[Brother V]

Joshua 13-15

Today's Bible in a Year reading is rather uneventful. It's repetitive, like most of the book of Joshua is, but it's uneventful.

Today we get:

• The apportion of Reuben
• The apportion of Gad
• The apportion of half of Manasseh
• Caleb's city
• Judah's portion

Joshua 13

1 Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the LORD said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed.

Remember the repetitive nature of the book of Joshua. This verse is a prime example of that.

2 This is the land that yet remaineth: all the borders of the Philistines, and all Geshuri,

That's not all, there's a whole lot left to capture/kill/destroy/smite with slaughter.

7 Now therefore divide this land for an inheritance unto the nine tribes, and the half tribe of Manasseh,

Remember, Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh wanted to stay on the other side of Jordan.

8 With whom the Reubenites and the Gadites have received their inheritance, which Moses gave them, beyond Jordan eastward, even as Moses the servant of the LORD gave them;

Yes, we get it, Moses gave it to them.

14 Only unto the tribes of Levi he gave none inheritance; the sacrifices of the LORD God of Israel made by fire are their inheritance, as he said unto them.

Remember, Levi didn't get any state/county area, they only get a few cities.

15 And Moses gave unto the tribe of the children of Reuben inheritance according to their families.

24 And Moses gave inheritance unto the tribe of Gad, even unto the children of Gad according to their families.

29 And Moses gave inheritance unto the half tribe of Manasseh: and this was the possession of the half tribe of the children of Manasseh by their families.

Reuben, Gad, Manasseh.

33 But unto the tribe of Levi Moses gave not any inheritance: the LORD God of Israel was their inheritance, as he said unto them.

Is this record skipping?

Joshua 14

3 For Moses had given the inheritance of two tribes and an half tribe on the other side Jordan: but unto the Levites he gave none inheritance among them.

It's like back in Deuteronomy when we are told not to make idols, over and over and over and over...

4 For the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim: therefore they gave no part unto the Levites in the land, save cities to dwell in, with their suburbs for their cattle and for their substance.

6 Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, Thou knowest the thing that the LORD said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadeshbarnea.

Everyone remember Caleb? He was the other guy with Joshua who went and scouted the promised land (with the other guys) except him and Joshua said they could do it, and the others didn't. Him and Caleb were the only 2 people who were of age at the start of the wandering of the wilderness.

7 Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadeshbarnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart.

8 Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the LORD my God.

As well he should! Now why did he have to remind Joshua of that? Surely he and Joshua were good friends, as there was no one else who was anywhere near their age.

9 And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children's for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the LORD my God.

10 And now, behold, the LORD hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the LORD spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old.

85 years old. He claims he's aged well.

11 As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in.

Mandelbaum!

12 Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said.

It's go time!

13 And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance.

Caleb gets Hebron.

Joshua 15

1 This then was the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah by their families; even to the border of Edom the wilderness of Zin southward was the uttermost part of the south coast.

Finally, we're getting to the apportioning for the remaining 9-ish tribes.

13 And unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a part among the children of Judah, according to the commandment of the LORD to Joshua, even the city of Arba the father of Anak, which city is Hebron.

Hebron is apparently inside the area of Judah.

14 And Caleb drove thence the three sons of Anak, Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.

Nothing will scare people away more than an 85 year old man running around challenging people to going in and out competitions.

16 And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjathsepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife.

So, I get Achsah for smiting Kirjathsepher, where do I sign up?

17 And Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.

So she married her uncle. I guess I'm a little too late.

18 And it came to pass, as she came unto him, that she moved him to ask of her father a field: and she lighted off her ass; and Caleb said unto her, What wouldest thou?

Lighted means got off of.

19 Who answered, Give me a blessing; for thou hast given me a south land; give me also springs of water. And he gave her the upper springs, and the nether springs.

She got some nether springs for her ass.

Next is a list of the cities that were in the area for Judah. It's a long list.

So what have we learned today?

1. If you read it all, you would see the cities that are in Judah.
2. Caleb said, it's go time!
3. Caleb's daughter married her uncle.

YIC
V