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CHAPTER 23:
This chapter is the first of two of Joshua’s farewell addresses to the nation. He is now 110 years old (Joshua 24:29), which means that approximately three decades have passed since Israel entered the promised land. Though scripture doesn’t say for certain, it is reasonable to infer that Caleb and Joshua are approximately the same age, and since Caleb was 85 years old at the conclusion of the conquest and the start of the division of land among the tribes (Joshua 14:10), that means Joshua was also about the same age. Furthermore, because of Caleb’s earlier statement to Joshua in that same chapter (v.7), we know that the conquest of Canaan took about 7 years. Therefore, it’s been about 32 years since Israel first entered the promised land to begin their campaign of conquering and settlement. Verse 1 affirms that God has “…given rest unto Israel from all their enemies round about…”, and now Joshua is on his deathbed. Just as Moses had done prior to his passing of the leadership mantle to Joshua, Joshua now summons all the men of Israel to give them one last exhortation and warning. He begins by reminding them of how God fought for them during the military campaigns thus far (v.3), but that there still remains land and nations to be conquered. (v.4) Joshua exhorts the men of Israel to continue the conquest, that God “…shall expel them from before you, and drive them from out of your sight…”. (v.5) But that will only open if Israel is faithful to the covenant that God made with their fathers via the law given to them by Moses. “…turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left…”. (v.6) He warns them not to mingle with those heathen nations whom God has condemned and that must be driven out of the promised land. (v.7) The reason for this is because of the idolatry that is practiced by those people. There’s a good reason the LORD made that the first commandment when giving the law to Moses on Mount Sinai. Over and over again, Israel’s greatest weakness since being brought out of Egypt is their penchant for worshiping false gods. Joshua now pleads with the men to “…cleave unto the Lord your God, as ye have done unto this day.” (v.8) It’s no coincidence that the previous chapter told of the misunderstanding between the western and eastern tribes regarding the building of the monument at the bank of the Jordan river. That’s what Joshua is referring to here. Ever since entering the promised land, this second generation has displayed a righteous zeal for the LORD their God, and has obeyed His every direction and law. This was evidenced in the account of Achan and his sin at Jericho. Now, the second generation has given birth to the third, and those sons and daughters are coming of age, and there will be a tendency to forget what happened to their grandfathers when they forgot God and turned to the idols of the heathen nations around them. Joshua circles back to his main point in verses 9-11, reminding the men of how the strength of those foreign nations utterly crumbled before the might of God. It was He that fought for Israel and gave them the victory, not them in their own might. Therefore, Israel will continue to have victory in the rest of their conquest and settlement, but only if they continue to be faithful and obedient to “…the LORD your God.” (v.11) As with Moses in his final address to the nation, Joshua warns of the consequences if Israel does not remain faithful and obedient. God will cease fighting for them, and those heathen people will instead “…be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes…”. (v.13) Israel will end up losing their inheritance entirely and becoming the conquered rather than the conquerors. Joshua closes with the familiar theme of blessings and cursings. (Deuteronomy 27-28) He reminds the men of Israel “…that not one good thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spake concerning you…”. (v.14) God had kept His promises to Israel regarding the inheritance of the promised land for Abraham’s descendants. But just as His blessings would come for faithfulness and obedience, so would His judgment and wrath for rebellion and disobedience. (v.15) (Deuteronomy 28:63) If Israel failed to keep their end of the covenant, “…then shall the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land which He hath given you.” (v.16) As we already well know from the remainder of the Old Testament, that is exactly what happened. Israel remembered God for a time, but their obedience didn’t last very long, and they did exactly what Moses and Joshua had warned them not to do. They failed to completely drive out the heathen nations, and instead mingled among them, strayed from the Lord and His law, and God severely chastened them accordingly. Even unto today, Israel is still waiting for that coming time when God will fulfill His promise to Abraham and they will have complete possession of that promised land from which they will rule the whole earth with King Jesus on the throne for a thousand years. CHAPTER 24: The second farewell address is given to the whole nation. (v.1) The previous one was for only the elders of the tribes, the men who are the leaders of their families. This one is for all the people. As with the giving of the law at Mount Sinai, this chapter follows the structure of a treaty between a lord and his subjects in the tradition of the ANE at this time period. Just as Moses had done with his farewell sermons in the book of Deuteronomy, Joshua now reminds the people of their covenant with the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; the same God that had brought them forth from the land of Egypt into this promised land. The preamble & historical prologue (v.2-13): God called Abraham to come out of the land of Ur of the Chaldees, to leave behind the false gods of his fathers, and to set out for a new home in Canaan. The LORD “…multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac.” (v.3) When Jacob and his children went down to Egypt, they were few in number. But the nation that God delivered from slavery 430 years later was as numerous as the stars of the night sky. (Genesis 15:5) God performed miraculous signs and wonders in the process of delivering His chosen people from bondage. (v.5-7) He gave the fledgling nation many great victories in the process of bringing them into the promised land. (v.8-10) Balak hired Balaam to curse Israel, but God ignored him and blessed Israel instead. And then, when the second generation arrived in the promised land, God granted them even greater victories over the heathen nations there. (v.11-13) Israel didn’t have to build new cities or plow new fields for crops. All of that was already present and theirs for the taking. Covenant stipulations (v.14-18): Because of all that God has done for Israel, and because of the covenant that He made with them at Mount Sinai which their fathers agreed to, Joshua exhorts the nation to “…fear the LORD, and serve Him in sincerity and in truth…”. (v.14) This generation has a clear choice before them. They can serve the false gods of Egypt, or the false gods of the heathen nations whom they just conquered in the promised land, or they can serve and obey the one true God of their fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. (v.15) “But as for me and my house,” Joshua proclaims, “we will serve the LORD.” As they did with Moses at Mount Sinai, Israel answers Joshua’s call with a resounding affirmative. (v.16-18) They echo his confirmation of God’s miraculous deliverance of their fathers from Egypt as well as His almighty hand in their victories over the Amorites. “…therefore will we also serve the LORD; for He is our God.” Covenant sanctions (v.19-20): Here Joshua gives the warning of the consequences of Israel’s violation of this covenant. His response to Israel’s affirmation of their allegiance and faithfulness seems contradictory at first. “Ye cannot serve the LORD: for He is an holy God; He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins.” (v.19) Joshua is testing the people’s words and intentions. Their fathers had made the same vow at Mount Sinai and yet they disobeyed by demonstrating a complete lack of faith when it came time to follow God’s direction at the border of the promised land. So Joshua is emphasizing once more God’s holiness and His righteous jealousy. He reminds the people yet again of what will happen if they renege on their vow: “…He will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good.” (v.20) Covenant ratification (v.21-25): Israel swears once more, “…Nay; but we will serve the LORD.” (v.21) So Joshua solemnly affirms that they are witnesses against themselves, that they have chosen to serve the LORD, and the people confirm this. (v.22) He exhorts them yet again to turn away from the false gods and “…incline your heart unto the LORD God of Israel.” (v.23) And yet again the people answer, “…The LORD our God will we serve, and His voice will we obey.” (v.24) Joshua ceremonially confirms the covenant. (v.25) Covenant deposition and witnesses (v.26-28): Joshua then writes down the covenant and also places a memorial in the form of a large stone set under an oak tree near the tabernacle. (v.26) He declares the stone will be a witness unto the people of what has transpired this day, of their vow to serve and obey God alone. (v.27) After all this the people return to their homes. (v.28) Verses 29-33: Joshua is 110 years old at the time of his death, and he’s buried on the land that is his inheritance, near Mount Ephraim. (v.30) Israel kept their covenant with the LORD for at least another generation, possible two. (v.31) They also made sure to bury the bones of Joseph in Shechem as he had requested before his death. (v.32) He, too, had died at 110 years old. This coda by the author is meant to connect the promises of God to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the book of Genesis to the current generation that has just conquered and settled in the promised land. God had fulfilled His word to Abraham and his descendants, and now it’s up to the people to continue in faith and obedience to the renewed covenant that Joshua has just reaffirmed with them. Eleazar also passes away and is buried near Mount Ephraim on the land belonging to his son, Phineas. (v.33) He, Joshua, and Caleb are the last of that first generation that came out of Egypt. (Caleb, too, is presumably dead by this point in the narrative.) The book of the conquering and settling of the promised land is now closed, and a new chapter - both literal and figurative - in the history of Israel is about to begin with a whole new generation.
