Territory of Issachar
17 The fourth lot [j]fell to Issachar, to the sons of Issachar according to their families. 18 Their territory was to Jezreel and included Chesulloth and Shunem, 19 and Hapharaim and Shion and Anaharath, 20 and Rabbith and Kishion and Ebez, 21 and Remeth and En-gannim and En-haddah and Beth-pazzez. 22 The border reached to Tabor and Shahazumah and Beth-shemesh, and [k]their border ended at the Jordan; sixteen cities with their villages. 23 This was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Issachar according to their families, the cities with their villages.
Territory of Asher
24 Now the fifth lot [l]fell to the tribe of the sons of Asher according to their families. 25 Their territory was Helkath and Hali and Beten and Achshaph, 26 and Allammelech and Amad and Mishal; and it reached to Carmel on the west and to Shihor-libnath. 27 It turned toward the [m]east to Beth-dagon and reached to Zebulun, and to the valley of Iphtahel northward to Beth-emek and Neiel; then it proceeded on [n]north to Cabul, 28 and Ebron and Rehob and Hammon and Kanah, as far as Great Sidon. 29 The border turned to Ramah and to the fortified city of Tyre; then the border turned to Hosah, and [o]it ended at the sea by the region of Achzib. 30 Included also were Ummah, and Aphek and Rehob; twenty-two cities with their villages. 31 This was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Asher according to their families, these cities with their villages.
Territory of Naphtali
32 The sixth lot [p]fell to the sons of Naphtali; to the sons of Naphtali according to their families. 33 Their border was from Heleph, from the oak in Zaanannim and Adami-nekeb and Jabneel, as far as Lakkum, and [q]it ended at the Jordan. 34 Then the border turned westward to Aznoth-tabor and proceeded from there to Hukkok; and it reached to Zebulun on the south and [r]touched Asher on the west, and to Judah at the Jordan toward the [s]east. 35 The fortified cities were Ziddim, Zer and Hammath, Rakkath and Chinnereth, 36 and Adamah and Ramah and Hazor, 37 and Kedesh and Edrei and En-hazor, 38 and Yiron and Migdal-el, Horem and Beth-anath and Beth-shemesh; nineteen cities with their villages. 39 This was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Naphtali according to their families, the cities with their villages.
Territory of Dan
40 The seventh lot [t]fell to the tribe of the sons of Dan according to their families. 41 The territory of their inheritance was Zorah and Eshtaol and Ir-shemesh, 42 and Shaalabbin and Aijalon and Ithlah, 43 and Elon and Timnah and Ekron, 44 and Eltekeh and Gibbethon and Baalath, 45 and Jehud and Bene-berak and Gath-rimmon, 46 and Me-jarkon and Rakkon, with the territory over against [u]Joppa. 47 The territory of the sons of Dan proceeded [v]beyond them; for the sons of Dan went up and fought with Leshem and captured it. Then they struck it with the edge of the sword and possessed it and [w]settled in it; and they called [x]Leshem Dan after the name of Dan their father. 48 This was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Dan according to their families, these cities with their villages.
49 When they finished apportioning the land for inheritance by its borders, the sons of Israel gave an inheritance in their midst to Joshua the son of Nun. 50 In accordance with the [y]command of the Lord they gave him the city for which he asked, Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim. So he built the city and [z]settled in it.
51 These are the inheritances which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the [aa]households of the tribes of the sons of Israel distributed by lot in Shiloh before the Lord at the doorway of the tent of meeting. So they finished dividing the land.
The section regarding the tribe of Dan deviates slightly from the rote pattern of the previous tribes, and goes on to explain a special city that they re-named after their forefather Dan.
The recording of all these things may seem a bit dull (it certainly doesn’t strike the imagination for those unfamiliar with these locations), but it was very important to the tribes of Israel. For starters, this land was an inheritance, a gift from God, and an inheritance they would pass on to their children.
Also, they fought for this land, with their own blood, and sometimes their own lives. God gave them the land, gave them the ability to conquer it, but it would not be their own unless they actually went and did the conquering. To be sure, there were many cases where God would give them an “unfair” advantage, but without their blood, sweat, and tears, the land would remain inhabited by others.
God gives us gifts and blessings, but without action, they don’t accomplish much. But when we take up the mantle He has placed on our lives, then we can accomplish that which He has planned for us in advance. And it is indeed amazing to think that God had a plan in mind when He made each of us. Find your gift, your calling, and chase after it!