Good morning! Today’s chapters from Joshua (18-20) finish describing the boundaries of the remaining tribes and then identify the six “cities of refuge” for those who unintentionally commit murder, as called for in Numbers 35.
Category: Daily Bible
Joshua 15-17
Good morning! Today’s passage (Joshua 15-17) continues the listing of territories associated with various tribes. Those who are fans of ancient cartography could have fun mapping out the boundaries of these settlements, but I suggest just doing an image search online if you want a quick visual reference. Continue reading “Joshua 15-17”
Joshua 12-14
Good morning! Today’s passage (Joshua 12-14) gives us a break from heavy battle or in-depth narratives, favoring instead lists of battle victories and the division of conquered territories to the east and west of the Jordan River. Chapter 12 opens with a litany of kings who were conquered by Moses, then a list of those conquered by Joshua. What’s striking here (so to speak) is that Joshua’s list is much longer than that of Moses. This is unusual since Moses is such a vaunted leader, but perhaps (if we take this at face value) the small cities in Canaan weren’t very difficult to defeat, especially not with Joshua’s experienced fighting force.
Joshua 9-11
Good morning! Today’s passage (Joshua 9-11) describes the total military conquest of Canaan by Joshua and the Israelites, but not before a peaceful (though deceptive) overture by one group leads them alone to preserve their life against the Hebrew onslaught. This account recalls the earlier “total war” or “clash of civilizations” between Moses and Pharaoh in Egypt, while also explaining to later Hebrews how there came to be some non-Hebrews still living among them.
Joshua 5-8
Good morning! Today’s reading from Joshua 5-8 holds in tension a desire to be fully faithful in following God’s instructions with the human inclination to serve personal interests instead. We see letter-of-the-law obedience put in jeopardy by one person’s greed, then how extinguishing that one’s rebelliousness (along with his family) restores righteous power to the Hebrew invasion. Try to read these stories for their emphasis on faithful follow-through, though we likely also feel outrage for the slaughter of innocents who are in the wrong company.
Joshua 1-4
Good morning! Today we’ve turned the page from the Torah and are now starting into the second main part of the Hebrew Bible, the Historical Books. Joshua begins a stretch of books that continues (with some qualifications) all the way until the book of Esther. These books describe the progress of Israelite history from the invasion of Canaan, through a period of Judges to the establishment of kings, the golden age of kings David and Solomon, and then civil wars that split the kingdom into northern Israel and southern Judah, both of which eventually succumbed to the conquest of other civilizations. This whole period stretches roughly from 1200-600 BCE (Before the Common Era, synonymous with B.C.). We’ll see a lot of action by “big men of power” in these coming books, so thankfully there are also several “counter narratives” like Ruth and Esther that describe divine salvation through everyday (and female) lives. Remember that all the books in this section—and the whole Bible for that matter—don’t intend to give “just the facts, ma’am”. The history told here comes from the perspective of later Israel, and seeks to identify God’s role in historical elements.
Deuteronomy 32-34
Good morning! Today we finish out Deuteronomy (chapters 32-34) with the same theme that has echoed throughout the book: remember God, remember the covenant. The writer has tried everything from coaxing, cajoling, shaming, threatening and warning to make an impression on the people. Now comes a song, followed by a blessing identified as Moses’ final words, and then the greatest Hebrew prophet-leader will pass away.
Deuteronomy 32 contains the song of Moses that was introduced yesterday, intended as a musical reminder that could correct the Hebrews when they had failed to be faithful to the covenant. This song sounds more like the later psalms than anything that has come previously. The poetry uses a repeated image of God as a “Rock”, who is also a birth-giver and a protecting eagle, among other metaphors. Beautiful imagery of God’s sustenance in the wilderness yields to the news that success has led to idolatry toward other “rocks”, provoking the one “Rock”. (Here’s one place where “grapes of wrath” imagery comes from.) God unleashes retribution against Israel, but not to destroy them utterly. God will deliver, but only after the people learn their lesson that no other deity has the power to save them.
The final blessing that makes up the bulk of chapter 33 is similar to the song in 32. Both bear signs of being originally from a different context, but the narrative of these final chapters tries to hold them in place. Here, Moses’ blessing makes third-person references to Moses, refers to a king (which we haven’t seen yet), and uses the exotic term “Jeshurun” as another moniker for Israel. These are all clues that this text comes from a later time. Moses’ blessing also takes a form like that of Jacob’s blessing on each of his children (and their associated tribe) before he died at the end of Genesis. The order of the tribes is different from that used earlier in the Torah, and with references that again point to a later origin for this text. This is a good example of the biblical custom of attributing special writings to dignitaries rather than listing actual authors. It doesn’t mean the texts are necessarily false or unreliable; but rather that we shouldn’t try to understand them according to 21st century literary customs.
At the beginning of Deuteronomy 34, Moses looks out at geography that is already called by the names of the tribes of Israel, then dies “at the Lord’s command”. The final three verses are an everlasting epitaph to Moses’ unparalleled power and influence on the people of Israel. This chapter finishes the whole book of Deuteronomy, and with it the first five books of the Bible (the Torah prized especially by Jewish people today). Because Joshua was commissioned by Moses, the people of Israel followed him. We’ll pick up the story of his leadership tomorrow, when we turn the page to the next generation and the invasion of Canaan. Happy reading!
Please join discussion of this passage at the Daily Bible Facebook group, or comment below. The passage for tomorrow is Joshua 1-4. Thanks for reading!
Deuteronomy 30-31
Good morning! In today’s two chapters (Deuteronomy 30-31) we read the powerful final exhortation from Moses to choose wisely and follow the covenant law, then the foreboding warning of God to Moses that the Hebrews will forsake the covenant as they enter in the land of Canaan. While human beings are fickle, God is faithful to provide future leaders with rituals that may yet woo God’s people back after times of great trial.
Deuteronomy 27-29
Good morning! Ancient covenantal formulas had a common format where the terms of the covenant were followed by lists of blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. We’ve had many chapters now of covenantal instructions, so now in Deuteronomy 27-29 we arrive at a set of blessings and curses.
Deuteronomy 23-26
Good morning! Today in Deuteronomy 23-26 we reach the end of the major sermon attributed to Moses that lies at the heart of Deuteronomy. Amid many dated and time-bound traditions we also find some theological principles that still resonate, especially those concerning the treatment of poor people and of offerings for God.
Pastor Oby Ballinger 