see them as a direct assault on the modern idols of autonomy and materialism. God determines the boundaries. God establishes the means of distribution. God sets the terms of the inheritance. This is His real estate project, and He is the sole developer. Our task is not to negotiate the terms, but to receive the gift with faithful obedience.
The Text
Now these are the territories which the sons of Israel inherited in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest and Joshua the son of Nun and the heads of the households of the tribes of the sons of Israel apportioned to them for an inheritance,
by the lot of their inheritance, as Yahweh commanded by the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes and the half-tribe.
For Moses had given the inheritance of the two tribes and the half-tribe beyond the Jordan; but he did not give an inheritance to the Levites among them.
For the sons of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim, and they did not give a portion to the Levites in the land, except cities to live in, with their pasture lands for their livestock and for their property.
Thus the sons of Israel did just as Yahweh had commanded Moses, and they divided the land.
(Joshua 14:1-5 LSB)
God's Appointed Stewards (v. 1)
We begin with the appointed leadership responsible for this great task:
"Now these are the territories which the sons of Israel inherited in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest and Joshua the son of Nun and the heads of thehouseholds of the tribes of the sons of Israel apportioned to them for an inheritance," (Joshua 14:1)
The first thing to notice is the word "inherited." This is not the language of conquest in the worldly sense. An inheritance is not something you seize by your own strength; it is something you receive by virtue of your relationship to the one who gives it. Israel's claim to this land was not based on their military might or moral superiority, but solely on the covenant promise of God to their father Abraham. This is grace from start to finish. They are receiving a gift that was promised centuries before they were born.
But this gift is not distributed chaotically. God establishes an orderly administration. We see a threefold leadership structure. First, Eleazar the priest. As the high priest, he represents the spiritual authority and the holiness of this task. The division of the land is not a merely secular, political act; it is an act of worship, done before the Lord. Eleazar's presence ensures that the whole process is sanctified, brought under the authority of God's law and dedicated to His purposes.
Second, we have Joshua the son of Nun. Joshua represents the civil and military authority. He is the successor to Moses, the commander who led the people in the physical conquest. His role is to ensure that God's commands are practically implemented. Here we see the biblical principle of sphere sovereignty in seed form: the priest and the governor, church and state, working in concert, each in their God-ordained role, to fulfill the command of God. They are not in conflict; they are collaborators in a holy project.
Third, we have "the heads of the households of the tribes." This is representative government. God's authority flows down through established, patriarchal lines. This is not a top-down tyranny, nor is it a democratic free-for-all. It is a covenantal community, ordered by God, where the leaders of the families participate in the administration of God's blessings. This structure provides accountability, ensuring the distribution is fair and recognized by all.
The Divine Method of Distribution (v. 2)
Next, the text specifies the method by which the land was divided, a method that removes all hint of human favoritism or political maneuvering.
"by the lot of their inheritance, as Yahweh commanded by the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes and the half-tribe." (Joshua 14:2 LSB)
The inheritance was distributed "by lot." In our modern, secular mindset, casting lots sounds like a game of chance, like rolling dice. But in the biblical worldview, the lot is an instrument of divine providence. Proverbs 16:33 tells us, "The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from Yahweh." Casting the lot was a way of submitting the decision directly to God, bypassing human arguments, ambition, and strife. It was a tangible act of faith, a confession that God knows best where each tribe should be settled.
This method was not an innovation by Joshua. It was done "as Yahweh commanded by the hand of Moses" (Numbers 26:55-56). This is a crucial point. Joshua and Eleazar are not making this up as they go. They are acting in strict obedience to a prior command. The entire legitimacy of this process rests on its faithfulness to the revealed Word of God given through Moses. This establishes a fundamental principle for all of God's people: our actions are righteous not when they seem pragmatic or clever to us, but when they conform to the commands of God.
The text specifies this is for the "nine tribes and the half-tribe," which immediately raises the question of the others. The stage is being set for the exceptions, which are just as instructive as the rule.
The Exceptions That Prove the Rule (v. 3-4)
The next verses explain the tribes that are not included in this particular lottery, and the reasons are deeply theological.
