Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Joshua 14:1
And these [are the countries] which the children of Israel inherited in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed for inheritance to them.
Ch. Jos 14:1-5. Distribution of the Land West of the Jordan
1. And these are the countries ] In this section, from Jos 14:1-5, we have an introduction to the division of the country west of the Jordan among the nine and a half remaining tribes.
Eleazar the priest ] He was the third son of Aaron, and his successor in the highpriesthood (Num 20:25; Deu 10:6). See below, ch. Jos 24:33. Both here and in Num 34:17 he is mentioned before Joshua, “for the division by lot was presided over by the high priest as the representative of the government of the Lord in Israel.” Keil.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Jos 14:1-5
By lot was their inheritance.
The tribes apportioned
As the whole inheritance was the gift of God, so each ones share was assigned to him by His appointment. Not even Joshua himself in a display of the greatest wisdom and impartiality could have yielded satisfaction in a matter where so many, and all of one family, were concerned. Only the authority of the Father, who had entailed upon them as His redeemed children this common patrimony, could decide the portion of each tribe and of each family. This may yield great satisfaction to the heirs of promise, who are looking for a share in the heavenly inheritance. There, whatever degree of station, difference of capacity, or diversity of possession may exist, no one but will find his inheritance all he could desire and enjoy, and for ever beyond the possibility of becoming a cause of dissatisfaction to himself or of envy to others. To animate the hopes of the believer, and quicken his desires after it, an outline is presented in the descriptions of heavenly promise. Oh, for a realising faith, that elevation and meekness which characterise the high-born sons of God, and which by present hopes wean the heart from earthly bliss and sublimate its affections to highest joys. The portion of inheritance that fell to the members of this great family was, agreeably to previous instructions in the wilderness, determined by lot; and was to be viewed not as the result of chance, but as the wise and gracious appointment of their heavenly Father. No one but had reason to be satisfied with his portion, and to consider it assigned him with the indisputable exactness of last will and testament. What a sweet thought to the true spiritual Church of God, the heirs of grace and glory, both with respect to their present condition and their future inheritance! He who did not overlook one tribe or family in the earthly Canaan, but provided for them as few or many, now, though the lot is differently determined, as minutely fixes the bounds of His peoples habitations, and manages all their affairs. Nor less exact will appear the eternal consummation of His goodness, in the final results of providence, and completion of His covenant purpose. (W. Seaton.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
CHAPTER XIV
Eleazar, Joshua, and the heads of the fathers, distribute the
land by lot to the people, 1-3.
The Levites receive no land, but cities to dwell in, and suburbs
for their cattle, 4, 5.
Caleb requests to have Mount Hebron for an inheritance, because
of his former services, 6-12.
Joshua grants his request, 13-15.
NOTES ON CHAP. XIV
Verse 1. Eleazar the priest, c.] ELEAZAR, as being the minister of GOD in sacred things is mentioned first. JOSHUA, as having the supreme command in all things civil, is mentioned next. And the HEADS or PRINCES of the twelve tribes, who in all things acted under Joshua, are mentioned last. These heads or princes were twelve, Joshua and Eleazar included and the reader may find their names in Nu 34:19-28. It is worthy of remark that no prince was taken from the tribes of Reuben and Gad, because these had already received their inheritance on the other side of Jordan, and therefore could not be interested in this division.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
These, mentioned chapters 14-19. Eleazar the priest. see on Jos 8:33; 9:15,18; 19:51. He best understood the laws of God, by which this division was to be regulated; and he was to consult God upon any difficult occurrence.
The heads of the fathers of the tribes; twelve persons, each the head of his tribe, which were appointed and named by God, Num 34:19; and if any of them were now dead, no doubt Joshua and Eleazar, by Gods direction, put others in their stead.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
1. these are the countries which thechildren of Israel inherited in the land of CanaanThis chapterforms the introduction to an account of the allocation of the landwest of Jordan, or Canaan proper, to the nine tribes and a half. Itwas also made by lot in presence of a select number ofsuperintendents, appointed according to divine directions given toMoses (see on Nu 34:16). Ineverything pertaining to civil government, and even the division ofthe land, Joshua was the acknowledged chief. But in a matter to bedetermined by lot, a solemn appeal was made to God, and henceEleazar, as high priest, is named before Joshua.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And these [are the countries] which the children of Israel inherited in the land of Canaan,…. Of which an exact account is given in the following chapters, particularly in the Jos 15:1;
which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed for an inheritance unto them; namely, ten princes, one of each tribe, who, with Eleazar and Joshua, were appointed of the Lord by name to do this business, even seven years ago, before their entrance into the land of Canaan, Nu 34:17.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Jos 14:1-5 form the heading and introduction to the account of the division of the land among the nine tribes and a half, which reaches to Josh 19, and is brought to a close by the concluding formula in Jos 19:51. The division of the land of Canaan according to the boundaries laid down in Num 34:2-12 was carried out, in accordance with the instructions in Num 34:16-29, by the high priest Eleazar, Joshua, and ten heads of fathers’ houses of the nine tribes and a half, whose names are given in Num 34:18-28. “ By the lot of their inheritance,” i.e., by casting lots for it: this is dependent upon the previous clause, “ which they distributed for inheritance to them.” “ As the Lord commanded through Moses ” (Num 26:52-56; Num 33:54, and Num 34:13), “ to the nine tribes and a half ” (this is also dependent upon the clause “which they distributed for inheritance”).
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
| The Distribution of Canaan. | B. C. 1444. |
1 And these are the countries which the children of Israel inherited in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed for inheritance to them. 2 By lot was their inheritance, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes, and for the half tribe. 3 For Moses had given the inheritance of two tribes and a half tribe on the other side Jordan: but unto the Levites he gave none inheritance among them. 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. 5 As the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did, and they divided the land.
The historian, having in the foregoing chapter given an account of the disposal of the countries on the other side Jordan, now comes to tell us what they did with the countries in the land of Canaan. They were not conquered to be left desert, a habitation for dragons, and a court for owls, Isa. xxxiv. 13. No, the Israelites that had hitherto been closely encamped in a body, and the greatest part of them such as never knew any other way of living, must now disperse themselves to replenish these new conquests. It is said of the earth, God created it not in vain; he formed it to be inhabited, Isa. xlv. 18. Canaan would have been subdued in vain if it had not been inhabited. Yet every man might not go and settle where he pleased, but as there seems to have been in the days of Peleg an orderly and regular division of the habitable earth among the sons of Noah (Gen 10:25; Gen 10:32), so there was now such a division of the land of Canaan among the sons of Jacob. God had given Moses directions how this distribution should be made, and those directions are here punctually observed. See Num. xxvi. 53, c.
I. The managers of this great affair were Joshua the chief magistrate, Eleazar the chief priest, and ten princes, one of each of the tribes that were now to have their inheritance, whom God himself had nominated (Num. xxxiv. 17, &c.) some years before and, it should seem, they were all now in being, and attended this service, that every tribe, having a representative of its own, might be satisfied that there was fair dealing, and might the more contentedly sit down by its lot.
II. The tribes among whom this dividend was to be made were nine and a half. 1. Not the two and a half that were already seated (v. 3), though perhaps now that they saw what a good land Canaan was, and how effectually it was subdued, they might some of them repent their choice, and wish they had now been to have their lot with their brethren, upon which condition they would gladly have given up what they had on the other side Jordan; but it could not be admitted: they had made their election without power of revocation, and so must their doom be; they themselves have decided it, and they must adhere to their choice. 2. Not the tribe of Levi; this was to be otherwise provided for. God had distinguished them from, and dignified them above, the other tribes, and they must not now mingle themselves with them, nor cast in their lot among them, for this would entangle them in the affairs of this life, which would not consist with a due attendance on their sacred function. But, 3. Joseph made two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim, pursuant to Jacob’s adoption of Joseph’s two sons, and so the number of the tribes was kept up to twelve, though Levi was taken out, which is intimated here (v. 4): The children of Joseph were two tribes, therefore they gave no part to Levi, they being twelve without them.
III. The rule by which they went was the lot, v. 2. The disposal of that is of the Lord, Prov. xvi. 33. It was here used in an affair of weight, and which could not otherwise be accommodated to universal satisfaction, and it was used in a solemn religious manner as an appeal to God, by consent of parties. In dividing by lot, 1. They referred themselves to God, and to his wisdom and sovereignty, believing him fitter to determine for them than they for themselves. Ps. xlvii. 4, He shall choose our inheritance for us. 2. They professed a willingness to abide by the determination of it; for every man must take what is his lot, and make the best of it. In allusion to this we are said to obtain an inheritance in Christ (Eph. i. 11), eklerothemen—we have obtained it by lot, so the word signified; for it is obtained by a divine designation. Christ, our Joshua, gives eternal life to as many as were given him, John xvii. 2.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Joshua – Chapter 14
Land Distribution Explained, vs. 1-5
Verse 1 shows that the inspired writer is about to record the manner in which the land on the west side of Jordan was divided among the tribes of Israel. Eleazar, the high priest, and Joshua, the Lord’s chosen head over the people, were in charge of the choice and distribution of the tribal apportionment. They were assisted by the elders of the tribes.
The portion each tribe was to receive was determined by lot. The manner in which the lot operated is not related. Since the tribes varied greatly in number, so that much needed to be allotted the one and less the other, those who made the apportionment had to rely on the Lord that the lot would fall fairly and to the tribe He wished to receive it, (Pro 16:33).
Several things are repeated in the verses, of which the reader should already have learned. Nine and a half tribes were to receive their allotment on the west side; Moses had given two and a half tribes possession east of Jordan; Manasseh and Ephraim were to be given two portions as the birthright of their father, Joseph (Gen 48:5; Gen 48:22).
For the third time since the author of Joshua began the account of the tribal division it is said that the Lord is the inheritance of the Levites.
Why repeat this so much? The Levites had a duty under God to faithfully represent Him before the rest of the Israelites, and they should make this their chief aim in life. They were given cities in which to dwell, around which they were to have suburbs, or pasture, garden land, etc.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
1. And these are the countries, etc He now proceeds to the land of Canaan, from which nine tribes and a half were to obtain their lots. And he will immediately break off the thread of the narrative, as we shall see. Yet the transition is seasonably made from that region whose situation was different, to let the reader know that the discourse was to be concerning the land of Canaan, which was to be divided by lot. We have said that Joshua and Eleazar not only divided what the Israelites had already acquired, but trusting in the promise of God, confidently included whatever he had promised to his people, just as if they had been in actual possession of it. We shall see, indeed, that the division was not all at once made complete, but when the first lot turned up in favor of Judah, the turns of the others were left in hope.
Here a difficult question arises. How can it be said that the distribution of the land was made by Joshua, Eleazar, and the princes, if lots were cast? For the lot is not regulated by the opinion or the will or the authority of man. Should any one answer, that they took charge and prevented any fraud from being committed, the difficulty is not removed, nay, this evasion will be refuted from the context. It is to be known, therefore, that they were not selected simply to divide the land by lot, but also afterwards to enlarge or restrict the boundaries of the tribes by giving to each its due proportion. That this business could not be accomplished by a naked lot is very apparent. For while, according to human ideas, nothing is more fortuitous than the result of a lot, it was not known whether God might choose to place the half tribe of Manasseh where the tribe of Judah obtained its settlement, or whether Zebulun might not occupy the place of Ephraim. Therefore they were not at liberty at the outset to proceed farther than to divide the land into ten districts or provinces. In this way, however, the space belonging to each would remain indefinite. For had an option been given to each, some would have chosen to fix themselves in the center, others would have preferred a quiet locality, while others would have been guided in their choice by the fertility of the soil, or the climate and beauty of the scenery. But the lot placed the tribe of Judah, as it were, at the head, while it sent that of Zebulun away to the seashore, placed the tribe of Benjamin adjacent to that of Judah, and removed that of Ephraim to a greater distance. In short, the effect of the lot was that ten divisions fell out from Egypt towards Syria, and from the north quarter to the Mediterranean Sea, making some neighbors to the Egyptians, and giving to others maritime positions, to others hilly districts, to others intervening valleys.
This being understood, the office remaining for the rulers of the people was to trace out the boundaries on all sides in accordance with the rules of equity. It remained, therefore, for them to calculate how many thousand souls there were in every tribe, and to assign more or less space to each, according to the greatness or the smallness of their numbers. For in conformity to the divine command, a due proportion was to be observed, and a larger or narrower district was to be assigned, according as the census which was taken had ascertained the numbers to be. (Num 26:0) To the judgment of the princes was it in like manner left to shape the territories, regulating the length and breadth as circumstances might require. It is necessary also to bear in mind what is said in Num 26:0, that the ten who are here called heads of families were appointed to execute this office, not by the suffrages of men, but by the voice of God. Thus each tribe had its own overseers to prevent either fraud or violence from being committed. Then it would have been impious to have any suspicion of those who had been nominated by God. Such is the manner in which Joshua may be said to have distributed the land, though it was portioned out by lot.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
THE DIVISION OF THE LAND
Joshua, Chapters 13 to 19 and 21, 22.
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 (Jos 13:1). This is the land that yet remaineth, etc.
MEN grow old differently. Some men remain hale and hearty. Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated (Deu 34:7). Others are weighted with years, and feebleness is their lot. Joshua has been a mighty man; and yet, more than a century has swept over his head, and the Lord is reminding him that the end is near, and what remains to be done must have prompt attention. When the field yet to be occupied is Divinely surveyed, its immensity astonishes us, and suggests an essential truth, namely, that no matter what battles have been successfully fought, and what great victories have been won, there remaineth always much land to be possessed. One of the sad things about growing old exists in that very circumstance. What man ever accomplished marvelous resultsresults that amazed his fellows, without realizing that what he has done is small beside what he would like to live to do?
Youth has its ideals, and age sometimes experiences the realization of those ideals to a large degree, but in the very process of accomplishment, larger things have loomed before the worker; greater plans have evolved, and when life is drawing to a close, one feels that he has only succeeded in laying foundations, and yearns to live that he
might build thereon. But time moves, and the man who puts his stamp permanently upon it must remember his numbered days and wisely utilize till the last.
This division of the land relates itself to the twelve tribes, and in the appointments there will necessarily result some disputations.
THE EAST SIDE
This received first attention, as is shown in chapter 13.
There were conquests yet to be accomplished. We will not attempt to follow these borders and to show the exact location and limitation of each tribal occupancy. That were a work of super-erogation. Almost any good Bible carries a map showing these tribal locations in colors, and a moments glance of the eye at such a diagram would accomplish more than extended discussion. Let us learn, rather, the spiritual significance of this further occupancy of the soil.
What man ever lives long enough to do all that he ought to do; to put down all the enemies that ought to be trampled under his feet; to occupy all the territory that he himself should conquer? Not one! On the other hand, the best that we can do is to hope in our successors. Christ Himself was shut up to that necessity. When Luke came to write the Book of the Acts, he said, The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach (Act 1:1). How strange a sentence to employ with reference to the Son of God! We thought Jesus finished. Did He not say on the cross, It is finished? Was not His work in the world complete before the last breath went from His body? Nay, verily! He completed but one task and that was to make an atonement for the people. As for His deeds and His teaching, they were only beginnings; as for the progress of His church, it was in its infancy; as for the bringing in of His kingdom, that was a far-off event. He only began to do and to teach. His disciples, His Church; they must carry on. Joshua must die, but Reuben and Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, must occupy the East Side. It was theirs to complete what Moses and Joshua had commenced; it was theirs to inherit and subdue the plains of Moab on the other side of Jordan by Jericho eastward.
The pledge of Moses was now to be fulfilled to them. The Reubenites and the Gadites have received their inheritance, which Moses gave them, beyond Jordan eastward (Jos 13:8).
Joshua, then, was not to settle the question of that section. It was settled already; but Joshua was Gods agent to make good to Reuben and Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh what Moses pledged.
In Jesus, our Joshua, we find both the execution of the law and the fulfillment of prophecy. It is in Him that we have both made sure to all believers.
The Lord was to be the portion of the Levites. But unto the tribe of Levi Moses gave not any inheritance: the Lord God of Israel was their inheritance, as He said unto them (Jos 13:33).
That sounds like scant treatment, but, as a matter of fact, thats a declaration of great riches. What man is to be envied as that man who has the Lord for his inheritance? Is he not the richest and the most honored of all men? Is he not to be the most envied of all heirs? Can he not sing with good occasion,
My Father is rich in houses and lands,
He holdeth the wealth of the world in His hands!
Of rubies and diamonds, of silver and gold,
His coffers are fullHe has riches untold.
Im a child of the King, a child of the King!
With Jesus, my Saviour, Im a child of the King?
Moses fell heir to honor and fortune. His adoption into Pharaohs house made him the child of both, but the day came when he deliberately chose to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward (Heb 11:25-26).
Fuente: The Bible of the Expositor and the Evangelist by Riley
THE WEST SIDE
Chapters 14 to 21.
The apportionment was in fulfillment of prophecy. If one doubts that prophecy is the mold of history, let him read the forty-ninth chapter of Genesis and follow it with chapters fourteen to twenty-one of Joshua, and he will discover that these tribes were finally located, as Jacob, the father of twelve, declared when dying.
Who will say that life is a lottery, that affairs are mere accidents? Who will doubt that the end is known to God from the beginning, or say that He operates without a plan? Who will claim that a blind force, known as Energy, or Nature, is weaving the web of human history? Certainly not the man who has intelligently studied his Bible.
The apportionment expressed the estimate of the tribe. These tribes do not fare alike. Apparently no effort whatever is made to put them on an equal basis. Back in Num 26:54-55, it was written concerning this very distribution of the land,
To many thou shalt give the more inheritance, and to few thou shalt give the less inheritance: to every one shall his inheritance be given according to those that were numbered of him.
Notwithstanding the Land shall be divided by lot: according to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit.
There is a difference, then, between the lot of men-shuffling, and the lot that God employs. The first is a mere chance, and by it the noblest may be cheated. The last is an absolute science and expresses a perfect judgment. Gods lots work no injustice. The principle employed in the distribution of these lands to the nine and one-half tribes, or, for that matter, to the twelve tribes, is the principle of the New Testament parable of the talents, where to one the absent Lord gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability (Mat 25:15).
Thats the basis, doubtless, of the apportionment to the tribes. God knew what ones of them would conquer a mountain; what ones of them would clear a forest; what ones of them would cultivate a plain; what ones of them would make to blossom a desert, and distributed them accordingly.
The occupancy of America illustrates the fact that God does not cease to give men opportunity according to their several abilities, nor quit locating them according to character and custom. Who will doubt that the Mississippi region and almost our entire southern border was intelligently occupied by the Spanish; that the northeast states flourish the better in the possession of English, Irish and Scotch; that the central west was adapted to the German; the northwest to the Scandinavian? A little careful study will illustrate the fact that these occupations were not mere accidents, but in each and every instance the people possessing were adapted to the climatic and industrial conditions of the particular section settled.
The Levite occupied the entire land. He had no territory that he could claim, but he was given a place in certain cities and distributed among all the tribes. There was a double reason for that fact. First, every tribe needed both the service and ensample of the Levite. Any people who propose to occupy a land, and have among them no ministers, will eventually demonstrate that irreligion cannot create a successful state, and never in history has built a strong nation.
Again, distributed through the nations, they could have their living by the nations. Every community, in self-interest, should sustain a priest unto Goda minister of the Divine will, and if the law of God is regarded, every ten families in the world could maintain a minister and let him live on an absolute equality with them, for that is the law of the tithe. And when one has his living and the conscious presence of the Lord, what greater riches are needed? Let David sing of such, The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage (Psa 16:5-6).
POINTS OF DISPUTATION
The reading of these nine chapters brings us face to face with the fact that humanity is the same in all ages. It would not be expected that so intricate a service as the location of so many people could be accomplished without dispute. In some instances, that dispute would be short-lived, and for the most part, a cordial discussion; and in others, it would border on battle itself. To three of these, let us call brief attention. First,
Caleb presented an unselfish and righteous claim to the mountain. The record of this is found in the fourteenth chapter, Jos 14:6-15. In this record, Caleb reminds Joshua of Moses promise to him. It must then have been understood that Moses was Gods man and that his word was regarded of God. It is a great thing to so live that men will look on our word as Gods Word, and even after we are buried, will appeal to what we have spoken as truth too sacred to be forgotten and disregarded. Caleb claims that Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy childrens for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the Lord my God (Jos 14:9).
Again, there is a bit of an old mans boast in Calebs words, I am this day fourscore and five years old. As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me. We are not condemning Caleb for making it; we are admiring him, rather. It is a fine thing for an old man to feel his strength and to believe that, no matter how many years have passed over his head, he is still equal to war, still ready to meet giants and drive them out. We have a few such old men friends! They are a joy, an encouragement, an inspirationgreat men who renew their strength in God and who, to their last breath, do valiant battle.
Caleb was the one man that joined Joshua in making a report on the land of Canaan, and in that report he admitted that there were giants in the mountains, but declared, We are well able to overcome it.
Forty-five years have swept by, and the indomitable spirit still lives, and Caleb, even now, illustrates the truth of the words spoken when he was yet a young man. He conquered because he hath wholly followed the Lord God.
The fifteenth chapter records
Achsahs request for springs of water. Caleb was of the tribe of Judah, and when he went forth to conquer, and found Kirjath-sepher a stronghold difficult to take, he proposed to give his daughter in marriage to the man who should conquer it, and Othniel, his brother, accepted the challenge and effected the conquest.
Evidently Achsah was a woman of spirit and craved more than had fallen to her lot, and consequently, when her timid husband would not ask, she requested of Caleb a blessing, and an addition to her southland springs of water, and he gave her the upper springs, and the nether springs. This, also, is suggestive. Who is content to dwell in an arid land when the Father has springs in His control, and who will doubt that these springs have their symbolic meaning, their spiritual suggestion?
Do we not recall that marvelous chapter in Johns Gospel when Christ met the woman at the well and asked her to give Him to drink, and she answered,
How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of Me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.
Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of Him, and He would have given thee living water.
The woman saith unto Him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?
Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?
Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life (Joh 4:9-14).
Let us not hesitate to ask our Father for water, Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation (Isa 12:3).
Finally, the schismatic altar of Reuben and Gad. The record of this is in the twenty-second chapter. This was a dispute that approached the fatal. The altar erected by Reuben and Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh over against the land of Canaan, in the borders of Jordan, was misjudged by the congregation of the Children of Israel. They looked upon it as a departure from the Lord and they proposed to abolish it, and, if need be, destroy their brethren rather than suffer such an altar to live. Was their spirit wrong? Yes and No. They were not wrong in deciding that no false altar should live; they were not wrong in determining that rather than permit its existence, they would indulge in a civil war. War is horrible, and of all wars, a war between brethren is the most to be deplored. But there are some things worse than war, and idolatry is one of them, and sin is one of them. They had already seen what the sin of Achan had wrought. They had witnessed thousands of their brethren perish because Gods Word had been disregarded, and they did not propose to pass through a kindred experience and be silent on the subject. In that they were righta thousand times right.
The church that supposes itself to be Christian because its officials and members are so good-natured that they will not quarrel with the false teacher in their midst, is a church guilty of the grossest folly. The time will come when that very teaching will divide and disrupt the body, and, in all probability, destroy it altogether. History has illustrations in hundreds of cases of this identical result. Far better to call a brother to account for his false altars and false philosophy and false religion than to keep the peace.
