HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 578
JOSHUA 18
of Gilead and Bashan across the Jordan River,
6 because the female descendants of Manasseh
received a grant of land along with the male
descendants. (The land of Gilead was given to
the rest of the male descendants of Manasseh.)
7 The
boundary of the tribe of Manasseh
extended from the border of Asher to
Micmethath, near Shechem. Then the
boundary went south from Micmethath to
the settlement near the spring of Tappuah.
8 The land surrounding Tappuah belonged
to Manasseh, but the town of Tappuah
itself, on the border of Manasseh’s territory,
belonged to the tribe of Ephraim. 9 From
the spring of Tappuah, the boundary of
Manasseh followed the Kanah Ravine to the
Mediterranean Sea.* Several towns south of
the ravine were inside Manasseh’s territory,
but they actually belonged to the tribe of
Ephraim. 10 In general, however, the land
south of the ravine belonged to Ephraim,
and the land north of the ravine belonged to
Manasseh. Manasseh’s boundary ran along
the northern side of the ravine and ended at
the Mediterranean Sea. North of Manasseh
was the territory of Asher, and to the east
was the territory of Issachar.
• Enemies
JO SH U A 1 7 :1 2
How do we defeat our enemies? One of
the first steps is to realize that they may
be more determined than we are. Most
of the Israelite tribes did not match their
determination to follow God with the
Canaanites’ determination to dig in and
remain where they were. God’s people
were outmatched in the area of resolve.
Today we might have political or military
enemies, but we always have spiritual
enemies—what the Bible calls “evil rulers
and authorities of the unseen world”
and “mighty powers in this dark world”
(Ephesians 6:12). Are you as determined
to fight off sin as Satan is determined
to fill you with sin? Here are some
ways to increase your determination:
(1) Through knowledge—understanding
from Scripture what Satan’s tactics are
and how to counter them; (2) through
prayer—calling on God to fill you more
powerfully with his Spirit; and (3) through
confidence—recognizing that God is
mightier than Satan and will indeed
defeat him, claiming God’s promises
of victory, and understanding the real
blessings and benefits of victory.
page 208
11 The following towns within the territory
of Issachar and Asher, however, were given
to Manasseh: Beth-shan,* Ibleam, Dor
(that is, Naphoth-dor),* Endor, Taanach,
and Megiddo, each with their surrounding
settlements.
12 But the descendants of Manasseh were
unable to occupy these towns because the Canaanites were determined to stay in that region.
13 Later, however, when the Israelites became
strong enough, they forced the Canaanites to
work as slaves. But they did not drive them out
of the land.
14 The descendants of Joseph came to Joshua
and asked, “Why have you given us only one portion of land as our homeland when the Lord has
blessed us with so many people?”
15 Joshua replied, “If there are so many of you,
and if the hill country of Ephraim is not large
enough for you, clear out land for yourselves in
the forest where the Perizzites and Rephaites live.”
16 The descendants of Joseph responded, “It’s
true that the hill country is not large enough for
us. But all the Canaanites in the lowlands have
iron chariots, both those in Beth-shan and its
surrounding settlements and those in the valley
of Jezreel. They are too strong for us.”
17 Then Joshua said to the tribes of Ephraim
and Manasseh, the descendants of Joseph,
“Since you are so large and strong, you will be
given more than one portion. 18 The forests of the
hill country will be yours as well. Clear as much
of the land as you wish, and take possession of
its farthest corners. And you will drive out the
Canaanites from the valleys, too, even though
they are strong and have iron chariots.”
The Allotments of the Remaining Land
Now that the land was under Israelite
control, the entire community of Israel
gathered at Shiloh and set up the Tabernacle.*
2 But there remained seven tribes who had not
yet been allotted their grants of land.
3 Then Joshua asked them, “How long are you
going to wait before taking possession of the remaining land the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has given to you? 4 Select three men from
each tribe, and I will send them out to explore
the land and map it out. They will then return to
me with a written report of their proposed divisions of their new homeland. 5 Let them divide
the land into seven sections, excluding Judah’s
territory in the south and Joseph’s territory in
the north. 6 And when you record the seven divisions of the land and bring them to me, I will
cast sacred lots in the presence of the Lord our
God to assign land to each tribe.
18
17:9 Hebrew the sea; also in 17:10. 17:11a Hebrew Beth-shean,
a variant spelling of Beth-shan; also in 17:16. 17:11b The
meaning of the Hebrew here is uncertain. 18:1 Hebrew Tent
of Meeting.