Exploring the Meaning of Joshua 13
By New Christian Bible Study Staff, Julian Duckworth
Joshua 13: The start of the tribal territory allocations.
Now that Israel had conquered the land of Canaan, the Lord commanded Joshua to divide the land between the twelve tribes. The next seven chapters tell how the the land of Canaan was divided (see Swedenborg’s work, Arcana Caelestia 1413, to read more about the spiritual meaning).
Chapter 13 deals with the territories given to the tribes of Reuben, Gad and one half of Manasseh, all of which are on the other side of the river Jordan. Reuben was given the southern lands; Gad was given the extensive middle region, much of which is an area called Gilead; and half the tribe of Manasseh received the northern land which is on the other side of the Jordan.
It is also worth noting that the first few verses say much of the land remained to be conquered. However, at the end of chapter 11, we read that Joshua took the whole land as the Lord had commanded Moses.
This may seem contradictory, but spiritually it fits very well. In our regeneration, we aim to conquer our self-centred nature, and allow the Lord to rule us with his truth. This is spiritually ‘conquering the whole land’. But even so, our natural thoughts and desires sometimes rise up to trouble us, and these times are like the parts of the land that remain to be conquered. This is why we must recognize our complete dependence on the Lord (Arcana Caelestia 8326).
The Lord giving land as inheritance to each of the twelve tribes represents the way that He gives us our spiritual life. As we do the work of spiritual ‘conquering’ - living by our purpose to serve the Lord - we feel more and more that we can use our understanding of God and His Word in our actions every day.
The twelve tribes stand for the whole spectrum of what spiritual life involves, and each tribe relates to a specific quality of our spiritual living (Arcana Caelestia 3858). For example, we need to be discerning, positive, respectful of others, and so on. Each tribe has a sizeable area of the land, and is part of the integrity of the whole nation.
The territories given to Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh are not part of Canaan, but they are linked to it. These areas represent our outward life: the way we work, live, rest, and relate with other people. This is the ‘casing’ of our spiritual life, and it is essential.
The tribe of Reuben – the eldest son of Jacob – stands for our initial need to see the truths from the Lord in the Word. By ‘seeing’ we mean meeting them, looking carefully, being attentive, coming to understand what they ask of us, and realising how important they are. It is not a vague impression that the Lord’s teachings are important, but a real first step for us (Arcana Caelestia 3866).
The tribe of Gad stands for our ability to see that knowledge and truth need to be used to perform good works. Gad’s name means ‘a troop,’ calling to mind soldiers marching in formation to go and sort things out properly. This is something we can apply to ourselves and to the world around us. We just need to watch that it doesn’t get too heavy-handed (See Swedenborg’s work, Apocalypse Explained 435[7]).
The tribe of Manasseh represents the spiritual good which supports our will to live a life which is just, fair and honourable because it is based on God. In fact, Manasseh – which means ‘forgetfulness’ – stands for our need to remember that ‘my will’ is really ‘the Lord’s will for me’. Our will needs to be focused on outward life and also inwardly open to the Lord, which is why half of Manasseh has land beyond the Jordan and half has land within Canaan (Arcana Caelestia 5353).
Joshua 15
1
The lot for the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families was to the border of Edom, even to the wilderness of Zin southward, at the uttermost part of the south.
2
Their south border was from the uttermost part of the Salt Sea, from the bay that looks southward;
3
and it went out southward of the ascent of Akrabbim, and passed along to Zin, and went up by the south of Kadesh Barnea, and passed along by Hezron, went up to Addar, and turned about to Karka;
4
and it passed along to Azmon, went out at the brook of Egypt; and the border ended at the sea. This shall be your south border.
5
The east border was the Salt Sea, even to the end of the Jordan. The border of the north quarter was from the bay of the Sea at the end of the Jordan.
6
The border went up to Beth Hoglah, and passed along by the north of Beth Arabah; and the border went up to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben.