But, on the other hand, the nine and one-half tribes were mistaken in supposing this was a false altar, and mistaken in their judgment of the motive that erected it. We want to be sure that men who are not worshiping in our particular house are thereby men who have departed from God before we fight against them. The old denominational controversies that raged white-hot were, for the most part, unjustifiable. The refusal to fellowship a man, and the proposal to fight a man because he approaches God in other ceremonials than we employ, or other sanctuaries than we have erected, is far from Christian. The great question is, Does he worship God and acknowledge the Lordship of His Son Jesus Christ, and the guidance of His Holy Spirit? If so, he is our brother, and with his conduct we should be pleased, and the altar of true worship should be a witness between us that the Lord is God.
Fuente: The Bible of the Expositor and the Evangelist by Riley
DIVISION OF THE LAND WEST OF JORDAN.THE INHERITANCE OF CALEB
CRITICAL NOTES.The section of the history which is introduced in the first five verses of this chapter terminates with chap. 19., and deals with the division of the land lying between the Jordan and the Mediterranean, among the nine and a half tribes.
Jos. 14:1. Eleazar the priest] He was solemnly set apart to this office in Mount Hor, just before the death of his father. As the distribution of the land was to be by lot, Eleazar the priest is named before Joshua. This, too, is the order in which the names occur in Num. 34:17. As Keil points out: In every other respect, even in the distribution of the land, Joshua was at the head of the commission appointed for that purpose, as we may clearly see from Jos. 14:6, chap. Jos. 17:14, Jos. 18:3. The high priest only had precedence in things purely sacred. To consult God was the first step in dividing the land, and this was to be done by Gods high priest. Heads of the fathers of the tribes] Called princes in Num. 34:18, following which the ten names of the representatives are given.
Jos. 14:4. The children of Joseph were two tribes] Levi not being counted. This is stated to show how the number of twelve tribes was nevertheless preserved in the territorial division. Cities with their suburbs] The extent of these suburbs was to be one thousand cubits beyond the city wall, in each direction (Num. 35:4-5). The difficulty of the verses in Numbers is well explained by Keil. Therefore they gave] Heb. = And they gave. It is not said that this was the reason why the Levites had no portion of territory.
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.Jos. 14:1-5
GODS CHOICE OF HIS PEOPLES INHERITANCE
The principal topic of these verses is the division by lot of the inheritance of the nine and a half tribes. The lot was of the Lord; the details of the method in which it was obtained are not stated. Probably the process was carried on at the door of the tabernacle, and presided over by Eleazar, the high priest. Further than this we know little. The Rabbins think that two urns were used, one containing the names of the districts to be chosen, and the other the names of the tribes, a simultaneous selection being made from each urn. The employment of two urns, however, is a mere speculation. The operation would have been equally definite had the representative of each tribe drawn for his people the name of the district from one urn. However the process may have been conducted, the issue was directed by Jehovah. The lot was cast into the lap (lit., bosom, perhaps meaning that of the vessel or garment employed); but the whole disposing thereof was of the Lord.
Looking in a general way at the subject of the verses, the following thoughts are suggested:
I. An insignificant lot, feeble creatures to occupy it, and the lot, nevertheless, chosen by God. The Jews fully believed in the Divine guidance in this form. In the solemn judgment of Achan, the question, to them, must have been placed altogether beyond doubt. Scripture continually teaches that God directly affords His guidance to men, and that in other matters than on occasions like this. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.
1. Gods choice of our lots in this life is no fiction, but an evident reality. It is not manifest and visible; it is nevertheless placed beyond doubt. No eye could see the hand of God within the urn from which the princes made their selection; that hand was there notwithstanding. It is thus always. We can never pronounce upon this as we look at the process; we can often speak confidently as we mark the results. Taking this case, for instance, of the dividing of the land, compare the prophetic blessings of Jacob and Moses with the issues of the lot. The portion, says Masius, as reported by Dr. Clarke, fell to each tribe just as Jacob had declared two hundred and fifty years before, in the last moments of his life, and Moses immediately before his death; for to the tribe of Judah fell a country abounding in vineyards and pastures; to Zebulon and Issachar, sea coasts; in that of Asher was plenty of oil, wheat, and metals; that of Benjamin, near to the temple, was, in a manner, between the shoulders of the Deity; Ephraim and Manasseh were distinguished with a territory blessed in a peculiar manner by heaven; the land of Naphtali extended from the west to the south of the tribe of Judah (cf. chap. Jos. 19:34). While there is some difficulty as to the case of Naphtali, the general correctness of this description of agreement is unquestionable. In the same way who can fail to see Gods guidance and choice in the lot of Abraham, of Joseph, of Moses, or of Cyrus. Similarly Christ marked out the future of some of His apostles. He said of John words which seemed to intimate a long life; to Peter, Thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee; and, not least noteworthy, of Paul, I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my names sake. No less does God choose the lot of His servants now. The unseen process. The reality of the fact.
2. This concern of God in the lot which men shall occupy in life is very wonderful in its condescension. How glorious is the universe over which Jehovah rules! How insignificant must any one of these little divisions of Canaan have appeared to Him! How frail, physically and religiously, were the creatures who were to occupy these little lots! For what a mere point of time, to Him who is the Eternal, could they hold them! How very wonderful does Divine condescension appear as we see the Divine attention seemingly concentrated for century after century on these few lots of land in Palestine, which pass successively towards, into, and through the hands of so many occupants! What a mere morsel of a lot each individual life is concerned with, and for what a mere moment of time is the lot held by any particular life! Yet all this is but a picture, taken from the gallery of Providence by the hand of Revelation, and held out to the gaze of men. It is only a section, and that given but in outlines, of a long panoramic view of Gods care of human lives, which began with Adam, which has never ceased with any one of his descendants, which is being extended to-day, and in which, it may be, the redeemed shall presently, through the ages of eternity, examine with wonder, awe, and admiration, the wisdom, patience, and love displayed in Gods marvellous care for His creatures.
II. Many lots, and many would be choosers, but the choice of the Lord the only choice worth following. Men see about them in life an endless variety of conditions, and not a few think the lot of their neighbour better than their own. Men and women cry out not only for a changed cross, but for a changed lot. Contrary to what they feel to be the leadings of Providence, not a few try to force their way through life in some other direction. They have no care to study the will of God, and not unfreqnently try to avoid it. Either here or hereafter, the sorrowful issues of a course like this cannot but disclose its folly. The following things should be borne in mind touching the choice of God:
1. It is the choice of one who knows us perfectly. We know little of ourselves. Every days experience proves this. The very proverbs which have obtained an abiding place in our literature prove it: Man, know thyself; The greatest study of mankind is man, etc. God knows how much we can bear; how much prosperity, how much adversity, how much change, how much monotony. He knows us altogether.
2. It is the choice of one who sees our lot as perfectly as He knows ourselves. We can see no distance before us. We cannot take into the account what our great poet calls the millioned accidents which intervene between our plans and their results, and blunt the sharpest intents. All these, even as we ourselves, are naked and open to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.
3. It is the choice of one who prepares our lot beforehand. The lot of our lives is no haphazard thing. God had been four hundred and thirty years preparing these lots for the Israelites. From the call of Abraham onward, a hundred events shew the careful preparation of the Lord.
4. It is the choice of one who ever holds our lot well within His own control. Nothing surprises Him. Nothing defeats His purpose. Nothing escapes without the boundless circle of His management. Nothing changes His benevolent designs. He is in one mind, who can turn Him? Only we ourselves, by persistent sin, can break away from His gracious intentions.
5. It is the choice of one who equally controls all surrounding lots. All the lots which lie around our own, all events of others which touch upon the events of our own lives, are also at His bidding. And All things work together for good to them, etc.
These are but items in the list which, could we read it fully, would tell us of His infinite fitness to undertake for us. Let the song of the after ages, from the lips of the descendants of Israel, bear its witness to the blessedness of the choice of the Lord (cf. Psa. 47:1-4). The children of these very people, centuries later, learned to cry out in a great and irrepressible joy: O clap your hands all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph. He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom He loved.
III. The Divine choice of human lots acquiesced in by men, or resisted by men, and Gods will alike prevalent in either case.
1. Think of Gods choice in its interworking with the willing efforts of His own people. The land was to be divided by lot, but the lot could only point out the district; the extent of its boundaries had to be decided by the leaders of the people. A large tribe was to have much territory; a small tribe was to have little. That was the general rule for the distribution (Num. 26:51-56; Num. 33:54). The lot, says Clericus, appears to have determined only the situation, but not the size of the fields. So Calvin, Masius, and Keil also expound. God determined the situation, and, saving regulations to guide them, He left men to determine the extent. It is much the same in our lives now. God interworks with the man who follows His will, and while He shapes the life in its main features, He leaves very much to ourselves. He leaves much to our faithfulness in conflicts which yet remain. He leaves much to our energy and industry in daily toil. He leaves much to our judgment, asking us in all difficulties to refer back to Him for further guidance. Thus, Providence is no mere machine which forces us into life, through life, and then presently forces us out of life. We are purposely left to determine much ourselves, thus forming and cultivating and proving our own character. We are workers together with God.
2. Consider Gods choice in its triumph over those who oppose His will and oppose His people. Ultimately, as many instances bear testimony, His way prevails. It was thus with Josephs brethren, with Pharaoh, with Haman, and with others of those who set themselves against the Lord, and against the people whom He called His own. (a) It is useless to resist God in His plans for our personal life.
Theres a Divinity that shapes our ends,
Rough-hew them how we will.Hamlet.
He who wants his own way in life without hindrance, must begin by choosing submission to the way of the Lord.
Our wills are ours, we know not how;
Our wills are ours to make them Thine.In Memoriam.
(b) It is equally useless to resist God in His plans for others. One of the greatest instances of this has recently entered upon the pages of history. In order to prevent the escape of their slaves, the American Senate enacted the Fugitive Slave Law, which required, under severe penalties, that no one should harbour the fugitive who was fleeing from bondage, or in any way assist his escape. But Gods time for the end of American slavery had come, and the effort to retain it in greater strength did but hasten its overthrow. The operation of the Act is thus described by the late Wm. Arnott: The stroke which was intended to rivet the fetters of the slave more firmly, guided in its descent by an unseen hand, fell upon a brittle link, and broke it through. The newspapers announced that the cruel device had been enacted into a law. The intelligence fell like a spark on the deep compassion that lay pent up in a womans heart, and kindled it into a flame. The outburst took the form of a book, the instrument of power usually employed in these later ages of the world. It is certainly true, and is widely known, that the enactment of the Fugitive Slave Law produced the book, and that the book caused a panorama of slavery to pass before the eyes of millions in America and Europe, inexpressibly augmenting the public opinion of the civilised world against the whole system, root and branch. Let no one imagine that we are elevating little things into an undue importance; we speak of Jehovahs counsel, and how it stands erect and triumphant over all the devices of men. He is wont to employ weak things to confound the mighty. Long ago He employed the tears of a helpless child and the strong compassion of a woman (Exo. 2:6) as essential instruments in the exodus of an injured race, and it would be like Himself if, in our day, while statesmen and armies contend in the senate and the battle field, He should permit women who remain at home to deal the blow which decides the victory, and distribute the resulting spoil. He sits King upon the floods. All are His servants. Stand still and see the salvation of God.
Such has ever been the way in which God has made it apparent that the counsel of the wicked shall not stand. He may work by feeble means, as though He would shew the abundance of His power, but His way must stand. He who opposes the will of God does but hasten his own overthrow (Jer. 13:24-25). In this, as in many things besides, the volume of Divine revelation and that of human history are one.
OUTLINES AND COMMENTS ON THE VERSES
Jos. 14:1.INHERITING THE PROMISED POSSESSION.
I. The promised possession in its reality. Which the children of Israel inherited. The promise given to Abram, and repeated through several generations, was not merely a promise. The time for actual inheritance had come at last. Gods promises all end in an estate.
II. The promised possession in its need of faith and patience. The inheritance had been a long time coming. More than four hundred and fifty years had passed since the Lord called Abram out of Ur of the Chaldees to go into the land, and look upon it as the future home of his people. Canaan was for so long The Promised Land, that it got to bear that name, a fact not a little significant, intimating, perhaps, something of the long struggle between human hope and human impatience. He who waits on the Lord may well wait in confidence. The vision is yet for an appointed time.
III. The promised possession in relation to the grace and power of God. Now that the people had to last come to the inheritance, what a picture was presented in the path behind them of the longsuffering and help of Jehovah. Egypt, the Exodus, the Wilderness, the crossing of the Jordan, the fall of Jericho, and the various victories which followed, were all eloquent of the power of the Divine arm and the love of the Divine heart. What had the people done apart from God? We come into nothing worth holding, saving as we reach it by the same might and the same love. Not by might, nor by power, etc. As when we look back from each valuable estate in life, we have to feel that God hath wrought all, so when we look forward to blessings for which we wait, let us be willing to accept the Lords words, Without Me ye can do nothing.
IV. The promised possession on earth a possession in which rest is only partial. The land which Israel was about to divide, could only be entered upon with much care and much conflict. Faith, patience, wisdom, and work were still largely needed. It is ever thus with all estates on earth, not excepting our more spiritual possessions. Rest is broken, not only by toil, but by conflict. We never get an inheritance here in which there are not left some foes to dispute the possession with us.
V. The promised possession in heaven a possession in which rest is perfect. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. It is only at the point of death that we come to the last of our foes, but after that the inheritance is undisputed for ever. We must not think, however, that the rest is free from work. It has no toil, yet it is full of activity. As has been remarked, while Scripture teaches that heaven is perfect rest, it also says of some there, They rest not day nor night. Inaction must be worse than toil. How blessed must be the activity which is all prompted by love, which knowns no conflict, and which feels no care!
Jos. 14:2.THE INHERITANCE DIVIDED BY LOT.
I. The lot of God in its silent and invisible working. The unseen chariot of Providence is drawn by invisible steeds, and the wheels thereof run noiselessly.
II. The lot of God in its extensive range. It dealt with the whole country. Providence has no waste land. Every acre of the universe is under its inspection and cultivation.
III. The lot of God in its mysterious complexity. Every single lot had its relation to every other lot, to every year in each succeeding century of Israelitish history, to every inhabitant of the land through all that period, and thus to nations, far and near, outside of Canaan.
IV. The lot of God in its irreversible issues. The lot once taken was not to be altered. The ways of Providence shew no hesitation, and suffer no readjustment by men.
V. The lot of God in its witness to Divine wisdom and love. The wisdom is corroborated by the song of the generations following (Psalms 47); the love is apparent in the condescension which shews such care at the time, and in the patience which helps and blesses for so long a period afterwards. God not only chooses the portions of His people, but gives them many an after-occasion to sing, Thou maintainest my lot. The lines have fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.
THE LOTS NOT ALL DRAWN AT THE SAME TIME
It is somewhat remarkable that the casting of the lots was stopped as soon as Judah and Joseph had received their shares. The command of God, that the whole land, even that which had not yet been conquered, should be portioned out amongst the nine tribes and a half (chap. Jos. 13:1-7), would lead us to expect that when once the casting of the lots had commenced, it would proceed uninterruptedly, until every tribe had received its share; and that it would only have to enter it in reliance upon the Divine promise, and exterminate, or at least subjugate, the Canaanites who still remained. But, instead of this, as soon as the shares had been allotted to two tribes and a half, the camp was removed from Gilgal to Shiloh (chap. Jos. 14:6, Jos. 18:1; Jos. 18:9), and the tabernacle set up there; and the other tribes manifested so little anxiety to receive their inheritance, that Joshua had to say to them, How long are ye slack to go to possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers hath given you? He then appointed a commission, consisting of twenty-one men, three from each tribe, and sent them out to survey the country, and bring home a description of it, and to divide it into seven parts. And it was not till after the description of the country, thus arranged according to its cities, had been received, that he was able to proceed with the lot, and distribute to each tribe its appointed share. The reason for this interruption is not stated. Masius (on chap. Jos. 15:1-4) thinks it necessary to assume, that after the defeat of the Canaanites in the south and the north, the division of the conquered land was commenced by the territory which fell to the tribes of Judah and Joseph being awarded by lot, without any accurate measurement, and that only the two tribes mentioned, as being the most powerful, were allowed to draw lots for it. By the appropriation of the southern district of Palestine to these tribes, the camp at Gilgal was well guarded from any sudden attack on the part of the enemy; an important precaution, as the other tribes had shewn so little desire to take possession of the inheritance which was hereafter to be assigned to them. The exact distribution of the land was therefore postponed until messengers had been despatched in every direction to make a survey of the country, and to bring back an accurate description. This view is generally approached by Rosenmller, De Wette, and Lengerke. [Keil, pp. 3467.] To this assumption of Masius, however, Keil very properly objects that it is at variance with the Divine command to divide the whole country by lot amongst the nine tribes and a half, the unconquered as well as the conquered portions, and almost destroys the value and defeats the purpose of the lot. Probably, as with the seven tribes later on, the lot merely decided the general position to be occupied by Judah, Ephraim, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, leaving the more exact adjustment of territory to be made after the general survey had taken place. This accords best with the subsequent settlement of Simeon within the lot roughly given at first to Judah, and with the subsequent cession of towns and territory made by Judah and Ephraim to the smaller tribe of Dan.
Jos. 14:3-4.LEVI, MANASSEH, AND EPHRAIM.
It is here repeated for the third time, with regard to the Levites, that they were not included in the number, so as to have the portion of a tribe assigned to them; but it is mentioned for a different purpose, for it is immediately after added that the sons of Joseph were divided into two tribes, and were thus privileged to obtain a double portion. Thus had Jacob prophesied (Genesis 49), or rather, like an arbiter appointed by God, he had in this matter preferred the sons of Joseph to the others. God therefore assumed the Levites to Himself as a peculiar inheritance, and in their stead substituted one of the two families of Joseph.[Calvin.]
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
The Plan for Dividing the Land Jos. 14:1-5
And these are the countries which the children of Israel inherited in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed for inheritance to them.
2 By lot was their inheritance, as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes, and for the half tribe.
3 For Moses had given the inheritance of two tribes and a half tribe on the other side Jordan: but unto the Levites he gave none inheritance among them.
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.
5 As the Lord commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did and they divided the land.
1.
Why was Eleazar involved in the allotting of the land? Jos. 14:1
Eleazar, the priest, was the son of Aaron who had been Israels first high priest. Aaron was the brother of Moses and had died while the children of Israel were wandering in the desert. When Joshua was appointed successor to Moses, he was informed that he should go to the high priest for assistance (Num. 27:18-23). The high priest would make inquiry of the Lord concerning His will in some matters. The Lords will would then be made known to Joshua, the leader of the people. The allotting of the land was evidently of such importance that the high priest was asked to assist Joshua in making the assignments.
2.
How did they cast lots? Jos. 14:2
The use of lots was especially characteristic of the ancient world. It was a standing custom of the Athenians to assign the land of conquered enemies to colonists by lot. How Joshua took the lot on this occasion we are not told. The Rabbins conjecture that there were two urns, in one had been placed little tablets with the names of the tribes and in the other similar tablets with the names of the districts; and that one of each was drawn at the same time. The decision was made by lot to prevent all disputes with reference to their respective possessions. It was also to remove every ground of discontent and complaint. Each tribe might cheerfully and thankfully accept the share awarded to it as the inheritance intended for it by God, Calvin says that casting of lots is not regulated by opinion, caprice, or authority of men. It is true that it seems as though this might have been easily accomplished if Joshua or the high priest had been divinely inspired to give to every tribe its inheritance. But, men are never so ready to submit cheerfully to the decisions of another man, even though they may be the result of divine inspiration, as they are to a decision arrived at by lot over which the Lord presides; for this seems to raise the choice above human caprice.
3.
Why were Ephraim and Manasseh considered two tribes? Jos. 14:4
Both Ephraim and Manasseh were children of Joseph. When Jacob had come into Egypt and found Joseph alive, he was so thankful for the preservation of his sons life that he adopted the two sons of Joseph as his own sons. He gave them special blessings before he blessed his own sons. By adopting these two sons in the place of Joseph, Jacob thus had thirteen sons, but the tribe of Levi was not considered with the other tribes. For these reasons we still speak of the twelve tribes of IsraelReuben, Simeon, Issachar, Judah, Zebulun, Gad, Asher, Dan, Napthail, Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin. Ephraim and Manasseh received inheritance along with the sons of Jacob, and each was counted as a tribe in Israel. This fact was mentioned here, and it is explained that they received an inheritance along with the descendants of the eleven sons of Jacob.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
XIV.
FOURTH DIVISION OF THE BOOK.
DIVISION OF THE TEBBITORY ON THE WEST OF JORDAN TO NINE TRIBES AND A HALF
(Joshua 14-19, inclusive).
(1) And these are the countries which . . . Eleazar . . . and Joshua . . . distributed.Here we enter upon the record of the third portion of Joshuas great work. He had (1) to bring Israel over Jordan; (2) to conquer the land; (3) to divide it among the tribes.
Eleazar . . . and Joshua.Not Joshua and Eleazar, observe. This is in strict accordance with the law of Moses, and the form of government which he was ordered to establish in Israel, to continue after his death. See Numbers 27, where, in answer to Moses prayer for a shepherd in Israel, the Lord says, Take thee Joshua (here a figure of the great Shepherd, the stone of Israel), and lay thine hand upon him; and (Num. 27:21) he (Joshua) shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask counsel for him after the judgment of Urim before the Lord; at his (Eleazars) word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he (Joshua) and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation. (Comp. also Deu. 17:9 : Thou shalt come unto the priests (at the place which the Lord shall choose), and unto the judge that shall be in those days, and enquire; and they shall shew thee the sentence of judgment.) In these passages we see delineated the nature of the government established in Israel by Moses, to continue until there was a king. The priest had the legislative authority, the executive power rested with the judge. Of these judges, Joshua stands first; those who followed, until Samuel, held the same relation to the priest. Joshua was also a prophet. Samuel (a prophet likewise) established a third power in the constitution, and made the supreme executive power continuous and hereditary, giving to Israel a form of government by prophet, priest, and king. For the present, however, Eleazar the priest and Joshua the son of Nun (the answer to Moses prayer for a shepherd) were the rulers. To lead them out and to bring them in was what Moses asked that the shepherd of Israel might do. Joshua had led them out to victory; he was now to bring in each of the tribes into the home that the Lord had chosen for it in the promised land.
And the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel.These men are all named in Num. 34:16-28 : one from every tribe, in addition to Eleazar and Joshua. The names were then given by God to Moses, as the narrative states in Num. 34:16-19. But is it not remarkable that before the land was conquered, in view of all the battles that were to be fought before it could be divided, the names of the men who were to divide it should be revealed? Man could not have arranged it so. The bow drawn at a venture, or one false step in the heat of battle, or the hurry of pursuit or flight, might have made a gap in the list. But it was not to be. The Lord hath kept me alive, says Caleb (the first man after Joshua on this list) in Jos. 14:10. But all the twelve commissioners might have said the same. We cannot forbear to ask the questionIs it conceivable that, were the narrative in Numbers 34 anything but simple truth, it should contain such an unlikely statement as this? It will not do to say the names in the Book of Numbers were added afterwards; the form of the language in which they are given forbids this, and, with the single exception of Caleb, we know nothing of these twelve commissioners except their names.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
INTRODUCTION TO THE WEST JORDANIC ALLOTMENTS, Jos 14:1-5.
