תהלים, פרק ע״ח, פסוק נ״ה

The transition of the Israelites into their promised homeland was a monumental shift, marked not by human military brilliance but by direct divine intervention. The conquest and settlement of the land were entirely orchestrated by God, who personally fought for His people.

God's campaign was directed against the seven Canaanite nations who inhabited the region. He managed the expulsion of these nations directly, without relying on an angel or intermediary. Consequently, the victory of the Israelites was not achieved through their own weapons or military strength, but solely through God's power [אלשיך]. This initial phase of the campaign corresponds to the seven years dedicated to conquering the territory [מלבי״ם].

Following the conquest, the subsequent events are understood in two distinct ways. One perspective focuses on the physical division of the land among the tribes using a lottery and measuring cords. Just as people used ropes to mark out plots of land [מצודת ציון, מצודת דוד], God directed the casting of lots to distribute the exact inheritance for each tribe [רד״ק, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This stage aligns with the seven years spent dividing the territory [מלבי״ם]. Conversely, a second approach views this phase not as a division of property, but as the literal defeat of the enemies. In this view, God struck down the Canaanite nations, causing them to fall dead within the very region that was destined to become the inheritance of the Israelites [רד״ק, אלשיך, מאירי].

Ultimately, once the years of conquest and division were complete [מלבי״ם], God established the tribes of Israel in their new homes. He settled them directly into the dwellings and communities that had formerly belonged to the Canaanite nations [רש״י, מצודת דוד, מאירי].