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Isus Navin 12

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1 A ovo su carevi zemaljski koje pobiše sinovi Izrailjevi i zemlju njihovu osvojiše s one strane Jordana k istoku, od potoka Arnona do gore Ermona i svu ravnicu k istoku:

2 Sion car amorejski koji stajaše u Esevonu i vladaše od Aroira koji je na bregu potoka Arnona, i od polovine potoka i polovinom Galada do potoka Javoka, gde je međa sinova amonskih;

3 I od ravnice do mora hinerotskog k istoku, i do mora uz polje, do mora slanog k istoku, kako se ide k Vetsimotu, i s juga pod goru Fazgu;

4 I sused mu Og, car vasanski, koji beše ostao od Rafaja i seđaše u Astarotu i u Edrajinu,

5 I vladaše gorom Ermonom i Salhom i svim Vasanom do međe gesurske i mahatske, i polovinom Galada do međe Siona cara esevonskog.

6 Njih pobi Mojsije sluga Gospodnji i sinovi Izrailjevi; i tu zemlju dade Mojsije, sluga Gospodnji, u nasledstvo plemenu Ruvimovom i plemenu Gadovom i polovini plemena Manasijinog.

7 A ovo su carevi zemaljski koje pobi Isus sa sinovima Izrailjevim s one strane Jordana k zapadu, od Val-Gada u polju livanskom pa do gore Alaka kako se ide k Siru; i tu zemlju dade Isus plemenima Izrailjevim u nasledstvo prema delovima njihovim,

8 Po gorama i po ravnicama, po poljima i po dolinama, i u pustinji i na južnom kraju, zemlju hetejsku, amorejsku i hananejsku, ferezejsku, jevejsku i jevusejsku:

9 Car jerihonski jedan; car gajski do Vetilja jedan;

10 Car jerusalimski jedan; car hevronski jedan;

11 Car jarmutski jedan, car lahiski jedan;

12 Car jeglonski jedan; car gezerski jedan;

13 Car davirski jedan; car gaderski jedan;

14 Car oramski jedan; car aradski jedan;

15 Car od Livne jedan; car odolamski jedan;

16 Car makidski jedan; car vetiljski jedan;

17 Car tifuvski jedan; car eferski jedan;

18 Car afečki jedan; car saronski jedan;

19 Car madonski jedan; car asorski jedan;

20 Car simron-meronski jedan; car ahsavski jedan;

21 Car tanaški jedan; car megidski jedan;

22 Car kedeski jedan; car jokneamski kod Karmela jedan;

23 Car dorski u Nafat-Doru jedan; car gojimski u Galgalu jedan;

24 Car teraski jedan. Svega trideset i jedan car.

   

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Exploring the Meaning of Joshua 12

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

Joshua 12: The kings who were defeated by Joshua.

This chapter lists the kings who were defeated by Moses on the other side of the river Jordan, and those defeated by Joshua in the land of Canaan. Moses defeated Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, king of Bashan. Joshua defeated 31 kings, and this chapter names their cities one by one.

We might well wonder: what is the use of such a chapter for us? But here it is, included in the Word of God. We will suggest two ways in which this chapter gives us a spiritual message to work with:

First, the sheer number of kings who opposed Israel represent, in a general way, the many things that prevent us from dedicating ourselves to the Lord’s teachings.

Secondly, the many names of the towns that the Israelites defeated are all significant in identifying the various situations we encounter in our spiritual lives (See Swedenborg’s Arcana Caelestia 2009[9]). For example “Joshua” means ‘God is victory’, something we can come to understand as we choose to turn against evil. We can do that because the Lord fights for and with us; we cannot do that alone.

For every heaven there is a corresponding hell (See Swedenborg’s Heaven and Hell 588). If mercy is something of heaven, hell is to do with cruelty and all that goes with it. If innocence is of heaven, hell is to do with intended harm and all that goes with that. Evil is unspeakably precise.

Joshua defeated thirty-one kings. The number thirty stands for combat and also for ‘remnants’, which are deep-seated feelings of good and truth given the Lord gives us during our childhood, to help us combat evil in adult regeneration. Thirty-one would seem to suggest combat going on even past thirty (Arcana Caelestia 5335).

The names of the cities of these kings are given, and each name represents a quality. ‘Israel’ was the name given to Jacob by the Lord, after he had wrestled all night with the angel of God and had prevailed (see Genesis 32:24-28). “Israel” means ‘striving with God’ and also ‘a prince with God’, and it became the name of the people of Israel.

As examples, we will look at three Canaanite cities which fought Israel, and explore the spiritual meaning of their names.

1. The king of Jarmuth, means ‘being downcast by death’. Viewing life only in terms of its inevitable end does terrible things to our sense of purpose, hope and trust. Defeating Jarmuth helps us see that death is a transition into eternal life, and our means of passing from this life into our fullest life.

2. The king of Aphek, means ‘tenacious fortress’. We can quite readily see that evil can be exactly like a tenacious fortress. Evil will hang on like grim death and refuse to let us go. Evil will attempt any number of devious tactics to break us down or undermine our faith. The last thing it will do is to see that we’re resolved, and then finally give up.

3. The king of Taanach, which means ‘sandy, hard to cross’. This might remind us of dangerous quicksands, or the way in which we stumble trying to walk through sand. Again, sometimes evil can appear to give us safer passage on solid ground, before we realize that it is the hells ensnaring us.