1. These are the countries Passing from the eastern side of the Jordan, our historian now traces the boundaries of the tribes on its western side, constituting the main area of the Holy Land. The directions of Moses (Num 26:53-56) were obeyed in the allotment. Yet God so overruled the lots as to fulfil the predictions of the prophecies of the dying Jacob. Genesis 49.
Eleazar the priest The term High Priest had not yet been invented. Eleazar was the third son of Aaron, and came into the high-priesthood by the death of his two sacrilegious brothers, Nadab and Abihu. See notes on Exo 6:23; Lev 10:1: Num 3:4; Num 20:28. He aided Moses in the census of the people, (Num 26:3,) assisted at the inauguration of Joshua, and now is the proper person to superintend the sacred lots by which the conquered lands were divided. The original document describing the division we might naturally suppose to be prepared under his superintendence and preserved in the archives of the tabernacle. In the form in which the records here stand in the sacred volume they form a part of the law, and they were, we might suppose, preserved with the sacred records in the ark of the covenant. The persons who were to divide western Palestine among the nine tribes and the half tribe of Manasseh were designated by Jehovah before the death of Moses, and their names are given in Num 34:17-28.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Chapter 14 Distribution of the Land – The Lot Allocated to Caleb.
This chapter commences the account of the distribution of land to the children of Israel in the land of Canaan itself. However, prior to that distribution it describes the claim of Caleb to Hebron, through a promise made to him by Moses forty five years earlier, after his report that the land to which he was sent as a spy was good; and the grant which Joshua made of it to him, with his blessing.
Jos 14:1-2
‘ And these are the inheritances which the children of Israel took in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed to them, by the lot of their inheritance, as YHWH commanded by the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes and for the half tribe.’
In Num 34:16-29 the names of those who would take part in the distribution of the land under Eleazar, the son of Aaron, and Joshua, the son of Nun, were given. There were ten ‘heads of the fathers’ (princes over the elders) for the nine and a half tribes. Eleazar had precedence because as ‘the Priest’ he would be responsible for the use of the Urim and Thummim (compare Num 27:21-22). (When Eleazar is mentioned first it is always because consultation has to take place ‘before YHWH’ – Jos 14:1; Jos 17:4; Jos 19:51; Jos 21:1). The word for ‘tribes’ is again the word signifying ‘jurisdiction over’.
The land was to be distributed by lot (Num 26:55), ‘the lot of their inheritance’. So their inheritances (Jos 14:1) were divided to them by lot. This would probably be by the Urim and Thummim, but it may have been by sticks being tossed with each of their tribal names on them, or each territory on them. Unlike the division of Transjordan this division was looked on as directly the work and will of YHWH. But a great deal of hard work would already have gone into determining the lands to be divided, and how they were to be divided. The whole land had to be surveyed. The first surveys probably mainly took place during the course of Joshua’s campaigns.
“As YHWH commanded by the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes and for the half tribe.” See Num 34:13; compare Num 26:55; Num 33:54. The two and a half tribes had already received their inheritance. Note the stress on the participation of YHWH.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Jos 14:10 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.
Jos 14:10
Jos 11:18, “Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.”
Jos 14:11 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.
Jos 14:11
Deu 34:7, “And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.”
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
The Beginning of the Distribution
v. 1. And these are the countries which the children of Israel inherited, v. 2. By lot was their inheritance, as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes and for the half tribe, v. 3. For Moses had given the inheritance of two tribes and an half tribe on the other side Jordan, v. 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, v. 5.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
EXPOSITION
Jos 14:1
Tribes. The word here for “tribes,” in connection with the word “fathers,” is the one which implies genealogical descent (see note on Jos 13:29). Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes. A picture of national unity; the head of the Church, representing the religious aspect of the community; the head of the State, representing its civil aspect; the heads of the tribes, to signify the general assent of the body politic. A work so begun was likely to be satisfactorily carried out. And accordingly the distribution of the land, recognised as carried out according to the will of God, displayed no partiality, and excited no jealousies.
Jos 14:2
By lot was their inheritance. The commentators, following the Rabbis, have amused themselves by speculations how the lot was taken. The question is of no great practical importance; but no doubt the contrivance was a very primitive one, as the word a small pebble, used here, seems to imply. What is of more importance is the fact that the distribution of territory was the result of no one’s caprice, or ambition, or intrigue. The whole matter was referred to God, and the leader of the Israelitish hosts and the high priest presided over the ceremony. It was a common belief among the Gentiles, as well as the Jews, that the use of the lot was to refer the matter to a Divine decision. So we read in the Proverbs, “The lot is cast into the lap, but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord” (Pro 16:33; cf. Pro 18:18). It is a strong evidence for the truth of this narrative that we read of no conflicts between the various tribes respecting the division of territory. Jealousies sprung up between the tribes, as the narratives in Jdg 8:1-35; Jdg 9:1-57; Jdg 12:1-15.; 2Sa 19:43, are sufficient to show. But in no one case was there any complaint of unfairness, any attempt to disturb the territorial arrangement made at the time of the original settlement in Palestine. There can be little doubt that Keil is right in supposing this original division to have been in outline merely. It is obvious from the onward course of the narrative (especially 2Sa 18:1-33) that no very minute accuracy in detail could possibly have been arrived at. The country was roughly mapped out at first, and the complete adjustment of boundaries was a matter which would naturally be put off until the land were actually in possession.
Jos 14:4
For the children of Joseph were two tribes (see Gen 48:5): therefore they gave. There is no “therefore” In the original. The passage is a simple repetition of what we find in Jos 13:14, Jos 13:33, and is added here to explain how the twelve tribes who actually divided the land were composed. Suburbs. Rather, “pasture lands;” literally, places where the cattle were driven out to pasture (cf. Num 35:2; 1Ch 13:2, where the Hebrew is “cities of driving out”). We may illustrate this phrase by the similar arrangements made by the Germanic tribes in early times. “The clearing,” says Professor Stubbs, in his ‘Constitutional History of England,’ p. 49, “is surrounded by a thick border of wood or waste In the centre of the clearing the village is placed The fully qualified freeman has a share in the land of the community. He has a right to the enjoyment of the woods, the pastures, the meadow and the arable land of the mark The use of the meadow land is definitely apportioned When the grass beans to grow the cattle are driven out, and the meadow is fenced round and divided into as many equal shares as there are mark families in the village. For the arable land similar measures are taken although the task is somewhat more complex” (see note on Jos 13:23). Some similar arrangement must have taken place in the primitive Jewish settlement of Palestine. For the rude huts of the Teutonic tribes we must substitute the more civilised “cities, walled up to heaven,” of the Phoenician races; for the scanty supply of gram and pasture, provided by a northern climate, we must substitute the rich plenty of a land “flowing with milk and honey,” and with all the produce of a southern sky. The area of land assigned to each of the Levitical cities was definitely marked out (see Num 35:4, Num 35:5), and subdivided, as the hints in the narrative seem to imply that all the land was, into as many sections as there were “mark families”that is, families of freemen exclusive of the servile classes in the town.
Jos 14:6
In Gilgal (see Jos 9:6). Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite. Or, descendant of Kenaz, as was his kinsman Othniel. As far as we can make out from the genealogy in 1Ch 2:1-55, Caleb and Kenaz were family names, for the Caleb or Calubi (1Ch 2:9) the son of Hezron (1Ch 2:18), the Caleb the son of Hur (1Ch 2:50), and Caleb the son of Jephunneh (1Ch 4:15), could not have been the same persons. And Caleb was a Kenezite, or descendant of Kenaz; he had a grandson, apparently, of that name (so the LXX. and Vulgate translate, 1Ch 4:15), and a brother, according to the most probable rendering of the Hebrew of both Jos 15:17 and Jdg 1:9. See also 1Ch 4:13. For Caleb was the son of Jephunneh, not of Kenaz. Hitzig, ‘Geschichte des Volkes Israel,’ 1.105, thinks that Caleb was a descendant of the Kenaz mentioned in Gen 36:11; or, see 15. Some think he was a Kenizzite (see Gen 15:19). The Bishop of Bath and Wells, in his article in Smiths ‘Dictionary of the Bible,’ thinks that the view that he was not of Jewish origin agrees best with the Scripture narrative, and removes many difficulties regarding the number of the children of Israel at the Exodus. It certainly serves to explain why the tribe of Judah came with Caleb, when he preferred his request, and the statement in Gen 15:13, which seems to imply that Caleb was not one of the tribe of Judah by birth, but one of the “mixed multitude” that went up with the Israelites (Exo 12:38), and acquired afterwards by circumcision the rights of Israelites. If this be the case, it is an illustration of the truth declared in Rom 2:28, Rom 2:29; Rom 4:12; Gal 3:7. By his faithfulness to God he had well earned the reward which he now sought. Concerning me and thee. And yet Knobel asserts that, according to Gal 3:8 and Gal 3:12, Joshua was not one of the spies! He accordingly sees the hand of the “Jehovist” here. So accurate is the criticism which pretends to be able to disintegrate the narratives in the Hebrew Scriptures, and to assign each part to its separate author (see Num 14:24). As well might we conclude that this verse in Num 14:1-45. is by a different hand to Num 14:30 and Num 14:38 in the same chapter, in spite of the obvious coherence of the whole narrative.
Jos 14:7
Forty years old. The Hebrew expression is “the son of forty years.” Compare the expressions “son of man,” “sons of Belial,” “son of the perverse re. bellious woman.” As it was in my heart. Literally, according as with my heart, i.e; in agreement with what I saw and felt. The LXX. reads “according to his mind,” i.e; that of Moses. Houbigant and Le Clerc approve of this reading, but it seems quite out of keeping with the character of Caleb. He did not endeavour to accommodate his report to the wishes of any man, but gave what he himself believed to be a true and faithful account of what he had seen and heard (see Num 13:30; Num 14:7-9; Deu 1:36).
Jos 14:8
But I wholly followed. Literally, “I fulfilled after.” That is to say, he rendered a full obedience to the precepts of the Most High. So also in the next verse.
Jos 14:9
And Moses sware on that day (cf. Num 14:21-24; Deu 1:35, Deu 1:36). Keil raises the difficulty that in the above passage not Moses, but God is said to have sworn, and that no special inheritance is promised to Caleb, but only that he shall enter the promised land. But this is not the fact, as a comparison of this passage with Deu 1:36 will show. That either passage gives the ipsissima verba of Moses is unlikely. The main sense of the promise is given in each. And there is no impropriety in speaking of the proclamation by Moses of God’s decree as an oath pronounced by Moses himself.
Jos 14:10
Forty and five years. This marks the date of the present conversation as occurring seven years after the invasion. Caleb was forty years of age when be went to spy the land of Canaan. For thirty-eight years the Israelites wandered in the wilderness. And Caleb was now eighty-five years old. This remark has been made as far back as the time of Theedoret. Doubtless the apportionment of the land, and its occupation by the Israelites, was a long and tedious business (see also Jos 13:1). Even since. Literally, from the time when.
Jos 14:11
As yet am I as strong this day. A vigorous and respected old age is ordinarily, by Nature’s own law, the decreed reward for a virtuous youth and a temperate manhood. Caleb’s devotion to God’s service had preserved him from the sins as well as from the faithlessness and murmuring of the Israelites. And thus, with a body not enfeebled by indulgence, he presents himself before Joshua with undiminished strength, at a time when most men are sinking under the weight of their infirmities, and is ready still for battle with the most formidable foes.
Jos 14:12
This mountain. The neighbourhood of Hebron is described by Bartlett ‘Egypt to Palestine,’ p. 401, as “a region of hills and valleys.” In one of the hollows in this “hill country of Judaea” Hebron still nestles, hut at a height which is “only 400 feet lower than Helvellyn,” the highest point but one in England. The Dean remarks on the fact that Palestine was a mountainous country, and that therefore in its history we may expect the characteristics of a mountain people. Whereof the Lord spake in that day. There must therefore have been a promise made to Caleb, regarding which the Pentateuch, having to deal with matters of more general interest, is silent, that he should lead the forlorn hope, as it were, of the children of Israel, and that the task of subduing the mountain fastnesses of the most powerful tribes in Palestine should be assigned to him. That the original inhabitants reoccupied the districts round Hebron, while the Israelites were otherwise engaged, we have already seen (see note on Jos 11:21). The final work was to be carried out by Caleb. Houbigant, it is true, thinks that here the same incident is referred to as in Jos 11:21, Jos 11:22, and that Joshua is there credited with what was clone by Caleb at his command. But we read that that expedition followed close upon the battle of Merom, whereas seven years elapsed before the final expulsion of the Anakim by Caleb. It is important to notice that the author of the Book of Joshua has access to sources of information beside the Pentateuch. This, though not sufficient to disprove, does at least seem inconsistent with the “Elohist” and “Jehovist” theory. For thou heartiest in that day. The LXX. and Vulgate avoid the difficulty here by referring these words to what goes beforei.e; the promise made to Caleb. In that case we must render the second “for,” instead of “that,” or “how.” Joshua can hardly have heard for the first time that the Anakim were in Hebron if, as Num 13:22 appears to assert, he, in common with the other spies, had visited the place. But it is possible, though the narrative as it stands seems to suggest that they went together, that the spies went different ways, either separately or in pairs, and that Caleb visited Hebron, and that Joshua heard the account of it for the first time from Caleb’s lips, as they brought their report to Moses, and that Caleb then asked and received the grant of Hebron. We may observe the minute agreement here in matters of detail between the Pentateuch and the Book of Joshua. The Pentateuch states that the spies visited Hebron. The Book of Joshua, without mentioning this, makes Caleb appeal to Joshua as a witness that a premise had been made to him, long before the entrance of Israel into the promised land, that this particular place should be allotted to him. The description of Hebron also in Num 13:1-33. agrees in every respect with what is stated here. Fenced. Literally, inaccessible, as surrounded by walls. If so be. Rather, perhaps.
Jos 14:14
He wholly followed (see above, Jos 14:8).
Jos 14:15
And the name of Hebron before was Kirjath-arba. Hengstenberg, according to Keil, has conclusively shown that Hebron was the original name of the city. At the time of Joshua’s invasion, however, it was known as Kirjath (or “the city of “) Arba, from a giant named Arba who had conquered the city. Hebron is known as Kirjath-arba in Gen 23:2, but the way in which it is mentioned by Moses seems to bear out Hengstenberg’s theory. The Rabbis translated “the city of four,” and assert that the four patriarchs, Adam, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, were buried there. The word translated “man” here is Adam. The Vulgate follows this tradition, trans. lating “Adam maximus ibi inter Enacim situs est.” And our own Wiclif literally translates the Vulgate “Adam moost greet there in the loond of Enachym was set.” Rosenmuller renders the words translated “a great man” by “the greatest man.” And certainly the words have the article; and this is also the way in which the superlative is expressed in Hebrew. It also adds to the force of Caleb’s request. He desired the most important city of a warlike race. And the land had rest from war (see Jos 11:23).
HOMILETICS
Jos 14:6-15
Caleb’s faithfulness and its reward.
The history of Caleb seems to have a special fascination for the sacred historian. We read of him here, and in the next chapter, and in Jdg 1:1-36. Whether this were due to his bravery, his sincerity, his hale and hearty old age, or (see note on Jdg 1:6) his foreign extraction, coupled with his zeal for his adopted country and tribe, or from the combination of all these, it is not necessary to decide. Sufficient to remark
(1) that he was beloved by the people; and
(2) that he was a favourite character in the inspired Jewish history.
I. THE BRAVE MAN WINS RESPECT. This is sure to be the case in the long run. He may be accused of rashness, want of judgment, intemperance of language or of purpose; but in the end he secures the confidence and attachment of all. The lesson is especially needed in the present age. One of its most marked characteristics is moral cowardice (as even John Stuart Mill has remarked). Men are incapable, for the most part, of incurring the disapprobation of the set in which they live. Politicians vote with their party for measures of which they disapprove. People in society dare not raise theft voices against what passes current in their own coterie; they yield to practices, admit persons to their intimacy of which and whom, in their own better judgment, they disapprove. They dare not brave the unfavourable verdict of theft acquaintance. Yet if they did they would lose nothing by it. Even the careless and thoughtless respect fearlessness, and delight to honour the man who dares to say what he thinks. They may condemn at first, but in the end they come round to a sounder judgment. History continually repeats itself. The history of Caleb is the history of every man who is honest in setting himself above the prevailing opinions of the day. His report was unpopular at first. The people sympathised with the cowardly ten. But events demonstrated the correctness of his view, and he became a popular hero. His tribe came with him to support his request, and if he were not of Israelite origin this incident makes the moral still more clear.
II. WE SHOULD ALWAYS STEAK THE TRUTH. Caleb brought word according to what his heart told him. He sought neither to say what Moses would wish, nor what would be palatable to the people. What he thought, that he said. And this is one of the results of a heart devoted to God. Caleb “wholly followed” Him, and thus he had that sincerity and integrity which is the result of single mindedness. All Christians, and especially God’s ministers, should learn to shun the fear or favour of man, but everywhere and always to “declare the whole counsel of God.” As we have seen, we do not thereby lose the favour we have not sought. Because we have not asked for it (1Ki 3:11), we have it. But this is not to be taken into consideration. Those who “wholly follow the Lord their God” will be men who never fail to speak according to the dictates of the regenerate heart.
III. THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL NOT FAIL OF HIS REWARD. Moses had sworn to Caleb that he should have the land for his inheritance of which he had brought so true a report (no doubt, see notes, the spies went diverse ways). And now, after years of hardship and toil, he gained it. So has Christ promised a reward to them who seek Him. They must join their brethren in the toil; they must ever be foremost in the conflict, and they may be sure that their Joshua will give them an everlasting inheritance in the mount of God.
IV. THE REWARD THAT THE RIGHTEOUS SEEKS. Observe that Caleb does not seek a rich nor easy inheritance, but one full of danger. The Anakim, defeated over and over again, still lurked in the inaccessible recesses of the hill country, and their giant strength, protected as it was by the fortifications of these mountain fastnesses, made it a task of the utmost danger to dislodge them. This task the gallant old warrior asks for himself. “Let me,” he says, “inherit the stronghold of the Anakim. Let me have the city of their chief” (see notes). Such a man was St. Paul. tits reward was the having preached the gospel without charge (1Co 9:18). He desires no other. And so the true Christian, he who “wholly follows” Christ, will desire as his reward the privilege only of being allowed to do and dare all for Him.
V. THERE IS A REWARD FOR THE GODLY IN THIS WORLD. Even the laws of the physical universe have provided a reward for virtue. A temperate life secures a hearty old age. The spectacle of Caleb, as ready for war at eighty-five as he had been forty-five years previously, may be a rare one now with our luxurious habits. But the principle holds good that men who live hard, work hard, and abstain from all over indulgence in their appetites, will as a rule preserve their physical vigour to an advanced age. This is a gospel which may not be very palatable to the sons of luxury, but it is true nevertheless. Common sense and Christianity are ever really allied, however much a narrow view of the former may seem to conflict with the latter. Luxury, sloth, excessive indulgence even in permitted pleasures, are fatal to the body as to the soul. Even the weakly may retain their energies to old age by care and self restraint. The strongest man will sink into an early grave who deems such things unnecessary. So true is it that “Godliness has the promise of the life that now is” as well as of “that which is to come” (1Ti 4:8).
VI. THE TRUE SECRET OF SUCCESS. Caleb (see Jos 15:14-17) did not fail in his dangerous undertaking. But it was because he said, “if the Lord be with me.” So is it always in our undertakings. He that is sure he shall resist temptation, because he is confident in himself, will find his confidence raft him in the day of trial. He who trusts in the Lord only, will emerge a conqueror from the struggle. In all things our support and trust must be in Him. It’ we purpose a thing in our hearts it must be “if the Lord will” (Jas 4:13-15). If we have done anything by His help we must say, “Not unto us, O Lord, hut unto Thy name be the praise” (Psa 115:1). Had Caleb relied upon his unabated strength, or on his undaunted courage, he would have fared as Israel before Ai. But since he relied on the Lord his God, the three sons of Anak could net stand before him; the stronghold of Debir must needs open its gates to his daughter’s suitor.
HOMILIES BY J. WAITE
Jos 14:1-5
The allotment of the tribes.
This record of the division of the land among the tribes is suggestive of principles that are capable of a wider and more general application, and also of one that is narrower and more individual. Note
I. THE DIVINE PROVIDENCE THAT DETERMINES THE SPHERE AND SURROUNDINGS OF ALL HUMAN LIFE. This is indicated in the division being made by lot. Whatever the form of the lot may have been, its meaning was that the destination of each particular tribe should not be a matter of human judgment or caprice, but should be left with God. It was no mere reference of the issue to blind chance. The faith of the age was too simple and real for that. Joshua and the elders had too deep a sense of the presence and guidance of the living God. We pass from this mere tribal allocation to think how the same law holds good for all the nations of the world. St. Paul showed his freedom of spirit from the limitations of Jewish prejudice when he declared to the Athenians how God, having made of one blood all nations to dwell on all the face of the earth, “determined for them the times before appointed and the bounds of theft habitation” (Act 17:26). Christianity reveals a God who is the Father of all mankind, and not of one particular people. The true patriotism is that which acknowleges God’s interest alike in all the nations, and teaches us to cherish and use the gifts He has conferred specially on our own country for the common good. Again: the Providence that determines the lot of the nations has the same control over the individual human life. Every man’s position in the world is in some sense the fulfilment of a Divine purpose. It may seem to be the result merely of the fortuitous commingling of circumstance, or the capricious drift of man’s own choice. But we do well to see through all outward appearances the sovereign hand that guides the course of circumstances and determines the issue. It is God, after all, who chooses our inheritance for us. “The lot is cast into the lap, but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord” (Pro 16:33). The recognition of the Divine Providence that is over us has many beneficial moral effects.
(1) It gives the sanctity of a higher meaning to life,
(2) provokes to thankfulness,
(3) rebukes discontent and distrust,
(4) restrains inordinate ambition,
(5) teaches that respect for the rights and interests of others on which the order and well being of society depend.
II. THE HUMAN AGENCY BY WHICH THE PURPOSE OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE IS FULFILLED. The land is divided according to the will of God, but the people must go in and possess it for themselves. God will drive out the Canaanites that are still there, not without them, but “from before them” (Jos 13:6). The decision of the lot seems to have had reference only to the general local situation of the tribes; the actual extent of the territory in each ease was left to be determined by the discretion of Joshua and the leaders. There was no caprice in this Divine decision. Nothing God does is arbitrary or reasonless. It was, no doubt, determined according to the peculiar characteristics of each particular tribe, and in such a way as that its geographical conditions should be best fitted to develop its latent powers. Important practical lessons are suggested.
(1) However devoutly we may recognise the Divine Providence that is over us, we have to determine for ourselves the path of duty.
(2) The circumstances of life place possibilities of good within our reach, which it remains for ourselves to actualise.
(3) Every man’s life in this world supplies the needful conditions of moral education, if he have but wisdom to discern and skill to improve them.
III. THE SEPARATENESS OF THOSE WHO ARE SPECIALLY DEVOTED TO SPIRITUAL WORK IN THE WORLD. This is indicated by the peculiar position of the tribe of Levi. To them was given no inheritance, “save cities to dwell in with their suburbs” “The sacrifices of the Lord God made by fire” (as also tithes and first fruits) “were their inheritance” (Jos 13:14). “The Lord God of Israel Himself was the lot of their inheritance” (Jos 13:33; Num 18:20-24). Their position thus bore witness to the sanctity of the whole nation as “a kingdom of priests” unto the Lord (Exo 19:6). They were the representatives of its faith and the ministers of its worship. And their representative character was made the more effective by the fact of their cities being scattered throughout the tribes (Jos 21:1-45). This principle of separateness is illustrated
(1) In the various provisions by which the sanctity of the priesthood was maintained under the economy of the law.
