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]).
Joshua 15
1
This then was the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah by their families; even to the border of Edom the wilderness of Zin southward was the uttermost part of the south coast.
2
And their south border was from the shore of the salt sea, from the bay that looketh southward:
3
And it went out to the south side to Maaleh-acrabbim, and passed along to Zin, and ascended up on the south side unto Kadesh-barnea, and passed along to Hezron, and went up to Adar, and fetched a compass to Karkaa:
4
From thence it passed toward Azmon, and went out unto the river of Egypt; and the goings out of that coast were at the sea: this shall be your south coast.
5
And the east border was the salt sea, even unto the end of Jordan. And their border in the north quarter was from the bay of the sea at the uttermost part of Jordan:
6
And the border went up to Beth-hogla, and passed along by the north of Beth-arabah; and the border went up to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben:
7
And the border went up toward Debir from the valley of Achor, and so northward, looking toward Gilgal, that is before the going up to Adummim, which is on the south side of the river: and the border passed toward the waters of En-shemesh, and the goings out thereof were at En-rogel:
8
And the border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom unto the south side of the Jebusite; the same is Jerusalem: and the border went up to the top of the mountain that lieth before the valley of Hinnom westward, which is at the end of the valley of the giants northward:
9
And the border was drawn from the top of the hill unto the fountain of the water of Nephtoah, and went out to the cities of mount Ephron; and the border was drawn to Baalah, which is Kirjath-jearim:
10
And the border compassed from Baalah westward unto mount Seir, and passed along unto the side of mount Jearim, which is Chesalon, on the north side, and went down to Beth-shemesh, and passed on to Timnah:
11
And the border went out unto the side of Ekron northward: and the border was drawn to Shicron, and passed along to mount Baalah, and went out unto Jabneel; and the goings out of the border were at the sea.
12
And the west border was to the great sea, and the coast thereof. This is the coast of the children of Judah round about according to their families.
13
And unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a part among the children of Judah, according to the commandment of the LORD to Joshua, even the city of Arba the father of Anak, which city is Hebron.
14
And Caleb drove thence the three sons of Anak, Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.
15
And he went up thence to the inhabitants of Debir: and the name of Debir before was Kirjath-sepher.
16
And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjath-sepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife.
17
And Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.
18
And it came to pass, as she came unto him, that she moved him to ask of her father a field: and she lighted off her ass; and Caleb said unto her, What wouldest thou?
19
Who answered, Give me a blessing; for thou hast given me a south land; Give me also springs of water. And he gave her the upper springs, and the nether springs.
20
This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families.
21
And the uttermost cities of the tribe of the children of Judah toward the coast of Edom southward were Kabzeel, and Eder, and Jagur,
22
And Kinah, and Dimonah, and Adadah,
23
And Kedesh, and Hazor, and Ithnan,
24
Ziph, and Telem, and Bealoth,
25
And Hazor, Hadattah, and Kerioth, and Hezron, which is Hazor,
26
Amam, and Shema, and Moladah,
27
And Hazar-gaddah, and Heshmon, and Beth-palet,
28
And Hazar-shual, and Beer-sheba, and Bizjothjah,
30
And Eltolad, and Chesil, and Hormah,
31
And Ziklag, and Madmannah, and Sansannah,
32
And Lebaoth, and Shilhim, and Ain, and Rimmon: all the cities are twenty and nine, with their villages:
33
And in the valley, Eshtaol, and Zoreah, and Ashnah,
34
And Zanoah, and En-gannim, Tappuah, and Enam,
35
Jarmuth, and Adullam, Socoh, and Azekah,
36
And Sharaim, and Adithaim, and Gederah, and Gederothaim; fourteen cities with their villages:
37
Zenan, and Hadashah, and Migdal-gad,
38
And Dilean, and Mizpeh, and Joktheel,
39
Lachish, and Bozkath, and Eglon,
40
And Cabbon, and Lahmam, and Kithlish,
41
And Gederoth, Beth-dagon, and Naamah, and Makkedah; sixteen cities with their villages:
42
Libnah, and Ether, and Ashan,
43
And Jiphtah, and Ashnah, and Nezib,
44
And Keilah, and Achzib, and Mareshah; nine cities with their villages:
45
Ekron, with her towns and her villages:
46
From Ekron even unto the sea, all that lay near Ashdod, with their villages:
47
Ashdod with her towns and her villages, Gaza with her towns and her villages, unto the river of Egypt, and the great sea, and the border thereof:
48
And in the mountains, Shamir, and Jattir, and Socoh,
49
And Dannah, and Kirjath-sannah, which is Debir,
50
And Anab, and Eshtemoh, and Anim,
51
And Goshen, and Holon, and Giloh; eleven cities with their villages:
52
Arab, and Dumah, and Eshean,
53
And Janum, and Beth-tappuah, and Aphekah,
54
And Humtah, and Kirjath-arba, which is Hebron, and Zior; nine cities with their villages:
55
Maon, Carmel, and Ziph, and Juttah,
56
And Jezreel, and Jokdeam, and Zanoah,
57
Cain, Gibeah, and Timnah; ten cities with their villages:
58
Halhul, Beth-zur, and Gedor,
59
And Maarath, and Beth-anoth, and Eltekon; six cities with their villages:
60
Kirjath-baal, which is Kirjath-jearim, and Rabbah; two cities with their villages:
61
In the wilderness, Beth-arabah, Middin, and Secacah,
62
And Nibshan, and the city of Salt, and En-gedi; six cities with their villages.
63
As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not drive them out: but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day.
