In this lesson, children learn that God gave the family of Joseph their own land, and that God keeps the promises He makes. This lesson is for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach.
Big Idea
God keeps His promises, and He gave Joseph’s family a home of their own. When we trust God, we can trust that He will take care of us.
Memory Verse
Joshua 16:1
The lot came out for the children of Joseph from the Jordan at Jericho, at the waters of Jericho on the east, even the wilderness, going up from Jericho through the hill country to Bethel.
(WEB)
Have the children stand up and point to the ground when they say “went out,” then stretch their arms wide to show the land God gave. Say the verse together three times, moving your arms a little bigger each time.
The Story: Joshua 16 for Kids
After many years, the people of Israel were finally settling into the land God had promised them. Joshua was their leader, and he was helping each family find the place God had chosen for them. Joseph had two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, and both of their families were waiting for their share of the land.
The leaders drew lots, which was a way of letting God choose the place for each family. The lot came out for the children of Joseph, and the land they received stretched from the river Jordan up through the hills toward a town called Bethel. The land went all the way west to the sea. It was a big and good place to live.
The family of Ephraim received their own part of the land, with borders marked out by towns and streams. Each town and village within those borders belonged to them. The people were thankful, because God had kept the promise He made to Joseph long ago.
But there was a problem. The people of Ephraim did not force out the Canaanites who lived in a town called Gezer. Instead, those people stayed among them, and they had to do hard work for the Israelites. Ephraim’s story reminds us that even good gifts from God need faithful hearts to care for them.
Read It Together
Joshua 16:4
The children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, took their inheritance.
(WEB)
Point out that the family of Joseph received their inheritance, which means their own share of the land. Ask the children what it feels like to receive a gift that someone promised to give them.
Joshua 16:5-6
5 This was the border of the children of Ephraim according to their families. The border of their inheritance eastward was Ataroth Addar, to Beth Horon the upper. 6 The border went out westward at Michmethath on the north. The border turned about eastward to Taanath Shiloh, and passed along it on the east of Janoah.
(WEB)
Show the children how the borders are described by naming places one after another. Explain that God cared about each family’s land being clear and set apart for them.
Joshua 16:10
They didn’t drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwell in the territory of Ephraim to this day, and have become servants to do forced labor.
(WEB)
Help the children notice that some Canaanites were still living among the Ephraimites. Explain that God’s people sometimes did not finish the hard work God had asked them to do, and that God still wants us to be faithful in the things He gives us.
Talk About It
- What is one gift God has given you that you are thankful for?
- How do you think the family of Joseph felt when they received their land?
- Why do you think God wanted each family to have its own place to live?
- What is something God asked His people to do that they did not finish?
- How can you show God that you trust His promises this week?
Activity Ideas
Draw Your Own Land
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a pencil. Ask each child to draw a map of a place that is special to them, such as their home or yard. Have them add a river, a hill, and a path, the way the land in Joshua 16 had rivers, hills, and towns. Talk together about how God cares about the places where we live and play.
Follow the Border Game
You will need masking tape or yarn and a open floor space. Lay a long line of tape across the room to show the border of a land, and place small cups or toys along the line to stand for towns. Have the children walk the border while you call out the names of the towns in order, then have them run back to the starting line. This helps them picture how the land was marked out.
Promise Keeper Card
You will need a small piece of cardstock, a pencil, and a marker. Have each child write “God keeps His promises” on one side and draw a small house or hill on the other. Encourage them to take the card home and put it somewhere they will see it each morning. Remind them that God’s promises are for them too.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows that God kept His word to Joseph’s descendants by giving them a real and specific inheritance. The careful listing of borders and towns reminds us that God pays attention to the details of our lives. It also shows that receiving a gift from God calls for faithful obedience, since Ephraim did not fully drive out the Canaanites.
Avoid overstating to children that God will always give us exactly what we want or that every problem will be solved when we obey. Keep the focus on God’s faithfulness and His kindness, and let them know that faithful hearts matter even when the work is hard.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank You for keeping Your promises to us, just as You kept Your promise to Joseph’s family. Help us to trust You with the gifts You give us, and help us to be faithful in the work You ask us to do. Thank You for always taking care of us and for loving us. Amen.
