The second main section of the book (Joshua 13:1 – 21:45) has a slower pace than the first (Joshua 1:1 – 12:24) and it is dominated by various lists. The emphasis falls on God as the great landowner who controls the land of Canaan and gives it to whom he wishes. The lists themselves show the importance of documenting each tribe’s inheritance and thereby demonstrating God’s faithfulness to his promises.1
Chapters 13-21 concern the distribution of the land to the twelve tribes of Israel. This distribution follows a very particular order. First the land is given to the tribes living on the east of the Jordan (Joshua 13:8–33) and then the lands to the west of the Jordan (Joshua 14:1 – 19:51). For this western distribution, Caleb receives his inheritance first in view of his faithfulness to God (Joshua 14:1–15). After him the tribes of Judah and Joseph (Joshua 15:1 – 17:18) receive theirs due to their size and prominence. The rest of the tribes are then covered (Joshua 18:1 – 19:51) followed by cities of refuge (Joshua 20:1–9) and the Levitical cities (Joshua 21:1–45).
1 Now Joshua was old and advanced in years, and the LORD said to him, “You are old and advanced in years, and there remains yet very much land to possess.