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Verses 1-8: Now that all the land division and settlement has been completed there’s one final matter for Joshua to address. He summons the men of Reuben, Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh that settled in the land east of the Jordan river. Now that the conquest and settlement of Canaan is complete Joshua tells the men that their oath which they swore to Moses is also complete. They are free to return to their homes and families on the other side of the Jordan. (v.2-4)
But then Joshua adds a note of caution and a warning: “But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the Lord charged you, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments, and to cleave unto Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” (v.5) (Deuteronomy 6:17, 11:22, Jeremiah 12:16) These two and a half tribes will be separated from the rest of Israel by some distance as well as the Jordan river, and Joshua fears that that will cause them to fall back into idolatry and apostasy. He then gives a final blessing to these two and a half tribes, encouraging them to take their portion of the spoils of Israel’s conquest back to their homes and families. (v.7-8) Verses 9-34: The remainder of this chapter gives an account of a misunderstanding that arises between these two and a half tribes and the rest of the nation. As the men of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh depart for home, the pause at the bank of the Jordan to build “…a great altar...” (v.10). This monument is meant as a memorial to their descendants (v.27), but when word of the altar’s existence reaches the elders of the western tribes they become fearful, believing that the altar’s purpose is for something else entirely. (v.11, 16) Once again, a council is gathered at Shiloh, and a representative from each of the ten tribes is chosen to accompany Phineas, son of Eleazar, on a fact finding mission. (v.13-14) They confront the elders of the Transjordanian tribes, demanding to know why they built an altar for sacrifices in direct violation of the Mosaic Law. (v.15-20) They remind them of the consequences of such rebellion, referencing Peor and Achan. (Numbers 25:1-3, Deuteronomy 4:3, Joshua 7:1) There’s a reference in verse 19 to the land east of the Jordan being unclean, meaning that the western tribes thought this might be the motive for the building of the altar, an attempt by the Transjordanian tribes of cleansing their portion of the land where they chose to live. The representatives of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh are quick to reassure their brethren that no rebellion, or idolatry, or any other sin has taken place. (v.21-29) They begin their defense by affirming their faithfulness to “The Lord God of gods, the Lord God of gods…” (v.22) That phrase is repeated for emphasis, and rest of that verse, along with verse 23, reads like an oath sworn in the presence of God and their brethren. What these men are saying, essentially, is that if they have indeed sinned against God then He will judge and punish them accordingly. The reason for the altar is that of a memorial, a monument for the future generations of the Transjordanian tribes. (v.27-28) These men feared that their children or grandchildren might one day turn away from the God of their fathers because of the distance and separation from their brethren on the west side of the Jordan. Therefore this altar was built to resemble the same one in the tabernacle at Shiloh (v.28) but not for the purpose of blood sacrifices or burnt offerings. Instead “it is a witness between us and you.” It is to serve as a connection between the west and east tribes that are separated by distance as well as the Jordan river, a reminder for future generations of what God has done for all His chosen people. They close their defense by repeating once more that this altar is not “…for burnt offerings, for meat offerings, or for sacrifices, beside the altar of the lord our God that is before His tabernacle.” They affirm yet again, “God forbid that we should rebel against the Lord, and turn this day from following the Lord…”. Phineas and the men that accompanied him accept this explanation, pleased and relieved to hear that their brethren are not, in fact, rebelling against God. They return with the good news to their brethren, and all of Israel rejoices in this. They had been prepared to go to war against the Transjordanian tribes, if necessary, in order to cleanse the land and purge the sin from among them. (v.33) The men of Reuben and Gad name the monument Ed, which means “witness”. “…for it shall be a witness between us that the Lord is God.” (v.34) Passages such as this one can sometimes seem confusing to present day readers because to us the promised land doesn’t seem that large of an area on a small map in the back of our Bible. It’s also easy to forget what it is was like in a time where the only means of communication and travel was by horseback or on foot. For us today a distance of only a few dozen miles is not that far, but at this time in the ANE it was several days’ journey. The twelve tribes of Israel are no longer living in a close knit community in tents. They are now scattered over a great distance, and for those who settled on the eastern side of the Jordan river that distance from their brethren on the western side is even greater. Because of this it’s easy to see how misunderstandings like the one described in this chapter arose. But the western tribes did the wise thing by not jumping to conclusions and immediately going to war against their brethren. Instead, they gave the Transjordanian tribes the benefit of the doubt and dispatched Phineas with ten representatives to see if their suspicions were true or false. If the former, then the western tribes were prepared to act accordingly in order to protect the nation from God’s wrath. But, when the rumor turned out be false, they instead rejoiced with their brethren, and everyone returned to their respective homes happy and blessed. There’s an obvious and practical lesson here for believers today. It’s easy for the members of a church to believe gossip and rumors about one another, and we should respond as Israel did here. If there is the possibility that a brother or sister is committing sin within the body of Christ then he/she should be confronted in private by one or two of the church elders (usually the pastor) and be given the opportunity to set the record straight. If the rumor or suspicion turns out to be false, then all is well. If not, then it’s the responsibility of the pastor and, if necessary, the rest of the body to confront that member and deal with the sin accordingly. The western tribes were concerned about not arousing God’s righteous anger and, thus, bringing upon the nation His judgment for sin. That same zeal should be present in the body of Christ in the church today.  Photo courtesy of Moody Bible Atlas. CHAPTER 20:
Verses 1-6: God now commands Joshua and Israel to appoint specific cities to serve as cities of refuge. (v.1) (Exodus 21:13, Numbers 35:6, Deuteronomy 19:2, 9) Anyone guilty of manslaughter is to flee to the nearest city of refuge and have his/her case heard before the elders of that city. They will decide whether to give him/her shelter or release him/her to the one avenging the victim’s death. If the former, then that man or woman must remain living in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest. After that, he/she is free to return to his/her own city without any fear of retribution from the victim’s family. (v.2-6) Once again, it’s important to keep in mind the laws and customs of the ANE at this time period. Wrongful death, even if it was an accident, had to be avenged according to local custom and law. Therefore God instituted the legal system of cities of refuge as a way to curb the endless cycle of vengeance that could result from someone accidentally taking another’s life. If the city elders judged that the death was indeed accidental, then the victim’s family was forbidden to avenge his/her death, but only as long as the one guilty of manslaughter remained in the city of refuge. If he/she left that city before the death of the current high priest at the time of the victim’s death, then the avenger was free to kill the murderer without fearing retribution from anyone. (Numbers 35:26-28) Verses 7-9: A total of six cities are selected, three each on either side of the Jordan river. The west side: Kadesh (Naphtali), Shechem (Ephraim), and Hebron (Judah). The east side: Bezer (Reuben), Ramoth (Gad), Bashan (Manasseh). The location of each city is such that no matter where an incident of manslaughter may occur, there is a city of refuge near enough for the slayer to flee to in a reasonable amount of time. CHAPTER 21: The final matter to be settled with regard to the land distribution is that of the Levites. In accordance with God’s command to Moses (Numbers 35:2-3) the elders of the tribe of Levi meet with Joshua and the elders of the other tribes at Shiloh. (v.1) The Levites request cities and suburbs to dwell in, and the rest of the nation willingly complies. (v.2-3) Verses 4-7: You’ll recall from the genealogies of Genesis and Exodus that the three sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. (Genesis 46:11, Exodus 6:16) Numbers 3 details the various tabernacle duties and responsibilities assigned to the clans of the Levites that are the descendants of those three sons. Now, as the three primary clans draw lots for the cities where they will permanently dwell, the Kohathites are up first. They receive a total of twenty-three cities from the lands of