(2) In the New Testament institution of a certain order of men who should be set apartnot, indeed, as a hierarchy to whom mystic powers belong, but as the ministers of spiritual instruction and edification to the Church of God (Eph 4:11, Eph 4:12, Eph 4:13; 1Co 9:13, 1Co 9:14).
(3) In the Apostolic teaching as to the unworldliness of spirit and life that becomes the followers of Christ (Php 3:20; Col 3:1, Col 3:2, Col 3:3; Heb 10:34; 1Pe 2:9).W.
HOMILIES BY W.F. ADENEY
Jos 14:2
Inheritance by lot.
While the trans-Jordanic tribes chose their own inheritance, the nine-and-a-half tribes submitted to the distribution by lot, and thus signified their desire to have their possession chosen for them by God. Submission to the lot was a sign of good qualities which we may well imitate, although altered circumstances and fuller light make it our duty to show them in other ways.
I. BELIEF IN PROVIDENCE. The Jew believed that God superintended the lot (Pro 16:33). If there be Providence there can be no chance. The word “chance” describes the appearance of events to us: it is indicative of our ignorance. A perfect providential care will guide the smallest events (Mat 10:29).
II. SUBMISSION TO THE WILL OF GOD. These tribes resigned the choice of their possession to God, and were willing to take whatever He assigned them. We are not free to take our destinies into our own hands. We are God’s servants, God’s children. Dutiful obedience implies submission to God’s will in the shaping of our lives (1Sa 3:18).
III. TRUST IN THE WISDOM AND GOODNESS OF GOD. The submission was fearless and trustful We often shrink from God’s will even while we bow to it. We submit sadly as to some painful necessity. We should say, “Thy will be done,” not with dread and sorrow, but with confidence and hope; making the utterance not merely a reluctant concession, but an earnest prayer, because God’s will is best for us. It is best that He should “choose our inheritance for us,” because
(1) He knows all the character of the inheritancewe only its superficial aspects.
(2) He knows future eventswe only present appearances.
(3) He knows our true needswe our foolish desires.
(4) He knows our best life’s missionwe our selfish aims. Lot suffered by choosing his own inheritance (1Ge Jos 13:11).
IV. FAIRNESS AND GENEROSITY IN BUSINESS ARRANGEMENTS. Those who submitted to the lot did not choose the best for themselves. They allowed a division which was fair for all. In business we are too selfish and grasping. The principle of competition should yield to the principle of cooperation. It is wicked for the able and clever to grow rich by taking advantage of the weakness and incapacity of those with whom they transact business (Php 2:4). In the end the individual gains by the exercise of such generosity and fairness as promotes the one welfare of the whole community. “We are members one of another.” If suffer all suffer (1Co 12:26). This is not only Christian morality, it is the highest truth of political economy. Before concluding we must look at a question suggested by this subject, viz; Are we right and wise in resorting to the lot in the present day? We have no Divine authority for the present use of it. We have other means of learning God’s will. We live under a dispensation of fuller light. Decision by lot corresponds to rule by lawit is authoritative, requiring blind obedience. Christianity opens our eyes to principles of conduct and to principles of Providence. If God now guides us in other ways, we have no right to suppose that He will so direct the lot as to signify His will thereby. To resort to this is to fall hack on lower means of guidance. It often implies both indolence and superstition.W.F.A.
Jos 14:6-15
Caleb.
I. THE CHARACTER OF CALEB.
(1) Independence. He and Joshua had stood alone in the almost universal panic. It is difficult to discern the right and he faithful to it when all around us go wrong. The sanction of the multitude is no justification for an evil course. Truth and right are often with the minority (Mat 7:13, Mat 7:14).
(2) Truth. Caleb says, “I brought him word again as it was in mine heart.” We are tempted to hide our convictions when they are unpopular. The true man speaks what is in “his heart,” not the mere echo of the voice of the multitude (Act 4:19, Act 4:20).
(3) Courage. Caleb had advocated the course which seemed to be most dangerous. He is now willing to receive for inheritance a possession from which he will have to expel the Anakims (verse 12). Courage is a form of unselfishness and a fruit of devotion to duty.
(4) Unselfishness. Though Caleb had shared with Joshua the honour of being faithful and brave in the day of general failure, he has lived quietly ever since, seeking no peculiar honour, and now the brave old man asks for inheritance a mountain region infested with hordes of the fiercest Canaanites, and offers to conquer it for himself. Like Lot, we commonly choose the pleasant places, and are greedy of much reward for little service. Caleb thinks himself no martyr. It is happy to have the humility and unselfishness which not only ask for little but are satisfied with little.
(5) Whole hearted devotion to God (verse 8). This is the secret of Caleb’s character. Devotion to God makes us independent of men, true in the light of His searching eye, brave with trust in His help, and unselfish in obedience to His will. Half hearted devotion fails of this. We must serve God wholly if we would grow strong and true and brave.
II. THE REWARD OF CALEB.
(1) Long life. He and Joshua were the sole survivors of the Jews who escaped from Egypt. The cowards perish. The brave are spared. For us the corresponding blessing is not long earthly life hut eternal spiritual life.
(2) Continued strength and opportunity for service. His strength remains (verse 11). His inheritance makes new claims on his courage and energy (verse 12). The lot of greatest comfort is not the lot of highest honour. The best reward is renewed ability to serve (Mat 25:23).
(3) A possession, the advantages of which he had long since discerned. Caleb and Joshua had stood alone in opposing the unbelief of the people in prospect of the promised land. Now their position is justified. The reward of solitary defenders of the truth will come in the ultimate triumph of it. Those who now best appreciate the heavenly inheritance will enjoy it best hereafter.
(4) Rest. The land had rest, and Caleb must have shared the rest. The rest of heaven will be sweetest to those who have toiled and borne most on earth.W.F.A.
Jos 14:8
I wholly followed the Lord my God.
I. TRUE RELIGION IS BASED ON PERSONAL RELATIONS WITH GOD. Caleb ascribes his courage and fidelity to his connection with God, and he speaks of the Lord as “my God.”
(1) Religion is individual. We must pass from “our” God to “my” God. Each soul is called to as private communion with God as if there were no other souls in existence.
(2) Religion establishes close relations with God. In His personal dealings with the soul God comes near to it, so that He appropriates the soul and the soul lays claim to possessing God.
II. RIGHT PERSONAL RELATIONS WITH GOD WILL BE SHOWN BY OUR FOLLOWING HIM. It is not sufficient that we believe, worship, manifest affection. We must show our devotion by a consistent course of life.
(1) This is to seek to be near to God, love and duty drawing us Godward.
(2) It is to obey His commands, following the course of His will
(3) It is to emulate His exampletrying to do as He does (Mat 5:48). Christianity consists in following Christ.
III. WE ONLY FOLLOW GOD ARIGHT WHEN WE FOLLOW HIM WHOLLY. We cannot serve God and mammon. We must choose whom we will serve. Half hearted service is no true service. Following God wholly implies
(1) not desisting from service on account of loss or trouble incurred;
(2) taking no account of the opinion and conduct of other men when these would deflect us from fidelity to God;
(3) serving God in all the relations of life, business, social, domestic, and private.
IV. UNDIVIDED DEVOTION TO GOD IS NECESSARY FOR SUCCESS IN HIS WORK. We see how thoroughness and singleness of aim are essential to success in secular pursuitsin business, science, art, literature. They are not less essential in spiritual things. Much of our work fails for lack of thoroughness. Hesitating belief, divided aims, mingled motives, often render religious efforts weak and futile. We need to be more perfectly devoted, giving ourselves wholly to God’s service (1Ti 4:15).W.F.A.
HOMILIES BY S.R. ALDRIDGE
Jos 14:8
Personal influence.
Assuredly no Israelite could look without emotion upon the face and form of Caleb, the utterer of the words of the text. His very existence was a memorial of a memorable day. And when he arose and stood before Joshua, and the two engaged in the conversation recorded in this chapter, who could note them without recollecting that out of the laymen of Israel they were the only survivors of the generation to which they belonged? Like venerable towers that rear their heads above the building which is attached to them but plainly bears the marks of more recent construction, these two men stood an age above their surroundings, but with strength as unyielding as that of their latest compeers. Time and sickness had levelled their contemporaries with the dust, but they remained “with eye undimmed and natural force unabated.” God had kept His threat and promise. Caleb’s utterance may suggest some useful reflections.
I. THE FACILITY WITH WHICH MEN ARE DETERRED FROM NOBLE ENTERPRISES. What a lamentable incident was that to which these words refer: “My brethren that were with me made the heart of the people melt.” Recall the story of the twelve men and their reconnoitring expedition. They searched the south of Palestine, and admired the fruit which grew there in such abundance; but the hearts of the majority were terrified at the sight of fenced cities and the giants who inhabited them. And so when they returned to their brethren they gave such a discouraging account that the people cried, “Would to God we had died in Egypt!” Caleb tried to still their mumuring, but in vain. The cowardly spirit prevailed. Apparently fear is more easily engendered than hope. It is easier to depress than to cheer. How many religious undertakings have failed through the excessive caution of even good men? It is noteworthy that in the account which Moses gives in Deu 1:21 he refers to the fact that on the arrival of the Israelites at Kadesh he exhorted them to “go up and possess the land: fear not.” Well would it have been if they had acted on the bold counsel of their leader. But they came near and suggested what seemed an exceedingly wise planto send men first to spy out the landand dire was the ultimate effect! We do not inculcate rashness; we only say that courage is sometimes better than caution, and quick action than slow resolves. We need a holy enthusiasm that will minimize dangers and make us “strong in faith.”
II. THE DANGER OF EXERTING AN EVIL INFLUENCE. Great responsibility rested on the men who were the means of damping the ardour of their countrymen. Whilst they themselves died of the plague, the rest of the people were condemned to forty years’ weary traversing of the desert. So fierce was the wrath of God at the unbelief of the Israelites. This gift of influence God has bestowed on every person. We all wield this power to a greater or less extent. We may repel or attract, and in either case we are helping to mould the opinions and form the practices of our neighbours. We direct their aspirations and colour the spectacles through which they look at men and things. Is our life report for good or for evil?
III. THE SECURITY AGAINST WIELDING AND YIELDING TO AN EVIL INFLUENCE. It is to be noted that Caleb did not seek to persuade his fellows to renounce the idea of invading the Holy Land, and also did not allow himself so to be persuaded by them. He gives us in the text the reason which swayed him and the power which sustained him in opposition to the fears of the other Israelites: “I wholly followed the Lord my God.” There might be times in which the mind would be left in suspense as to the proper course to pursue, in which the chief difficulty would be in ascertaining the will of Heaven. But on this occasion there seemed to Caleb but one thing to be done. Precepts and promises clearly showed that it was the duty and privilege of the Israelites to march to the possession of their inheritance. The path was plainly marked; to hesitate was to turn aside from following the Lord. Unswerving obedience to God’s declared will is the grand security against ill conduct. All that we read of Caleb proves him to have been a man of strong determination. Whatever he did he did with his might. There is a deal of meaning in that word “wholly.” A man whose face is partly to God and partly to the world may have his attention distracted, but he who maintains an attitude that has respect to God only will remain uninfluenced by either the hopes and fears or the blandishments and threats of men. Urge the necessity and helpfulness of taking a decided step, of becoming openly connected with God’s people, of avowing an attachment to Christ. Some may raise a difficulty in the way of imitating Caleb’s whole-heartedness. This man was gifted with force of character. Now an objector may say, “I by nature am weak, irresolute, easily moved. Why am I blamed if I do not manifest that firmness which others display?” This inquiry runs into a fundamental problemthe reason of the election of men to different degrees of intellectual and moral ability, and the different degrees of accountability resulting therefrom. We cannot well separate the direct gifts of God from the achievements of the individual. We are bound to honour men even for what they owe entirely to God, since the honour reaches higher than men and is laid as an offering before the Throne. But what we must remember is that we are capable of acquiring qualifications which we previously lacked, and we may to a wonderful degree strengthen and improve the powers with which we are endowed.A.
HOMILIES BY W.F. ADENEY
Jos 14:12
The Anakims.
I. WE HAVE “ANAKIMS” IN OUR INHERITANCE. Some of the highest blessings are fenced about with She greatest difficulties.
1. No earthly inheritance is without its peculiar disadvantages. Some of the “Anakims” which resist us in our efforts to fulfil our mission are
(a) the evil in our own heart, e.g; indolence, fear, earthliness;
(b) the temptations of the world, arising from bad examples, customs, distracting pleasures;
(c) direct hindrance in persecution and opposition growing out of the world’s ignorance, prejudice, envy, etc.
2. Nevertheless it is best for us, as it was for Caleb, to have such an inheritance. Difficulties
(a) try our faith and courage;
(b) give scope for energy and devotion;
(c) make the ultimate peace the more blessed.
3. Apply these truths
(a) to private life;
(b) to Church work and the difficulties in evangelising the world;
(c) to public interests, and the hindrances to the work of high principled statesmen and philanthropists which stay the progress of liberty, civilisation, and national prosperity.
II. WE GAVE MEANS FOR OVERCOMING THE “ANAKIMS.”
1. God with us. This fact is Caleb’s ground of confidence. God does not only approve of the right; He aids it. He does not merely send assistance for the battle of life; He is present as the light to guide and the power to strengthen. Caleb had faith in the real and active presence of God.
2. Brave effort. Caleb says, “I shall be able to drive them out.” He names God’s help first as indispensable; but he does not stay with this. God’s grace is no excuse for man’s indolence. God fights for us by fighting in us. Ours is the effort, while His is the strength. True faith in God will not paralyse our energies, but inspire them; because it will show us
(a) that, while the victory will not be given unless we fight, when we fight in the strength of God omnipotence is on our side;
(b) and that God then assures us of victory, and that as He is faithful we may be confident of it. Caleb is confident that with God’s help he will drive out the Anakims, because this is “as the Lord said.”W.F.A.
HOMILIES BY S.R. ALDRIDGE
Jos 14:12
Caleb’s inheritance.
But little comparatively is said in the sacred writings concerning Caleb. What is recorded is decidedly in his favour, He stands before us as a model of unbending integrity. Selected from among the princes of Judah to be one of the twelve appointed to search the land of Canaan, he remained stedfast in his adherence to the will of God. Neither the remembrance of the giant sons of Anak and their fortified towns, nor the passionate wailings of his brethren, could make Caleb falter and falsify the report he had to give, and the recommendation he desired to make. For this he received the praise of Jehovah, and the promise that, not only should he be preserved to enter the land of Palestine, but also that the very part of the country concerning which some had given an unfavorable report should be allotted to him as his portion. Forty-five years had passed. The wilderness was full of graves. Joshua had succeeded Moses as leader of the Israelites; had overthrown in pitched battles the chief nations of Canaan; it was time to distribute to the tribes their inheritance. The partition was made in the first instance by lot. Then the arrangements for families were made by commissioners, and, as one of these, Caleb might have seized the city he desired. But, avoiding all suspicion of unfairness, he came with the children of Judah publicly to offer his petition. The text presents us therefore with
I. A REQUEST FOR THE FULFILMENT OF A PROMISE, “Give me this mountain whereof the Lord spake in that day.” As God’s representative Joshua is desired to see that the ancient oath is not made void. The declaration of God would not remain without effect, yet observe the manner in which it was to be accomplished, viz; by the petition of the man to whom the declaration was granted. Caleb set a high value on the promise of God. Lightly would he have treated it had he allowed it to rest uncherished in his thoughts. God loves to see His people appreciate what He has offered to bestow. He has given “exceeding great and precious promises,” and yet “will be inquired of” to do it for them. Our duty is clear. To lay hold of the announcements of His Word and ground on them our requests. Surely the reason why multitudes never pray is that they think little of the blessings promised to those that ask. We need quickened memories. Are the Scriptures to be empty volumes or full of life and power? The Bible may be our charter; the will of our Father bequeathing rich portions in this world and the world to come; our catalogue of precious furniture that may be had to adorn the household of saints. How many things we have never asked for or claimed as our own! Graces to beautify, gifts to enrich for evermore. “All Scripture is given that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” Man is expected to do his part even in the obtaining of a privilege. Some think, “If we are to be saved we shall be.” Caleb might have thought similarly, and neglected to make his request, and gone without his portion. God requires men to use their reasoning powers, to examine the evidences of religion, to repent and believe in Christyes, to ask for the adoption that shall make them members of His family.
II. A REWARD SOUGHT LITTLE TO BE DESIRED IN THE EYES OF SOME. Hebron was a large city, a royal city, but the surrounding hills were the fastnesses of giants, who must be attacked and driven away. Before the owner could settle down on the estate he must dislodge the former proprietors. No easy conquest was to be anticipated, yet the courageous soldier said, “Give me this mountain. Others may choose quiet resting places, let me go to the high places of the field.” Is there not here an example worthy of imitation? Who will be the advanced guard of the Christian army to attack the fortresses of Sin and Satan? An infusion of Caleb’s spirit would do much to reconcile us to what we mourn over as the hardships of our lot. We should take a different view and regard them as our reward, increasing the honour put upon us by God. One man has to struggle in business against fearful odds, another is plagued by a wretched temper, a third is sorely tempted to murmur under a heavy bereavement. God intends these various trims as discipline and as honours. The troubles are the Anakim, who must be cheerfully, bravely encountered. How deep felt will be the joy of triumph! No soldier ought to lament when placed by God in the forefront of the battle. When Jesus drew near His hour of suffering He exclaimed, “Now is the Son of man glorified.” Caleb believed that special power had been given for special work. He appealed to facts as indicative of Jehovah’s intention respecting him. Not for indolence had he been “kept alive these forty and five years,” and his strength preserved, his strength “for war both to go out and to come in” (verses 10, 11). This principle admits of wide application. The gifts of God are various. To one is granted money, that institutions may be supported and enterprises commenced. To another the power of speech, that he may “speak to the people all the words of this life.” To another a persuasive manner, a winning smile, the grace of hospitality. These are so many talents of which the Master will exact an account. bier will the question turn so much on actual accomplishment as on the ratio of abilities to results.
III. AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF DEPENDENCE UPON THE HELP OF GOD. His speech would sound like the utterance of self confidence and presumption did there not run through it a tone of devout thanksgiving, which removes the charge of boastfulness and reveals the source of his assurance. The Lord had kept him alive, and if the Lord were with him he would soon drive out the giants from their strongholds. When David essayed to fight the Philistine he reasoned from past experience. “The Lord that delivered me bear, will deliver me from Philistine.” The same succour is assured to all Christian warriors. We want this mingled dependence and confidence. “If God be for us, who can be against us?” The commission, “Go therefore, preach the gospel to all nations,” was preceded by the announcement, “All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth.” Can we complain of tribulation and distress? “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors;” they do but heighten the victory we gain, “through Him that loved us.”A.
HOMILIES BY R. GLOVER
Jos 14:13
A true man.
Consider Calebthe companion of Joshua in early enterprise, constant faithfulness, Divine reward. From the epithet Kenazite, constantly applied to him; the fact that one of the “dukes of Edom” bears the name Kenaz; and the expression, “Unto Caleb he gave a part among the children of Judah” (Jos 15:13), which suggests that though settled amongst them he was not really of them, many have, with considerable probability, concluded that Caleb was a proselyte. One of those who, like Heber the Kenite, threw in his lot with Israelperhaps a Midianitish youth who attached himself to Mosesand by force of faith, energy, and wisdom commended himself for any service of special difficulty. Whatever his origin, he was one of the twelve prominent men chosen to survey the land and report on the best method of invasion. The result of that expedition was, unfortunately, a unanimous testimony to the excellence of the land, but an all but unanimous testimony to the impossibility of taking it. Ten out of twelve declared its conquest impossible. Two onlyCaleb and Joshuaasserted its practicability. They were too brave and too believing to yield to despair. They reckoned on more than natural probabilities, arguing, “The Lord is with us; and their defence is departed from them.” But overborne by the numbers of those on the other side, and by the unbelief of the crowd, they can only grieve over what they cannot avert. And Israel turns back to the wildernesswhere the carcases of all the grown men except these two fall before they next approach to Canaan. Now he reappears after the conquest of the land to ask the fulfilment of the promise made by Moses to him. This district of Hebron was consecrated by early recollections of Abraham. The Amorites, though driven out from the city temporarily, are still in possession of the mountains about Hebron. Full of the old heroic fire, Caleb asks for a land still in the hands of enemies. Joshua grants it, and the Lord gives it him. And the land which saw his courage became his inheritance for generations. Let us consider a few features of this story in Num 13:1-33. and 14; and Jos 14:1-15. and 15.
I. First observeTHERE IS NEED FOR GOOD MEN IN SUBORDINATE AS WELL AS IN EXALTED STATION. Caleb is not over all Israel, not even prince of Judah. Only a spyhe is a man of eminence, but not of the highest. He fills a humbler place which some would have thought not worth while adorning. But, in addition to integrity and service in those at the head of the State, you want righteousness and courage throughout all classes of it. Had they had twelve Calebs for spies the land would have been theirs forty years before it was. As it was, the heroism of Caleb and Joshua was not wasted. Their testimony remained, inspiring wanderings; round it the purpose of the nation crystallised. Their testimony of the possibility, of conquering Canaan, helped to create the possibility. Their faith was a leaven that took forty years to do it, but ultimately leavened the whole lump. In whatever station we be, remember, there is need for faith, energy, and service, and there is reward for the exercise of these in the lowly as well as in the lofty sphere.
II. Secondly observeGODLINESS BEGETS MANLINESS OF THE NOBLEST KIND. What a charm there is in manliness, in its vigour, its honesty, in its fortitude and daring. What worth is in the manliness that dares to differ from friends, as well as to defy foes. The happy union of strength and spirit, which knows not fear nor halting. Besides the charm and worth, there is great joy in it as well. It feels no dread or dismay. It enjoys the leisure of the lofty nature, and its quickening sell respect. “Add to your faith manliness,” says Peter. Courage to avow and to obey your faith. Most failures in conduct are preceded by failures in courage. To face duty as well as danger requires hardihood of spirit. Now observe the magnificent manliness of Caleb. It gleams through his report as a spy. It is apparent in this choice of the as yet unconquered territory. It comes out in the energy of his old age. And this simple quality in one man was of incalculable service to Israel. We all need this quality, men and women,
“Our doubts are traitors,
And make us lose the good we oft might win,
By fearing to attempt.”
More manliness would mean less falsehood, less failure, less wretchedness of apprehension, more enterprise and grand success. And godliness begets it. For godliness gives larger thought, greater dignity, scope for grand purposes, consciousness of help laid up in all providential law and processes. By communion with God man attains calmness, wisdom, strength, and help. Neither David nor Elijah was less manly, but more so, for being devout. If you would form a list of the kingliest men you will be surprised how many of the godliest are in it. John Knox and Luther amongst teachers, Cromwell and William the Silent among statesmen, Sir Philip Sidney and Henry Havelock among soldiers. We are short of manliness because short of godliness. If religion ever enervates a man, or withers him, it is a superstitious and not the genuine thing. Nelson said his Methodists were his best sailors. Let the young note this. Godliness does not enfeeble, it enlarges every essential element of manhood.
