454
Patriarchs and Prophets
But though the power of the Canaanites had been broken, they had
not been fully dispossessed. On the west the Philistines still held a
fertile plain along the seacoast, while north of them was the territory
of the Sidonians. Lebanon also was in the possession of the latter
people; and to the south, toward Egypt, the land was still occupied by
the enemies of Israel.
Joshua was not, however, to continue the war. There was another
work for the great leader to perform before he should relinquish the
command of Israel. The whole land, both the parts already conquered
and that which was yet unsubdued, was to be apportioned among
the tribes. And it was the duty of each tribe to fully subdue its own
inheritance. If the people should prove faithful to God, He would drive
out their enemies from before them; and He promised to give them
still greater possessions if they would but be true to His covenant.
To Joshua, with Eleazar the high priest, and the heads of the tribes,
the distribution of the land was committed, the location of each tribe
being determined by lot. Moses himself had fixed the bounds of the
country as it was to be divided among the tribes when they should
come in possession of Canaan, and had appointed a prince from each
tribe to attend to the distribution. The tribe of Levi, being devoted to
the sanctuary service, was not counted in this allotment; but forty-eight
cities in different parts of the country were assigned the Levites as
their inheritance.
Before the distribution of the land had been entered upon, Caleb,
accompanied by the heads of his tribe, came forward with a special
claim. Except Joshua, Caleb was now the oldest man in Israel. Caleb
and Joshua were the only ones among the spies who had brought a
good report of the Land of Promise, encouraging the people to go up
and possess it in the name of the Lord. Caleb now reminded Joshua
of the promise then made, as the reward of his faithfulness: “The
land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy
children’s forever, because thou hast wholly followed the Lord.” He
therefore presented a request that Hebron be given him for a possession.
Here had been for many years the home of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob;
and here, in the cave of Machpelah, they were buried. Hebron was
[512]
the seat of the dreaded Anakim, whose formidable appearance had
so terrified the spies, and through them destroyed the courage of all