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Josuo 14

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1 Kaj jen estas, kion la Izraelidoj ekposedis en la lando Kanaana, kaj kion posedigis al ili la pastro Eleazar, kaj Josuo, filo de Nun, kaj la familiestroj de la triboj de Izrael.

2 Laux loto ili donis posedajxon, kiel ordonis la Eternulo per Moseo, al la naux triboj kaj duono.

3 CXar Moseo donis al du triboj kaj duono posedajxon transe de Jordan; kaj al la Levidoj li ne donis posedajxon inter ili;

4 cxar la idoj de Jozef estis du triboj, Manase kaj Efraim; kaj al la Levidoj oni ne donis parton en la lando, sed nur urbojn por logxado, kune kun iliaj antauxurboj por iliaj brutoj kaj por ilia havo.

5 Kiel la Eternulo ordonis al Moseo, tiel faris la Izraelidoj kaj dividis la teron.

6 Kaj aliris la idoj de Jehuda al Josuo en Gilgal, kaj diris al li Kaleb, filo de Jefune, Kenizido:Vi scias tion, kion la Eternulo diris al Moseo, la homo de Dio, pri mi kaj pri vi en Kadesx-Barnea.

7 Mi havis la agxon de kvardek jaroj, kiam Moseo, servanto de la Eternulo, sendis min el Kadesx-Barnea, por esplorrigardi la landon; kaj mi alportis al li raporton laux mia konscienco.

8 Kaj miaj fratoj, kiuj iris kun mi, malkuragxigis la koron de la popolo; sed mi obeis la Eternulon, mian Dion.

9 Kaj Moseo jxuris en tiu tago, dirante:La tero, sur kiu pasxis via piedo, estos posedajxo por vi kaj por viaj filoj eterne, cxar vi obeis la Eternulon, mian Dion.

10 Kaj nun jen la Eternulo konservis min viva, kiel Li diris. Nun pasis kvardek kvin jaroj de tiu tempo, kiam la Eternulo diris tion al Moseo, dum Izrael iradis en la dezerto; kaj nun jen mi havas la agxon de okdek kvin jaroj.

11 Ankoraux hodiaux mi estas tiel forta, kiel en la tago, kiam Moseo min sendis; kiom da forto mi tiam havis, tiom mi nun havas por la milito, por eliri kaj eniri.

12 Donu do al mi nun cxi tiun monton, pri kiu la Eternulo parolis en tiu tago; cxar vi auxdis en tiu tago, ke tie estas Anakidoj kaj grandaj kaj fortikigitaj urboj; eble la Eternulo estos kun mi kaj mi forpelos ilin, kiel diris la Eternulo.

13 Tiam Josuo benis lin, kaj donis HXebronon al Kaleb, filo de Jefune, kiel posedajxon.

14 Tial HXebron farigxis posedajxo de Kaleb, filo de Jefune, la Kenizido, gxis la nuna tago; pro tio, ke li obeis la Eternulon, Dion de Izrael.

15 Kaj la nomo de HXebron antauxe estis urbo de Arba, granda homo inter la Anakidoj. Kaj la tero trankviligxis de milito.

   

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Exploring the Meaning of Joshua 14

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

Joshua 14: The territories west of the Jordan, and Caleb’s inheritance.

This chapter tells how the land of Canaan would be distributed among the remaining nine-and-a-half tribes, which would be determined by drawing lots. The tribe of Levi, the priests of Israel, would not receive their own territory, but would be given cities to live in across the land. The tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph, were each recognized as a tribe of Israel to make the number of tribes receiving land equal twelve. Caleb and his people received Mount Hebron as a special inheritance, because he had fully and whole-heartedly followed the Lord God of Israel many years ago.

Casting lots was used in those days to decide many things, because people believed that the outcome showed the will of God. Lots were often sticks or stones, each marked with a symbol, which would be cast much like rolling dice. Then the result would be examined to make a decision. The spiritual meaning of casting lots is that we should allow the Lord to show us what is required, and believe that His providence extends over everything in our lives (see Swedenborg’s work, Arcana Caelestia 10773). “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord” (Proverbs 16:33).

The tribe of Levi, the third of the twelve sons of Jacob, had been set apart from the other tribes during their time in the wilderness; when the war cry “Who is on the Lord’s side?” was given before a battle, it was only the tribe of Levi who had responded. They were appointed as the priests of Israel for this dedication to God. Here, now, we are told that they are to live throughout the land (Arcana Caelestia 6998).

On a spiritual level, the Levites stand for the Lord’s presence throughout the whole of our life. Another way of putting this is that our spirit (and our life) is there throughout the whole of our body. And a third way of seeing this is that every part of our life should be guided by our love for the Lord. Other references to the Levites mention that all the people of Israel are to provide food and gifts for the Levites, reinforcing this same idea.

Caleb gets special treatment; he is given Mount Hebron as a new home for his people. Caleb and Joshua had been sent with 10 other men to spy out the land of Canaan 40 years earlier. They had given it a good report, and had - unsuccessfully - urged the Children of Israel to follow the Lord's leading and conquer the land at that time. Now, Caleb reminds Joshua about the Lord’s words to Moses regarding them, and Moses’ promise to give Caleb an inheritance. At the age of eighty-five, Caleb was still as strong as when spied out the land. He tells Joshua: “Now therefore, give me this mountain and the Lord will be with me to drive out the enemy” (Joshua 14:12). And it is given to him with a blessing from Joshua.

Mount Hebron is in the territory of Judah, west of the Dead Sea and south of what is now Jerusalem. Its name means ‘bound by a common bond’ or ‘accord’. Its spiritual meaning is that it brings diversity into unity, many into one, and for us, harmony in our spiritual life (Arcana Caelestia 3241[2]).

Caleb’s name means ‘bold, fearless, ferocious to enemies’. For us, Caleb is a picture of sureness and determination that to follow the Lord will always lead to success. Caleb never led Israel, but he acts as a right-hand-man to Joshua. Even though Joshua was the one to lead the children of Israel, there is still the need in each of us for Caleb’s enthusiasm, conviction and assurance to move forward with full confidence. His strength never left him, because he felt and lived the strength which the Lord gave him (see Swedenborg’s work, True Christian Religion 137[5]).