III. Thirdly observeTHE GREAT REWARDS OF CONSECRATION. That manliness was its own magnificent reward, as it produced an expansion of nature, which would be immortal. But there were besides, special rewards.
(a) Accurate light. Good judgment grew from it. Knowledge of the possible, a grand self measurement, in which no vanity exaggerated nor dismay diminished powers marked him. “A good understanding have all they that love Thy law.” Walk with God and the light in which you walk will illumine common as well as sacred things.
(b) Providential mercies attend him. With Joshua, he is only man who has length of days sufficiently given ]aim to lead from Egypt to Canaan. Natural influences of devotion tend to preserve life, and they were in his case intensified by special providence. It may be said with all reverence and truth devotion saves numberless lives by preserving men from worry, folly, brooding, and needless quarrelling. God never fails to set His seal on goodness. “Corruption wins not more than honesty.”
(c) Justice is done him in the judgment of his fellows. When he protested against the evil report of the other spies the people “sought to stone him with stones.” But now all the princes of Judah are proud to come with him to support his prayer! He has the opportunity of justifying himself and his report, and he does it grandly.
(d) THE PLACE WHERE HIS FAITH TRIUMPHED OVER FEAR BECOMES THE PLACE OF HIS INHERITANCE. He believed Hebron could be won. He has liberty to win it and permission to keep it for himself when it is won. It had fallen to his lot to survey that district especially, and although three tribes of giants were there, yet he was fearless. That fastness against which his valour would have led his brethren becomes his own possession. Not only his in title and grant, but his in possession. Is there not something typical here? All things that threaten and oppose become serviceable when we face them bravely. That which threatens to destroy becomes a quiet resting-place and peaceable habitation. The enemies become the servants, the hindrances the helps, terrors change to fountains of refreshment. Let us be braver, refusing to despair, and refusing to shrink from difficulty. The same Saviour rules now as then, calls us to noble, and therefore difficult, duties. There are lots of children of Anak still; fear them, and you doom yourself to wilderness wanderings and a dishonourable grave. Meet them, and you conquer them easily. Shame and reproach for Christ are children of Anak; the fear of falling is another; a corrupting taste and an indolent inclination is another. Christ has grand rewards and blessed helps for such as face these. As to Caleb, so always, He gives ultimate inheritance and present rewards. Let us not miss these, but seek to secure them with all our heart.G.
HOMILIES BY W.F. ADENEY
Jos 14:15
Rest from war.
“And the land had rest from war.”
I. REST FROM WAR IS ONE OF THE GREATEST EARTHLY BLESSINGS. Even if war be a necessity it is a fearful necessity. Rarely are the advantages of a successful war equal to the cost of it. Rest from war affords occasion
(1) for the undisturbed enjoyment of the fruits of the earth and unbroken social and domestic life;
(2) for the practice of peaceful worksthe cultivation of science, art, and literature;
(3) for progress in political institutions and the development of civilisation;
(4) for the extension of benevolent efforts and of the missionary work of the Church. Therefore peace should be sought for in prayer and enjoyed with gratitude.
II. UNIVERSAL REST FROM WAR WILL BE ONE OF THE CHIEF FRUITS OF THE TRIUMPH OF THE GOSPEL. Christ is the Prince of Peace. The Messianic age is prophetically described as an age of peace (Isa 11:6-9; Luk 2:14). We must look to Christianity for the means of abolishing war, because this only can conquer
(1) the injustice,
(2) the ambition, and
(3) the unruly passions which are the causes of most wars.
War can only cease when right and justice are respected by nations and the brotherhood of all mankind is universally recognised. These are moral conditions. Education, trade conventions, political schemes will not produce them. They are the highest fruits of Christian principle.
III. SPIRITUAL REST FROM INWARD WARFARE IS SECURED TO THE CHRISTIAN BY CHRIST.
(1) The Christian must first fight against indwelling sin, temptation, the evil of the world (1Ti 6:12). Earth is our battle-field; heaven our Canaan of rest.
(2) The Christian will be aided by Christ fighting for him and in him. Jesus is the New Testament Joshua. He has conquered the great enemy. He is the source of His people’s strength for that inward battle which all must fight.
(3) By the grace of Christ the Christian will ultimately enjoy “rest from war.” This is promise
(a) for the individual Christian in heaven (Heb 4:9),
(b) for the whole human family at the time of the complete triumph of Christ (Isa 2:4).W.F.A.
HOMILIES BY R. GLOVER
Jos 14:1
Peasant proprietorship.
The land of Canaan is divided not amongst nobility and gentry, but amongst the people. Each family has its little farmprobably averaging about ten acres. Divided equally amongst the people, the Mosaic law expressly forbade its alienation in perpetuity from any family. The jubilee year was ordained in order that twice in a century any too great inequalities of condition which had crept in might be redressed; that every family which, through misfortune or even fault, had fallen out of property, might regain their land, and with it the means of maintenance for their families. In that jubilee year his freedom reverted to the slave, and his family heritage to him who had fallen into poverty. There was no injustice, for the value of the land was assessed in the case of every sale as that of a leasehold having so many years to run. Every tax and every religious charge upon the land similarly varied, according as the jubilee year was near or distant. None hurt by this system; numerous and incalculable advantages arose from it. It prevented the rise of a feudal aristocracy, with the inevitable degradation of the poor. It put Israel in the best of all conditions for developing self respect in the individual. Its equality was a school for liberty. It averted many of the most prolific causes of poverty. It diffused a homely comfort throughout all the land. It made the well being of the State a matter of vital interest to every citizen, giving each able-bodied man a “stake in the country.” It made Israel a model commonwealth, where the land was the home of all, and all classes without envy and without arrogance enjoyed the gifts of God in fairly even distribution. Observe
I. THE GROUNDS OF SUCH A PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION. The first “idea” lying at the root of this distribution of land is, that land is, unlike all other property, not proper to be the possession in perpetuity of any holder. The land is like the air of heaven, like the rain and the sunshine, like the fisheries of the sea, meant to be a common blessing for all, rather than the private good of any. Its productiveness is due to Nature’s chemistry as much as to man’s art. What man has no part in producing, he has no title to possess, anal therefore no man can legitimately possess himself, to the exclusion of others, of that Divine part of the earth’s fruitfulness. Accordingly, the theory of Moses is, that God is the great and only landlord; none having more than life interests in the land. Every fifty years it all was to fall into His hands again. Under God the land belonged to the nation, and the jubilee year permitted it to be so divided that all the families of the nation would enjoy it with a rough equality. A second idea lying at the base of this legislation was, that great wealth and great poverty were both of them great evils, to be prevented at any cost. The evils of poverty are obvious. Insufficient food, physical degeneracy, the development of a servile and dependent spirit; or of a reckless, turbulent spirit, that in its haste to relieve its hunger is apt to overthrow the State. Strife of classes inevitably springs from it. There is a poverty the result of indolence, which the law wisely would not attempt to prevent; and one the result of accidents, which it was impossible to foresee, and so provide against. But every State should direct its first and most patient attention to poverty produced by law; for that is generally the worst kind of all, as well as being a very general kind. And wealth corrupts equally with poverty. Wealth is full of fears, and fear begets tyranny and injustice. Too much is good for no one. The body is weakened by being pampered, the mind by want of constant occupation, the character by the softness that comes from the absence of struggle with difficulties. Ignorance of many of the ills of life begets hard heartedness, and destroys the finer sympathies. The presence of great wealth and great poverty, side by side, intensifies the mischiefs of each, and becomes one of the greatest perils that any community has to contend with. The law of Moses, and the carrying out of it by Joshua, was thus directed to prevent the development of the two great evils of modern civilisationexcessive wealth and excessive poverty. A third idea, lying at the foundation of this legislation, was that the equality of the citizens is the condition most favourable to the well being of the State. All exaggerated differences of condition tend to divide and alienate classes, depriving the land in some degree of cooperation in enterprise, in defence of liberties, in practice of religion. Joshua aimed not at a stagnant communism, which would rob life of its energy, but yet of a brotherly state in which all would have a fair chance of comfort, and none an unfair chance of inordinate wealth. In the present circumstances of our country the land legislation of Moses is especially worthy of our study. We differ from Israel in one important conditionEngland finds the chief part of her national wealth, not in agriculture, but in manufactures and in commerce. This fact has made land laws, such as every other civilised nation has abolished, tolerable here. But even for England, and still more for Ireland, which is an agricultural land, the time has come when the needless loss and harm and waste which they produce should terminate. In these circumstances mark
II. SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR LAND LEGISLATION AT HOME CONTAINED IN THE LAWS OF CANAAN.
1. These present us with the ideal at which to aim; viz; to get the land into as many hands as possible.
2. Such an ideal should, it is almost needless to say, be pursued only in a righteous and peaceful way. In a land of such wealth and resource as ours any other method would be as foolish as wicked.
3. Every facility that the law can give for the sale and transfer of lands ought to be given. Entail ought to be forbidden at once, as unjust to the younger children of a family, and injurious to the State, Settlements destroying the right of sale should be prohibited. These two alterations would at once bring much land into the market.
4. A law for division of property among his children on the death of the holder would in two or three generations effect a marvellous revolution in the present most deplorable distribution of land, and would work the same blessings here as such a law has wrought in France, Belgium, Denmark, etc. Instead of 2,000 persons holding more than one-half of the land in the United Kingdom, it is desirable 2,000,000 of persons should share it. If by facilities for sale, the abolition of feudal laws tending to accumulate property in few hands which survive nowhere but here, the land could be by justice and peace brought again into the possession of the people, the gain to the nation would be incalculable. An enormous increase in productiveness would, judging from the experience of the other nations of Europe, at once accrue. This would be the least of the benefits. There would be less poverty, more self respect, more energy, more patriotism, more union amongst our people; perhaps, with the extinction of so much injustice, more religion too. And we should find in this, as in other things, that modern civilisation is never so wise as when it sits at the feet of ancient inspiration. Moses and Joshua are the grandest of all political economists.G.
Jos 14:6 -end
Caleb the son of Jephunneh.
Few characters finer than that of Caleb. If Moses was pattern of faithful leader, Caleb was of faithful follower. There are some things which suggest he was not an Israelite by birth. Kenaz the name of his father or brother, is an Edomite name, and the expression in Jos 14:14, “Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb because that he wholly followed the God of Israel;” and that of Jos 15:13, “Unto Caleb he gave a part among the children of Judah,” are expressions which suggest that he was associated with that tribe rather than sprung from it. Whether or not he was an Israelite in flesh, he was earnestly so in faith. If not by birth an Israelite, he is an instance of the converting power of truth, and of the way in which identity of heart and aim supersedes all diversity of nature. He was one of the twelve spies. Had there been other ten like him, the invasion of Canaan would have begun and finished forty years earlier. There was no delusion in his mind; he saw all his colleague sawthe stature of the men, the walls of the cities, the difficulty and all but impossibility of the con. quest. But he saw what only Joshua saw besides himthe presence and the power of God. And seeing that, he believed in the possibility of what seemed to others impossible. Consider some elements of instruction here.
I. GOOD MEN ARE NEEDED FOR SECOND PLACES AS WELL AS FIRST. We cannot all be statesmen, rulers, missionaries. There are many more humble positions than exalted ones. Twelve spyships for one lordship. Good men are needed for all stations. Men who fear to do wrong, who fear to grieve God, and who have no other fear. Complain not of an obscure lot, of a slight opening for your powers; but do the duties of the lot, and avail yourself of the openings you have, and all will be well.
II. Second, observe THE PERSEVERANCE OF SAINTS. He believed in his prime, he believes in his old age. Ready to follow God’s leading then, ready now. “As my strength was then, even so is my strength now for war, both to go out and to come in.” There is, of course, a miraculous element in this persistence of physical strength and mental vigour at such an age. But it is only a miraculous extension of what is a blessed fact of daily experience. It is strange the vie inertiae of souls. Forty years ago some were faithless, and are so now; others believing, they are so now. There is a tendency for the unjust to be unjust still, and for the righteous to be righteous still. Motion or rest alike tend to be eternal Rise up and follow Christ, and you tend to follow Him on through countless ages. Forsake Him, and you tend to go on forsaking Him. This persistence of habit is nature; but the persistence of better habit is partly grace as well. God keeps the feet from falling, daily charms the spirit afresh, while each step of progress in a good path reveals new reasons for choosing and pursuing it. Do not despair. Of Christ’s flock none is lost. “They go from strength to strength; every one of them appeareth before God in Zion.” We may not, like Joshua, see eighty-five, and long before the life ends our powers may wither; but grace will not wither.
III. Observe THE USEFULNESS OF SUCH A LIFE OF PROGRESS. Eighty-five years of steady well doing! of right aiming and right action I of the boldness of faith. Joshua and He were left alive, as a sort of leaven to leaven the whole lump of Israel, and they did it. One steady, progressive life of goodnessthe same today as yesterdayhow invaluable in a village, in a church, in any community. If you would be useful, keep on. Remember Abraham Lincoln’s policy for the conquest of the secessionit was to “keep pegging away.” Seeming hopeless, it was crowned with success.
IV. Lastly, observe, CALEB‘S FAITH HAS A GRAND REWARD. A manifold reward.
1. In the contagiousness with which it spread. It infects his own family (see Jos 15:17). It infects, as we have seen, many besides.
2. His faith has the opportunity of proving its wisdom. That city, which was impregnable, he took; and these Anakim, who seemed terrific, he mastered. Some men, some things, some forces may be stifled for want of opportunity. But God will always see that there is a candlestick for the light. An “open door” for the “little strength” which can enter it.
3. His faith gets an earthly inheritance of a noble kind. Hebron is his family’s for an everlasting possession. The shortest road to getting anything is deserving it. While the clever, the tricky, the greedy, the saving see only what they aspire to “afar off,” the deserving go straight on and reach it. His property we can trace in the possession of his descendants down to the time of David (1Sa 30:14). It is not sufficiently observed how essential to goodness the courage of faith really is. Let Caleb’s example commend it to us.G.
Fuente: The Complete Pulpit Commentary
3. Beginning of the Distribution
Jos 14:1-5
1And these are the countries which the children of Israel inherited in the land of Canaan,1 which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children [sons] of Israel distributed for inheritance [a 2possession] to them. [,] By lot was their inheritance [by the lot of their possession], as the Lord [Jehovah] commanded by the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes, and for the half-tribe. 3For Moses had given the inheritance [possession] of [the] two tribes and an half-tribe on the other side [of the] Jordan: but unto the Levites he gave none [no] inheritance among them. 4For the children [sons] of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim: therefore [and] they gave no part unto the Levites in the land, save cities to dwell in, with [and] their suburbs [pasture-grounds] for their cattle, and for their substance. 5As the Lord [Jehovah] commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did, and they divided the land.
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4. The Possession of Caleb
Jos 14:6-15
6Then [And] the children [sons] of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, said unto him, Thou knowest the thing [word] that the Lord [Jehovah] said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadesh-barnea. 7Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the Lord [Jehovah] sent me from Kadesh-barnea to espy out the land; and I brought 8him word again as it was in my heart. Nevertheless [And] my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt; but I wholly followed the Lord 9[Jehovah] my God. And Moses sware on that day, saying: Surely the land whereon thy feet have [thy foot hath] trodden shall be thine inheritance [thy possession], and thy childrens for ever; because thou hast wholly followed the Lord 10[Jehovah] my God. And now, behold, the Lord [Jehovah] hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even [omit: even] since the Lord [Jehovah] spake this word unto Moses, while the children of [omit: the children of] Israel wandered [walked] in the wilderness; and now, lo [behold], I am this day fourscore and five years old. 11As yet I am as strong this day, as I was in the day that Moses sent me; as my strength was then, even [omit: even] so is my strength now, for 12war, both [and] to go out, and to come in. Now therefore [and now] give me this mountain, whereof the Lord [Jehovah] spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced [and great and fortified cities]: if so be [perhaps] the Lord [Jehovah] will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the Lord [Jehovah] said. 13And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh, Hebron for an inheritance [a possession]. 14Hebron therefore became the inheritance [possession] of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day; because that he wholly followed the Lord [Jehovah] God of Israel. 15And the name of Hebron before was Kirjath-arba: which Arba was a great man among the Anakims. And the land had rest from war.
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
The chapter contains, partly, Jos 14:1-5, the introduction to the division of the country west of the Jordan among the nine and a half remaining tribes, and partly an episode breaking the connection between Jos 14:1-5; Jos 15:1 ff., concerning the possession of Caleb. With this, Jos 15:13-19 and Jdg 1:10-15, which agree with each other, are to be compared.
a. (3) Jos 14:1-5. Introduction to the Division of the Land West of the Jordan. Jos 14:1. As distributors Eleazar and Joshua are named here, as in Num 34:17, while in Jos 13:6-7; Jos 18:6; Jos 18:8; Jos 18:10, Joshua alone casts the lot or grants the land as in vers 13; Jos 17:15; Jos 17:18. Eleazar, (whom God helps, Gotthilf), was Aarons third son and successor in the high-priesthood, Exo 6:23; Exo 6:25; Num 3:2. After the death of his father he followed him in the dignity of the high-priesthood; Num 20:25 ff; Deu 10:6, and was associated thus for a time with Moses, then with Joshua, Jos 14:1; Jos 17:4 ff. His death is related Jos 24:33 (Winer, 1. 314).
Jos 14:2. Eleazar and Joshua distributed the land through the lot of their possession; i.e. through the lot by which the part of the land was to be determined according to Num 26:55, whether in the north or in the south, whether in the east or in the west, whereas the magnitude of the portion was to be fixed (Num 26:56) according to the population of the tribe, by Moses or his successor. Whether also the provinces of the several families of the tribes were assigned by lot, or whether this was left to the heads of the tribes, respectively, is not to be discovered (Knobel).
The distribution by lot of conquered countries appears also in other histories. Thus it was a standing custom with the Athenians, to divide the land of conquered enemies to colonists by lot, (Diod. xv. 23, 29). They proceeded in this manner in Euba (Herod, v. 77; 6, 100), and in Lesbos Thuc. iii. 50). Among the Romans, also we read of sorte agros legionibus assignare (Cic. Epp. add. Divv., xi. 20, comp. Appian, Bell. Civ., v. 74) (Knobel).
How the lot was taken we are not informed. Most probably, as the Rabbins have conjectured. there were two urns. In one had been placed little tablets (Keil: tickets) with the names of the tribe, and in the other similar tablets with the names of the districts; and one of each was drawn at the same time. If we reject the supposition of two urns, we may think of one containing the tablets designating the portions of country, which the heads of the several tribes may have drawn, As Jehovah had commanded by Moses,Num 26:52 ff.
Jos 14:4. The appointment concerning the Levitical cities is found Num 35:1 ff. where it is stated also how large their pasture-grounds should be. from to drive, drive forth signifies a place whither cattle are driven (Germ. Trieb, Trift, [comp. Eng.: drove, a road for driving cattle, Webster]), and denotes here the space around the city which should serve for the driving of herds (Knobel on Num 35:2). A diagram by which the dimensions in Num 35:5 may be clearly apprehended is given in Keil on this passage.2 These pasture-grounds (Bunsen: Commons); in Switzerland called All-menden), are repeatedly mentioned Joshua 20. Luther [the Eng. version also] translates, incorrectly: suburbs, led evidently by the Vulg., which renders suburbana.
b. (4) Jos 14:6-15. Calebs Possession. Caleb, the patriarch of the sons of Judah (Num 34:19), accompanied by the men of his tribe (Jos 14:6), approaches Joshua, and desires, with an appeal to the promise of Moses (Jos 14:9), and with a declaration of his still unbroken capacity for war (Jos 14:11), that the mountain of Hebron may be given to him, out of which he purposes to extirpate the Anakites (Jos 14:12). Joshua promptly and gladly grants the request of the respected, proved, and brave old man, who had once with himself spied out the land from Kadesh-barnea (Num 13:29; Num 14:6). The place of the transaction is Gilgal, and that, as has before been shown, in the Jordan-valley. Later, Jos 18:1, we find the camp moved to Shiloh.
Jos 14:6. Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, the Kenezite. Caleb, (perhaps, seizing vehemently, from , Gesen.3), son of one Jephunneh, of the tribe of Judah (Num 13:6), one of the spies (Num 13:7), had in vain encouraged the Israelites to venture an attack and take possession of the promised land (Num 13:31). Pained at the cowardice of the people, he and Joshua rent their garments and still urged the people to a bold and resolute deed, which so enraged the latter that they were ready to stone them both (Num 14:10). On account of their fidelity, Caleb and Joshua alone were deemed worthy to enter into the land of Canaan (Num 14:24; Num 14:30; Num 14:38; Num 26:65; 1Ma 2:56; Sir 46:11-12). He is here, as in Jos 14:14 and also in Num 32:12, called , i.e. a descendant of Kenaz, which name occurs yet again, as Jdg 1:12, in the family of Caleb. We agree with Winer (i. 654) in thinking it quite unlikely that there is here any connection with the Kenizzites mentioned Gen 15:19, as Bertheau and Ewald suppose. [But see Smiths Dict. of the Bible, articles Caleb and Kenezites].
We next have the speech of Caleb, whose main thought has been already given above. He first calls to mind the word which Jehovah in Kadesh-barnea spoke to Moses, the man of God, concerning him and Joshua. It is found in Num 14:24; Num 14:30, but purports only, as Keil aptly remarks, that the Lord will bring Caleb into the land whither he had gone, and give it to his seed for a possession. Kadesh-barnea we have already found mentioned in Jos 10:41, and shall find it again Jos 15:3; Jos 15:23. The name sounds either as here, or merely (Gen 14:7; Gen 16:14; Num 20:16), or (Jos 15:23). It lay at the foot of the mountain of the Amorites (Deu 1:19-21), was reached by the Israelites in eleven days from Horeb, and was the principal scene of their stubbornness and insubordination (Numbers 14; Num 20:1-13), and where they decided their fate for the long period of forty years. Robinson, whom Hitzig (Gesch. d. v. Israels, 1:89) unhesitatingly follows, regards as Kadesh, Ain el-Weibeh, which lies northwest of Petra, and almost south of the Dead Sea. Von Raumer fixes upon the more northerly Ain Hasb (p. 209, as with special particularity, p. 483 ff.), lying, as well as the former place, in the Arabah. Menke has followed on his map the opinion of Rowland, controverted by both Robinson and Raumer, according to which Kadesh must be sought far west of the Arabah. Thither Menke transfers Mount Seir, also, and the wilderness of Zin. But how then should Num 21:4 be understood in comparison with Deu 2:12?4
Jos 14:7. At the time when he was sent forth from Kadesh-barnea Caleb was forty years old. He brought back a report, and as he expresses it, so as it was in [lit. with] my heart. Hebr. . Luther translates here as in Job 27:6, by conscience. We are not to think of conscience, however, but rather of the bold confident spirit of Caleb, which he spoke out just as he felt it. He was a spirited man and not discouraged like the rest. On the variant reading of the LXX. () which presupposes , as one codex of Kennicott has it, see Keil, in loc.
Jos 14:8. Not so were his brethren who went up with him; they rather discouraged ( for , Ewald, Lehrg. 142, a; Gesen. 75. Rem. 17) the heart of the people; prop. they made the heart of the people to melt, as in Eng. vers. Comp. Jos 2:11; Jos 5:1, but especially Jos 7:5. By that Caleb was not troubled, but wholly followed (comp. Num 14:24) Jehovah, i.e. completely fulfilled () what Jehovah required,rendered him unconditional, cheerful obedience.
