יהושע, פרק י״ח, פסוק ב׳

As the Israelites progress in settling the Promised Land, a significant pause occurs in the distribution of territory. At this stage, a majority of the nation is still waiting for a permanent home, with seven tribes remaining entirely without their own land [מצודת ציון]. This specific number is the result of a simple calculation. Out of the twelve tribes, five have already secured their places. Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh received their inheritance from Moses on the eastern side of the Jordan River. Afterward, within the borders of Canaan, territory was assigned by lottery to Judah, Ephraim, and the remaining half of Manasseh.

The delay for the rest of the nation stems from a lack of geographical information. At this point, the Israelites do not yet know the exact borders of the land, making it impossible to divide the remaining territory fairly and properly through a lottery [מצודת דוד].

This situation naturally raises the question of why Judah and the tribes of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh, were given priority to receive their portions before anyone else. Their early settlement is tied directly to their historical and spiritual destiny. Because these specific tribes are destined to produce the royal line and the two Messiahs, they are granted a preferred status [מלבי״ם]. Consequently, they take their inheritance first, while the rest of the tribes are forced to wait until the borders of the land can be fully clarified.