Judah, Simeon, Benjamin, Ephraim, Dan, and half of Manasseh. The thirteen cities (v.4) in Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin are for the priests because they must live close to the tabernacle in Shiloh. The clan of Gershon receives a total of thirteen cities from Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and half of Manasseh. Merari receives a total of twelve cities from Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun. Verses 8-26: Now the author lists all of the cities given to Kohath. The main reason that this clan is given almost twice as many as the other two clans combined is because of Aaron’s direct descendants who are serving as the high priests. (v.10) As I noted above, thirteen of those cities are located in the lands of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin because those locations are close to Shiloh, which is the geographical center of the promised land and the location of the tabernacle. Hebron is both a Levitical city and a city of refuge. (v.11-13) This will apply to some of the other cities as well. Verses 27-33: All of the cities given to the clan of Gershon. Verses 34-42: All of the cities given to the clan of Merari. A total of forty-eight cities throughout the promised land are designated as home for the Levites. (v.41) It’s not just the city itself but also portions of the land around it (suburbs) that are given to the Levites for their livestock and farming needs. Verses 43-45: The author concludes the account of the land division and distribution by reminding the Israelites of God’s initial promise to Abraham. “And the Lord gave unto Israel all the land which He sware to give unto their fathers…”. (v.43) God had fulfilled His end of the covenant as promised, and it’s now up to His chosen people to dwell in the land and possess it. Their continued obedience and faithfulness to God and His law would result in peace throughout the land and rest from their enemies. (v.44) For now, God had “…delivered all their enemies into their hand.” God’s word and His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are fulfilled for their descendants at this time. The author closes this chapter with a confirmation that no “…good thing that the Lord had spoken unto the house of Israel…” is withheld from them because they trusted in – and obeyed faithfully – the Lord during the conquest of the promised land. Once again, the lesson for believers today is clear and no less true today than it was for Israel back then. When we are obedient to God’s direction in our lives and faithful to Him in all aspects of our daily walk, then He will not withhold any good thing from us, His beloved children. God desires nothing but good for us (Romans 8:28), but it’s up to us to remain obedient and faithful. If we choose to go against God’s will and do our own thing rather than follow His direction, then His chastisement comes. Blessings are withheld, and we are miserable. That’s not to say that we must always work to earn God’s favor and blessings. His love for us is unconditional. But just as any parent will testify, there are benefits to obeying our heavenly father and unpleasant consequences for when we don’t. Israel had to learn this lesson multiple times, and they still failed more often than they succeeded. For now, however, they are given rest from their enemies all around them, and there is peace throughout the land.  Tribal Distribution of the Land. (Courtesy of the Moody Atlas of the Bible.) CHAPTER 18:
Verse 1: Shiloh rests at the geographical center of the promised land, within the borders of the lot belonging to Ephraim. This is where the tabernacle is set up and will remain for several centuries until the Philistine invasion in 1 Samuel 4. In addition to being the religious center for the nation, Shiloh will also serve as a seat of government for it’s here that Joshua oversees the division of the rest of the land, assigns the Levites their cities, and where the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and half of Manasseh will meet with Joshua again in chapter 22. Shiloh is also where Hannah prays for a son (1 Samuel 1:10-11) and where that answered prayer, Samuel, is called by God to serve as prophet, priest and judge. (1 Samuel 3:10, 20-21) Verses 2-10: Seven tribes have not yet divided up and settled the remaining land available to them. Verse 3 has the tone of a rebuke from Joshua. He asks, in essence, “What are you waiting for? God has given you this land. Go take it!” He commands the tribes to choose three men each to “…go through the land…” (v.4), scout and map it (v.8), and then return to him to give a report. The chosen men do as Joshua commands and, once their mission is complete, everyone assembles again at Shiloh where Joshua casts lots to determine the borders of each tribe’s parcel of land. (v.9-10) These verses make it clear that most of the tribes had failed to complete the settling and colonizing of the promised land. They had won the victories against the Canaanites, but then remained in their tents, living the same nomadic existence that was their life before entering the promised land. In other words, the Israelites had failed to take hold of the blessings God had bestowed upon them! The land was theirs for the taking, yet they held back, unwilling to complete their mission by moving into the empty cities and dividing up the land among them as God had commanded them to do before this whole campaign started. So many Christians today behave in the same manner as these remaining tribes whom Joshua rebuked. We obey God when He gives us a direction and an assignment, but then stop at the finish line. Sometimes it’s because of fear, or lack of faith, or we get distracted by worldly matters or temptations. Yes, we get the victory in the spiritual battle, but then we fail to seize the rewards and blessings that God lays out for us. For the Israelites, it’s possible that they were afraid of fully settling into the promised land and giving up a nomadic existence that had so long defined their way of life. For us today, this same fear can hold us back in our service for God. It’s hard sometimes to let go of the old way of life and step out on faith when God calls us to a completely new mission for Him. We humans have an inherent fear of the unknown, and for these Israelites they were unsure of what a new life in the promised land would look like. All they had known was a life of tents, and herding livestock, and never living in one place for too long. Now they were commanded to leave their tents behind and move into the cities. They could now farm the land, growing their own crops instead of living off the spoils of their enemies in the wilderness. This was a major change to their way of life, and this naturally caused fear and uncertainty in their hearts. Joshua’s rebuke is a call to faith. Faith is an action verb, not a feeling or a mere belief. Faith always results in an action on our part. Joshua reminds the Israelites of their blessings and rewards as part of the covenant laid down by God and given through Moses, His messenger. It’s time for God’s chosen people to give up their nomadic existence and begin a new way of life in the promised land. Verse 7: There is another reminder here of why the Levites have no land inheritance. Their inheritance is something much greater: “…the priesthood of the LORD…”. (Numbers 18:7, 20, Joshua 13:33) Fulfilling the role of priest is much more than just slaughtering animals and following the prescribed rituals for burning them on the altar. The priests serve as judges, educators, doctors and arbiters in the matters of criminal justice. They are also intercessors between the people and the LORD, the most critical role of all and not one to be taken lightly or treated carelessly. Thus, the tribe of Levi has the greatest portion of duties and responsibilities of all the tribes and, therefore, God has set them apart for a much greater inheritance and reward. Verses 11-28: The land allotted to Benjamin is sandwiched between Ephraim to the north and Judah to the south. (v.11) Among the list of cities that are included in Benjamin’s territory is Gibeon whose inhabitants deceived the Israelites. (Joshua 9) This is also where God will appear to King Solomon in a dream, offering him whatever he asks. (1 Kings 3:4-5) Ramah (v.25) is the birthplace of Samuel. (1 Samuel 1:19) It’s also mentioned by Jeremiah in a prophecy that Matthew later references. (Jeremiah 31:15, Matthew 2:17-18) Jericho is eventually rebuilt but at great cost to the builder, as prophesied by Joshua. (Joshua 6:26, 1 Kings 16:34) Jerusalem, of course, is the most notable of the cities listed here. (v.28) The tribe of Judah has the lineage of Christ, the Levites have the priesthood, but Benjamin has Jerusalem. CHAPTER 19: Verses 1-9: The tribe of Simeon is granted portions of land within that which was granted to Judah. The reason for this is given in verse 9: “…for the part of the children of Judah was too much for them…”. This is also in fulfillment of prophecy. (Genesis 49:5-7) Later, during the time of the judges, this co-habitation will also play a crucial role in keeping Israel’s enemies at bay. (Judges 1:3) Beersheba is probably the most familiar of the cities listed in this passage as belonging to Simeon. (v.2) (Genesis 21:14, 46:1) Later, the phrase “from Dan to Beer-sheba” will be used to signify the whole land of Israel. (Judges 20:1, 1 Samuel 3:20) Ziklag is also another recognizable name from the era of King David’s reign. (1 Samuel 27:6) Later, after King Solomon’s reign, when the nation splits into the northern and southern kingdoms, the tribe of Simeon is either absorbed into Judah or migrates