Today’s passage: Joshua 16:1-10

Helpful thoughts:

• Chapters 16 and 17 will detail the land given to the tribes of Ephraim (16) and Manasseh (17), the sons of Joseph.
• Ephraim also did not drive out all of the Canaanites.  The Israelites had been instructed to only accept labor from the people in the land if there was a peaceable agreement (Deuteronomy 20:11) such as the Gibeonites.  This however was forced.  Ephraim was being disobedient to God in turning the Canaanites in Gezer into forced labor.
• The city of Gezer would eventually fall during the reign of Solomon, but in a very ironic way (1 Kings 9:16).

Questions to consider:

1. How might the end of verse 10 have looked like a victory for Ephraim?  Why was it not victory at all?
2. How would the people of Ephraim have been able to rightly discern what the right thing was to do?
3. How can we as Christians keep our perspective in alignment with the Lord’s when we measure our “successes” or “failures” in the midst of this world?

Today’s passage: Joshua 15:20-63

Helpful thoughts:

• This is the largest area and most cities given to any tribe (There will be some overlapping with the other tribes due to boundary lines).
• The list includes all cities given to Judah, but not all were taken.
  • The most info is given for those cities.
    • The cities of the Philistine people.
    • Jerusalem (Which David would eventually claim)

Questions to consider:

1. What does the listing of cities and regions that Judah already possessed and cities and regions they did not yet possess imply?  What would have been expected to continue to happen?
2. What consequences would come from the Philistines’ continued presence next to Israel?
3. Did the Philistines (Or other nearby peoples) ever make Israel do anything wrong?  Why did Israel start chasing after other gods and practices (2 Kings 17:15)

Today’s passage: Joshua 15:1-19

Helpful thoughts:

• The Tribe of Judah was given a great allotment of land at the southern end of Canaan.
• Othniel, Caleb’s nephew would later become one of the judges of Israel (Judges 3:7-11).
• Othniel and Achsah were cousins.  This is actually not unlawful according to Leviticus 18:6-18. (Not that it would be encouraged today…)
• Achsah seems to have attempted to instigate a further request through Othniel and then took care of matters herself (Maybe he didn’t agree or ask fast enough for her liking?).  No commentary is given, just honest historical record.

Questions to consider:

1. How can the honesty of the Bible (And specifically in this instance the Old Testament) be an encouragement to us as we read it?  What might we be prone to think if everything seemed perfect?
2. Why might Goliath have come from Gath and not from Kiriath-Arba?  Why would David later have precedent for believing God would give Israel victory over these great warriors?
3. How can God’s faithfulness in the past and His promised victory in the future encourage you today?

Today’s passage: Joshua 14:1-15

Helpful thoughts:

• We are reminded again that the Lord was the inheritance for the Levites.  There were still twelve allotments for the tribes of Israel because of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh (The sons of Joseph).
• Caleb and Joshua were the two spies who believed and encouraged the people to obey the Lord in Numbers 13-14.
• Caleb was successful in defeating the Anakim in Hebron, the very people those ten other spies feared.

Questions to consider:

1. Why were Caleb and Joshua still alive even thought all the rest of their generation had passed away in the wilderness?  Who had made that promise?
2. If Caleb knew that the Aniakim were in the city/region that he was asking for, what was he still confident of?  Who was he still just as confident in?
3. Why was Caleb able to claim Hebron?  What victories has God promised to to us (e.g. Romans 8, Philippians 1:6)?  Why can we be confident that the victory is secured?

Today’s passage: Joshua 13:1-33

Helpful thoughts:

• After all of the victories of the previous chapters, we see there is much to be done.
  • Joshua is older.  His final task would be to communicate to Israel their allotted lands.
  • There is more land to possess.
  • There are people who have not been driven out.
• The Lord now begins to parcel out and give the land.  First to those who would settle east of the Jordan River

Questions to consider:

1. Why is it right that God would be giving the land for certain tribes of the Israelites to settle and dwell within?  Whose land has it been all this time (Since creation…)?
2. In what way is the Lord an inheritance for the Levites?  Was their inheritance better than the rest if the tribes? And if so, in what ways?
3. How does the idea of the Lord being inheritance inform passages like 1 Corinthians 9:13-14 and Philippians 3?

