יהושע, פרק י״א, פסוק כ״ג

A major historical chapter draws to a close, marking the shift from an intense era of warfare to a time of settlement and the structured division of tribal lands. This moment acts as a bridge between the days of battle and the building of everyday life in the new territory. The era is split into two distinct stages: an initial seven years focused entirely on conquering the land, followed by another seven years dedicated to dividing it [מלבי״ם]. This juncture serves both as a conclusion to the military campaigns and an introduction to the upcoming process of territorial distribution [אברבנאל]. The distribution was carried out according to a specific order, ensuring that each tribe received a distinct, well-defined inheritance of its own [מצודת דוד].

Following these initial efforts, a profound quiet fell over the land as it finally rested [מצודת ציון]. The primary approach among commentators is that this peace resulted from a mutual pause in the fighting. The remaining Canaanite nations stopped gathering and launching attacks; having witnessed the defeat of their greatest heroes and kings, they understood they could not stand against the Israelites. At the same time, the Israelites halted their own campaigns. Although vast territories were still waiting to be claimed, the people settled into the cities they had already conquered. They lost their motivation to fight and became too lazy to press forward with the military campaign [רלב״ג, רד״ק, אברבנאל].

Faced with this newfound quiet and the people's reluctance to continue fighting, Joshua decided to pause the conquest and focus on dividing the lands they had already secured [אברבנאל]. The distribution began with the major central tribes: Judah in the south and Joseph in the north. Once these tribes were firmly established, with borders stretching from the Great Sea to the Jordan River, the remaining seven tribes grew complacent. Assuming the entire land was effectively conquered, they lacked the drive to finish the task. This stagnation lasted for fourteen years, until Joshua was forced to urge them forward, instructing them to map the remaining territory and cast lots in Shiloh [רד״ק].

Ultimately, this negligence and the loss of their early momentum had a lasting impact. By failing to maintain the swift, decisive action that defined the beginning of the conquest, the Israelites missed the opportunity to achieve a complete and total victory over the local nations—a triumph that was well within their reach had they simply kept up their initial pace [רלב״ג].