Father Mike Schmitz hosts day 87 of The Bible in a Year podcast, reading from Joshua chapters 19-21 and Psalm 131 using the Revised Standard Version, Second Catholic Edition. He specifically recommends The Great Adventure Bible from Ascension for its helpful maps and timeline features.

The episode covers the completion of Israel's territorial divisions, with detailed allocations for the remaining seven tribes: Simeon, Zebulun, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, Dan, and the special inheritance given to Joshua. The reading also establishes cities of refuge for accidental killers and distributes 48 cities to the Levites.

Father Mike emphasizes the profound conclusion of these chapters, highlighting God's perfect faithfulness to His promises over multiple generations, and connects this to the humble trust exemplified in Psalm 131.

Final Tribal Land Allocations Complete Israel's Inheritance

Seven remaining tribes received their territorial inheritances by lot: Simeon (within Judah's territory), Zebulun, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Dan, with specific cities and boundaries detailed for each.

Joshua received his personal inheritance last - the city of Timnath Serah in Ephraim's hill country, which he rebuilt and settled in.

The Danites lost part of their original territory and conquered Leshem, renaming it Dan after their ancestor.

The Great Adventure Bible maps help visualize these complex territorial divisions and boundaries described in the text - Father Mike

Cities of Refuge Establish Justice System for Accidental Killers

Six cities of refuge were designated where "the manslayer who kills any person without intent or unwittingly may flee" for protection from blood avengers.

The accused would explain their case to city elders and remain protected until trial or "until the death of him who is high priest at that time."

Three cities west of Jordan (Kadesh, Shechem, Hebron) and three east of Jordan (Bezer, Ramoth, Golan) provided refuge for both Israelites and foreigners.

Levites Receive 48 Cities as Their Tribal Inheritance

The Levites, having no territorial inheritance, received 48 cities with pasturelands distributed among all other tribes as commanded through Moses.

Aaron's descendants (Kohathites) received 13 cities from Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin, while other Levitical families received cities from remaining tribes.

The distribution included cities of refuge, ensuring Levitical presence in these crucial judicial centers throughout Israel.

God's Perfect Faithfulness Spans Multiple Generations

"Not one of all the good promises which the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed. All came to pass" - the culminating statement of Joshua's territorial accounts.

God's faithfulness required human cooperation - "They had to be faithful to him. They had to obey him. They had to fight" - but guaranteed divine fulfillment - Father Mike

The fulfillment occurred over "multiple generations, a couple centuries," demonstrating that God's timing differs from human expectations but remains perfectly reliable.

Psalm 131 Models Humble Trust in God's Arms

"I have calmed and quieted my soul like a child quieted at its mother's breast" - the psalm's central image of peaceful dependence on God.

Father Mike calls it "one of my favorite Psalms" and often assigns it as penance in confession for its message of humble trust over striving.

The psalm teaches resting "in silence and in peace" in God's arms rather than battling against the Lord through prideful self-reliance.