The Long War and the Division of the Land: From Conquest to Inheritance

Bible Believing Christian
Oct 3
4 min read

The Long War and the Division of the Land: From Conquest to Inheritance

The early chapters of Joshua pulse with battle scenes, miracles, and dramatic victories. But tucked between the fall of Hazor and the farewell speeches of Joshua lies a quieter, slower narrative: the long war and the division of the land. This section (Joshua 11:18–21) is easy to skim over, yet it contains the very heart of the book: God’s promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are at last coming true. The land is not just conquered—it is distributed as inheritance. What began centuries before is now being fulfilled, tribe by tribe, border by border.

Biblical Foundation

Joshua 11:18–20 (NASB):“Joshua waged war a long time with all these kings. There was not a city that made peace with the sons of Israel except the Hivites living in Gibeon; they took them all in battle. For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts, to meet Israel in battle in order that he might utterly destroy them, so that they would receive no mercy, but that he would destroy them, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.”

Joshua 13:1 (NASB):“Now Joshua was old and advanced in years when the Lord said to him, ‘You are old and advanced in years, and very much of the land remains to be possessed.’”

Joshua 21:43–45 (NASB):“So the Lord gave Israel all the land which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they took possession of it and lived in it. And the Lord gave them rest on every side, in accordance with everything that He had sworn to their fathers, and no one of all their enemies stood before them; the Lord handed all their enemies over to them. Not one of the good promises which the Lord had made to the house of Israel failed; everything came to pass.”

Historical & Contextual Notes

The Long War: The conquest wasn’t overnight. Archaeological evidence and the biblical text agree—it took years, perhaps decades, to subdue the land. God’s victory was sure, but His timing was deliberate.

Tribal Inheritances: The land was divided by lot, ensuring fairness and divine sovereignty (Joshua 14:2). Each tribe received its inheritance, though not all drove out the Canaanites completely (a seedbed for future problems, especially in Judges).

Cities of Refuge (Joshua 20): These six cities symbolized both justice and mercy. A person guilty of accidental manslaughter could flee there until trial, pointing forward to Christ as our ultimate refuge.

Levites’ Portion (Joshua 21): Unlike other tribes, the Levites received no territory. Their inheritance was the Lord Himself, and they were scattered throughout Israel to teach and serve.

Misconceptions / Objections

“Was the conquest total?” Some skeptics point out that Canaanites remained in the land. But the Bible itself acknowledges this. Joshua’s victories broke Canaan’s military backbone, yet God left pockets of resistance to test Israel’s faithfulness (Judges 2:21–23). The goal was covenant faithfulness, not instant extermination.

“Why so much detail on boundaries?” Modern readers often skip the boundary lists. But for Israel, this was the climax: the abstract promise became concrete reality. Every boundary line was a testimony of God’s faithfulness.

Theological Reflection

God’s Timing: Joshua’s long war reminds us that God’s promises are sure but not always immediate. He works patiently, training His people through endurance.

God’s Faithfulness: The conclusion in Joshua 21 is one of the most powerful summaries in Scripture: “Not one of the good promises… failed.” No matter how many battles, setbacks, or years it took, God delivered.

God’s Justice and Mercy: Cities of refuge remind us that even in conquest, God made provision for grace. The Levites’ unique inheritance reminds us that devotion to God outweighs material possession.

Connection to Christ

Christ Our Inheritance: Just as the tribes received their allotment, believers receive an inheritance in Christ—“an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:4).

Christ Our Refuge: The cities of refuge foreshadow Jesus. Hebrews 6:18 says, “We who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to hold firmly to the hope set before us.”

Christ Our Rest: Joshua gave Israel rest from war, but Christ gives eternal rest: “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

Christ-Centered Conclusion

The long war and the division of the land are not filler material—they are the climax of God’s covenant faithfulness. Every tribe received a place, every boundary line testified that God keeps His word. And yet, the story points forward: Israel’s rest was temporary, their inheritance fragile, their obedience incomplete. Only in Christ do we find the true inheritance, the eternal refuge, and the perfect rest that Joshua’s conquest only foreshadowed.