to the northern territory. (2 Chronicles 15:9, 34:6) Verses 10-16: Zebulun is up next, sandwiched between Manasseh on the south, Asher on the west, Issachar on the east, and Naphtali on the north. The name Bethlehem that is mentioned in verse 15 is not the same city that is the birthplace of Christ. That famous Bethlehem is in the tribe of Judah. The one listed here will be the birthplace of Ibzan, one of the future judges of Israel. (Judges 12:8-10) Verses 17-23: The fourth lot goes to Issachar, which is given land in the Beth-shean plain and lower Galilee. Rather than describing the borders by compass direction as with the previous lots, the author lists the cities that delineate the borders. Shunem (v.18) is named in 2 Kings 4:8 as a place where the prophet Elisha will have a benefactress. Kishion and En-gannim (v.20-21) are Levitical cities. (Joshua 21:28-29) Mount Tabor (v.22) figures prominently in the story of Barak (Judges 4:6). Verses 24-31: The fifth lot falls to Asher. (v.24) Its western boundary is the Mediterranean Sea which also includes the Phoenician cities of Tyre and Sidon. We know from later passages of scripture that the Israelites never fully eliminate the Canaanites from not only Tyre and Sidon, but also Acco, Sidon, and the Levitical city of Rehob. (Judges 1:31-32) Anna, the prophetess named in Luke 2:36, is from Asher. Verses 32-39: The tribe of Naphtali draws the sixth lot. Their land is nestled between Asher and Zebulun to the west and Issachar to the south with the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan river on the eastern side. (v.33-34) Much of Jesus’ ministry will be in this region. (Isaiah 9:1-2) The authors of the Moody Bible Commentary speculate that the Messiah’s ministry in this part of Israel are the “goodly words” that Jacob was referring to in his deathbed blessing/prophecy. (Genesis 49:21) Only in Naphtali is the description “fenced” used to describe how well fortified and defended its cities are. (v.35) Kedesh is later named a city of refuge (Joshua 20:7), and it’s also the birthplace of Barak. (Judges 4:6) Verses 40-48: The final lot goes to the tribe of Dan. It’s the smallest of all the allotments, sandwiched between Ephraim (north), Judah (west and south), and Benjamin (east). Zorah, Eshtaol (v.41), and Timnath (v.43) are featured in the account of Samson. (Judges 13:25, 14:1, 16:31) Because the Israelites failed to completely drive out the Canaanites from the promised land, the tribe of Dan is soon banished from their lot into the mountains by the Amorites. (Judges 1:34) Verses 49-51: The division of the promised land began with Caleb in chapter 14, and now ends with Joshua. (v.49-50) He requests the city of Timnath-serah, which is about 20 miles northwest of Jerusalem, in the territory belonging to Ephraim. (Joshua 24:30, Judges 2:9) Verses 50 states that “…he built the city…” which means that portion of land had nothing on it when Joshua and his family settled there. The division of the promised land among the twelve tribes of Israel is almost complete. (v.51) Israel’s transition from a nomadic lifestyle to that of an agrarian one where they will become farmers can now begin. Only two tasks remain: naming the cities of refuge as well as homes for the Levites. Those details are given in chapters 20 and 21. CHAPTER 16:
Moving northward, the next two territories on the list are Ephraim and Manasseh. Even though Ephraim was the younger son of Joseph, his tribe is always mentioned before Manasseh because Jacob gave the first blessing to Ephraim. (Genesis 48:17-19) Ephraim’s southern boundary begins at Jericho, which it shares with the tribe of Benjamin, and extends westward to Beth-el. (v.1) Earlier in Genesis 28:19, Beth-el and Luz are referred to as the same place, but here there is a distinction made between the two locales. Ataroth-addar (v.5) and Ataroth (v.7) are two different cities. Hushai, the friend of King David (2 Samuel 15:32), is an Archite, which is the name of the original inhabitants of those cities. As is evident from that cross reference, the Archites are never completely eliminated from the land per God’s original instructions to Moses and Joshua. Janoah (v.7) is mentioned in 2 Kings 15:29 as one of the cities captured by Tiglath-pileser. Gezer was previously mentioned in Joshua 10:33 as already being conquered and its people wiped out as part of the southern campaign described in that chapter. Yet here in verse 10 it’s apparent that either all of Gezer’s inhabitants were not completely driven out or killed, or some escaped the original conquest and returned sometime later to rebuild the city. (Keep in mind the seven year span of the conquest of the promised land.) Gezer is mentioned in 1 Kings 9:16 as part of Pharaoh’s gift to Solomon’s wife. As with other passages in the conquest narrative, the author makes it a point to say that Israel failed to completely wipe out all the inhabitants of Canaan. Whether it was because of weariness from war or due to lack of faith is not clear from the text. Either way, they failed to follow through completely with God’s commandments in this regard and, just as God had predicted, this became a major weakness and a source of grievous sin for this generation’s descendants. CHAPTER 17: This passage details Manasseh’s borders, and verse 1 tells us that this tribe was renowned for their military prowess and might. That’s another reason that Moses granted them some of the land east of the Jordan River where Gilead and Bashan are located. Verses 2-6: Unlike the previous chapter, Manasseh’s clans are listed here by name, descended from the sons of Manasseh. (v.2) His firstborn, Machir, who was the father of Gilead, had a great grandson named Zelophehad who bore only daughters. These are the same daughters who came before Moses in Numbers 27 to dispute the laws of inheritance, and here in verse 3 they’re again listed by name, starting with the oldest. (Numbers 26:33) Later on, another dispute arose regarding the possibility of these daughters marrying into other tribes and thus causing their inheritance to leave the tribe of Manasseh. (Numbers 36:2-4) The final resolution for this matter was that the daughters were forbidden to marry outside of their tribe. Now they come before Eleazar and Joshua to receive their family’s portion of the land inheritance, and Joshua gladly grants it to them, “…according to the commandment of the Lord…”. (v.4) This made the total portions – or districts – of Manasseh’s land east of the Jordan ten instead of just five. (v.5-6) Verses 7-13: The land granted to West Manasseh is among the largest of all the tribes. (Refer back to the map in chapter 13.) Its eastern border is the Jordan River and the western border the Mediterranean Sea. (v.9) Along the southern border at Tappuah, Manasseh shares the land with Ephraim to whom belongs the city of Tappuah. (v.9) (Joshua 16:8) The town of Endor (v.11) is where King Saul will meet secretly with a witch (1 Samuel 28:7), and it’s also mentioned in Psalm 83:9-10 as the site where Israel will have victory over the Midianites. Once again, the author makes a footnote regarding the Canaanites that dwelled in the cities listed in verse 11. Israel fails to completely drive them out, but instead makes them slaves. This was not God’s command, and it will cause the Israelites much grief later on. (Judges 1:27-28) Verses 14-18: Both tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh complain to Joshua about the size of their land, saying that it’s too small for both their tribes! They don’t think it’s fair that they both receive only one lot together instead of one lot for each of them. (v.14) The reason for this complaint is that God has blessed their tribes with many offspring, and thus there isn’t enough land for all of their families to settle. Joshua’s answer is simple: clear out the highland forests that are currently inhabited by “…the Perizzites and of the giants…” (v.15) Notice the contrast between the great faith of Caleb (Joshua 14:12) and the utter lack of faith of the men of Ephraim and Manasseh! (v.16) These men took one look at the chariots of iron used by the Canaanites, and they trembled with fear instead of going forth boldly in faith, taking hold of the promise that God had given them at the start of this whole campaign! Joshua’s response is a stern rebuke for their doubt and lack of faith. (v.17-18) He again reminds them of the great number of warriors in their two tribes and that God is with them. “…Thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong.” Sadly, however, verses 12 and 13 confirm that the men of Ephraim and Manasseh did not heed Joshua’s advice. They settled for the path of least resistance and instead made the Canaanites slaves. Their lack of faith and their disobedience will cause them – and all of Israel – much grief later on. Chapters 15-19 detail the distribution of the land for the tribes that settled west of the Jordan river. Chapter 15 deals with just the tribe of Judah. It begins by describing the borders of Judah’s land (v.1-12) and then proceeds with a lengthy list of all the cities conquered and settled within those borders (v.20-63). Once again, passages like this may seem redundant and tedious to readers today, but remember that 1) this is God’s word, and He chose every single word for a good reason; and 2) the Bible is a book of world history, specifically that of the Jews, God’s chosen people. In keeping with tradition of the ANE at this time period, records such as this chapter were important for posterity. Not only that, but some of the cities mentioned here are sites of major events for Israel later on in the time of the judges and then the kings.