Jos 14:9. In consequence of this Moses swore to give him the land on which his foot had trod. We find no difficulty in meeting with this oath in Deu 1:34 ff. where 14:36 agrees, in part literally, with the verse before us. And although it is there said that God swore, here that Moses did, we see, ceteris paribus, no irreconcilable discrepancy. Moses, the man of God (Jos 14:6), swears in the name and at the command of God. Knobels observation: moreover we read, in what the Jehovist has given of the report of the author, of an oath of Jehovah, Num 14:21; Num 14:24, needs correction, since the oath in question, which is identical with that in Deu 1:34, is the one mentioned Num 14:21; Num 14:24.
[Jehovah my God. It is less easy to reconcile this expression with any form of the oath as taken by Jehovah. May we not assume that Caleb quotes some expression of Moses not elsewhere preserved to us, but familiar then to Joshua?Tr.]
Jos 14:10. God has fulfilled his promise and kept him alive, as he spoke, and that for these forty and five years. while Israel walked in the wilderness. has here the signification in which (time), while, Ewald, Lehrg. 321, c. Concerning the forty-five years see the Introd. 4.
Jos 14:11. The might of the hero is still unbroken although he is now eighty-five years old. A similar statement is made of Moses, Deu 34:7.
Jos 14:12. On the ground of all these facts Caleb now asks for mount Hebron, although he had, according to Num 13:21, gone much further into the country, even into the north of Palestine, while certainly, according to Num 13:22-23, he had spied out the land only into the region of Hebron. As there Num 14:22-23 are inserted into the context so is it here with this whole passage, Jos 14:6-15, which probably comes from the same hand. It is remarkable also, that Caleb here says to Joshua: thou heardest in that day, how the Anakim were there, since Joshua (Num 13:8) also was one of the spies; cf. besides Knobel on this passage, also Bleek, Introduction, i. p. 316. As Anakim are mentioned, Num 13:22; Jdg 1:10, and in this book, Jos 15:14, Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.
Perhaps Jehovah will be with me that I may drive them out, as Jehovah said. According to Jos 11:21, Joshua had already driven them out, (). for Gesen. 103, 1, Rem. Ewald, Lehrg. 264, a.
Jos 14:13. Joshua cheerfully granted the request of Caleb. He blessed him, i.e. joined with his gratitude for the courageous declaration, an expression of his good wishes and prayer for the success of his undertaking; comp. Gen 14:19; Gen 27:23; Exo 39:43; 2Sa 14:22 (Knobel). Joshua himself, as in Jos 17:14 ff., bestows on him the land.
Jos 14:14. Thus Hebron passes over into the hands of Caleb. According to Jos 21:11, he must have yielded the city to the Levites, while he held the land for himself.
Jos 14:15. A notice that in earlier times () Hebron had been called city of Arba, who was a great man among the Anakim. The same remark is repeated Jos 15:13; Jos 21:11, and had already occurred Gen 23:2. Another piece of information see Num 13:22.
And the land had rest from war; repeated here from Jos 11:23.
DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL
1. The manner of employing the lot here is different from its use in Jos 7:14, inasmuch as we here have to deal, not with a criminal process, but only with the fairest possible performance of an administrative transaction, namely, with the division of the land. In this case also God himself should give the decision, and therefore resort is had to the lot. So again after the return from the exile the resettlement of the capital was effected by casting lots (Neh 11:1), comp. Winer, ii. 31.
2. That the Levites received no province as a tribe, but rather cities for their habitation, and pastures for their herds, just so much, therefore, as, joined to the portion of the offerings mentioned Numbers 18, was necessary for their subsistence, this was altogether suited to keep them in lively remembrance that Jehovah was their inheritance. Christ expresses the same principle in regard to his disciples, Mat 10:9-10; Mar 6:8-9; Luk 9:3; Luk 10:4; Luk 10:7. Paul appeals directly to the O. T. arrangement, 1Co 9:13, although for himself he makes no claim to this right, 1Co 9:18. Now also these principles ought to give the standard to congregations and church authorites in fixing the salaries of spiritual offices. Fat benefices with large landed possessions or extravagant revenues of money are wrong; but equally wrong is it when care for subsistence daily oppresses the preacher and robs him of the joy of his calling. In this matter there is still much room for improvement. Rightly, therefore, does Starke say The Levites were by this wise arrangement so much the more assured of their earthly support, and could so much the more diligently and without embarrassment perform their duty. They are a pattern for all Christians, who ought to regard all which they have as a gift of God.
3. The youthful freshness with which Caleb comes forward, has in it something uncommonly cheering, and shows how a pious walk joined with an efficient accomplishment of the business of life, keeps a man even physically sound and vigorous up to advanced age. It was so also with Moses, and even in our time there were and are men who have shared the same beautiful lot. Of one at least let us here make mention, the recently departed Nitzsch. Compare also in Schleiermachers Monologen the discourse concerning Youth and Age.
HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL
Calebs demand. (1) On his part well grounded, therefore: (2) gladly granted by Joshua.What is right and just one may well demand.How God sustains those who are his even to old age, and until they are gray (Isa 46:4), shown in the case of Caleb.The blessing of a faithful fulfillment of the commands of God.The land had ceased from war (Peace Sermon).
Starke: Only he who is a child of God and belongs to the peculiar people of God, can partake of the heavenly inheritance, Gal 4:7; Gal 3:29; Rom 8:17.In the reception of earthly good we must refer everything to the divine blessing.O, how profitable is godliness! It is profitable unto all things and has the promise of the life which now is and of that which is to come, 1Ti 4:8; Mat 6:33. Although God does good to his children and blesses them, yet with the sweet He always shows them the rod also, Mal 3:16-18.In the world is war and strife, but in heavey, peace, rest, and blessedness, Job 7:1.
Cramer: Dividing an inheritance and all business transactions and dealings are matters of con science, 1Th 4:6.No one can of himself take for himself anything of the kingdom of heaven, and of eternal life, except it be given to him from above, Joh 3:27.That to which a man has a right he may even demand of the magistrate, for to this end are judges appointed, Deu 17:18.Our glory and boast should be the testimony of a good conscience, 2Co 1:12, Act 24:16.Godliness is rewarded also with long life and health, Psa 91:16; Pro 3:2.
Osiander: Although we certainly cannot attain blessedness through our own works and merits, still God of his great goodness is wont to reward what we do from the spirit of submissive obedience with temporal and spiritual benefits.
Footnotes:
[1][Jos 14:1.And these are what the sons of Israel received as a possession in the land of Canaan, what Eleazar the priest, etc.Tr.]
[2][This is Keils figure:Tr.]
[3][Gesenius: perhaps, dog, for from to bark, to yelp. But Frst and Dietrich (in his edition of Gesenius) give the above explanation. See Smiths Dict. art. Caleb, Am. Edition.Tr.]
[4][The site of Kadesh is fully discussed in the Dict. of the Bible, s. v.]
Fuente: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange
CONTENTS
The same subject is continued here, as in the former Chapter, in the division of the land. Caleb desires to have Hebron, as had been assured him. Joshua consents to his request.
Jos 14:1
I would have the Reader observe, that the division which this Chapter opens with, is the division of the land of Canaan itself. The tribes of Reuben and Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh, had their portion on the other side of Jordan.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jos 14:6-15
‘It is beautiful,’ says Dr. Blaikie, ‘to see that there was no rivalry between them. Not only did Caleb interpose no remonstrance when Joshua was called to succeed Moses, but he seems all through the ware to have yielded to him the most loyal and hearty submission. God had set His seal on Joshua, and Caleb was too magnanimous to allow any poor ambition of his, if he had any, to come in the way of the Divine will and the public good.’ Dr. Blaikie remarks also that there is something singularly touching in Caleb’s asking as a favour what was really a most hazardous but important service to the nation. The driving out of the Anakim was a formidable duty, and the task might have seemed more suitable for one who had the strength and enthusiasm of youth on his side. But Caleb, though eighty-five, was yet young.
References. XIV. 8. H. G. Edge, Christian World Pulpit, vol. lxxiv. 1908, p. 183. XIV. 8 and 12. J. T. Forbes, Christian World Pulpit, vol. lxxiii. 1908, p. 186. XIV. 12. K. Moody-Stuart, Light from the Holy Hills, p. 68. XVII. 14. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xxxii. No. 1882. XVII. 18. Ibid. vol. xxxiv. No. 2049. C. Herbert, Christian World Pulpit, vol. lxiv. 1903, p. 378. XX. 1-5. Dr. Barnardo, Penny Pulpit, vol. xiv. No. 816, p. 209. XX. 1-9. A. Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture Deuteronomy, Joshua, etc., p. 168. XXI. 43-45; XXII. 1-9. Ibid. p. 175. XXII. 10. T. Bowman Stephenson, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xl. 1891, p. 305. XXIII. 1. J. H. Newman, Sermons Bearing on Subjects of the Day, p. 170. XXIII. 8. F. E. Paget, Sermons for Special Occasions, p. 115. XXIV. 4. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xxix. No. 1718. XXIV. 10. B. J. Snell, Christian World Pulpit, vol. li. 1899, p. 153.
Fuente: Expositor’s Dictionary of Text by Robertson
Caleb’s Claim
Jos 14
CALEB was a prince of the tribe of Judah, and before the allotment of the land was proceeded with he said, in effect, I have something to say about this; the allotment ought not to proceed until I have been heard: whether the word was written or not, Caleb said, in effect, I cannot tell, but it was surely written in my heart; I will tell thee what it was: A distinct promise was made to me some five-and-forty years ago, and that promise was to this effect. Then Caleb quoted the words or their substance, and set the case before Joshua, who, as prince of the host, listened kindly and answered generously and justly. How wonderfully the Past affects the Present! We must not think that affairs are lying upon the surface and are open to the handling of anyone; that the business of life is superficial, easy, requiring no reference to the historical past, and no reference to unwritten, but eternal law. There is nothing so simple as it often seems to be. Sometimes simplicity is but the last result of complexity. Beware, therefore, of all counsellors who treat life in an off-hand, easy fashion, as if things could be set up, and pulled down, and changed without much anxiety or without appealing to the deepest affections and sometimes the tenderest memories of the soul. Caleb referred to the past; Caleb said, A promise was made to me in this matter, and I will tell you what that promise was. Mark the wonderful consistency of Caleb’s spirit. He is the same at forty and at eighty-five. At forty he was a man of chivalrous spirit: a tall man did not affright him; he looked upon walled cities as upon paper castles. He returned with Joshua, saying to Moses, The work can be done. All the other princes or heads of houses had “melted” hearts; their courage had gone out of them; they said, The people are very tall, and the cities are very strong, and there is no more spirit in us. But Caleb was a man of “another spirit.” That spirit kept him young to the last day of his life. King David was called “very old” at seventy. We saw in our last reading that the word “old” is not a time-word; it is a word that relates to work, and to the effect of work upon the worker. The wear and tear of work tells terrifically upon some natures; they are so intensely devoted: there is nothing trifling to them; every moment brings its own judgment, every day its own solemn sense of destiny. David was old because his work had been heavy. It is trouble that makes men old. Where is there a man that says he has been overborne by mere work, mere labour? But a thousand men could stand up and challenged to reply to the question whether trouble does not wear down the spirit, take out the very strength of the man, and make him old at five-and-twenty, aged and venerable at half a century. So it was with Joshua. He took hardly to the work; it was a great study to him; he did nothing perfunctorily or within the limits of the moment for the moment’s sake; all he did, drew blood “virtue” out of his interior nature. So it was with king David “very old” at seventy. Other men are younger as the years pass on! They have a happy way of working; they are blessed with the inestimable blessing of cheerfulness; they are able to take everything, as it were, with a light hand and yet not frivolously; they are so buoyant, so happy, so cheery altogether, that, whatever comes, they approach it almost with friendliness, and they pass through controversy as if it were but a variety of life’s pleasantness. The man who is now speaking in the text is eighty-five years old, and he says he is as strong as he was nearly half a century ago. May we not be so in our degree? Why do we so soon give up the work? Why this whining after rest, this desire to be let go, to be let alone, and to be permitted to flee into the wilderness or “some boundless contiguity of shade”? To touch such men as Caleb, is to receive new life, new hope. The cheerful man comes into history, bringing a warming influence with him, helping men to carry their burdens more resolutely and more hopefully.
But perhaps Caleb was simply asserting this youthfulness in order that he might claim the inheritance. Did he affect juvenility? Was he for the moment buoyed up with a false hope? The answer is very distinct, and there is no escape from it. In the eleventh verse he says,
“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” [what for?] “for war, both to go out, and to come in.” ( Jos 14:11 )
Who can estimate the indirect influence of such an example? Indirect influence is a subject we do not perhaps sufficiently consider. There is a direct influence which is much spoken about and highly valued, and not improperly so; but who can tell all the mystery of radiation? Who knows in what direction the warm rays shoot? Who can follow all the palpitation of heat, and say it begins here and ends there? Who can tell the indirect influence of Scripture well read, of a Gospel well preached, of a life well lived? There are observers on the outskirts. The prisoners were listening whilst the apostles were singing. Taking into account indirect influence as well as direct service, many a life will in the judgment be surprised because God attributes to it the outworking of so many and such gracious results. Who could refuse the better portions of Canaan when Caleb said, “I will take the hard part. Let the old man grapple with the difficulty. As for these young people, they will get younger as they grow older perhaps; they will become more courageous as the years come and go. Meanwhile, I will take the land that is now peopled by the giants; and in the strength of God I will subdue the land and make it part of the inheritance of heaven “? We want to hear such voices. We are tired of the moaning word, the despairing note, the sign of dejection, the cowardice that betrays itself even in the voice. Many persons can follow a tune who cannot raise one. We must have leaders, captains, mighty men. Who knows what influence Lebbus had in the first discipleship? He is a man of no historical account; he does not figure among the three mighties; but “Lebbus” means “hearty, cheerful.” Who can tell what influence the man had by virtue of his cheeriness? We are not all speakers; we do not all go to the front and lift up an ensign; but many help the good work who stay at home and make the house glad, make every window face southward, wherever the builder has made it turn, to catch all in the sunshine. Who can estimate the influence of home music, home love, home encouragement? When we go home, carrying life’s burden with us, and say we are now exhausted and can return no more, who knows the effect of a cheerful word, an encouraging expression? These things are pointed out that many may be encouraged who suppose they are doing nothing. Apparently they are not engaged in much public work of any consequence; but they do so much good to us at home or on the highway: we never met them in the dark night but they brought all the stars out; we never spoke to them in the storm but within the tempest there was a great calm. Let every man discover what his gift is, and his vocation, what he can do, and let him do it in the name and fear, the sight and love of God.
Who could give up when the senior was willing to go forward? We are shamed into some good deeds. Who would give anything to a collection if the congregation was not present? Who would really give in the dark? Some people would: the darkness and the light are both alike to them; but is it any libel upon human nature to say that there are some other people who would not do it? We are moved by example. There is a subtle contagion in social unity and action. We thought we would not go out; but seeing Caleb arraying himself for the night and going out into the storm, we cannot for very shame stay at home. So we look to our leaders, our senior men, to be young to speak the glowing word, and to show that what they say is not sentimental, but real, because they themselves are willing to keep the door, to watch the gate, to stand outside, or to accept the most difficult position. Are there not some secondary heroes in the Bible? Very little is said about Caleb. There are three men of the name of Caleb in the Bible, and if you put all the three Calebs together the space required for the record of their deeds would not be a large one. There are under-heroes, men who are not of the stature and volume and force of Elijah, who fills the whole space of the time he lived in: but there are Calebs, men who are less, and yet of the same quality; men who have accepted Heaven’s vocation and are working it out with a rare courage and a sweet patience. May such a word as this touch many a man who is wondering what he is doing, and help many a woman to believe that in quietness and in peace in household privacy she may be touching with helpfulness some of the boldest and bravest lives of the time.
What was the secret of this continual cheerfulness? It was a religious secret. Caleb says,
“Nevertheless, my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the Lord my God” ( Jos 14:8 ).
So Caleb’s cheerfulness was met by a buoyancy equal to itself, and Hebron was given to him with a blessing breathed from the sincere heart. Is not many a blessing kept from us because we have not been like a ship in full sail? Have not our iniquities kept good things from us? How can we claim the inheritance if we have never been ready, for the battle? And why should we sit in contemptuous judgment upon the Calebs of any age, when we have not known the stress that was put upon them, or entered into their labour, which made their lives oftentimes a great burden? Understand that we have come into an inheritance of history. We enjoy a Hebron that has been made for us. The civilisation round about us today is none of our handiwork; at the best we have only put a kind of top upon it. To-day gathers up into its throbbing heart the energy of all the centuries that have gone. Blessed are they who live under the inspiration of this idea. They will be grateful to their forefathers; their forefathers will not be spoken of as dead men, but as men who are now living and historically ruling the sentiment of their age. One thing is certain: God will not forsake a man who has been “wholly” devoted to him. God knows the number of Caleb’s years, and the promise shall be redeemed. O poor heart, wondering when the good time is to come, when Hebron is to fall in as part of the inheritance, thinking the time is long, long in coming, and there may not be many days left in which to enjoy the heritage, take courage! God knows every word he has spoken. He is not unfaithful or unrighteous to forget our works of faith and labours of love. When he does bring in the inheritance, he will surprise us by it. It will be no mere handful of mud, no little measurable Canaan, but all heaven’s blessedness, all heaven’s purity, all heaven’s music. Cheer thee! He is faithful who hath promised; he is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.
Prayer
Almighty God, we are not discomfited because the lot is cast into the Up and the disposing thereof is of the Lord; instead of being disquieted, we are at rest: this is right, this is best; not our will, but thine, be done. We would desire to dwell on the sunny side of the hill, and to find out where the rivers flow all the year long, and where the soil is garden-land; but thou dost put some men in the wilderness, and some upon the mountain-top, and some in stony and rugged places. The earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof. Every place is praying-ground, every stone is an altar, and everywhere there are paths straight up to heaven. We desire to see in our lot God’s law, God’s will. We are here, we want to be there; but thou dost say, No, abide on thy lot unto the end of the day; be a good and faithful servant, and heaven shall find thee room. This is thy sweet word. It makes us glad and strong; it fills the night with great stars; it makes the winter a kind of summer. Once we did not understand all this, and we chafed as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke; now our eyes are opened: we see that God is King, and Lord, and Father, Shepherd, Friend, Companion, that there is but one throne, and that it is established upon righteousness. Now, come weal, come woe, we are not far from God. The cup is sometimes bitter, but thou canst help us to drain it every drop; sometimes the cross is heavy, but thou dost send a friend to lift it for us, at least for a day or two; sometimes the road is all roses and song and joy, the very dust of the ground leaping up in praise, and then all is heavenliness; whether it be thus or otherwise, guide us with thine eye, preserve us by thy grace, give us comfort in all sorrow, and chastening in highest ecstasy. Work within us all the good pleasure of thy will. Give us the joy that comes of rational obedience, and the higher joy that comes of loving faith. Give us some touch of heaven even upon the earth; surprise us by some little flower that cannot have grown under these cold skies, some leaf from paradise, rich with fragrance from above; then we shall be young again, and strong and mighty, and though the enemy have chariots of iron we shall drive him out, and God shall have the praise. Help every man to see life broadly, clearly, and hopefully; enable every one of us to lay hold of it with a strong man’s hand; keep us from all fear, fainting, dejection; take not the spirit of hope from us: may it dwell within us, and sing to us, and make us glad. We can ask all this in the name of Jesus, who carried our sorrows, who bore our sins in his own body on the tree. He taught us to call thee Father, and to ask great things of thee, yea, even to ask the Holy Ghost all gifts in one. Jesus is our Saviour; Jesus died for us. We know not all the meaning of this Cross of his, but in the night-time of tempest and sorrow and loneliness, there is nothing so grand, so good, so comforting. Amen.
Fuente: The People’s Bible by Joseph Parker
XXII
CONQUEST OF THE NORTHERN TRIBES; ALLOTMENT OF TERRITORY; ESTABLISHMENT OF A CENTRAL PLACE OF WORSHIP.
Joshua 11-21
This section commences with Joshua II and closes with Jos 21 . That is to say, we must cover in this discussion eleven chapters,, and the matter is of such a nature that one cannot make an oration on it, nor can one give a very interesting discussion on it. It would be perfect folly for me to take up the chapters verse by verse, when all you have to do is to look on your map in the Biblical Atlas and glance at any commentary and get the meaning and locality of each town mentioned. All of the matters that require comment will be commented on in these eleven chapters.
The first theme is the conquest of the tribes in the northern part of the Holy Land, just as the preceding chapter considered the central and southern part of the land. You know I told you that Joshua, by entering the country at Jericho and then capturing Ai, occupied a strategical position, the mountains on the right hand and the left hand and they forced a passway by which he could go in any direction. We found that all the southern part of the country, after the capture at Jericho and Ai, was practically brought about by one decisive battle, the battle of Beth-horon, where the Almighty thundered and sent his hailstones and where the sun stood still. Now, the northern conquest was brought about by one decisive battle, all of the details that it is necessary for me to give are these: When the northern tribes learned of the subjugation of the southern tribes they saw that it was a life and death matter.
From this viewpoint they would be conquered in detail. As Benjamin Franklin said in a speech at the Continental Congress, “Gentlemen, we cannot evade this issue; we must either hang together or hang separately, every one of us if we don’t unite will be hanged.” Now, that was in the minds of those northern kings. We have had the account of Adonizedek, the king of Jebus. Hazor was a well-known place in the history of the countries. We will have it up again in the book of Judges. It was not very far from Caesarea Philippi, where Peter made his great confession in the time of our Lord.
I will not enumerate the tribes and the names of the several kings that were brought into this second league It not only included the central and northern tribes, but they sent an invitation to the remnant of the tribes that had been conquered. The place of rendezvous, or assemblage, for all of these armies of these several kings was Lake Merom. You will recall that in describing the Jordan, rising in the mountains, after running a while, it spreads out into Lake Merom, and lower down it spreads into the Sea of Galilee. Well, now around that Merom Lake the ground is level, very favorable for calvary and war chariots. For the first time the war chariot was introduced. The war chariot was more, in general, the shape of a dray than anything else two wheels, steps behind that one could go down, and one chieftain and two or three captains stood up and drove two or three horses, and they always drove the horses abreast, no matter how many. The men who drove were very skillful but unless they were very lucky they would fall to the ground. In the time of Cyrus the Great, he built one with blades that went out from the sides, so that it not only crippled those he ran over but the scythes on each side would mow them down.
Joshua learned of this combination of tribes and, under the direction of the Almighty, he smote them before they could organize. He was a Stonewall Jackson kind of a man and struck quick and hard. He pressed and pursued them and led his army up the valley of the Jordan by swift marches and instantly attacked the enemy when he got upon the ground and before they were prepared. Their defeat was the most overwhelming in history. All of the leaders were captured and slain; they dispersed in three directions specified in the text, and he pursued them in all three directions. He gave them no time to rally, and when they had been thoroughly discomfited, he took the towns. That battle was practically the end of the war of conquest. We may say the whole thing was decided in this battle; there were some details of conquest later, but this is Joshua’s part of it. I must call attention specifically to this fact, overlooked by many commentaries, that the general statement of the conquest is given in the book of Joshua and the details of some of these general statements are given more elaborately, indeed the last great item, the migration of Dan, in the book of Judges. All that happened before Joshua died. Therefore the book of Judges and the book of Joshua overlap as to time. And for this reason, that as soon as Joshua got through with his conquest, and the distribution of territory, he retired from leadership, living years afterward. The instant the war was over, Joshua surrendered the general leadership.
