Everybody, what is going on? You know what time it is. You're listening to Join the Journey podcast with your host, Emma Daughter.

Thanks for joining. Today, we're reading Joshua 13, talking all about the idea of inheritance. And special thanks to our Join the Journey summer intern, Michaela Swink, who helped out a ton with the writing of today's episode script. First off,

what is an inheritance? Why do these tribes receive land inheritances and what does it mean? This

chapter of Joshua highlights an important characteristic of God, that he is faithful to his

covenant with his people and is specific in the manner in which he fulfills it. He promised to Joshua and

Joshua 1-2 and his forefathers before that that he would give them the land, a specific new home,

and he will keep his promise. However, before they fully acquired the land, the tribes of Rubin

and Gad and the half-tribed of Manasseh had already chosen the land they wanted.

In newsflash, the land they wanted was outside of the area God had originally designated to them.

The two and one half-tribes mentioned here, Ruben, Gad, and Manasseh, chose their land based on the way it looked.

Every other tribe settled on the west bank of the Jordan River, which was the

land the Lord had promised Israel, but these tribes chose the land east of the Jordan. They'd help

conquer the land they were supposed to have, but they did not want to live in it. They didn't want to

live in the promised land. Similarly to Lot, back in Genesis 13, they saw the appearance of the land

and it pleased them because it was suitable for livestock, number 32, and so they chose it and settled

there without thinking twice. At first, they are blessed and the Lord grants them success in their

endeavors. But eventually, they fade from the record while the other tribes continue to be

strong. And by that, I mean, at a certain point, no one really talks about these tribes anymore.

The accounts of them throughout the scriptures slowly start to taper off. They'd forsaken the Lord,

which eventually proves to be a poor decision, and in First Chronicles 526, the consequences of their decisions ultimately proved true when they were uniquely taken captive by the Assyrians.

Now let's switch gears. On the other hand, the Levites did not request a specific portion and instead received an even better prize.

God himself, one could say. Or really,

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