Verses 1-12: The eastern border of Judah is the Dead Sea, a.k.a. the Salt Sea (v.4-5), and the western border is the Mediterranean Sea, a.k.a. the Great Sea. (v.12) The southern border starts at the Dead Sea, following the course of “…the river of Egypt…” (v.4) to the point where it empties into the Mediterranean. The northern border starts at the Mediterranean and follows an arc that connects to the Jordan River and then follows that south of Jerusalem and Jericho to the northern tip of the Dead Sea. (Refer back to the map in chapter 13.) The mention of the Jebusites and Jerusalem in verse 8 is important, as we will see later in verse 63. Verses 13-19: This passage details Caleb’s successful victories against the Anakim, starting with the conquering of the city of Hebron that was mentioned in chapter 14. Now, Caleb leads a campaign against the city of Kirjath-sepher, which is then renamed Debir. Caleb promises his daughter, Achsah, as wife to the man who will successfully conquer that city. (v.16) His nephew, Othniel, answers the call, and is victorious in battle. (v.17) Later, Achsah makes a specific request of her father for the upper and lower springs of fresh water that are adjacent to the land conquered by Othniel. (v.18-19) Caleb is more than willing to honor the request. The fact that Caleb, at 85, has a daughter who is still young and, presumably, has just reached marrying age, is also a testament to God’s blessing on Caleb because of his faithfulness and obedience. Like Abraham, Caleb and his wife were blessed with children in their old age, and this should be a source of inspiration and hope for older believers today. Nothing is impossible with God! Verses 20-32: This lengthy list of Judah’s cities are grouped according to the region of the land where they are located. The first section is the southern region (the Moody Bible commentary refers to each region as a “district”), and of the cities listed here, there are a few names that stand out. The first is Ziph (v.24) which is mentioned in 1 Samuel 23:14 as one of the hiding places where David flees during Saul’s manhunt for him. Later in that same chapter it’s revealed that the Ziphites betray David to Saul. Beer-sheba (v.28) is the same region that was once occupied by Abraham and Isaac. (Genesis 21:32-34, 26:23-25) Ziklag is also apportioned to Simeon (Joshua 19:5), but it’s clear from 1 Samuel 27:6-7 and 30:1 that it’s never fully conquered and settled by Israel. Verses 33-44: The second region is the western foothills. The cities of Eshtaol and Zoreah (v.33) are key sites in the story of Samson. (Judges 13:25, 16:31) Adullam (v.35) is another of David’s hiding places from Saul. (1 Samuel 22:1) Socoh and Azekah (v.35) are where David defeats Goliath. (1 Samuel 17:1) Lachish is mentioned in 2 Kings 14:19 and Jeremiah 34:7. Verses 45-47: The third region contains cities that border Philistia: Ekron, Ashdod, and Gaza. These locations figure prominently in the story of Samson (Judges 13-16) as well as the narrative of the theft of the Ark of the Covenant by the Philistines during Samuel’s reign as judge of Israel (1 Samuel 4-6). Ashdod is also home to the last of the giants of the Anakim. (Joshua 11:22) Another of the Philistines’ principal cities near this region is Gath, home to the giant Goliath. (1 Samuel 17:4) While these cities and lands are apportioned to Judah, the Philistines are never completely driven out and conquered by Israel. In fact, many Israelites intermarried with the inhabitants of Ashdod following their return from the Babylonian captivity. (Nehemiah 13:23) Verses 48-60: The fourth region is the hill country, which includes Debir, the city conquered by Othniel. As already noted in the previous chapter, Hebron was rewarded to Caleb, and it eventually becomes a city of refuge. It’s also where David establishes his royal house in the wake of Saul’s death and is anointed king of Israel. (2 Samuel 2:1, 4) Later, Absalom uses Hebron to stage his insurrection against David. (2 Samuel 15:7, 10) Maon, Carmel, and Jezreel are also key sites in the saga of King David’s reign. (1 Samuel 25) Kirjath-jearim is mentioned in Judges 18:12, and it’s also where the ark of the covenant remains for a time after it’s recaptured from the Philistines. (1 Samuel 6:21, 7:1-2) Verses 61-62: The last district is the desert region. En-gedi is yet another refuge site for David during his years of hiding from Saul. (1 Samuel 23:29) Verse 63: Although Jerusalem is in the region allotted to the tribe of Benjamin (Joshua 18:21, 28), that territory shares a border with Judah (Joshua 18:11). As already mentioned earlier in this chapter (v.8), the southern part of Jerusalem is located on Judah’s side of the border. That verse also mentions the Jebusites and now Joshua confirms that those people are never fully driven from their land. Not even in the era of the judges or the reign of King David are those native people completely wiped out. (Judges 1:8, 21, 2 Samuel 5:6, 24:18) The reason for this is not made clear in any of the texts, but given God’s command to both Moses and Joshua regarding His judgment against the Canaanites, the logical conclusion if that the Israelites failed to completely follow through on the Lord’s directive to wipe out all inhabitants of the promised land. This could also be a clue as to why the land purchased by King David for the site of the temple that Solomon eventually built is so revered and so fiercely contested even up to our present day. Araunah’s property that David bought is regarded as sacred by modern day Jews, Christians, and Muslims. This is the same site that contained the Mosque of Omar (a.k.a. the Dome of the Rock) in the medieval era, so it's very likely that the Jebusites are connected to the lineage of Muhammed, the founder of Islam, who was born in the 6th century.  CHAPTER 13:
Verses 1-6: Despite all of the victories in the military campaign thus far, there still remains for Israel much of the promised land left to conquer and subdue. (v.2-6) But Joshua is now old and close to the end of his life. (v.1) God promises him that He will drive out of the remaining land Israel’s enemies, but Joshua’s only responsibility now is to properly divide the land Israel has conquered thus far among the twelve tribes as originally instructed by God to Moses. (v.6) (Refer to the map above, courtesy of the Thomas Nelson KJV Study Bible.) Verses 7-14: This is a summary of the land east of the Jordan river that Moses granted to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh. (Numbers 32:33, Deuteronomy 3:12-13) However, the Israelites failed to completely drive out the Geshurites and the Maachathites, as noted in verse 13. There’s also a reminder in verse 14 that the Levites are excluded from any land allotments and inheritance because of God’s decree to Moses that their service in the tabernacle is their unique privilege and inheritance from the LORD. (Numbers 18:20, 23-24, Deuteronomy 18:1) Verses 15 – 33: Now the author of Joshua goes into detail regarding the land given to Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh. This may seem tedious to modern readers, but remember that the point of the book of Joshua is the conquering and settling of the promised land by Israel. As such, passages like this one are designed to be an official record for future generations. Remember also that this was a custom for the people of this time living in the ANE, so while it may seem repetitive and somewhat dull to us today to read what has already been recorded in earlier books, it’s written here for good reasons. CHAPTER 14: This chapter is divided into two parts: a summary of the division of the newly conquered promised land among the rest of the tribes on the western side of the Jordan River (v.1-5); and the special request by Caleb for the land of Hebron (v.6-15). Verses 1-5: The author gives a summary of the division of all the land west of the Jordan among the remaining nine and a half tribes. He confirms that Israel divides up the land according to lot, “…as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses…”. (v.2) The same phrase is repeated in verse 5, affirming Israel’s obedience to all that Moses had instructed them, according to the word of the Lord. There’s also yet another reminder in verse 3 that the Levites have no land inheritance, and this is partly because of the two tribes that came out of the lineage of Joseph. (v.4) Only twelve tribes divided up the land, although there are technically thirteen tribes because of Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, hence the additional explanation for the reader in verses 3-4. The Levites have no land inheritance because God had set apart their men for the priesthood and full time service in the tabernacle as their inheritance. Instead, that tribe would be given specific cities and pastures for their dwelling and habitation as they served in the tabernacle. (v.4) (Numbers 35:2) Verses 6-15: Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, a Kenezite, (v.6) now appears on the page for the first time in the book of Joshua. Caleb’s heritage was first mentioned in Numbers 32:12, and the name “Kenizzite” first appears in Genesis 15:19 where God lists the foreign nations and peoples that are currently occupying the promised land which He will give to the descendants of Abraham. That means that Caleb is not a direct descendant of the twelve sons of Jacob, but because he is listed as a member of the tribe of Judah (Numbers 13:6) when Moses is naming and commissioning the twelve spies, we can logically infer that Caleb’s father or grandfather must have been absorbed into Israel at some point after the exodus from Egypt; or possibly even his great grandfather, at some point during the four hundred and thirty years of Israel’s slavery. There is continual mention throughout Exodus and Leviticus of the strangers that are not Israelites, many of whom came with them out of Egypt. It appears that Caleb and his ancestry fall into that category. Caleb comes to Joshua with a special request. He reminds Joshua of God’s promise to the two of them because of their faithfulness in the aftermath of the scouting mission that doomed all of Israel to wander for another thirty-eight years in the wilderness. All of that first generation, except for Caleb and Joshua, died because of their disobedience to God and their unfaithfulness. (v.8) But “…because thou hast wholly followed the LORD my God…” (v.9), Caleb was promised by Moses a portion of the promised