Just here I wish to answer another question. While the record notes that Joshua conquered all the land that Jehovah had originally promised to those people, yet the book of Joshua also states that there remained certain portions of the land that had not been conquered. The backbone of the opposition was broken by these two battles and by the cities that he captured after these battles, but the enemy would come back and occupy their old position and some of the walled towns were not taken.
I once heard the question asked a Sunday school, Why did God permit the remnants that you will find described later on in this section, the parts not subjugated, to remain? Nobody in the Sunday school could answer. Now, you will find the answer to the question in Num 33:55 ; Jos 23:13 ; Jdg 2:3 . Moses says, “If you do not utterly destroy these people leaving none, then God will permit those remnants that you spare to become thorns in your side, and whenever you are weak they will rise against you; whenever you are disobedient to God they will triumph over you.” It is stated here that the number of the kings of the separate tribes overcome by Joshua was thirty-one Part of this section says that Joshua waged war a long time with these kings. While this battle was fought and became decisive of the general results, the going out and capturing the different towns, completing the different details, required a long time.
Now we come to the next theme of our lesson, viz.: The distribution of the land, or allotment of specific parts of the territory to the tribes. We have already found in the books of Moses just how the eastern side of the Jordan was conquered and the allotment made to Reuben just above Moab, and to Gad just above Reuben and to the half-tribe of Manasseh way up in Gilead. This is on the east side of the Jordan, and the Biblical Atlas will show you at the first glance where they are. So that is the first distribution: Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh.
The next distribution takes place under the commandment of God. Joshua is old, well stricken in years and wants the land divided while he lives because he knows it will be divided right, and this, too, is the land allotted to Judah and the land allotted to Joseph, or Ephraim, and the half tribe of Manasseh. So we have two and one-half tribes receiving their portion on the west side of the Jordan. That leaves seven tribes who have not yet received their land. In giving Judah his part three interesting events occurred, all of which were in connection with Caleb. Caleb is one of the original twelve men sent out by Moses to spy out the land, and because of his fidelity God promised that he should have Hebron, Abraham’s old home, which is not far from the Dead Sea. It has always been a noted place and is yet. Before this division took place, Caleb presented himself and asked for the fulfilment of the promise by Moses, that his particular part should be Hebron and when that was done, Caleb’s daughter, Achsah, steps forward and asks of her father springs of water, and he gave her the upper and nether springs.
The third fact is related at length in Judges, but it occurs at this time. Caleb having the certain portion, Kiriathsepher, the enemy of Hebron, he said that whoever should go over into that city first and capture it, he should have his daughter for a wife, and a very brave fellow, a nephew of Caleb, determined to try it and he took that city and got the girl. Now, that was a deed of daring, and like it was in the Middle Ages where a knight went forth and sought adventures that would entitle him to be his lady’s husband. All young fellows feel that they would surmount any difficulty to win a girl. I have felt that way. I felt that way when I was seven years old and about a certain young lady. There isn’t anything too dangerous or too great a sacrifice for a man to make in a case of that kind.
I told you when Judah received his part that Joseph’s tribe received theirs. Now we come to an interesting episode; the tribe of Joseph, and particularly the tribe of Ephraim, was always a tough proposition. You will find that all the way through the Old Testament and even when you come to the New Testament. Ephraim came up and when the allotment was made he said, “We are not satisfied.” Did you ever hear of people who were not satisfied about a division of land? Joshua said, “What is the trouble?” “Well, they said, “we are a big tribe, many men of war, and we are cooped up too much. We cannot go far west for there are the mountains, and then all around are woods.” Now, what did Joshua say to them? He said, “Well, you are indeed a big tribe and you have many men of war; now go up and cut down those woods and expand'” He determined to rest some responsibility upon the tribes after the allotment had been made. It is a fine piece of sarcasm. So Ephraim had to take to the woods.
Now before any other division takes place a very notable event occurred affecting the future history of the nation, and that was the establishment of a central place of worship, finding a home for the tabernacle. The tabernacle was established at Shiloh, and this brings us to another general question. How long did that tabernacle stay at Shiloh? How long did the ark stay, and when it left there, where did it go, and where was the ark finally brought? Trace the history of the ark from Shiloh to where it was set up in the tent, and then I want you to tell what became of the tent and tell how long it stayed there and what became of it. What became of the tabernacle? Some of the most interesting things in history and song are found in the answer to those questions.
I here propound another question. Which tribe had no inheritance, no section of the country allotted to it, and why? This tribe that had no particular section allotted to it was scattered over the whole nation and that leads to the next question that you are to answer. Where do you find the prophecy in the Pentateuch, in which book, and where, that this tribe and another one, Simeon, should be scattered over Israel? Where does Moses prophesy just what comes to pass? If not Moses, then somebody else, and you are to find out who did and when and where. The next general remark that I have to make is that this section tells us that Dan was shut up in a pretty tight place. Three strong tribes, Judah, Benjamin and Ephraim held them on one side and the Philistines on the other side, but Dan didn’t come to Joshua. Perhaps he thought it but took the question into his own hands. I suppose that he was afraid that as Joshua told Ephraim to go to the woods, he would tell Dan to capture those Philistine cities, and so Dan sent out some spies and found a good place to settle, and the story of the emigration of Dan is told at great length in the book of Judges. Some of it is told in the book of Joshua; that he took Laish and called it Dan and that became its name. So we say, “from Dan to Beersheba.” We will see all about how Dan improved it when we get to the book of Judges. I am showing you that it occurred, but when you get to the book of Judges you will have a detailed account of it.
The next thought in these eleven chapters is that Joshua, having ended his wars, obeyed God with singular fidelity. (I don’t believe I explained that after they came to Shiloh where he set the ark, the other tribes received their portion by lots. Now your map will show you where Shiloh was and Ephraim and Dan and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and all the others. All you have to do is to look on your map and see their location.) He, having finished the wars, asked a small inheritance for himself, a little bit of a place. How that does shine in comparison with the other great conquerors! When they come to the division, they take the lion’s share. Joshua took a very modest little place in his own tribe. His retiring from public life devolved the work upon the tribes themselves, and to their own judgment. He remained in seclusion until he comes out to be considered in the next section.
This leaves for consideration only two other thoughts in the distribution of the territory, and I shall embody these thoughts in questions for you to answer. Look at the six cities of refuge established, three east of the Jordan and three west of the Jordan. You can find them on a good map, and as you look at them on the map, you are struck with the wisdom of their locality when you consider the purpose of these cities of refuge. And now what was the intent of these cities of refuge? A thousand preachers have preached sermons on the cities of refuge Spurgeon has one remarkable sermon. The allusions to them are very frequent, so that every one of you ought to have in your heart and on your brain a clear conception of what is meant by the cities of refuge. I am going to give you a brief answer, but you can work this answer out and make it bigger.
Under the Mosaic law there was no sheriff in cases of homicide, the killing of a man. In our cities the police go after the murderer, and the sheriff in the country, but under the Mosaic law the next of kin was made the “avenger of blood.” If I, living at that day, had been slain, without raising a question as to how it was done, my brother, J. M. Carroll, or my son, B. H. Carroll, Jr., under the law would be the sheriff, and his injunction would be to start as soon as he heard of the killing and to kill the killer on sight. Well, for us in that kind of a sheriff-law this difficulty would arise: Suppose in the assumed case Just now that, while I had been killed, it had been accidental; that we were all out hunting and a man with me accidentally discharged his gun and it killed me. Or suppose that, as Moses described it, two men were chopping and one went to make a big lick with an axe and the axe flew off and hit the other one and killed him, yet that law says that life was a sacred thing. Now, as there are several cases of manslaughter, of innocent men with no purpose to kill them, so there must be a distinction made between accidental homicide and willful murder.
The object of the cities of refuge, distributed as you see over the country, was to provide a place where one who had killed another, not intending to commit murder, might find a place of shelter until the matter could be investigated, and so, just as soon as a man killed another, he turned and commenced running. The avenger of blood, as soon as he heard of it, went after him and it was a race for life and death, to see which could get there first. Therefore the roads were kept in splendid condition, no rocks were left that the man fleeing for his life should stumble and be slain. The rabbis say they would not allow a straw to be left on the road lest they should stumble and fall.
Now, I close with just this question. I told you that one tribe had no inheritance, no lot of land all together and they had to go somewhere. So for that tribe certain cities with their suburbs were set apart. Now, on your map look for the cities of this tribe that had no inheritance.
QUESTIONS
1. Describe the strategical position of Jericho and Ai.
2. By what battle was the south country practically conquered?
3. What decisive battle brought about the northern conquest? Describe it. With whom is Joshua as a general compared?
4. What the connection between the book of Joshua and the book of Judges?
5. How do you harmonize the statements that Joshua conquered all the land that Jehovah had promised them and that there remained certain portions of the land that had not been conquered?
6. Why did God permit the remnants not subjugated to remain in the land? Where in the Pentateuch do you find the answer?
7. Explain the expression, “Joshua waged war a long time with these kings.”
8. Locate the tribes on the east of the Jordan.
9. What the second distribution, and to whom?
10. What 3 interesting events in connection with giving Judah his portion?
11. What complaint was made by Ephraim, and Joshua’s reply?
12. Where was the central place of worship located? How long did the ark stay there? When it left where did it go? Where finally brought? How long did the tent, or tabernacle, stay there? What finally became of it?
13. What tribe had no inheritance & why? Where do you find the prophecy in the Pentateuch that this tribe & Simeon should be scattered over Israel?
14. How does Joshua’s spirit compare with the spirit of the other great conquerors?
15. How did Dan get out of his straits?
16. Name and locate the cities of refuge. What the intent of these cities?
17. Locate the cities of the tribe that had no inheritance.
Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible
Jos 14:1 And these [are the countries] which the children of Israel inherited in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed for inheritance to them.
Ver. 1. And these are the countries. ] These that are expressed in this and the five following chapters.
Which Eleazar the priest.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
children = sons.
Eleazar the priest now acts with Joshua, because the land is to be divided by lot (Jos 14:2); and he alone has the lot, i.e. the Urim and Thnmmim by which the lots were drawn from the bag behind the breastplate. See notes on Exo 28:30. Num 26:55.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Chapter 14
Now in chapter fourteen we have the interesting account of this fellow Caleb. When Moses had sent out the twelve spies to go into the land, Caleb was a companion to Joshua. They spied out the south country of Israel. From near Jerusalem to the Dead Sea, the valley of Eshcol, on over to the valley of Elah, and southwards towards Hebron, and Beersheba on down to the southern border of Kadesh-Barnea.
Now when they came back and gave the good report, said, “Hey that land is great.” They had a big bunch of grapes that they carried on a stake between them. They got this pole and they tied this huge bunch of grapes. I’ll tell you there in the Valley of Eshcol they have some beautiful, beautiful grapes. Some of the most, ah-can’t talk about it. They are good, they are eating grapes. The Jews only really grow table grapes, and they are, they’re just delicious. That the Moslems only grow the table grapes; the Jews grow the wine grapes. But the Moslems grow the eating grapes, because the Moslems don’t believe in drinking wine. So they only grow table grapes. The area, of course, there in the valley of Eshcol, Hebron and so forth, is Moslem territory, the Arabs. But they have some of the most delicious grapes. Even to the present day, and huge bunches.
So these guys picked one of these great bunches of grapes. They were some of the first tourists to go into the land of Israel. The word “spies” actually is the word for “tourist” in Hebrew. They brought back souvenirs, this big bunch of grapes. They said, “Wow that land is all right. You know; it’s flowing with milk and honey. Look at this bunch of grapes that we’ve picked. Oh, it’s a good land.”
But the ten other spies said, “Oh man, it’s a land that eats up its inhabitants. They have huge cities, big walls, and there are giants there. We were like grasshoppers.” And these ten spies put fear in the heart of Israel and they turned away.
Now Moses when God said, “All right you know you’re gonna have to wander”. Moses promised Caleb, he said, “Look Caleb, when we take the land, you can have that territory that you spied out. That’s yours.” So they had covered, they had conquered pretty much the northern part, the upper Galilee region, the area of Samaria.
Now Caleb came to Joshua, and he said, “Joshua, when you and I spied out the land, when we came back and gave our report to Moses, you’ll remember that Moses promised me that I could have for my family, the territory that we spied out.” He said, “Now look I’m eighty-five years old, but I’m just as strong as the day that we spied out the land.” He said, “I want your permission now to go down and take that land that was promised to me.”
I love the grit of this old fellow. Eighty-five years old, he says, “Man, I’m ready to go to battle. I’m ready to take that land that God had promised to me, that Moses promised that I could have. I want your permission now to go down and take it.” So Joshua gave unto Caleb the permission to go down the area of Hebron, and those areas around Hebron, the areas that were promised to Caleb. So Caleb went down and conquered that area around Hebron. He was from the tribe of Judah, and Judah actually had that entire area south from Jerusalem, east to the Dead Sea, Jordan River, Dead Sea, and west all the way on over towards the Elah Valley where from there to the coast was the tribe of Dan.
So Joshua blessed him, [verse thirteen of chapter fourteen] and he gave him Hebron, [and the environs about it] for his inheritance. [The reason given the end of verse fourteen] because he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel ( Jos 14:13-14 ). “
Fuente: Through the Bible Commentary
The matter of supreme interest here is, of course, the story of Caleb, who, after forty-five years of waiting, claimed and obtained a definite possession in the land.
His claim was made while there was much still to be done and he urged his unabated vigor as constituting his fitness for the work.
The whole history of Caleb is full of interest and instruction. While perhaps it cannot be positively proven, it is yet most probable that he was a proselyte and a descendant of Esau. His victory at Kadesh-barnea was that of a man who followed the Lord fully. He had seen what all the other spies had seen, but in company with Joshua he had seen more-the fact of the majesty and power of God. He had obtained that victory long ago because he had the courage of his convictions.
The joy of that victory had been his portion for forty-five years of waiting. His ultimate reward had been long postponed but had never been uncertain. Now he came in unabated vigor to its realization. During these long years he would seem to have continued to keep a quiet and retired position, while his friend Joshua had been brought into the place of conspicuous leadership. Joshua’s recognition of the claim of his friend and of his right to a choice of possession was quick and generous. He granted him the mountain he asked and blessed him.
Fuente: An Exposition on the Whole Bible
the Man Who Wholly Followed His God
Jos 14:1-15
The lot was doubtless adopted to obviate cause for jealousy or charges of favoritism. It denoted Gods choice, Pro 16:33; Pro 18:18. It could be used only with very evident reliance on Him, and in our day has been superseded by the sending of the Comforter to teach us all things, Joh 16:13.
It was long since Caleb had cut down the bunch of grapes near the spot of his choice, but he had never forgotten it; and now God, who had read his purpose, arranged that what his heart loved best his hand should hold and keep: Him will I bring into the land whereinto he went, Num 14:24.
Out of entire surrender to God springs a faith that dares to claim the realization of an olden promise, Jos 14:12. The fact that the Anakim held Hebron did not stagger the old veteran. It was enough that God had promised! How strong and vigorous, even to hoar hairs, are those who walk with God, Isa 40:31!
Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary
The wars of Canaan were largely at an end. Israel had to a great extent found at least temporary rest in the land that God had promised them. We know from the history that follows that this condition, however, did not continue. In the Epistle to the Hebrews we are told, If Jesus had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another rest. Many, perhaps, have not realized that Jesus and Joshua are the same: that is, Joshua is the Hebrew form of the name that our blessed Lord bore here on earth. Jesus is an anglicization of the Greek form. So the passage in Hebrews is referring to the rest into which Joshua led the people, which did not prove to be lasting because of the faithlessness of Israel, and yet in the beginning of their history there was certainly much to give them confidence as they saw how marvelously God undertook for them.
As the thirteenth chapter opens we hear the Lord addressing Joshua, now an aged man. God said to him:
Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed.
Then in the rest of the chapter we have pointed out vast tracks of the land not yet settled by Israel, even though they had to a very large extent overcome their enemies and taken possession of many of their cities and villages.
We learn too of the judgment meted out to Balaam, who sought to destroy Israel by giving evil advice to Balak. Verse 22 tells us also,
Balaam did the children of Israel slay with the sword among them that were slain by them.
Several of the tribes had already obtained their inheritance, but the others had not yet taken possession of the land that was to be allotted to them; and so the challenge was given: There remaineth yet very much land to be possessed.
Surely these words may speak loudly to our hearts. Many of us have known the Lord for years. To what extent have we really entered into the enjoyment of the precious things of Christ which are ours by title? Have we not been content to know that our souls are saved and that we shall spend eternity in heaven, while failing to enter into the reality and blessedness of a life hid with Christ in God as we pass through this scene? Then, too, think of the great treasure committed to us in the Word of God. Those of us who have given the most time to careful study and meditation over Gods blessed Book must realize that still there remaineth very much land to be possessed. Large portions of Scripture are still to most of us a kind of a literary terre incognita. We are familiar, perhaps, with the great outstanding truths of Scripture, and certain precious chapters have ever been our joy and delight, but there is so much more in the Scriptures that we need to make our own by careful study in dependence on the Holy Spirit of God. In the energy of faith we are called upon to take possession of that which is already ours through the gift of God. In the story of Caleb we see this energy of faith blessedly illustrated. We read in chapter 14, beginning with verse 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 Kadesh-barnea. Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh-barnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart. Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the Lord my God. And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy childrens for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the Lord my God. 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. 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. 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. And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance. Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel. And the name of Hebron before was Kirjath-arba; which Arba was a great man among the Anakims. And the land had rest from war.
There is something very stirring in this record. Caleb, as we know, was one of the two spies who brought back a minority report when the ten spies discouraged the people of Israel. The ten admitted that the land was all God said it would be, and the grapes of Eschol bore witness to its fruitfulness, but they were terrified as they beheld the walled cities and the sons of Anak, mighty giants, in whose sight they were but as grasshoppers, and so they declared it would be impossible to overcome these people of Canaan. But Caleb and Joshua brought back a good report, exclaiming, Let us go up and take the land, for we are well able to overcome it.
But the people refused to listen and so, as we know, were turned back into the wilderness, there to wander until all that generation, except Caleb and Joshua, had passed away. Now their children had entered into and taken possession of the land. Caleb, though eighty-five years of age, came to Joshua to remind him of the promise that Moses had made, that because he had wholly followed the Lord he should have whatever inheritance his heart desired. He did not look about for some secluded valley where he would be safe from the prying eyes of enemies, nor did he ask for some town or village from which the Canaanites had been driven out already, but he requested Joshua to give him the mountain on which Kirjath-arba was located. Arba was a great man among the Anakims. Kirjath-arba meant the City of Arba. The Anakims still dwelt there, but strong in faith Caleb declared: If so be the Lord will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the Lord said. Acting upon Calebs request, Joshua blessed him and gave him the hill for which he asked as his inheritance. Caleb took possession of it, drove the Anakims out of the city and changed its name to Hebron, a word that means fellowship or communion. The name Caleb means wholehearted and aptly describes this doughty warrior and faithful servant of God. He did not immediately get possession of Hebron, but he fought stubbornly and determinedly until he had driven out the ancient inhabitants and so took possession of it. Later it became a Levitical city and a city of refuge, but the suburbs belonged to Caleb and his descendants.
As we contemplate this ancient record it should surely stir our hearts and lead us to act as Caleb did- in the energy of faith taking possession of that which God has declared He has given to us in Christ. No foe can withstand the man of God who presses forward in power of the Spirit and in obedience to the Word.
An old hymn says,
Faith, mighty faith the promise sees
And looks to that alone;
Laughs at impossibilities
And cries, It shall be done.
Such a faith was Calebs and in this he is an example for us all. We are too apt to take the line of least resistance, to be content with that which seems the easiest thing instead of valiantly going on in faith to lay hold of the best that God has for us, no matter what difficulties may seem to make it impossible for us to overcome the foe and to enter into and enjoy our allotted portion.
Fuente: Commentaries on the New Testament and Prophets
2. Calebs Request and Inheritance
CHAPTER 14
1. The inheritance by lot (Jos 14:1-5)
2. Calebs request (Jos 14:6-15)
Judahs portion comes first, and as they draw near to Joshua to receive their inheritance by lot (See Pro 16:33 and Act 1:26) at Gilgal (note the recurrence of this place and its significance), Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, steps to the front. It was not forwardness or love of the preeminence which led him to do this, but the burning zeal in that old, yet youthful soul. He comes to claim the inheritance, which forty-five years ago Moses had promised unto him. Caleb was eighty-five years old. 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. One can almost see him standing before Eleazar, Joshua and the heads of the tribes. What a beautiful testimony he gives to the faithfulness of the Lord! He could say, I wholly followed the LORD my God. He stands for the man who trusts his God, who reckons not with earthly circumstances and conditions, but with the Lord and His promised power. They that honor Me, I will honor. Forty years old was Caleb when he was put among the spies and when, with Joshua, he honored God and His Word. The reward of faith became evident in his life. Mental vigor and physical strength remained unimpaired. And now he claims his inheritance. Patiently he had waited for forty-five years. The hour has come. He claims the mountain with its Anakim, the giants, the fenced cities, the great cities. That beautiful mountain with its strenuous task is the claimed inheritance. Old age is often characterized by the pride of life. The lust of the flesh is peculiar to youth; the lust of the eyes, the desire of increase in earthly things to enjoy them, comes with middle life, and in old age temptation is the pride of life. But not so with the man of faith. Listen to his humble language. He does not pride himself on his faith and trust in God; he knows nothing of self-confidence. If so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said.
In our day of departure from God and unbelief, may we be like Caleb, wholly following the LORD. We, too, wait in faith and in patience for the promised inheritance, which some day will be ours, when He comes to reward His Saints. Then as Israels land had rest from war (verse 15) we shall enter into our rest from strife and conflict.
Fuente: Gaebelein’s Annotated Bible (Commentary)
which Eleazar: Num 34:17-29
Reciprocal: Gen 10:19 – And the Exo 6:14 – the heads Num 26:53 – General Num 34:13 – This is the land Num 36:2 – The Lord commanded Jos 11:23 – according to their Jos 13:6 – only divide Jos 17:4 – Eleazar Jos 18:8 – that I may here Jos 19:51 – These are Jos 21:1 – Eleazar Jos 22:4 – get Jos 24:33 – Eleazar Ezr 7:5 – Eleazar Act 13:19 – he divided
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Chapter 14:1-5 describes those present at the time of the division of the land west of Jordan among the nine and one-half tribes. The instructions for dividing the land had been given by Moses in Num 33:50-56 . Notice, they were to cast lots, with some special consideration so that the larger tribes received more and the smaller tribes less land. God could work in the casting of lots as Pro 16:33 says. Joshua notes that Levi received no land inheritance. Jacob adopted Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which gave Joseph the double portion of birthright and made 12 tribes to receive the land ( Gen 48:1-22 ).
Fuente: Gary Hampton Commentary on Selected Books
Jos 14:1. And these are the countries Namely, those mentioned in the 15th, 16th, and following chapters, to the 20th; for this chapter is but a kind of preface to the division of the land; which was now conquered by Joshua, as that of Sihon and Og had been by Moses; and was to be divided by lot according to the command given by God to Moses, Num 34:17-18, where the names of the twelve heads of tribes, or princes, as they are there called, are set down. Eleazar the priest and Joshua, &c. They best understood the laws of God by which this division was to be regulated.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Jos 14:12. Give me this mountain, said Caleb; not the city; that was given to the levites with the suburbs, chap. 21.; but the country seat, once occupied by the giants, and all the land. The wicked say that religion will be our ruin; while faith, on the contrary, sees the evil augurs fall on the wicked, and claims in full confidence the promised heritage of the Lord.
