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约书亚记 17

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1 玛拿西是约瑟的长子,他的支派拈阄所得之地记在下面。至於玛拿西长子基列之父(父或作:主)玛吉,因为是勇士就得了基列和巴珊。

2 玛拿西其馀的子孙,按着宗族拈阄分地,就是亚比以谢子孙,希勒子孙,亚斯列子孙,示剑子孙,希弗子孙,示米大子孙;这些按着宗族,都是约瑟儿子玛拿西子孙的男丁。

3 玛拿西的元孙,玛吉的曾孙,基列的孙子,希弗的儿子西罗非哈没有儿子,只有女儿。他的女儿名叫玛拉、挪阿、曷拉、密迦、得撒;

4 他们来到祭司以利亚撒和嫩的儿子约书亚并众首领面前,说:耶和华曾吩咐摩西我们弟兄中分我们产业。於是约书亚照耶和华所吩咐的,在他们伯叔中,把产业分他们。

5 除了约但河东的基列和巴珊之外,还有玛拿西

6 因为玛拿西的孙女们在玛拿西的孙子中得了产业。基列是属玛拿西其馀的子孙。

7 玛拿西的境界:从亚设起,到示剑前的密米他,往北到隐他普亚居民之地。

8 他普亚玛拿西,只是玛拿西境界上的他普亚城归以法莲子孙。

9 其界到加拿边。在玛拿西城邑中的这些城邑都归以法莲玛拿西的地界是在直通到为止;

10 以法莲玛拿西,以为界;边到亚设,东边到以萨迦。

11 玛拿西在以萨迦和亚设境内,有伯善和属伯善的镇市,以伯莲和属以伯莲的镇市,多珥的居民和属多珥的镇市;又有处山冈,就是隐多珥和属隐多珥的镇市;他纳的居民和属他纳的镇市,米吉多的居民和属米吉多的镇市。

12 只是玛拿西子孙不能赶出这些城的居民,迦南人偏要在那

13 及至以色列人强盛了,就使迦南人做苦工,没有把他们全然赶出。

14 约瑟的子孙约书亚耶和华到如今既然赐福与我们,我们也族大人多,你为甚麽仅将段之地分我们为业呢?

15 约书亚:你们如果族大人多,嫌以法莲窄小,就可以上比利洗人、利乏音人之,在树林中砍伐树木

16 约瑟的子孙:那容不下我们,并且平原的迦南人,就是伯善和属伯善的镇市,并耶斯列平原的人,都有车。

17 约书亚对约瑟家,就是以法莲玛拿西人,:你是族人多,并且强盛,不可仅有阄之地,

18 地也要归你,虽是树林,你也可以砍伐;靠近之地必归你。迦南人虽有车,虽是强盛,你也能把他们赶出去。

   

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Exploring the Meaning of Joshua 17

Napsal(a) New Christian Bible Study Staff, Julian Duckworth

Joshua 17: The tribe of Manasseh receives the western half of its territory.

The previous chapter (Joshua 16) dealt with the territory given to Ephraim, Manasseh’s younger brother; this one covers the western half of Manasseh (the other half tribe of Manasseh was bound to live across the Jordan).

Interestingly, this chapter mentions many people by name, instead of only describing locations as we’ve seen before. Verses 1 and 2 list all seven of Manasseh’s sons and their families. Then verse 3 mentions Zelophehad, the great-grandson of Manasseh, who had had five daughters, but no sons. When Zelophehad died on the journey through the wilderness, his daughters came to Joshua to claim the inheritance Moses had promised them (see Numbers 27). So, both the sons and daughters of Manasseh’s family received land.

After the area given to Manasseh was outlined, the people of Ephraim and Manasseh came to Joshua and complained that they deserved more land, because of their important standing among the tribes of Israel (verse 14). They claimed that they had been specially blessed, and should receive much more.

Joshua told them that if they were such a great people, they should go to the forest country and seize land from the Perrizites and the giants living there. The people were not pleased, and told Joshua that the Canaanites who still roamed there were strong, and had chariots of iron. Even so, Joshua told them again to cut down the wood and use it, because they would eventually be able to drive out the Canaanites.

The spiritual meaning of this story is all about the relationship between good and truth. Again, there are many names to indicate the geography of the area of “West Manasseh”, and the meaning of these names very often links in with the spiritual meaning of the tribe. Beyond that, the specific area in Canaan given to a tribe is spiritually important. Ephraim and Manasseh are right in the middle of the land because they stand for truth and good, for truth leading to good, for good coming from truth.

The story about Zelophehad’s five daughters also relates to the place of truth and good. This is because sons stand for truths, often for truths which fight for us during our temptations, while daughters stand for the good in our spiritual life which bears ‘children’ (see Swedenborg’s work, Arcana Caelestia 8993 [3,4]).

Verses 5 and 6 describe this union of good and truth very beautifully: “Ten portions were given to Manasseh because the daughters of Manasseh received an inheritance among his sons; and the rest of Manasseh’s sons had the land of Gilead.” It is worth noting here that the spiritual meaning of the number ‘ten’ has to do with wholeness, and also ‘remains,’ or memories, which the Lord imparts to us when we are very young (Arcana Caelestia 4638).

When the people of Ephraim and Manasseh complained to Joshua, it is much like us wanting our spiritual life to be easy. We want it to be something given to us, and not something which we will need to work on and even fight for in ourselves.

Finally, the meaning of using wooden chariots to fight the Canaanites means to fight from our love of what is good. This is because wood corresponds to good, since it is alive and has grown. ‘Iron’ here stands for the harshness of truth without any good, which appears invincible, but in reality is weaker than the power of goodness and love (Arcana Caelestia 426[3]).

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Numbers 27

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1 Then came the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph: and these are the names of his daughters; Mahlah, Noah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Tirzah.

2 And they stood before Moses, and before Eleazar the priest, and before the princes and all the congregation, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying,

3 Our father died in the wilderness, and he was not in the company of them that gathered themselves together against the LORD in the company of Korah; but died in his own sin, and had no sons.

4 Why should the name of our father be done away from among his family, because he hath no son? Give unto us therefore a possession among the brethren of our father.

5 And Moses brought their cause before the LORD.

6 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

7 The daughters of Zelophehad speak right: thou shalt surely give them a possession of an inheritance among their father's brethren; and thou shalt cause the inheritance of their father to pass unto them.

8 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a man die, and have no son, then ye shall cause his inheritance to pass unto his daughter.

9 And if he have no daughter, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his brethren.

10 And if he have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his father's brethren.

11 And if his father have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his kinsman that is next to him of his family, and he shall possess it: and it shall be unto the children of Israel a statute of judgment, as the LORD commanded Moses.

12 And the LORD said unto Moses, Get thee up into this mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given unto the children of Israel.

13 And when thou hast seen it, thou also shalt be gathered unto thy people, as Aaron thy brother was gathered.

14 For ye rebelled against my commandment in the desert of Zin, in the strife of the congregation, to sanctify me at the water before their eyes: that is the water of Meribah in Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.

15 And Moses spake unto the LORD, saying,

16 Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation,

17 Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the LORD be not as sheep which have no shepherd.

18 And the LORD said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him;

19 And set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and give him a charge in their sight.

20 And thou shalt put some of thine honour upon him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient.

21 And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask counsel for him after the judgment of Urim before the LORD: at his word shall they go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he, and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation.

22 And Moses did as the LORD commanded him: and he took Joshua, and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation:

23 And he laid his hands upon him, and gave him a charge, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.