"For Moses had given the inheritance of the two tribes and the half-tribe beyond the Jordan; but he did not give an inheritance to the Levites among them. For the sons of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim, and they did not give a portion to the Levites in the land, except cities to live in, with their pasture lands for their livestock and for their property." (Joshua 14:3-4 LSB)
First, we are reminded of the two and a half tribes, Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, who had already received their inheritance on the east side of the Jordan. They saw that the land was good for grazing, and they asked for it. Moses granted their request, but with the strict condition that they first cross over and fight with their brothers until the whole land was subdued. Their inheritance was settled, but their covenant duty remained. This teaches us that receiving God's blessing does not absolve us of our responsibility to the wider body of Christ.
The second, and more significant, exception is the tribe of Levi. "He did not give an inheritance to the Levites among them." This was not a punishment, but a high privilege. Why did they receive no land? Because, as God had declared, "I am your portion and your inheritance" (Numbers 18:20). Their inheritance was not a plot of dirt; their inheritance was Yahweh Himself. They were set apart for the service of the tabernacle and the ministry of the Word. Their needs were to be met by the tithes of the other tribes. They were not to be distracted by agricultural concerns, but were to devote themselves to the worship and instruction of God's people.
This is a stunning principle. It establishes that the greatest inheritance is not material, but spiritual. The Levites were landless so that they could possess God in a unique way. This prefigures the New Covenant reality. All believers in Christ are a "royal priesthood" (1 Peter 2:9). Our ultimate inheritance is not in this world, but is Christ Himself. We are called to "seek first the kingdom of God," knowing that all our material needs will be met. The Levites are a living parable of this truth.
Verse 4 also contains a piece of covenantal arithmetic. How do you have twelve tribes receiving land if Levi is excluded? The answer is that the tribe of Joseph was split into two, for his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. Jacob had adopted them as his own, giving Joseph a double portion (Genesis 48). So Levi is taken out for sacred service, and Joseph is doubled to keep the number of landed tribes at twelve. This is not a coincidence. It is a demonstration of God's meticulous, sovereign ordering of His people according to His ancient promises.
The Obedient Conclusion (v. 5)
The section concludes with a simple, powerful summary of Israel's faithfulness.
"Thus the sons of Israel did just as Yahweh had commanded Moses, and they divided the land." (Joshua 14:5 LSB)
This is the capstone of the entire passage. The glory of Israel here was not in their ingenuity or their strength, but in their simple obedience. They did "just as Yahweh had commanded Moses." They followed the blueprint. They submitted to the divine authority, the divine method, and the divine exceptions. And because they obeyed, the land was successfully divided. The promise began to take tangible, geographical form.
This is a profound lesson for the church today. We are constantly tempted to innovate, to be relevant, to adjust God's commands to fit the spirit of the age. We think we can improve on the divine blueprint for worship, for family, for church government. But this verse reminds us that true success, true blessing, is found in fidelity. Our task is not to be creative, but to be obedient. When we do just as the Lord has commanded, the inheritance is secured.
Our Inheritance in Christ
So what does this ancient account of land distribution have to do with us? Everything. The land of Canaan was always a type, a shadow, of a greater reality. It was a down payment on a greater inheritance.
The New Testament makes it clear that our inheritance is not a piece of real estate in the Middle East, but is "imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you" (1 Peter 1:4). Our inheritance is the entire new heavens and new earth. As Paul says, quoting the Old Testament, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him" (1 Corinthians 2:9).
And who are the stewards of this new covenant inheritance? Our great High Priest is Jesus, the true and better Eleazar. Our victorious King is Jesus, the true and better Joshua, whose name is the same. He is the one who conquered sin, death, and the devil, and who now apportions the spoils to His people. He distributes spiritual gifts "by lot," as it were, according to the sovereign will of His Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:11), giving to each member of His body a role and a place in His kingdom.
And like the Levites, our primary inheritance is not the gifts, but the Giver. He Himself is our portion. To know Him, to be in Him, is eternal life. This is the glorious inheritance that was secured for us not by our own obedience, but by His perfect obedience. He did "just as Yahweh had commanded," fulfilling the whole law, and by His faithfulness, He secured for us a place in the eternal promised land.
Therefore, we are called to walk in the same pattern of faith and obedience. We are to submit to the leadership Christ has established in His church. We are to receive gratefully the gifts and callings He has assigned to us. And we are to do all things "just as the Lord has commanded" in His Word, knowing that as we do, we are not just earning a reward, but are actively walking in, and taking possession of, the glorious inheritance that is already ours in Him.