CHAPTER S 13-21 THE DIVISION OF THE LAND. The division of the conquered land, and of some not yet conquered, is now outlined. But we must recognise what we mean by conquered. When ancient relatively minor kings moved into a land and conquered it they did not necessarily remain there or station troo... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LAND NOT YET ‘POSSESSED' (JOSHUA 13:1). Joshua 13:1 ‘ Now Joshua was old and bearing the signs of old age (well stricken in years). And YHWH said to him, “You are old and advanced in years, and there remains yet very much land to be possessed.” ' Reference here is to lands untouched or uncont... [ Continue Reading ]
THE COMMAND TO DIVIDE THE LAND (JOSHUA 13:7). Joshua 13:7 ‘ Now therefore divide this land for an inheritance for the nine tribes and the half tribe of Manasseh.' “THIS LAND” is the whole land of Canaan not just the part mentioned above. God has now turned from the land yet to be possessed to th... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LAND ALLOCATED TO THE TWO AND A HALF TRIBES BEYOND THE JORDAN - REUBEN, GAD AND HALF OF MANASSEH - AND LEVI'S INHERITANCE (JOSHUA 13:8). Joshua 13:8 ‘ With him the Reubenites and the Gadites received their inheritance, which Moses gave them Beyond Jordan Eastward, even as Moses the Servant of... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PORTION OF REUBEN (JOSHUA 13:15). Joshua 13:15 ‘ And Moses gave to the tribe of Reuben according to their families.' The division of the land took account of the sizes of the tribes (Numbers 26:53). Note how the ‘numbers' are expressed as ‘according to their families'. Thus ‘families' is bas... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And their border was from Aroer which is on the edge of the valley of Arnon, and the city which is in the middle of the valley, and all the tableland by Medeba; Heshbon and all her cities which are in the tableland; Dibon and Bamoth-baal and Beth-baal-meon, and Jahaz and Kedemoth and Mephaath, and... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And all the cities of the tableland and all the kingdom of Sihon, king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses smote with the chiefs of Midian, Evi and Rekem, and Zur and Hur, and Reba, the princes of Sihon who dwell in the land. Balaam also, the son of Beor, the soothsayer, did the ch... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And the border of the children of Reuben was Jordan, and its border. This was the inheritance of the children of Reuben according to their families, its cities and villages.' Literally ‘the border was --- Jordan and a border.' The phrase occurs in Joshua 13:27; in Joshua 15:12; Joshua 15:47 of th... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PORTION OF GAD (JOSHUA 13:24). Joshua 13:24 ‘ And Moses gave to the tribe of Gad, to the children of Gad according to their families.' “THE TRIBE OF GAD” indicates Gad as a unity under its leaders. ‘The children of Gad' sees them as inheriting from YHWH as ‘children' of Gad. They too receive... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PORTION OF THE HALF-TRIBE OF MANASSEH (JOSHUA 13:29). Joshua 13:29 ‘ And Moses gave to the half-tribe of Manasseh and it was for the half-tribe of the children of Manasseh according to their families.' For this compare Joshua 13:15; Joshua 13:24. It is noteworthy that their portions are said... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ These are the inheritances which Moses distributed in the plains of Moab Beyond Jordan at Jericho eastward. But to the tribe of Levi Moses gave no inheritance. YHWH the God of Israel is their inheritance.' The contrast is again drawn between the inheritance Moses gave and the inheritance he could... [ Continue Reading ]