For nearly seven years after the Is'ra-el-ites entered the land of Ca'naan under the leadership of Josh'u-a they were engaged in unceasing war. Several invasions were made in various parts of the land, and the whole country was subdued. The Is'ra-el-ites had succeeded in breaking the power of all the idolatrous nations which formerly occupied the land of Ca'naan.
Before the death of Mo'ses the Mo'ab-ites, Am'mon-ites, and Am'o-rites had been routed from their lands east of the Jor'dan, and this territory had been given to the tribes of Reu'ben and Gad, and to half of the tribe of Ma'nas-seh.
In the southern section of Ca'naan west of the Jor'dan the Am'a-lek-ites, Ke'nites, and E'dom-ites had been overcome by Josh'u-a, and their lands were allotted to the tribes of Ju'dah and Sim'e-on.
In the mountainous central regions west of the Jor'dan the combined forces of Is'ra-el had completely defeated the Hi'vites, Ca'naan-ites, Hit'tites, Per'iz-zites, and Je'bu-sites, and their lands were assigned to the tribes of Ben'ja-min and E'phra-im, and to the other half of the tribe of Ma'nas-seh.
The northern section of the land west of the Jor'dan was taken from the Am'or-ites, Ca'naan-ites, and Gir'ga-shites, and their lands were given to the tribes od Is'sa-char, Zeb'u-lun, and Naph'ta-li.
The Med'i-ter-ra'ne-an coastal region had been occupied by the Phi-lis'tines, Ca'naan-ites, and Zi'don-ians, but these strong nations had been subdued by Josh'u-a. The lands in this district were assigned to the tribe of Ash'er on the northwest, to the tribe of Dan in the west central part of the land, and parts of these grants were added to the territory of E'phra-im and Ma'nas-seh.
Within the territories taken from all these heathen nations there remained many towns and settlements which were not conquered in the general war led by Josh'u-a. Although Josh'u-a was nearly one hundred years old, and his strength was failing, he felt it his duty to go on with the conflict until every city was won and no land was left unpossessed by Is'ra-el.
But the LORD directed him to bring to a close the general war, and to divide the land west of the Jor'dan among the nine tribes of Is'ra-el which had not yet received their allotments, and to provide for the other half of the tribe of Ma'nas-seh. The conquest of the cities and lands which were still unsubdued was to be placed in the hands of the various tribes in whose territory they were situated.
