Joshua 19:49 - Meaning and Application

Before this account of the land division is finally closed, the last verse shows that everything was done to everyone’s satisfaction. Here we are told about the special inheritance given to Joshua.

1. Joshua received his share last, even though he was the oldest and greatest man in Israel. He had led the conquest of Canaan, so he might have claimed the first and best settlement for himself and his family. Instead, he showed that he was seeking his country’s good, not his own private advantage. He was content to remain unsettled until everyone else was provided for. This is a strong example for all who hold public office: they should put the common good before personal comfort. Let the public be served first.

2. Joshua’s lot came according to the word of the Lord. It is likely that when God told Moses what inheritance Caleb would receive (Joshua 14:9), he also made a similar promise to Joshua. Joshua likely kept that promise in mind when he chose his portion. That made his inheritance doubly pleasant, because he received it not just through ordinary providence, but through a special promise from God.

3. He chose land in Mount Ephraim, the territory of his own tribe. In doing so, he placed himself among his own people, even though he could have used his rank to choose land in another tribe, perhaps Judah. He did not set himself apart from his family or country. No one should let promotion or honor make them ashamed of where they come from, or pull them away from it. The tabernacle, the sacred tent where Israel worshiped, was set up in Ephraim’s territory, and Joshua would naturally want to be near it.

4. The people of Israel are said to have given him this city (Joshua 19:49). That shows his humility, because he would not take it for himself without the people’s consent and approval. Though he was greater than any one person, he still regarded himself as less than the whole community. Even his family estate, under God, he would hold by the people’s grant.

5. This was a city that had to be built before it could be lived in. While others lived in houses they did not build, Joshua had to build his own. In this, he became a pattern of diligence and contentment with simple things. He had to raise whatever buildings he could quickly, without trying for elegance or splendor. Our Lord Jesus did something similar when he came and lived among us, not in greatness but in poverty. He gave rest to us, yet he had no place to lay his head. Even Christ did not please himself.