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The "Promised Land," also described in the Holy Bible (1) as the "land flowing with milk and honey," is the territory (Canaan) promised by the LORD to Abraham (Genesis 12:1-7, Genesis 15:1-20) and his descendants. This sworn oath was subsequently reaffirmed by the LORD with Abraham's son, Isaac (Genesis 26:1-6), and again with Abraham's grandson, Jacob (Genesis 28:10-15). This promise, also referred to as a "Covenant" (2), is fulfilled in Deuteronomy 1:8.

Before the Israelites, Deuteronomy 7:1 tells us that Canaan was inhabited by seven regional ethnic divisions or nations- the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites (see also Genesis 10:15-19). Many (but not all) were driven out by the Israelites following their departure from Egypt, which begins in Exodus 12:31-42. The Exodus narrative runs through the books of Exodus (3), Leviticus (4), Numbers (5), and Deuteronomy (6), with the Israelites finally entering Canaan in the book of Joshua (7).
 

WHERE IS THIS "PROMISED LAND" IN THE BIBLE?

In Genesis 15:18-21, we read of the Covenant as well as the geographical boundaries: "On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram and said, 'To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates— the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites.'"

The borders are also mentioned in Exodus 23:31, as the LORD said to Moses, "I will establish your borders from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, and from the desert to the Euphrates River."

The borders are outlined in Numbers 34:1-12 and Ezekiel 47:13-23 (see map), as the LORD said to Moses, “Command the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter Canaan, the land that will be allotted to you as an inheritance is to have these boundaries:

SOUTHERN: “‘Your southern side will include some of the Desert of Zin along the border of Edom. Your southern boundary will start in the east from the southern end of the Dead Sea, cross south of Scorpion Pass, continue on to Zin and go south of Kadesh Barnea. Then it will go to Hazar Addar and over to Azmon, where it will turn, join the Wadi of Egypt and end at the Mediterranean Sea.

WESTERN: “‘Your western boundary will be the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. This will be your boundary on the west.

NORTHERN: “‘For your northern boundary, run a line from the Mediterranean Sea to Mount Hor and from Mount Hor to Lebo Hamath. Then the boundary will go to Zedad, continue to Ziphron and end at Hazar Enan. This will be your boundary on the north.

EASTERN: “‘For your eastern boundary, run a line from Hazar Enan to Shepham. The boundary will go down from Shepham to Riblah on the east side of Ain and continue along the slopes east of the Sea of Galilee. Then the boundary will go down along the Jordan and end at the Dead Sea.

“‘This will be your land, with its boundaries on every side.’”

WHERE IS THE PROMISED LAND IN TODAY'S WORLD?

According to Genesis 15:18 and Joshua 1:4, the land God gave to Israel included everything from the Nile River in Egypt to Lebanon (south to north) and everything from the Mediterranean Sea to the Euphrates River (west to east). So, what land has God stated belongs to Israel? All of the land modern Israel currently possesses, plus all of the land of the Palestinians (the West Bank and Gaza), plus some of Egypt and Syria, plus all of Jordan, plus some of Saudi Arabia and Iraq. Israel currently possesses only a fraction of the land God has promised.

Source: https://www.gotquestions.org/Israel-land.html

HOW WILL THE PROMISED LAND BE "DIVVIED UP"?

In Numbers 26:52-56, the Lord said to Moses, “The land is to be allotted to them as an inheritance based on the number of names. To a larger group give a larger inheritance, and to a smaller group a smaller one; each is to receive its inheritance according to the number of those listed. Be sure that the land is distributed by lot. What each group inherits will be according to the names for its ancestral tribe. Each inheritance is to be distributed by lot among the larger and smaller groups.”

Numbers 32 tells us that, prior to Canaan being taken, the Tribe of Reuben and the Tribe of Gad saw that land east of the Jordan River was appealing (this was outside the Promised Land). They asked to be given that territory in lieu of settling across the Jordan in Canaan with the other Tribes. The Bible verses below disclose this modification of land distribution.

In Numbers 34:13-15, Moses commanded the Israelites: “Assign this land by lot as an inheritance. The Lord has ordered that it be given to the nine and a half tribes, because the families of the tribe of Reuben, the tribe of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance. These two and a half tribes have received their inheritance east of the Jordan across from Jericho, toward the sunrise” (see Numbers 32 reference). Additional references for how the land west of the Jordan was to be divided can be explored in Joshua 14:1-5,  Ezekiel 47:13-14, 21-23, and Ezekiel 48:1-29.

Numbers 34:16-18, 29 discloses how leaders for each Tribe were appointed to assist in the assignment of the land. Their names are listed below:

MOSES BLESSES THE TRIBES, DIES & IS BURIED BY THE LORD

Deuteronomy 32:48-52 covers the Lord telling Moses to go up onto Mount Nebo and view Canaan- the land He was giving the Israelites as their own possession- from afar. The Lord tells Moses he will die on that mountain without entering the Promised Land due to his disobedience (Numbers 20:1-13). Moses later blesses the Twelve Tribes (Deuteronomy 33) before their entrance into Canaan. In Deuteronomy 34,  Moses climbs Mount Nebo, where the Lord shows him the whole Promised Land. He then died and was buried in Moab by the Lord. Leadership of the Israelites was then transferred into the Spirit-filled servant of God, Joshua (Joshua 1).

HOW CANAAN WAS ALLOTTED TO THE TRIBES

Joshua 13:8-20:9 tells us how the land east of the Jordan was divided between the Twelve Tribes of Israel. As shared earlier, there are different conclusions reached as to how the Twelve Tribes of Israel are identified. Please explore the two charts and accompanying narrative provided earlier.

Chart One (see earlier) of the Twelve Tribes of Israel indicates that the descendants of Levi were not included (Joshua 13:14) in the distribution. Instead, God placed the Levites in charge of the priestly duties of the Tabernacle of the Covenant Law (Numbers 1:47-53, Numbers 18). Great detail, outlining how the Levites were given "towns to live in, with pasturelands for their livestock," is laid out in Joshua 21:1-45.

Additionally, Joseph's inheritance was a "double portion," which his father, Israel, allotted to him before dying (Genesis 48:21-22). Normally, the double portion inheritance was given to the first born son which, in this family's case, would have been Reuben (first born son of Israel's first wife, Leah). However, Reuben's sins caused his inheritance to be forfeited (Genesis 35:22, 49:3-4), so it was passed onto Joseph (first born son of Israel's second wife, Rachel).

FOOTNOTES

(1) https://www.downriverdisciples.com/the-good-news

(2) https://www.downriverdisciples.com/covenants

(3) https://www.downriverdisciples.com/exodus

(4) https://www.downriverdisciples.com/leviticus

(5) https://www.downriverdisciples.com/numbers

(6) https://www.downriverdisciples.com/deuteronomy

(7) https://www.downriverdisciples.com/joshua