Joshua 15:1

The Bible says in Joshua 15:1-12 “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.” We may not know where each one of the places mentioned are currently located, but the children of Israel at that time knew. There are some important things to remember each time we see these types of passages in the Bible. For one thing, God is interested in the details. He is interested in the details of our lives too. We should want to look at everything in our lives as the from the hand of God. However great or however small He has arranged our lives, it is His will. God had a will for each of the children of Israel, and God has a will for our lives too, including all the details.

The Bible says in Joshua 15:13-19, “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.” Caleb was a fighter. He was the right man for that place and that time. Some people only want to take the easy way out. God’s will is not important to such people. The Christian life is a battle: a spiritual battle. God is looking for some fighters who will use the Word of God, and prayer, and the fruits of the Spirit; and will take on spiritual war with energy and determination and faith. Caleb was evidently a tough guy, but Caleb had a tender place in his heart for his daughter. He could not say no to her. God has a tender place in His heart for His children too. Just ask the Lord for what you want, and He will give it to you. He likes to prove His great eternal love.

The Bible says in Joshua 15:20-63, “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,[29] Baalah, and Iim, and Azem,
[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.” The key word in this passage is found in verse twenty: “inheritance.” God gave an inheritance to each one of the children of Israel. These verses describe the inheritance that was given to the descendants of Judah. There is a lot mentioned here. It will be like that in heaven. Believers will receive great gifts for the work that they have done. Even a glass of cold water given in the name of Christ will not lose its reward. God has a plan for us. He will reward us greatly, not because we deserve it, but only because He loves us.

The Bible says in Joshua 16:1-10, “And the lot of the children of Joseph fell from Jordan by Jericho, unto the water of Jericho on the east, to the wilderness that goeth up from Jericho throughout mount Bethel,[2] And goeth out from Bethel to Luz, and passeth along unto the borders of Archi to Ataroth,[3] And goeth down westward to the coast of Japhleti, unto the coast of Beth-horon the nether, and to Gezer: and the goings out thereof are at the sea.[4] So the children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, took their inheritance.[5] And the border of the children of Ephraim according to their families was thus: even the border of their inheritance on the east side was Ataroth-addar, unto Beth-horon the upper;[6] And the border went out toward the sea to Michmethah on the north side; and the border went about eastward unto Taanath-shiloh, and passed by it on the east to Janohah;[7] And it went down from Janohah to Ataroth, and to Naarath, and came to Jericho, and went out at Jordan.[8] The border went out from Tappuah westward unto the river Kanah; and the goings out thereof were at the sea. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Ephraim by their families.[9] And the separate cities for the children of Ephraim were among the inheritance of the children of Manasseh, all the cities with their villages.[10] And they drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day, and serve under tribute.” Verse four mentions that Joseph’s inheritance was actually given a double portion to the descendants of his sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. This might be because Joseph was treated so badly by his brothers that God made it up to Joseph and gave him a double portion. Always be faithful to the Lord no matter what circumstances you find yourself in and no matter how you are treated by others. God knows, and God changes things later on.

Notice that Joshua 16:10 says about the children of Joseph and the land that was given to them: “And they drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer.” That is an ominous statement. The Israelites were told to drive out all the Canaanites. That is because the Canaanites had false gods and many immoral practices. One rotten apple can ruin the whole barrel. A little leaven leavens the whole loaf. Human beings are tempted when they see the sins of sinners. They are tempted to join in and do the same things. We live in a very sinful world. Even today it is a great challenge and a great difficulty to be in the world but not of the world. Christians are told in First John 2:15-16, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.[16] For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” Believers are also told in Psalm 1:1-6, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.[2] But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.[3] And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.[4] The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.[5] Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.[6] For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.”

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