Jos 14:15. Kirjath-arba. The brevity of the Hebrew text occasions a difficulty here. The LXX read , the city of four: the names of countries and towns being also the names of men, the predominant opinion of critics is, that four giants had been buried here; and these being of disgraceful memory, the name was changed to Hebron. See more on Numbers 13.
REFLECTIONS.
Joshua having terminated the toils of war, now entered, as President, on the more pleasing duties of dividing the long promised and now conquered inheritance. This was done by lot; for the elders felt themselves too much interested to submit the choice of residence to any arbitration. And it is very remarkable, that the lot corresponded with the prophecies of Jacob, and of Moses. Zebulun had his dwelling by the haven of ships, and his border extended to Zidon. And when all the difficulties were surmounted which arose from Judah having at first too much, the tribes were satisfied; not a single complaint either was or could be made against the decision. They who received the hard and colder hills went content and grateful to their lot, because they saw it was of the Lord.Let us in like manner leave ourselves in Gods hands; then our lot in the scale of providence, and our better lot in the heavenly inheritance, will be such as to occasion gratitude and praise to all eternity.
In Calebs claim of the promised district possessed by the tall sons of Anak, and adjoining to Hebron, we have a glorious contrast between his faith, and the unbelief of the ten spies. There their unsanctified hearts fainted with fear: and returning, they spread the infidel plague through all the camp of Israel; but there Calebs faith was increased by a sight of the giants. Looking solely at the faithfulness and help of God, he saw that the enormous strength of those men would only serve to make the victory more distinguished. So God sware in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest; but he sware, at the same time, that his faithful servant should vanquish those giants, and possess all the smiling district which surrounded their strongholds. God is not as man that he should lie, or the son of man that he should repent. He inflicted the sentence of his oath on the rebels, and the blessing of his oath he confirmed to his faithful servant.
Mark the arguments and the glory of countenance with which Caleb comes forward to claim the promise. The Lord hath kept me alive these five and forty years, while all my contemporaries have died, wandering in the wilderness: and lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old; yet I am strong this day for war, and able to go out, and come in with the army as I was in the day that Moses sent me to search the land. It is the Lord who has preserved my life that I might enjoy the promise. Now therefore give me this mountain; for if so be that the Lord be with me, then I shall drive out the Anakims. So Joshua blessed him, and gave him Hebron and the surrounding district for a possession, even the kings palace; for the city and gardens were given to the levites. Thus faith made Caleb a prince in Israel, while unbelief caused the name of the wicked to rot. And from the glory of Calebs character and case, the christian church may learn, what deference ought to be paid to the promises of God. Let us embrace them with simplicity; let us act upon them with vigour; and risk life and all its blessings in full confidence of the divine declarations.
Fuente: Sutcliffe’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Joshua 14-19. The Division of the Land on the W. of Jordan.
Jos 14:1-5 is Ps introduction to the division of the land by lot, but instead of going on at once with his account of the inheritance of Judah the editor inserts (Jos 14:6-15) a Deuteronomic account of Calebs claim to Hebron in accordance with the promise given him by Moses in Nu. After this we get in Jos 15:1-12, Ps account of the boundaries of Judah. But before giving the names of the various cities of Judah, the editor inserted another account (Jos 15:13-15) of Calebs conquests from a source older than the Deuteronomic section just mentioned in Jos 15:6-15. Then in Jos 15:20 to Jos 16:2 we get the names of the cities of Judah. In Jos 6:3 we have an old fragment of genuine historical interest stating that the Jebusites maintained their ground in Jerusalem, a duplicate of which is found in Jdg 1:21 with the erroneous alteration of Benjamin for Judah.
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible
WEST OF JORDAN: THE LAND DIVIDED BY LOT
(vv. 1-5)
The land west of the Jordan River was divided by Joshua and Eleazar the priest. It was not their discretion that decided this, however, for as to what possessions each tribe was to have, this was decided by casting lots (v.2). Pro 16:33 tells us, “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.” Each tribe was left responsible to dispossess any enemies that might remain in their particular inheritance.
Because the Levites were not given territory of their own, except cities in the other tribal property for them to live in, the tribe of Joseph was separated into two tribes, Ephraim and Manasseh (vv. 3-4), so that the land was divided to accommodate 12 tribes.
HEBRON GIVEN TO CALEB
(vv. 8-15)
True energy of faith is seen in Caleb, who leads a group from Judah to claim the inheritance he had been promised by Moses. He reminded Joshua of Moses’ promise to both him and Joshua because of their standing firmly for the Lord when the other ten spies had brought back a report to put Israel in fear of entering the land (Num 14:6-9).
At that time Caleb says he was forty years of age (v. 7), and when sent to spy out the land he brought back a report that fully honored the Lord. When others discouraged the people, he wholly followed the Lord (vv. 7-8). Because of his faithfulness, Moses had sworn that the land Caleb’s feet trod upon would be his inheritance. Therefore, his faith, depending on the Word of God, claimed what rightly belonged to him (v. 9). This is deeply instructive for believers today. What God has declared to be ours in scripture, such as we see in the book of Ephesians, we should surely claim with true boldness of faith.
While all the men of Israel who had been over twenty when Caleb was forty, had died before the entry into Canaan (except Joshua), Caleb had continued now till he was 85 (v. 10), and told Joshua that he was as strong at 85 as he had been at 40 to go to war (v. 11). Thus, he and Joshua would be fully 20years older than any of the other men of Israel, yet still full of courage. Caleb’s name means “a dog,” and he was evidently a Gentile proselyte in Israel (Gentiles being regarded as dogs by Jews), but dogs are noted for their unwavering devotion to one master, and Caleb’s devotion to the God of Israel was a salutary example for all Israel.
Therefore, Caleb claimed “this mountain,” where the Anakim (giants) lived and who had great and fortified cities (v. 12). He did not look for the easiest place to possess, but the reverse. It made no difference to him how strong the giants were: God was stronger than they. This was enough for him. How good it would be if every believer today had the same firm decision of faith as did Caleb!
In answer to the faith of Caleb, Joshua blessed him and gave him Hebron as an inheritance (v. 13). Hebron means “communion,” so that typically Caleb is blessed with the special sweetness of communion with the One to whom he was devoted. It will be so with us too if we do not shrink from the conflict of possessing those possessions that are obtained by genuine faith. If we “wholly follow the Lord” we shall know in vital experience the truth of the words of the Lord Jesus, “If any one loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him” (Joh 14:23).
Verse 15tells us that Hebron had formerly been called Kirjath Arba (city of Arba), and Arba was the greatest man among the Anakim. Thus Caleb had no hesitation in dispossessing the greatest of the giants. When he did this, “the land had rest from war.”
Fuente: Grant’s Commentary on the Bible
C. The land west of the Jordan chs. 14-19
The account of the Israelites’ settlement west of the Jordan received more attention by the writer since it was the primary area where Israel settled.
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
1. The rationale for the allotments 14:1-5
Eleazar the high priest, Joshua, and the heads of the tribes took the leadership in dividing this portion of the land (Jos 14:1). These men determined the division of the land by casting lots (Jos 14:2; Jos 18:6). Apparently the casting of lots established the general location of each tribe within Canaan, but the population of that tribe affected the size of each tribe’s inheritance (cf. Num 26:52-56). [Note: See L. Wood, map 6, p. 186.]
"The people of God are not called to act on their own initiative and desire, nor to set their own goals. God has set the goals and issues the commands which lead to their achievement." [Note: Butler, p. 172.]
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
3
CHAPTER XXI.
JOSHUA’S OLD AGE- DIVISION FOR THE EASTERN TRIBES.
Joshua Ch. 13, 14:1-5.
“THE Lord said unto Joshua, Thou art old and stricken in years.” To many men and women this would not be a welcome announcement. They do not like to think that they are old. They do not like to think that the bright, joyous, playful part of life is over, and that they are arrived at the sombre years when they must say, ”There is no pleasure in them.”
Then, again, there are some who really find it hard to believe that they are old. Life has flown past so swiftly that before they thought it was well begun it has gone. It seems so short a time since they were in the full play of their youthful energies, that it is hardly credible that they are now in the sere and yellow leaf. Perhaps, too, they have been able to keep their hearts young all the time, and still retain that buoyant sensation which seems to indicate the presence of youth. And are there not some who have verified the psalm – “They that are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age, they shall be fat and flourishing “?
But however much men may like to be young, and however much some may retain in old age of the feeling of youth, it is certain that the period of strength has its limit, and the period of life also. To the halest and heartiest, if he be not cut off prematurely, the time must come when God will say to him, “Thou art old.” It is a solemn word to hear from the lips of God. God tells me my life is past; what use have I made of it? And what does God think of the use I have made of it? And what account of it shall I be able to give when I stand at His bar?
Let the young think well of this, before it is too late to learn how to live.
To Joshua the announcement that he was old and stricken in years does not appear to have brought any painful or regretful feeling. Perhaps he had aged somewhat suddenly; his energies may have failed consciously and rapidly, after his long course of active and anxious; military service. He may have been glad to hear God utter the word; he may have been feeling it himself, and wondering how he should be able to go through the campaigns yet necessary to put the children of Israel in full possession of the land. That word may have fallen on his ear with the happy feeling – how considerate God is! He will not burden my old age with a load not suited for it. Though His years have no end, and He knows nothing of failing strength, “He knoweth our frame. He remembereth that we are dust.” He will not “cast me off in the time of old age, nor forsake me when my strength faileth.” Happy confidence, especially for the aged poor! It is the want of trust in the heavenly Father that makes so many miserable in old age. When you will not believe that He is considerate and kind, you are left to your own resources, and often to destitution and misery. But when between Him and you there is the happy relation of father and child; when through Jesus Christ you realize His fatherly love and pity, and in real trust cast yourselves on Him who clothes the lilies and feeds the ravens, your trust is sure to be rewarded, for your heavenly Father knoweth what things you have need of before you ask them.
So Joshua finds that he is now to be relieved by his considerate Master of laborious and anxious service. Not of all service, but of exhausting service, unsuited to his advancing years. Joshua had been a right faithful servant; few men have ever done their work so well. From that day when he stood against Amalek from morning to night, while the rod of Moses was stretched out over him on the hill; thereafter, during all his companionship with Moses on the mount; next in that search-expedition when Caleb and he stood so firm, and did not flinch in the face of the congregation, though every one was for stoning them; and now, from the siege of Jericho to the victory of Merom, and all through the trying and perilous sieges of city after city, year after year, Joshua has proved himself the faithful servant of God and the devoted friend of Israel. During these last years he has enjoyed supreme power, apparently without a rival and without a foe; yet, strange to say, there is no sign of his having been corrupted by power, or made giddy by elevation. He has led a most useful and loyal life, which there is some satisfaction in looking back on. No doubt he is well aware of unnumbered failings: “Who can understand his errors?” But he has the rare satisfaction – oh! who would not wish to share it? – of looking back on a well-spent life, habitually and earnestly regulated amid many infirmities by regard to the will of God. Neither he, nor St. Paul after him, had any trust in their own good works, as a basis of salvation; yet Paul could say, and Joshua might have said it in spirit: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness.”
Yet Joshua was not to complete that work to which he had contributed so much: “there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed.” At one time, no doubt, he thought otherwise, and he desired otherwise. When the tide of victory was setting in for him so steadily, and region after region of the land was falling into his hands, it was natural to expect that before he ended he would sweep all the enemies of Israel before him, and open every door for them throughout the land, even to its utmost borders. Why not make hay when the sun shone? When God had found so apt an instrument for His great design, why did He not employ him to the end? If the natural term of Joshua’s strength had come, why did not that God who had supernaturally lengthened out the day for completing the victory of Bethhoron, lengthen out Joshua’s day that the whole land of Canaan might be secured?
Here comes in a great mystery of Providence. Instead of lengthening out the period of Joshua’s strength, God seems to have cut it short. We can easily understand the lesson for Joshua himself. It is the lesson which so many of God’s servants have had to learn. They start with the idea they are to do everything; they are to reform every abuse, overthrow every stronghold of evil, reduce chaos to order and beauty; as if each were
“the only man on earth Responsible for all the thistles blown And tigers couchant, struggling in amaze Against disease and winter, snarling on For ever, that the world’s not paradise.”
Sooner or later they find that they must be satisfied with a much humbler role. They must learn to
“be content in work, To do the thing we can, and not presume, To fret because it’s little. ‘Twill employ Seven men, they say, to make a perfect pin, . . . Seven men to a pin, and not a man too much! Seven generations, haply to this world. To right it visibly a finger’s breadth, And mend its rents a little.”
Joshua must be made to feel – perhaps he needs this – that this enterprise is not his, but God’s. And God is not limited to one instrument, or to one age, or to one plan. Never does Providence appear to us so strange, as when a noble worker is cut down in the very midst of his work. A young missionary has just shown his splendid capacity for service, when fever strikes him low, and in a few days all that remains of him is rotting in the ground. What can God mean? we sometimes ask impatiently. Does He not know the rare value and the extreme scarcity of such men, that He sets them up apparently just to throw them down? But “God reigneth, let the people tremble.” All that bears on the Christian good of the world is in God’s plan, and it is very dear to God, and “precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.” But He is not limited to single agents. When Stephen died, He raised up Saul. For Wycliffe He gave Luther. When George Wishart was burnt He raised up John Knox. Kings, it is said, die, but the king never. The herald that announces The king is dead,” proclaims in the same breath, “God save the king!” God’s workers die, but His work goes on. Joshua is super- annuated, so far as the work of conquest is concerned, and that work for a time is suspended. But the reason is that, at the present moment, God desires to develop the courage and energy of each particular tribe. And when the time comes to extend still farther the dominion of Israel, an agent will be found well equipped for the service. From the hills of Bethlehem, a godly youth of dauntless bearing will one day emerge, under whom every foe to Israel shall be brought low, and from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, the entire Promised Land shall come under Israel’s dominion. And the conquests of David will shine with a brighter lustre than Joshua’s, and will be set, as it were, to music of a higher strain. Associated with David’s holy songs and holy experience, and with his early life of sadness and humiliation, crowned at last with glory and honour, they will more fitly symbolize the work of the great Joshua, and there will then be diffused over the world a more holy aroma than that of Joshua’s conquests, – a fragrance sweet and refreshing to souls innumerable, and fostering the hope of glory, – the rest that remaineth for the people of God, the inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away.
So Joshua must be content to have done his part, and done it well, although he did not conquer all the land, and there yet remained much to be possessed. Without entering in detail into all the geographical notices of this chapter, it will be well to note briefly what parts of the country were still unsubdued.
First, there were all the borders of the Philistines, and all Geshuri; the five lords of the Philistines, dwelling in Gaza, Ashdod, Ascalon, Gath, and Ekron; and also the Avites. This well defined country consisted mainly of a plain “remarkable in all ages for the extreme riches of its soil; its fields of standing corn, its vineyards and olive yards, are incidentally mentioned in Scripture (Jdg 15:5); and in the time of famine the land of the Philistines was the hope of Palestine (2Ki 8:2). . . . It was also adapted to the growth of military power; for while the plain itself permitted the use of war chariots, which were the chief arm of offence, the occasional elevations which rise out of it offered secure sites for towns and strongholds. It was, moreover, a commercial country; the great thoroughfare between Phoenicia and Syria on the north and Egypt and Arabia on the south. Ashdod and Gaza were the keys of Egypt, and commanded the transit trade, and the stores of frankincense and myrrh which Alexander captured in the latter place prove it to have been a depot of Arabian produce.”
“Smith’s ” Bible Dictionary.”
Geshuri lay between Philistia and the desert, and the Avites were probably some remainder of the Avims, from whom the Philistines conquered the land (Deu 2:23).
In many respects it would have been a great boon for the Israelites if Joshua had conquered a people that were so troublesome to them as the Philistines were for many a day. What Joshua left undone, Saul began, but failed to achieve, and at last David accomplished. The Geshurites were subdued with the Amalekites while he was dwelling at Ziklag as an ally of the Philistines (1Sa 27:8), and the Philistines themselves were brought into subjection, and had to yield to Israel many of their cities (1Sa 7:14; 2Sa 8:1, 2Sa 8:12).
Another important section of the country unsubdued was the Phoenician territory – the land of the Sidonians (Jos 13:4, Jos 13:6). Also the hilly country across Lebanon, embracing the valley of Coele-Syria, and apparently the region of Mount Carmel (from Lebanon unto Misrephothmaim,” Jos 13:6, and comp. Jos 11:8). No doubt much of this district was recovered in the time of the Judges, and still more in the time of David; but David made peace with the King of Tyre, who still retained the rocky strip of territory that was so useful to a commercial nation, but would have been almost useless to an agricultural people like the Israelites.
Joshua was not called on to conquer these territories in the sense of driving out all the old inhabitants; but he was instructed to divide the whole land among his people – a task involving, no doubt, its own difficulties, but not the physical labour which war entailed. And in this division he was called first to recognise what had already been done by Moses with the part of the country east of the Jordan. That part had been allotted to Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh; and the allotment was still to hold good.
It is remarkable with what fulness the places are described. First, we have the boundaries of that part of the country generally (Jos 13:9-12); then of the allotments of each of the two and a half tribes (Jos 13:15-31). With regard to the district as a whole, the conquest under Moses was manifestly complete, from the river Arnon on the south, to the borders of the Geshurites and Maachathites on the north. The only part not subdued were the territories of these Geshurites and Maachathites. The Geshurites here are not to be confounded with the people of the same name mentioned in Jos 13:2, who were at the opposite extreme – the southwest instead of, as here, the north-east of the land. But no doubt the Syrian Geshurites and Maachathites were brought into subjection by David, with all the other tribes in that region, in his great Syrian war, “when he went to recover his border at the river Euphrates ” (2Sa 8:3). But instead of expelling or exterminating them, David seems to have allowed them to remain in a tributary condition, for Geshur had its king in the days of Absalom (2Sa 13:37), to whom that prince fled after the murder of Amnon. With the Maachathites also David had a family connection (2Sa 3:3).
But though the subjugation and occupation of the eastern part of the land was thus tolerably complete (with the exceptions just mentioned), it remained in the undisturbed possession of Israel for the shortest time of any. From Moabites and Ammonites on the south, Canaanites and Syrians on the north and the east, as well as the Midianites, Amalekites, and other tribes of the desert, it was subject to continual invasions. In fact, it was the least settled and least comfortable part of all the country; and doubtless it became soon apparent that though the two tribes and a half had seemed to be very fortunate in having their wish granted to settle in this rich and beautiful region, yet on the whole they had been penny-wise and pound-foolish. Not only were they incessantly assailed and worried by their neighbours, but they were the first to be carried into captivity, when the King of Assyria directed his eyes to Palestine. They had shown somewhat of the spirit of Lot, and they suffered somewhat of his punishment. It is worthy of remark that even at this day this eastern province is the most disturbed part of Palestine. The Bedouins are ever liable to make their attacks wherever there are crops or cattle to tempt their avarice. People will not sow where they have no chance of reaping; and thus it is that much of that productive region lies waste. The moral is not far to seek: in securing wealth, look not merely at the apparent productiveness of the investment, but give heed to its security, its stability. It is not all gold that glitters either on the stock-exchange or anywhere else. And even that which is real gold partakes of the current instability. We must come back to our Saviour’s advice to investors, if we would really be safe: “Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust do corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.”
The specification of the allotments need not detain us long. Reuben’s was the farthest south. His southern and eastern flanks were covered by the Moabites, who greatly annoyed him. “Unstable as water, he did not excel.” Gad settled north of Reuben. In his lot was the southern part of Gilead; Mahanaim, and Peniel, celebrated in the history of Jacob, and Ramoth-gilead, conspicuous in after times. East of Gad were the Ammonites, who proved as troublesome to that tribe as Moab did to Reuben. To the half tribe of Manasseh the kingdom of Og fell, and the northern half of Gilead. Jabesh-gilead, where Saul routed the Ammonites, was in this tribe (1Sa 11:1-15). Here also were some of the places on the lake of Galilee mentioned in the gospel history; here the “desert place” across the sea to which our Lord used to retire for rest; here He fed the multitude; here He cured the demoniac; and here were some of the mountains where He would spend the night in prayer.
In our Lord’s time this portion of Palestine was called Perea. Under the dominion of the Romans, it was comparatively tranquil, and our Lord would sometimes select it, on account of its quiet, as his route to Jerusalem. And many of His gifts of love and mercy were doubtless scattered over its surface.
Two statements are introduced parenthetically in this chapter which hardly belong to the substance of it. One of these, occurring twice, respects the inheritance of the Levites (Jos 13:14, Jos 13:33). No territorial possessions were allotted to them corresponding to those of the other tribes. In the one place it is said that “the sacrifices of the Lord God of Israel made by fire were their inheritance”; in the other, that “the Lord God of Israel was their inheritance.” We shall afterwards find the arrangements for the Levites more fully detailed (chaps, 20, 21). This early allusion to the subject, even before the allotments in Western Palestine begin to be described, shows that their case had been carefully considered, and that it was not by oversight but deliberately that the country was divided without any section being reserved for them.
The other parenthetical statement respects the death of Balaam. “Balaam also, the soothsayer, did the children of Israel slay with the sword among them that were slain by them” (Jos 13:22). It appears from Num 31:8 that the slaughter of Balaam took place in the days of Moses, by the hands of the expedition sent by him to chastise the Midianites for drawing the Israelites into idolatry. That the fact should be again noticed here is probably due to the circumstance that the death of Balaam occurred at the place which had just been noted – the boundary line between Reuben and Gad. It was a fact well worthy of being again noted. It was a fact never to be forgotten that the man who had been sent for to curse was constrained to bless. As far as Balaam’s public conduct was concerned, he behaved well to Israel. He emphasized their Divine election and their glorious privileges. He laid especial stress upon the fact that they were not a Bedouin horde, rushing about in search of plunder, but a sacramental host, executing the judgments of a righteous God – “The Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.” This was a valuable testimony, for which Israel might well be grateful. It was when Balaam took part in that disgraceful plot to entice Israel into sensuality and idolatry that he came out in his real colours. It seemed to him very clever, no doubt, to obey the Divine command in the letter by absolutely refusing to curse Israel, while at the same time he accomplished the object he was sent for by seducing them into sins which brought down on them the judgments of God. Nevertheless, he reckoned without his host. Possibly he gained his reward, but he did not live to enjoy it; and “what shall a man be profited if he gain the whole world and forfeit his own life?” (Mat 16:26, R.V.). The two and a half tribes were well taught by the fate of Balaam that, in the end, however cunningly a man may act, his sin will find him out. They were emphatically reminded that the sins of sensuality and idolatry are exceedingly hateful in the sight of God, and certain to be punished. They were assured by the testimony of Balaam, that Israel, if only faithful, would never cease to enjoy the Divine protection and blessing. But they were reminded that God is not mocked: that whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. Balaam had sown to the flesh; of the flesh it behoved him to reap corruption. And so must it ever be; however ingeniously you may disguise sin, however you may conceal it from yourself, and persuade yourself to believe that you are not doing wrong, sin must show itself ultimately in its true colours, and your ingenious disguises will not shield it from its doom: – “The wages of sin is Death.”