land. In verse 7 Caleb states that he was forty years old when he was selected by Moses as one of the twelve spies. In verse 10, Caleb is now eighty-five years old, which means the conquest of the promised land took seven years. (Thirty-eight years total of wandering in the wilderness following the mission of the twelve spies.) Caleb affirms to Joshua that “…I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me…”. (v.11) He goes on to say that he is even ready for war today, just as he was forty-five years ago! The phrase “… to go out, and to come in…” means that he had returned from all his battles unharmed. It’s hard for us today to imagine an eighty-five year old man as healthy, fit and robust enough to lead an army into battle, but this is clearly the case as we will see in the coming verses. It also helps to keep in mind that this period in history was a much different time than our modern era today. Even with so many generations now come and gone since the global flood of Noah’s day, men and women still lived to be well over a hundred years old, primarily by the grace of God. It’s even one of His promises for all those that honor and obey their parents. (Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 5:16, Ephesians 6:1-3) So it shouldn’t be that surprising that both Caleb and Joshua were still mighty men of war even though they were both pushing ninety! Caleb’s request is for the land containing the city of Hebron (v.14) that is still currently occupied by the Anakim. (v.12) (Numbers 13:28, 33) (Refer back to the map at the top of this post.) Caleb’s faith is just as great as it was forty-five years earlier. He has no doubt that God is with him, and He will give Caleb and the army of Israel victory over the heathen giants that currently occupy that city. This is confirmed in verses 14-15. Hebron was originally named Kirjath-Arba after one of the giants that lived there. (v.15) Following Caleb’s victorious conquest of that city “…the land had rest from war.” Caleb’s faith and patience should be an example for all believers today. Sometimes we must wait several years – or even decades – for God’s promises in our lives to be fulfilled, and that is often a test or trial in and of itself. Our timing is rarely God’s timing, and we should never try to rush ahead nor lag behind. Instead, as we see with Caleb in this passage, we are to simply go where the LORD leads us, serving him faithfully and consistently each day wherever He has placed us until such time as He deems fit to fulfill His ultimate plan for our life. Waiting on God and His timing will always be worth the years of pain, struggle, and – often – tears! There is always joy in the morning, and God always rewards the faithfulness of His children, and always more bountifully than we could have imagined!  CHAPTER 11:
Verses 1-5: During the various battles between Israel and the southern cities of Canaan, news of Israel’s victories reaches the northern cities and their kings. (v.1) According to the notes in my study Bible, Hazor is a heavily fortified city located on the main road between Egypt and Mesopotamia, about 10 miles northwest of the Sea of Galilee (or Chinneroth, as it was known before Israel conquered the promised land) in northern Palestine. As did King Adoni-zedek in the previous chapter, King Jabin of Hazor forms an alliance with his fellow rulers of the nearby cities of Madon, Shimron, and Achshaph, as well as the regions of Chinneroth and Dor. (v.2) Verse 3 makes it clear that he even sends word to the Amorites, Hittites, and the Perizzites, all of whom are currently engaged in battle against the Israelites as described in the previous chapter. Verse 4 states that the army which Jabin assembled at Merom (v.5) is as great in number “…as the sand that is upon the sea shore…with horses and chariots very many.” The Moody Bible Commentary quotes the renowned Roman historian Josephus as saying, “…the number of the whole army was three hundred thousand armed footmen, and ten thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand chariots…”. That is a mighty and powerful force indeed! It very likely outnumbers the Israelite forces at least two to one, else God would not have spoken encouraging words to Joshua in verse 6. Verses 6-15: Once again, God promises the victory to His chosen people. He tells Joshua to not be afraid of the enemy, “…for to morrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel…”. (v.6) The word “hough” is found four times in scripture, the first two being here in Joshua 11. (The other passages are 2 Samuel 8:4 and 1 Chronicles 18:4.) The term refers to the severing of the tendons in the horse’s hind legs, thus permanently crippling it. Horses and chariots were the primary symbols of military might and power in the ANE. Thus, when God tells Joshua that the Israelite army will easily hamstring the enemy’s horses and then burn their chariots, this is indeed a great promise and encouragement! Emboldened by the word of the LORD, the Israelite army descends upon the enemy camps at Merom with sudden ferocity and soundly defeats all of the kings’ forces. (v.7-9) Just as he did with the five southern kings, Joshua executes all of the northern kings, and then burns the city of Hazor. (v.10-13) King Jabin of Hazor was the ringleader and orchestrator of the alliance against Israel (v.10), so that’s why Hazor is destroyed. All the other cities, however, are left standing, and all their spoil is plundered by Israel. (v.14) As Moses had commanded by God’s word (v.15), the Israelites “…smote all the souls that were therein with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them: there was not any left to breathe…”. (v.11) This is confirmed again in verse 14. Verses 16-20: With the exception of Achan’s sin and the alliance with the Hivites, the Israelites had done all that God had commanded them in regards to conquering the promised land. (v.16-17) Verse 20 confirms that God had hardened the hearts of the Canaanites, just as He did with Pharoah and the Egyptians, in order that His judgment against them for their rebellion and wickedness would be fulfilled. (Genesis 15:16) Like the Egyptians, it was the choice of the Canaanites to reject God first, and because of that God hardened their hearts. Now His judgment against them is complete. (v.20) Verses 21-22: There is a footnote here regarding the Anakim, the giants that the ten spies were so fearful of. (Numbers 13:32-33) Joshua and Caleb had, of course, been right in their defense of God’s power and ability to deliver even these into Israel’s hand, as proven in this chapter. The author notes that the only giants now left alive are in the Philistine cities of Gath and Ashdod. Gath, as we already know, is the home of the giant named Goliath whom David, the future king of Israel, will slay with a single stone. (1 Samuel 17:4, 49) Verse 23: All of the land that was promised to the descendants of Abraham is now under the dominion of Israel, “…according to all that the LORD said unto Moses…”. (Exodus 33:2, Numbers 34:2) The next step is for Joshua to divide up the land among the twelve tribes as instructed by Moses. (Numbers 26:53) “And the land rested from war.” God had promised to deliver this land into the hands of His chosen people as the inheritance of Abraham, and He had made good on that promise. Now, as a reward for this generation’s obedience, He gives the Israelites rest from all their enemies. (Deuteronomy 12:9-10, 25:19, Hebrews 4:8) CHAPTER 12: As is common with oral and written records of the ANE, this chapter is a closing summary/recap of Israel’s victorious conquering of the promised land. The Moody Bible Commentary puts it this way: Chapter 12 “…has the feel of a formal, holy convocation, a stately march through the fraternal graveyard of deceased kings sharing alike in a failed attempt to thwart God’s purposes.” Verses 1-6: These are a summary of the victories led by Moses before the Israelites crossed the Jordan into the promised land. (v.1) Sihon and Og were the kings defeated there, and the dimensions of all their land and kingdoms is stated again in verses 2-5. Their land is what was given to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh. (v.6) (Numbers 32:29, Deuteronomy 3:12, Joshua 13:8) There is mention again of Og being related to the Anakim. (v.4) Verses 7-24: The remainder of the chapter is a list of the kings conquered on this side of the Jordan, starting with Jericho. The only people missing from the list in verse 8 are the Gibeonites. The total number of conquered kings and armies is thirty-one (v.24), and they are listed in the order of the battles from south to north. (v.9-24) (Deuteronomy 7:24) It’s necessary to note here that while the kings and their armies were defeated, not all the cities were actually conquered by Israel in this initial campaign. Jerusalem and Gezer, for example, will not be taken for many centuries yet. (2 Samuel 5:6-9, 1 Kings 9:16) Verse 14 mentions the kings Hormah and Arad, two victories that were actually achieved first under Moses. (Numbers 21:1-3) A possible explanation of this is that in the time between those initial battles and the campaigns led by Joshua, some of the Canaanites had re-settled in those two cities, thus requiring the Israelites to conquer them a second time. Also, the fact that Beth-el is not listed as being conquered until after the battle at Makkedah indicates that, while its armies had initially assisted the King of Ai, the king of Beth-el and his city was not actually defeated by Israel until later on. Verses 1-3: Although this the first mention of the proper name “Jerusalem” in the Bible (v.1), it was already mentioned once before in Genesis 14:18 as its original name, “Salem”. “Jerusalem”, from the original Hebrew word “yerûshâlaim” (also spelled “yerûshâlayim”), means “teaching of peace” according to Strong’s Concordance and the Brown-Driver-Briggs Bible dictionary. Here in Joshua 10, at the time of Israel’s southern conquest of Canaan, Jerusalem’s king is named in verse 1 as Adoni-zedek. When the news of Jericho’s and Ai’s destruction – as well as Gibeon’s new alliance with Israel – reaches the king, he is understandably fearful and sends messengers to four other nearby cities (Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, Eglon). (v.3) Gibeon is described in verse 2 as “…a great city, one of the royal cities…”, and Adoni-zedek is afraid that their alliance with Israel will spell certain doom for him and the kings of those nearby cities.
