Judah is the first of the tribes to receive their allotment on the west side of the Jordan, being the largest, most populous among the tribes. This also means that Judah received the most significant portion of the land to accommodate their numbers. The Bible Knowledge Commentary points out that Jacob's prophecy in his blessing to Judah comes true in this allotment: they are hemmed in by in by enemies: Philistines to the west, Amalekites in the southwest, Moabites on the east, and Edom on the south. Except for Simeon, who receives some of the cities allotted to them, Judah is the southernmost tribe in Israel and therefore is most responsible for facing these foes. By their numbers and might, most of the cities they take with great success. Note the last verse, however: they are unable to dislodge the Jebusites from Jerusalem. This does not bode well for Israel's occupation in that a people whom the Lord forbid to live among them remains. It is also significant for the city that they hold: we all know the significance Jerusalem will come to take in Israel's history.
Tomorrow's Reading: Joshua 16:1-18:10
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