OliveGrove
Pressing the Word of God for Deeper Understanding.
Joshua 19:17-23

Issachar's Fourth Lot

Issachar's fourth lot receives towns and villages reaching the Jordan.

Study this passageView chapter

Joshua 19:17-23 (BSB)

17The fourth lot came out for the clans of the tribe of Issachar:

18Their territory included Jezreel, Chesulloth, Shunem,

19Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath,

20Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez,

21Remeth, En-gannim, En-haddah, and Beth-pazzez.

22The border reached Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth-shemesh, and ended at the Jordan. There were sixteen cities, along with their villages.

23This was the inheritance of the clans of the tribe of Issachar, including these cities and their villages.

What is the big idea of Joshua 19:17-23?

Issachar's fourth lot receives towns and villages reaching the Jordan.

Understanding the Big Idea

Issachar's fourth lot names towns, boundaries, and villages in its assigned region. The repeated formula continues the seven-tribe distribution without making every lot interchangeable.

How does Joshua 19:17-23 point to Christ?

Issachar's named places are part of Israel's historical land distribution. The saving news for Christians concerns Christ's death and resurrection for sins (1 Corinthians 15:3-4), received by grace through faith rather than a claim to these towns (Ephesians 2:8-10).

Authorial Intent

The fourth lot names towns and a Jordan-facing boundary for Issachar, then summarizes its sixteen cities with villages.

Questions for Reflection

  1. Which towns begin Issachar's list?
  2. Where does the border reach?
  3. What total closes the unit?
  4. How do later stories differ from this allocation report?
  5. What changes from Fourth lot and opening towns to Sixteen-city summary?
  6. How does Issachar's Fourth Lot relate to the preceding and following units?
  7. Why should do not turn familiar later place names into claims made by this town catalogue.

Literary Context

Joshua 19:10-16 precedes Issachar's Fourth Lot; Joshua 19:24-31 follows it. Issachar's Fourth Lot serves Joshua’s continuing narrative.

Historical Context

The list includes Jezreel and Shunem and reaches the Jordan. The passage reports towns and villages, without dates for settlement or exact population measures.

Chapter: Joshua 19

The Remaining Tribal Allotments and Joshua’s Inheritance

The LORD assigns every tribe its portion, calling His people to receive, steward, and possess their inheritance under His presence and authority.