Verses 4-9: Jerusalem’s king proposes a conquest of Gibeon (v.4), and the four other kings agree. All five of them – and the Gibeonites – belong to the people known as the Amorites (v.5), and they waste no time in setting up an offensive perimeter around Gibeon. The king of Gibeon immediately dispatches men to Joshua and the elders of Israel to ask to ask for their help. (v.6) Because of the oath made in chapter 9, Joshua and all the army of Israel answer the call of the Gibeonites, marching all night to reach the city. (v.7, 9) God tells Joshua to “Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand…” (v.8) Verses 10-15: God’s method of judgment against the Amorites is to “…cast down great stones from heaven upon them…” (v.11) which causes so much confusion and chaos in the enemy camps that the soldiers are already fleeing from Israel as soon as Joshua and his army arrive at Gibeon. The term “hailstones” in verse 11 indicates a meteorological event instead of just a meteorite shower. Once again, God proves Himself to be the creator and master of all things, manipulating the physical world and its natural elements to bring about His divine will. Verse 11 also confirms that it was the Lord who did most of the killing of the enemy, not Israel. But the battle has only just begun by the time day breaks, and Joshua asks the Lord to make the sun and the moon to stand still above Gibeon and the valley of Ajalon, respectively. (v.12) God honors the request, and the Israelites are victorious in their defeat of the Amorites. (v.13) There is no other record in scripture of a day such as this one, where the earth’s orbit around the sun is temporarily suspended by the supernatural power of God. (v.14) Many supposed “Biblical scholars” – as well as unbelievers – scoff at the notion that the earth was, in fact, halted in its orbit around the sun. They put their faith in science, stating that this violates all the known laws of physics. They claim that if the earth was indeed stopped in its orbital path that it would have disastrous consequences for all life on the planet. The counter argument that they present is that this account in chapter 10 is a poetic style of writing, using mythological imagery to depict a day where time only seemed to stand still for the Israelites and their enemies. The Bible is the divinely inspired, holy word of God. It’s not just another great work of literature. It’s not mythology or poetry, although it does contain passages of poetic songs. And while the New Testament contains passages of parables spoken by Jesus that are meant to be read as allegories, the whole of scripture is not an allegory. The Bible is history. It is literal, historical fact. The Bible is the recorded history of the creation of the universe, the planet earth, and mankind. Every event described therein is literal, historical fact. Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by fire from heaven, not just a random meteorological event. The ten plagues on Egypt were miraculous signs and wonders caused by Almighty God, not just some random weather phenomena. The Red Sea which God parted for His people was exactly what the label says: a massive, deep body of water which could not be crossed without a ship. It was not a pond, or a river, or some shallow, narrow pool of water that could be easily traversed on foot. And when Joshua cried unto the LORD and asked for the sun and the moon to stand still in the sky so that the Israelites could have the victory that God had promised them, God honored His servant’s request and did just that. He stopped the earth’s orbit around the sun for as long as was needed for Joshua and the army to utterly defeat the Amorites. The God that hung the stars upon nothing in the vastness of outer space, that spoke the sun into being and then set the planets of our solar system in their orbits, hanging them upon nothing, is the same God that can easily stop those planets in their orbit while also preserving all life on the earth. It is the hand of God that holds together the atom, that breathed life into dust to create Adam, and that allows by His grace and mercy the lungs of every living being to draw breath. To recognize this is to truly understand our utterly helpless state as mortal, fragile beings in the presence of Almighty God, the creator and sustainer of all things. And once we understand and accept that, it’s easy to believe that the sun and the moon stood still in the sky on this day when the LORD gave glorious victory to His people! Verse 13 references the book of Jasher as further proof of this miraculous act of God. That book is also mentioned in 2 Samuel 1:18. Jude 14 references the prophecies of Enoch which, along with the book of Jasher, was obviously not included by God in the final text of His holy word that you and I are reading today. Jasher and Enoch are part of what is commonly known today as the Apocrypha, a collection of ancient writings from the first century that were eventually included in the Catholic bible. But the Apocrypha is not true scripture, and that’s one reason that Catholicism is a false religion, for much of the Apocrypha directly contradicts divinely inspired scripture. Only the 66 books of the KJV 1611 AV Bible are God’s perfectly preserved holy word in modern English. Therefore, even though those non-canonical texts are occasionally mentioned within scripture, they shouldn’t be treated as divinely inspired, and one should be very careful when reading and studying them. They do provide some interesting and fascinating historical context for the writing that was included in the final version of the Bible as we know it today, but that is all. The Apocrypha should not be taken as God’s divinely inspired and preserved word. There’s something else worth noting here: God honored the newly formed alliance between Israel and the Gibeonites even though Joshua and the elders had sinned by not consulting with God first. And because of that pact the Gibeonites were spared from God’s judgment against all the peoples of Canaan, which means that Israel compounded that sin by disobeying God’s original command to Moses to wipe out all of the Canaanites. Yet God still promised Joshua victory against the Amorites and, as I noted in the commentary of chapter 9, God even punished Israel because King Saul killed some Gibeonites during his reign, an act that directly violated that vow of Joshua and the elders. (2 Samuel 21:1-2) This, then, begs the interesting question of why God did not punish Israel by causing the Amorites to defeat them. In essence, God seems to approve of Israel’s sin by giving them the victory over the Amorites as well as punishing Israel later on for Saul’s killing of the Gibeonites. The best answer to this is that God always allows us the consequences of our actions, even if those choices made of our own free will directly conflict with His will and direction for our lives. God also chooses at His discretion whether or not He will bless us or chasten us, even when we directly disobey His commands. Because the Israelites did not wipe out the Gibeonites from the start, there was disastrous consequences for the nation many generations later. Israel and Judah’s apostasy and eventual enslavement by the Babylonians was a direct result of their ancestors’ disobedience here during the conquest and settlement of the promised land. In the meantime, however, God chose to be merciful to Joshua and the Israelites by giving them the victory over the Amorites. That doesn’t necessarily mean that He approved of their treaty with the Gibeonites, but it does demonstrate His faithfulness to His chosen people even when they were unfaithful and disobedient to Him. This is proven time and again throughout scripture, especially here in the Old Testament. God might reward the Israelites with victories in the short term, but He never withheld the consequences of their disobedience in the long run. Our sinful choices will always bear some form of fruit, but sometimes that fruit doesn’t appear until many years – or even decades – later in our lives. It also helps to keep in mind that God is omniscient, meaning that He already knows what choices we’re going to make in our lives, and He’s already worked those outcomes into His divine will and plan for our lives. Yes, every impulsive and stupid choice we make – which then forces us to live with those adverse consequences – has already been factored in to God’s plan for each of our lives, just as it was here for Joshua and the Israelites. God is never taken by surprise or caught unawares by our choices and actions. There’s no such thing as a last minute change of plan on His part. So the fact that He gave Israel the victory over the Amorites was always part of His plan from the beginning. Verses 16-27: The five Amorite kings are discovered to be hiding in a cave, and Joshua orders the entrance to be sealed, thus imprisoning the kings. (v.18) There’s no need to post guards, for God has given the Israelites the victory over all the kings’ armies. (v.19) When the battle is finally over, and all the enemy forces have been defeated, Joshua orders the kings to be brought before him and the elders of Israel. (v.22-23) Naming each of the kings and the city that he commanded was a tradition in the ANE, a solemn pronouncement of death for those vanquished in war. (v.23) Joshua summons the captains of Israel’s army and orders them to pin each king to the ground by placing their feet upon their necks. (v.24) This, too, was a tradition in the ANE, for the warlords who had gained great victory in battle against their foes. Joshua then declares victory in the name of the Lord, reminding all the people that they have no need to fear their enemies. God will do to Israel’s enemies what Joshua is about to do to the five Amorite kings. (v.25) While the text doesn’t give details, we can logically presume that Joshua either decapitated the kings or simply drove his sword through their backs. Afterwards, the bodies are hung on trees for all to see, a warning to all the other Canaanite nations of what is coming for them. Per Mosaic law, the bodies are taken down at sunset and cast into the same cave where the kings had hid themselves earlier. (v.27) (Deuteronomy 21:22-23) At the time of the writing of this book the stones are still present at the mouth of that cave. Verses 28-43: The remainder of the chapter describes the conquering of the southern cities of Makkedah, Libnah, Lachish, Gezer, Eglon, Hebron, and Debir. Every last citizen is killed and each of their kings executed in the same manner as the five Amorite kings and the king of Jericho. (v.28, 30, 32-33, 35, 37, 39) Verse 40 confirms that that Joshua “…left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the Lord God of Israel commanded.” From Kadesh-barnea to Gaza to Goshen and Gibeon, the Israelites are victorious “…because the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel.” (v.42) With the southern campaign completed, Joshua and the army return to the camp at Gilgal. (v.43) Verse 1-2: News of Israel’s victories at Jericho and Ai spread quickly throughout the nearby nations, and their kings, no doubt fearful of suffering the same fate, form an alliance to fight against Israel. These are the same kings mentioned at the beginning of chapter 5. (Joshua 5:1) One of the peoples mentioned in verse 1 are the Hivites.
