Joshua 12-13

Joshua 12

The chapter briefly summarizes the places that the Israelites conquered, beginning with the two kingdoms on the east of the Jordan and ending with a list of all the cities they took. Jericho, Ai, Jerusalem, and Bethel (remember from Jacob) are on the list.

Joshua 13

Joshua is getting too old to fight anymore, so there remains more to be conquered. Importantly, their nemesis the Philistines remain, whose kingdom covers such areas as Gath (of Goliath fame), Gaza, and down to the Egyptian border.

The rest of the chapter covers the specific cities that the tribes of Reuban, Gad, and half of Manassah get on the east of the Jordan.

These land demarcations are intended to have lasting consequence. These are the official land demarcations that are to be reinstated every 50 years, regardless of land rentals and people migrations.