Read Joshua 16 here (text coming …) or at Bible Gateway.
The Hebrew paragraph:
16:1-10 {p} The borders of Ephraim
We are beginning to see a Repeating Pattern in the past few chapters.
Nevertheless the children of Israel did not drive out the Geshurites, nor the Maacathites; but Geshur and Maacath dwelt in the midst of Israel to this day. Jos 13:13
And as for the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not drive them out; but the Jebusites dwelt with the children of Judah at Jerusalem, as it is to this day. Jos 15:63
And they did not drive out the Canaanites who dwelt in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwelt in the midst of Ephraim, as it is this day, and became servants to do taskwork. Jos 16:10
With this break in the pattern:
And Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak, Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak. Jos 15:14
What is the Teaching Tool teaching?
“I will send My fear before you, I will cause confusion among all the people to whom you come, and will make all your enemies turn their backs to you. And I will send hornets before you, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite from before you. I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the beasts of the field become too numerous for you. Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased, and you inherit the land. And I will set your bounds from the Red Sea to the sea, Philistia, and from the desert to the River. For I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you shall drive them out before you. You shall make no covenant with them, nor with their gods. They shall not dwell in your land, lest they make you sin against Me. For if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.” Exo 23:27-33
But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall be that those whom you let remain shall be irritants in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall harass you in the land where you dwell. Num 33:55
It is a reminder, that, yes, Israel could not drive them out in one day. But if they quit trying, and got comfortable having Canaanites for neighbors, they would become a snare to them. And in the next book, Judges, we will see if the history bears out YHVH’s warning.
Leave a Reply