joshua 13 and 14

Read Joshua 13 and 14 at Bible Gateway.

The Hebrew paragraph divisions for today’s chapters are:

Jos 13:1-14 {p} Joshua commanded to divide the land + land yet to be possessed
Jos 13:15-23 {p} The inheritance of Reuben east of the Jordan
Jos 13:24-28 {s} The inheritance of Gad
Jos 13:29-32 {p} The inheritance of half Manasseh + Moses given east of the Jordan
Jos 13:33 {s} Moses gave the tribe of Levi no inheritance; YHVH was their inheritance
Jos 14:1-5 {p} Inheritance of the 9-1/2 tribes by lot
Jos 14:6-15 {p} The inheritance of Caleb (of Judah)

The strong themes:

Jos 13:1-14 {p} Joshua commanded to divide the land + land yet to be possessed
Jos 13:15-23 {p} The inheritance of Reuben east of the Jordan
Jos 13:24-32 {s+p} The inheritance of Gad + half Manasseh east of the Jordan
Jos 13:33-14:5 {s+p} All twelve tribes received their inheritance + Levi inherited the LORD God of Israel

One of the paragraphs in today’s reading forms a chiastic structure with an interesting central axis:

Jos 14:1-5 {p}
1a) Jos 14:1-3a, As the LORD commanded Moses, Israel inherited the land;

1b) Jos 14:3b, The Levites had no inheritance among them;

central axis) Jos 14:4a, The children of Joseph were two tribes;

2b) Jos 14:4b, They gave no part to the Levites in the land;

2a) Jos 14:5, As the LORD commanded Moses, so Israel divided the land.

The central axis, the portion of Scripture that has neon flashing lights around it, is the children of Joseph. This is interesting. Why this? Then when we begin reading the next paragraph according to God’s paragraph divisions, the first thing we read is about the children of Judah. So the first paragraph of chapter 14 (which introduces the 9-1/2 tribes inheriting the land) is about the children of Joseph + inheriting the land, then the next paragraph is about the children of Judah + inheriting the land.

This is not the first time we have seen Joseph and Judah together in Scripture, highlighted. Of all the children of Jacob, the final chapters of Genesis only tell the story of two: Joseph, and Judah. Jacob splits the promise and blessing of Abraham into two, and confers firstborn status with its double portion inheritance onto Joseph (and Ephraim, whom Jacob makes Joseph’s firstborn, Gen 48); and leadership status in ruling the family onto Judah (Gen 49:8-12).

Then the two spies out of the twelve, who witness for the LORD without compromise, are the two from the tribes of Ephraim (Joseph), and Judah (Joshua and Caleb, Num 14:6-9). Now here again, Scripture is placing neon flashing lights around Joseph, and Judah. Let us just tuck this bit of trivia in the back of our brains, and pay attention as we go through Scripture, because Scripture will continue to reveal God’s amazing wisdom through them!

I noticed today two repeating elements, which I believe will lead to a chiastic structure. I saw the second element first, as is often the case, because then you realize it is a repeat:

Jos 11:23b, Then the land rested from war.
Jos 14:15b, Then the land had rest from war.

Noticing this, put me in mind of the prophetic nature of the book of Joshua, for he is a type of Messiah in His second coming. Messiah Yeshua will likewise come and conquer all His enemies in His land, Amen? Today we learn that Israel inherited the land God had promised to give her. God kept His promise! It brought to mind this verse:

“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” Mat 5:5

Canaanites possess the world we live in, don’t they? Before Messiah returns, we are to occupy ourselves with making disciples out of them, so that they are Gentiles no longer, but are grafted in to the olive tree of Israel, and become Israelites. But a day is coming when those who will not bow the knee will be driven out, and the meek – not proud, not haughty, not arrogant, not oppressive, not self- serving, but those who in humility esteem others better than themselves (Phi 2:3), for such are the true Israelites, the true people of God, His true worshipers who worship Him in Spirit and in truth – will inherit it instead. Then the earth will have rest from war, under its king, Messiah Yeshua, for 1000 years!