This is the Bible Book Club, and we're in the book of Joshua.

Welcome to the club.

When last we left you in chapters 18 and 19, the Israelites had conquered, but not yet, claimed the land.

So after all those years of hanging out together in tents, perhaps the thought of separating

made them a little uneasy, Joshua, though, was not having it. And he told them to get a plan.

So they divided up the land and for the remaining seven tribes. Then, after all the tribes had

received their inheritance, Joshua received his inheritance.

It was a sweet little moment and a special allotment of land as Caleb had the same.

The two spies, as you'll remember, who went and spied out the land and the only two that were allowed to actually enter the promised land.

So Joshua's long-term commitment to the mission and his patient, humble care for the

people before himself, it's a great example of first in, last out leadership. And that was my

personal Bible bender of last episode. Oh, good. Good. Well, with the land allocated to the

tribes, there are just two land provisions left to make. One for those accused of murder, I know that

sounds weird, and one for the Levites. For those accused of murder, God had given Moses special

instructions for cities of refuge, starting in chapter 20. Then the Lord said to Joshua,

tell the Israelites to designate the

cities of refuge as I instructed you through Moses, so that anyone who kills a person accidentally

and unintentionally may flee there and find protection from the Avenger of Blood. When they flee to

one of those cities, they are to stand in the entrance of the city gate and state their case

before the elders of that city.

Then the elders are to admit the fugitive into their city and provide a place to live among them.

If the Avenger of Blood comes in pursuit, the elders must not surrender the fugitive because the fugitive killed their neighbor unintentionally and without malice of forethought.

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