Verses 2-15: Gibeon is one of the cities of the Hivites (v.7), and its leaders come up with an additional plan to avoid destruction at the hands of Israel. They send ambassadors to Joshua, disguised in old, tattered clothing and with moldy food to make it appear as if they came on a long journey from a far country. (v.4-5) Even their shoes are worn and full of holes. Israel is camped at Gigal (v.6), and the Gibeonites meet with Joshua and the elders. Notice, however, that they don’t give a proper name of their country – or even a specific name of their people. This, of course, raises the suspicions of the elders, and they question the strangers further. (v.7) “…Peradventure ye dwell among us; and how shall we make a league with you?” can be read as “What if you’re from one of these nearby cities? We can’t make an alliance with you because you’re our enemies.” The Gibeonites, however, neatly sidestep the question by saying simply, “We are thy servants.” (v.8) But Joshua is still not convinced, and he presses them further, again demanding to know the identity of their country and their people. The Hivites again neatly avoid a direct answer by repeating that they are “…from a very far country…” (v.9) and then bring up the old news of Israel’s deliverance from Egypt and her victories against the Amorites and the kings Sihon and Og. (v.10) They also emphasize once more that “We are your servants…” (v.11) and then point out their moldy bread (v.12), wineskins that have holes in them and their shoes with worn out soles. (v.13) At this point is when Joshua should have told the strangers to stand by while he consulted with God. But Joshua and the elders fail to do this, instead taking the men at their word and trusting in the physical evidence presented to them. (v.14) Joshua then makes an alliance with the strangers, and it’s confirmed by the elders of Israel. (v.15) Verses 16-27: Of course it doesn’t take long for the Hivites’ deception to become known to Joshua and all of Israel. (v.16) Although the text doesn’t say so specifically, the implication in verse 16 is that Joshua and the elders received word from the neighboring cities of the Hivites that the men they had just made an alliance with were, in fact, the inhabitants of Gibeon. (v.17) The fallout from this deception and from Joshua’s grave error of not consulting the LORD is disastrous for all of Israel. Because they are now allies, Israel is prevented from destroying the Hivites and conquering all the cities listed in verse 17. Furthermore, this causes dissension among the people and rebellion against the elders. (v.18) The elders, however, remind the people that they swore an oath in the name of the LORD to not destroy the Hivites. (v.19) To violate that oath will bring the wrath of God upon Israel. (v.20) It is puzzling, though, why the lie on the part of the Gibeonites wouldn’t have nullified that oath. The text doesn’t say, and the elders are correct in their interpretation of the Mosaic law regarding oaths. (Numbers 30:2) This is why God, through Moses, warned the Israelites not to be rash with their vows. God takes oaths seriously, and to go back on one’s word is sin in the eyes of the LORD. (Deuteronomy 23:21-23) In their initial meeting with the Gibeonites, Joshua and the elders had granted the strangers’ request to be servants to Israel. The elders now remind the people of this agreement. (v.21) The Hivites will still be conquered, but they will serve as slaves to the Israelites rather than being utterly destroyed as God had originally commanded be done to all the Canaanites. Joshua then summons the Gibeonites who had deceived them and demands an explanation. (v.22) Because of their deception there is now a curse upon them and all their people. (v.23) They and all their descendants will be slaves of Israel with no hope of buying their freedom or being released from their perpetual servitude. The men respond with an explanation for their trickery: they had heard of God’s judgment against all the nations of the promised land, and they were, naturally, afraid of Israel. (v.24) Therefore, in order to avoid the judgment that had fallen upon Jericho and Ai, the Hivites had concocted this plan, and it succeeded. The men acknowledge that they are at the mercy of Joshua and the elders, and they willingly submit to being Israel’s slaves in perpetuity. (v.25) There are two major lessons to be learned here. 1) We should never fail to ask God for guidance daily, especially for decisions that could affect the direction of our lives. Even choices that to us seem simple and obvious (i.e. buying a new car or accepting a new job offer that comes with a pay increase) can have hidden consequences for our daily lives that only God can see. Those decisions may not seem to us to have negative consequences, but too often it’s only in hindsight, when we have to live with the unexpected fallout of those choices, that we realize we should have consulted the Lord first before deciding what direction to take. That new car might end up having so many mechanical issues that it would have been better for the monthly budget if you had stuck with the older but reliable vehicle. Or that new job with the higher pay might come with a boss that requires you to work on Sundays. 2) The consequences of our rash choices can often adversely affect us for a very long time, perhaps even the remainder of our lives. The decision by Joshua and the elders to form an alliance with the Hivites had long term consequences for Israel. (2 Samuel 21:1-2, 6) This is the main reason we should always seek the LORD’s guidance for every decision that could potentially affect the course of our lives. What may seem obvious or inconsequential to us can often come with unintended side effects that we don’t experience until it’s too late to reverse course. What’s especially disheartening in this account of the deception of Joshua and the elders is that they had just experienced the disastrous consequences of sin when Achan disobeyed God’s commandment. Joshua should have known better than to take the word of the strangers before seeking God’s guidance. The fact that the answers from the men of Gibeon were deliberately vague, as well as their testimony of God’s power in delivering the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, should have been enough to warn Joshua and the elders that something was not quite right with these “ambassadors”. How often have we today allowed ourselves to be deceived because of the flattery of non-believers? How often have we decided to go with our gut rather than ask God for guidance? There was a good reason God had commanded Moses and the Israelites to annihilate all the peoples of Canaan. Even though the Hivites were slaves of Israel they still exerted some adverse influence in the lives of the Israelites that had unfortunate consequences in later generations, as we well know from the book of Judges, Samuel and Kings. Joshua and the elders allowed themselves to be deceived because they looked only on the outward appearance. They trusted the physical evidence presented to them instead of trusting God. (1 Samuel 16:7) Only God can see what lies in the heart of man, and that’s why we need to rely on Him to guide us in every step of our walk with Him. Our five senses can easily fool us, and our heart is desperately wicked. (Jeremiah 17:9) Only God can keep us on the right path and away from the snares that only He can see because He knows the future, and He loves us who are His children. When He says “No” to a prayer request or changes the course of our lives in a direction that we don’t understand, we must remember that He is omniscient, and His directions are only for our good because He loves us. He wants only what’s best for us. That’s what it means to walk by faith and not by the fallacy of our own weak, sinful sight. (Romans 1:17, 2 Corinthians 5:7, Galatians 3:11, Hebrews 10:38) |
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