else they could not be said to be driven out before them; if afterwards, Israel, through sloth, or cowardice, or affection to these idolaters, sit still and let them alone, they must blame themselves, and not God, if they be not driven out. We must work out our salvation, and then God will work in us, and work with us; we must resist our spiritual enemies, and then God will tread them under our feet; we must go forth to our christian work and warfare, and then God will go forth before us.
7. Now therefore divide this land for an inheritance unto the nine tribes and the half tribe of Manasseh, 8. With whom the Reubenites and the Gadites have received their inheritance, which Moses gave them, beyond Jordan eastward, even as Moses the servant of the Lord gave them; 9. From Aroer, that is upon the bank of the river Arnon, and the city that is in the midst of the river, and all the plain of Medeba unto Dibon; 10. And all the cities of Sihon king of the Amorites, which reigned in Heshbon, unto the border of the children of Ammon; 11. And Gilead, and the border of the Geshurites and Maachathites, and all mount Hermon, and all Bashan unto Salcah; 12. All the kingdom of Og in Bashan, which reigned in Ashtaroth and in Edrei, who remained of the remnant of the giants: for these did Moses smite, and cast them out. 13. Nevertheless the children of Israel expelled not the Geshurites, nor the Maachathites; but the Geshurites and the Maachathites dwell among the Israelites until this day. 14. Only unto the tribe of Levi he gave none inheritance; the sacrifices of the Lord God of Israel made by fire are their inheritance, as he said unto them. 15. And Moses gave unto the tribe of the children of Reuben inheritance according to their families: 16. And their coast was from Aroer, that is on the bank of the river Arnon, and the city that is in the midst of the river, and all the plain by Medeba; 17. Heshbon, and all her cities that are in the plain; Dibon, and Bamoth-baal, and Beth-baal-meon, 18. And Jahaza, and Kedemoth, and Mephaath, 19. And Kirjathaim, and Sibmah, and Zareth-shahar in the mount of the valley, 20. And Beth-peor, and Ashdoth-pisgah, and Beth-jeshimoth, 21. And all the cities of the plain, and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, which reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses smote with the princes of Midian, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, which were dukes of Sihon, dwelling in the country. 22. Baalam also the son of Beor, the soothsayer, did the children of Israel slay with the sword among them that were slain by them. 23. And the border of the children of Reuben was Jordan, and the border thereof. This was the inheritance of the childien of Reuben after their families, the cities and villages thereof. 24. And Moses gave inheritance unto the tribe of Gad, even unto the children of Gad, according to their families: 25. And their coast was Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the children of Ammon, unto Aroer that is before Rabbah; 26. And from Heshbon unto Ramath-mizpeh, and Betonim; and from Mahanaim unto the border of Debir; 27. And in the valley, Beth-aram, and Beth-nimrah, and Succoth, and Zaphon, the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon, Jordan and his border, even unto the edge of the sea of Chinneroth, on the other side Jordan eastward. 28. This is the inheritance of the children of Gad after their families, the cities, and their villages. 29. And Moses gave inheritance unto the half tribe of Manasseh: and this was the possession of the half tribe of the children of Manasseh by their families. 30. And their coast was from Mahanaim, all Bashan, all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, and all the towns of Jair, which are in Bashan, threescore cities; 31. And half Gilead, and Ashteroth, and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan, were pertaining unto the children of Machir the son of Manasseh, even to the one half of the children of Machir by their families. 32. These are the countries which Moses did distribute for inheritance in the plains of Moab, on the other side Jordan, by Jericho, eastward. 33. But unto the tribe of Levi, Moses gave not any inheritance: the Lord God of Israel was their inheritance, as he said unto them.
Here we have,
I. Orders given to Joshua to assign to each tribe its portion of this land, including that which was yet unsubdued, which must be brought into the lot, in a believing confidence that it should be conquered when Israel was multiplied, so as to have occasion for it, v. 7, Now divide this land. Joshua thought all must be conquered, before any must be divided: "No," said God, "there is as much conquered as will serve your turn for the present, divide that, and make your best of it, and wait for the remainder hereafter." Note, We must take the comfort of what we have, though we cannot compass all we would have. Observe,
1. The land must be divided among the several tribes, and they must always live in common, as now they did. Which way soever a just property is acquired, it is the will of that God who has given the earth to the children of men, that there should be such a thing, and that every man should know his own, and not invade that which is another's. The world must be governed, not by force, but right, by the law of equity, not of arms.
2. That it must be divided for an inheritance, though they got it by conquest. (1.) The promise
Vol. ii.—I