Today’s passage: Joshua 12:1-24

Helpful thoughts:

• This chapter serves as a summary or appendix to the first unit of the book of Joshua (Chapters 1-12).
  • The first six verses give the description of the territory won on the east of the Jordan.
  • Verses 7-24 gives the info for the land to the west of the Jordan.
• Moses and Joshua are both named along with the portion of the land which God used the to lead Israel to obtain.
  • They are men who served the Lord.
  • The Lord was ultimately responsible.  He could use Moses and He could use Joshua.
• This point in the book almost makes it sound like the job is done, but we are going to find that it isn’t.

Questions to consider:

1. Why did God put Israel in this land (Deuteronomy 9:5)?  What did this successful campaign and Israel’s impending settlement confirm?
2. If Israel were to stop obeying the Lord once they were satisfied with what they had, what would have been the motive for their obedience?  What kind of obedience does the nature of God rightly demand?
3. Was God successful in these campaigns because He had faithful leaders like Moses and Joshua? -or- Were Moses and Joshua successful in these campaigns because God is faithful?  Who should we be most amazed by at this point in the narrative?

Today’s passage: Joshua 11:1-23

Helpful thoughts:

• After the summary of the southern campaign, chapter 11 turns to the north.
• Joshua’s role as leader and Moses’ successor is heavily reiterated.
• This chapter sums up a series of battles that took “a long time”.  These battles didn’t take place in a day.
• Remember, the death of these peoples was God’s plan for the judgment of their sin (Genesis 15:16).

Questions to consider:

1. Why did these people continue to fight against Israel?  What does it say in verse 20?
2. How is the hardening similar to the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart?  What was the purpose of the hardening?  Were these people trying to repent and trust in the Lord before their hearts were hardened?
3. In what ways does God’s perfect justice display His glory?  How can God be just and declare believers righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21)?

Today’s passage: Joshua 10:29-43

Helpful thoughts:

• The Israelites entered into Canaan in the middle and then headed south.  Today’s passage gives the summary of defeats through the southern region.
• The narrative shift from giving detailed accounts to a general overview seems to depict an ease with which Israel conquered the land.
• The summary statements of the passage reaffirm:
  • Joshua was obeying God’s commands.
  • Israel was winning because the Lord was fighting for Israel.

Questions to consider:

1. It’s good that Joshua was obeying God, but why does it specifically say Israel was winning?
2. Why would it be troubling to take away from this passage the idea that if I do right, God will have to bless me with victories?
3. What is the basis of our blessing?  God is giving us victory!  Why and on what basis? (Romans 8)

Today’s passage: Joshua 10:16-28

Helpful thoughts:

• This passage gives detail of the completion of the battle of Gibeon.
• Joshua was now passing on God’s command to him, “Do not be afraid or dismayed; be strong and courageous.”
  • But, not because he was the most amazing leader or because Israel was full of so many great warriors.
  • “For thus the Lord will do…”
• Israel now knows that whether on the offensive or when being attacked, the Lord would give them the victory as they obeyed Him.

Questions to consider:

1. What was to bring the Israelites confidence in their battles?
2. How would this knowledge and witness to all that the Lord was doing have influenced their lives on a day to day basis?  How would these feats have motivated them to righteous living?
3. Why do we have this book of the Bible?  What are we learning about the Lord?  How should it impact us today?

Today’s passage: Joshua 10:1-15

Helpful thoughts:

• Gibeon wasn’t just a city close by…it was a great city close by.
• The Israel-Gibeon treaty resulted in an immediate challenge from a coalition of five kings.
• God promised Joshua total victory, and God delivered it in a way that could not be confused as being the work of any man.
  • More soldiers were killed by hailstones during their twenty mile retreat than by any men.
  • The day was prolonged to allow for total destruction of the enemy forces.

Questions to consider:

1. What characteristic of Israel was being tested in this passage?  Did they really love the GIbeonites?  Why did they come to their aid?
2. What was the most amazing aspect of this day according to verse 14?  What was even more impressive than the hail stones and the prolonging of the day?
3. What would be an appropriate encouragement for application from this passage?  What kind of application would be “taking it too far”?