Read Joshua 14 here (text coming …) or at Bible Gateway.
The Hebrew paragraphs:
14:1-5 {p} Inheritance of the 9-1/2 tribes by lot
14:6-15 {p} The inheritance of Caleb (of Judah)
Joshua 14 Chiastic Structures:
Jos 14:1-5 {p} Chiastic Structure
Jos 14:6-15 {p} Chiastic Structure
Therefore Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, as it is this day; because he wholly followed YHVH, the God of Israel. Jos 14:14
That Caleb wholly followed YHVH is Repeated three times in a single paragraph.
To follow is from Strong’s H309 אחר akhar, a primitive verb meaning, “to be behind, to procrastinate.” The ancient pictographs are aleph + chet + resh.
aleph א = the ox head, thus strength, power, leader
chet ח = the wall, thus outside, divide, half
resh ר = the head of man, thus head, first, top, beginning, man
The cognate words will help us find the story being told by the Hebrew Root Words. The most common cognate is a burning, that which happens in the heat of the desert day. Thus, an outside (chet) man (resh) who works in the heat of the day becomes burnt, so instead, he holds back and waits until the cool of the day. The parable is of a strong and powerful leader (aleph) who is followed (chet + resh, in the sense of those who are behind).
To follow wholly is from Strong’s H4390 מלא mala, a primitive verb meaning, “to fill, to be full.” The ancient pictographs are mem + lamed + aleph.
mem מ, ם = the water, thus chaos, mighty, blood
lamed ל = the shepherd’s staff, thus teach, yoke, to, bind
aleph א = the ox head, thus strength, power, leader
The parable is of chaos (mem) brought into order (lamed) by power (aleph). Cognate words from this root include speaking a word, as individual words are brought into order to convey a message by strength of mind or will; branch, as they individually extend out in order from the tree through the agency of a strong root; firstfruits, as individual fruits are combined to convey the strongest of the harvest, and Lord, as one who is full of authority. To do something wholly, then, is to do something with all one’s fullness, with all that is there, to leave nothing out.
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