7
The border went up to Debir from the valley of Achor, and so northward, looking toward Gilgal, that is over against the ascent of Adummim, which is on the south side of the river. The border passed along to the waters of En Shemesh, and ended at En Rogel.
8
The border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom to the side of the Jebusite southward (the same is Jerusalem); and the border went up to the top of the mountain that lies before the valley of Hinnom westward, which is at the farthest part of the valley of Rephaim northward.
9
The border extended from the top of the mountain to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah, and went out to the cities of Mount Ephron; and the border extended to Baalah (the same is Kiriath Jearim);
10
and the border turned about from Baalah westward to Mount Seir, and passed along to the side of Mount Jearim on the north (the same is Chesalon), and went down to Beth Shemesh, and passed along by Timnah;
11
and the border went out to the side of Ekron northward; and the border extended to Shikkeron, and passed along to Mount Baalah, and went out at Jabneel; and the goings out of the border were at the sea.
12
The west border was to the shore of the great sea. This is the border of the children of Judah according to their families.
13
To Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a portion among the children of Judah, according to the commandment of Yahweh to Joshua, even Kiriath Arba, named after the father of Anak (the same is Hebron).
14
Caleb drove out the three sons of Anak: Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.
15
He went up against the inhabitants of Debir: now the name of Debir before was Kiriath Sepher.
16
Caleb said, "He who strikes Kiriath Sepher, and takes it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter as wife."
17
Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter as wife.
18
It happened, when she came, that she had him ask her father fore a field. She got off of her donkey, and Caleb said, "What do you want?"
19
She said, "Give me a blessing. Because you have set me in the land of the South, Give me also springs of water." He gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.
20
This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families.
21
The farthest cities of the tribe of the children of Judah toward the border of Edom in the South were Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur,
22
Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah,
24
Ziph, Telem, Bealoth,
25
Hazor Hadattah, Kerioth Hezron (the same is Hazor),
26
Amam, Shema, Moladah,
27
Hazar Gaddah, Heshmon, Beth Pelet,
28
Hazar Shual, Beersheba, Biziothiah,
30
Eltolad, Chesil, Hormah,
31
Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah,
32
Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon. All the cities are twenty-nine, with their villages.
33
In the lowland, Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah,
34
Zanoah, En Gannim, Tappuah, Enam,
35
Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah,
36
Shaaraim, Adithaim and Gederah (or Gederothaim); fourteen cities with their villages.
37
Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal Gad,
38
Dilean, Mizpeh, Joktheel,
39
Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon,
40
Cabbon, Lahmam, Chitlish,
41
Gederoth, Beth Dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah; sixteen cities with their villages.
42
Libnah, Ether, Ashan,
43
Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib,
44
Keilah, Achzib, and Mareshah; nine cities with their villages.
45
Ekron, with its towns and its villages;
46
from Ekron even to the sea, all that were by the side of Ashdod, with their villages.
47
Ashdod, its towns and its villages; Gaza, its towns and its villages; to the brook of Egypt, and the great sea with its coastline.
48
In the hill country, Shamir, Jattir, Socoh,
49
Dannah, Kiriath Sannah (which is Debir),
50
Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim,
51
Goshen, Holon, and Giloh; eleven cities with their villages.
52
Arab, Dumah, Eshan,
53
Janim, Beth Tappuah, Aphekah,
54
Humtah, Kiriath Arba (the same is Hebron), and Zior; nine cities with their villages.
56
Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah,
57
Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah; ten cities with their villages.
58
Halhul, Beth Zur, Gedor,
59
Maarath, Beth Anoth, and Eltekon; six cities with their villages.
60
Kiriath Baal (the same is Kiriath Jearim), and Rabbah; two cities with their villages.
61
In the wilderness, Beth Arabah, Middin, Secacah,
62
Nibshan, 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 couldn't drive them out; but the Jebusites live with the children of Judah at Jerusalem to this day.
