Joshua 19:43

About fifty years after Israel entered Canaan under Joshua, the Philistines moved into the southern coastal plain and took over the cities of Timnah and Ekron (Judges 14:1–2; 1 Samuel 5:1–10). The Philistines were part of the Sea Peoples, who may have left the Greek mainland and islands because of a northern invasion. The Sea Peoples also invaded and destroyed the Hittite Empire north of Israel. Some scholars believe that Homer’s Iliad reflects this movement.

The original allotment given to the tribe of Dan lay west of Judah and southwest of Ephraim’s main territory, between Judah and Philistia.

The five small remaining tribes received land on the edges of Israelite territory and had little influence on the nation.

• The allotment of land to the tribes on the west side of the Jordan describes what God intended for each tribe to possess.

• The one narrating the story begins this section with Caleb receiving land and ends with Joshua receiving land (14:6–15; 19:49–51). Only Caleb and Joshua had shown faith in God that Israel could conquer the land (Numbers 13:30; 14:6–9).

• As he had promised, God brought Israel into the land. Joshua then focused on dividing the land among Israel's tribes.

• The tribal allowances made the covenant of the Israelites with God real. It showed the fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Since God owned the land, giving it to the tribes was a gift. God gave them the land to live in and guided its distribution.

• In these lists of tribal allowances, the author describes some borders in great detail, allowing them to be mapped. With others, they are less plainly defined.