15 March

Bible In 365 Days 

Joshua 16-18

Joshua 16

Next in order we have an account of the inheritance of Joseph divided between his sons Ephraim and Manasseh. The part allotted to Ephraim was a fertile and beautiful district, perhaps in many respects the most desirable in all the country. Nevertheless, it was a place of peculiar difficulty at the time from the fact that it lay still wholly in the power of the Canaanites. The campaigns of Joshua had not perfectly dealt with it and cities possessed by the Canaanites existed.

This, in itself is suggestive so far as Ephraim's responsibility was concerned. The richest tracts of country in the possessions which God intends for His people can be possessed only by victories over the strongest foes. The whole history of Ephraim was a sad one for long centuries and their failure began here and is recorded in the words, "And they drove not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but the Canaanites dwell in the midst of Ephraim unto this day, and are become servants to do task-work."

Joshua 17

It is interesting to note that in the territory allotted to Manasseh, some of the cities of Ephraim are included; and, moreover, that some of the cities of Manasseh are within the territory of Asher and Issachar. The reason for this may be, in the first case, to mark the unity between Ephraim and Manasseh as the sons of Joseph; and, in the second case, because Asher and Issachar, especially the latter, were not strong enough to subdue the territory committed to them.

Ephraim was discontented with the portion allotted to it and complained to Joshua. The newer he gave was characteristic of him and a revelation of the greatness of his statesmanship. He manifested an understanding of the weakness of these tribes and of the principles on which alone they might become strong. He did not deny their declaration that they were a great people, but with what would seem to have been a touch of irony, he charged them to demonstrate their greatness by taking possession of what they had. He instructed them to go up to the mountains and cut down the trees and drive out their foes. The principle thus revealed is of perpetual application. If the Church of God would possess its possessions it would be far more powerful.

Joshua 18

An important event is now recorded. The Tent of Meeting was erected at Shiloh. No reason is given for the choice of Shiloh. It certainly was central to the country and perhaps that is the simplest explanation. That which follows immediately would lead us to believe that after districts had been allotted to Judah, Ephraim, and Manasseh there was some slackness in continuing the work of settlement, for Joshua definitely rebuked the seven tribes for being slow to go up and possess the land. Before doing so, however, this place of worship was erected as the symbol of the deepest truth and principle of their nationality.

In the choice of the seven lots, the first fell to Benjamin. His territory occupied the space between that of Judah and Ephraim. This nearness to Ephraim and Manasseh was according to a natural order, but in process of time Benjamin drew nearer in sympathy to Judah, and at the great division went with Judah altogether.

Benjamin was always looked upon as the least of the tribes of Israel, but it is not to be measured by its size but rather by its caliber. Among its cities it included some that became famous in subsequent history-Jericho, Beth- el, Gibeon, and Mizpeh. Even in New Testament times its influence remained, this being revealed partly by the frequency of the name of Saul in Hebrew families. It is interesting that one bearing that name subsequently made his boast in that he was "of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin" (Philippians 3:5).