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Josue 14

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1 At ito ang mga mana na sinakop ng mga anak ni Israel sa lupain ng Canaan, na binahagi sa kanila ni Eleazar na saserdote, at ni Josue na anak ni Nun, at ng mga pangulo ng mga sangbahayan ng mga magulang ng mga lipi ng mga anak ni Israel,

2 Sa pamamagitan ng sapalaran ng kanilang mana, gaya ng iniutos ng Panginoon sa pamamagitan ni Moises, sa siyam na lipi, at sa kalahating lipi.

3 Sapagka't nabigyan na ni Moises ng mana ang dalawang lipi at ang kalahating lipi sa dako roon ng Jordan: nguni't sa mga Levita ay wala siyang ibinigay na mana sa kanila.

4 Sapagka't ang mga anak ni Jose ay naging dalawang lipi ang Manases at ang Ephraim: at hindi sila nagbigay ng bahagi sa mga Levita sa lupain, liban ang mga bayan na matahanan, pati ng mga nayon niyaon sa kanilang hayop at sa kanilang pag-aari.

5 Kung paano iniutos ng Panginoon kay Moises, ay gayon ang ginawa ng mga anak ni Israel, at kanilang binahagi ang lupain.

6 Nang magkagayo'y lumapit ang mga anak ni Juda kay Josue sa Gilgal: at sinabi sa kaniya ni Caleb na anak ni Jephone na Cenezeo, Iyong talastas ang bagay na sinalita ng Panginoon kay Moises na lalake ng Dios, tungkol sa akin at tungkol sa iyo sa Cades-barnea.

7 Ako'y may apat na pung taon nang ako'y suguin ni Moises na lingkod ng Panginoon mula sa Cades-barnea upang tiktikan ang lupain; at aking dinalhan ng sagot siya ng gaya ng nasa aking puso.

8 Gayon ma'y pinapanglumo ng mga kapatid na kasama ko ang puso ng bayan: nguni't ako'y lubos na sumunod sa Panginoon kong Dios.

9 At si Moises ay sumumpa nang araw na yaon, na nagsasabi, Tunay na ang lupain na tinuntungan ng iyong paa ay magiging isang mana sa iyo at sa iyong mga anak magpakailan man, sapagka't sumunod kang lubos sa Panginoon kong Dios.

10 At ngayon, narito, iningatan akong buhay ng Panginoon, gaya ng kaniyang sinalita, nitong apat na pu't limang taon, mula nang panahon na salitain ng Panginoon ang salitang ito kay Moises, samantalang lumalakad ang Israel sa ilang; at ngayon, narito, sa araw na ito ako'y may walong pu't limang taon na.

11 Gayon ma'y malakas pa ako sa araw na ito na gaya nang araw na suguin ako ni Moises: kung paano nga ang lakas ko noon, ay gayon ang lakas ko ngayon, sa pakikidigma, at gayon din sa paglalabas pumasok.

12 Ngayon nga'y ibigay mo sa akin ang lupaing maburol na ito na sinalita ng Panginoon nang araw na yaon: sapagka't iyong nabalitaan nang araw na yaon kung paanong nariyan ang mga Anaceo, at mga bayang malalaki at nakukutaan: marahil ay sasa akin ang Panginoon, at akin silang maitataboy na gaya ng sinalita ng Panginoon.

13 At binasbasan siya ni Josue at kaniyang ibinigay ang Hebron kay Caleb na Anak ni Jephone, na pinakaari niya.

14 Kaya't ang Hebron ay naging mana ni Caleb na anak ni Jephone na Cenezeo hanggang sa araw na ito; sapagka't kaniyang lubos na sinunod ang Panginoon, ang Dios ng Israel.

15 Ang pangalan nga ng Hebron nang una ay Chiriath-arba; na siyang Arba na pinaka malaking lalake sa mga Anaceo. At ang lupain ay nagpahinga sa pakikidigma.

   

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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]).

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Proverbs 16:33

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33 The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD.