After the alliance of southern kingdoms attacks Israel and is destroyed, an alliance of northern kingdoms forms, attacks Israel, and is obliterated (Joshua 11:1-8). Then comes a much longer campaign (v. 18) to obliterate each of their cities. This could have taken up to seven years.

As we saw in chapter 10, the book of Joshua is full of references to cities and kingdoms. So, what's up with all these places? The lists serve four distinct purposes: first, they list whom the Israelites conquer; second, they describe where Joshua meets his army for the next battle; third, they describe which regions and cities the Israelite tribes, clans, and families are to inherit and finish conquering; and fourth, they describe where Joshua meets the Israelite leaders and tribes for solemn assemblies.

The book of Joshua is full of great stories of faith. They include those of Rahab hiding the two spies, Israel crossing the Jordan River on dry ground, the miraculous conquest of Jericho, the conquest of Ai, the deception of the Gibeonites, and the miraculous conquests of the united armies of the southern kingdoms and later, the northern kingdoms.

More great stories of faith lie ahead! In addition, we will encounter lengthy descriptions of the territories assigned to each tribe. While the boundaries and cities might not appear to mean much to some of us today, they hold the seeds of dozens and dozens of future stories in Judges, Ruth, 1 and 2 Samuel, and the rest of the Bible. More importantly, these territorial assignments mean the world to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob's descendants. Just as He promised, the Lord is blessing them with ″a land flowing with milk and honey″ (Exodus 3:8; Leviticus 20:24; Numbers 14:8; Deuteronomy 6:3; Joshua 5:6). Each territorial assignment is cause for much celebration.

Our lives may not be as exciting today; most of our days are probably routine. Yet each and every day is important to our well-being and our future. When the Lord blesses us with new experiences of His wonderful providence, it is cause for praise. We are to praise the Lord every ordinary day and seek to walk with Him faithfully as Joshua did (Joshua 11:15).