Dividing the land

[Tom Tighe]

I have to really trudge through the division of the land because its a list of geographical references that not only am I not familiar with, but don't exist today. The good news is that a picture is worth a thousand words.

[Tom Tighe]

Its interesting to me that the land was divided among 12 tribes. Reuben, the first born, lost his inheritance rights, but still got a chunk of land. Joseph got 2 (really, kind of 3) pieces with Manasseh and Ephraim. That brings us to 13, but the Levites did not get any territory so back to 12.

Also note that Simeon is completely surrounded by Judah. As we continue to read you may notice Simeon is hardly mentioned, then not mentioned at all. It seems to me that Judah absorbs them, or at lease their land.