Reading for November 8th

 Read Joshua 18.1-10. In 18.1-10: Dividing the land into seven portions. In verse 1: So far the process of dividing the land has taken place at Gilgal (14.6). Now it abruptly moves to the sanctuary of Shiloh, where the Lord is present in the tent of meeting. In verses 4-5: The remaining seven tribes will engage in a lottery for territory. In preparation, the land is divided into equitable allotments by a representative commission. In verse 6: The division is conducted fairly by sacred lot under the Lord's supervision (compare v. 10). In verse 9: The result of the delineating the divisions by town. This seems to describe the source used to create chs. 18-19, in which town lists play an important part.. Comments or Questions.

Reading for November 7th

 Read Joshua 17.14-18. In 17.14-18: More territory for Joseph. In verses 14-15: Ephraim and Manasseh together as the tribe of Joseph complain that they have too little land. Joshua points out  that their size gives the the resources to clear the highland forests. In verse 16: Unsatisfied, they go on to lament that the military strength of the Canaanites keeps them from settling in the plains. In verses 17-18: The large population of Ephraim and Manasseh is actually not a problem, but an opportunity for an expansive future. In addition to clearing the forests, they will eventually drive out the Canaanites. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 6th

 Read Joshua 17.1-13. In 17.1-13: Manasseh. In verse 1: Elements of Manasseh tracing descent from Machir occupied territory east of the Jordan. In verse 2: Six clans traced descent through Manasseh's male heirs. In verses 3-6; Five other clans descended from the female heirs of Manasseh, the daughters of Zelophehad. In verses 7-9: The south boundary parallels Ephraim's north boundary (16.6, 8). In verses 11-12; Idealized boundaries did not always match the reality of tribal affiliation (compare 16.9). Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 5th

 Read Joshua 16.1-10. In 16.1-10: Ephraim. In verses 1-3: As sons of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh together make up the Josephites. Their south boundary is also the north boundary of Benjamin (18.12-13). In verses 5-9: Ephraim's north boundary is traced from its center point, first eastward and southward from Michmethath (vv. 6-7), then westward from nearby Tappuah (v. 8). In verse 10: Gezer remained Canaanite until the reign of Solomon (1 Kings 9.16-17). Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 4th

 Read Joshua 15.20-63. In 15.20-63: The towns of Judah. In verse 20: This description was taken from an authentic source cataloging the administrative districts of the kingdom of Judah. The remainder of this list was used to portray Benhaman (18.21-28). In verse 21-32: Districts are grouped and labeled geographically. This first district is in the south (v. 21; Heb., "the Negeb"). Each district concludes with an enumeration of towns, with their villages (v. 32). In verses 33-44: Three districts are in the lowland (Heb., "Shephelah"). In verse 45-47: This district of Philistine towns does not follow the pattern and was not part of the original source document. In verses 48-60: Other districts are in the hill country. In verses 61-62: One district is in the wilderness. In verse 63: Jerusalem became part of Israel only under David (2 Sam 5.6-9). Comments or or Questions.

Reading for November 3rd

 Read Joshua 15.13-19. In 15.13-19: A land grant for Achsah. In verse 13-15: This parallels the account given in 14.6-15. In verses 17-18: Although Achsah prods her husband to ask for a field, nothing of this sort apparently happens. In verse 19: Instead she herself goes on to request springs of water from he father. because her land is and she calls it land of the Negeb (the Negeb is arid territory). Achsah's story (paralleled in Judg 1.10-15) explains why the Othniel clan controlled both Debr and two springs associated with Hebron. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 2nd

 Read Joshua 15.1-12. In 15.1-12: The boundaries of Judah. In verse 1-4; Judah's south border (running east to west is similar to Num 34.3-6; 5-11: The north border with Benjamin is reported in great detail from east to west and coincides with 18.15-19. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 1st

 Read Joshua 14.1-15. In 14.1-15: Prelude to land distribution. In verse 1: Joshua is joined by the priest Eleazar because casting the sacred lot was a priestly monopoly (Deut 33.8). In verse 2: Distribution by lot confirms that the results are in accordance with divine will. In verse 4: The total number of allotments comes out out to twelve because Joseph gave rise to two tribes and Levi received no territory. In verses 6-12: Caleb claims a special grant of territory based on his honest and loyal behavior as a spy (vv.7-8; Num 13) and the promise of Moses (v. 9). He supports his case by reference to his great age and warlike vigor (vv. 10-11). It was Israel's fear of all the Anakim (vv. 12, 15) that had caused the original problem (Num 11.28). Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 31st

 Read  Joshua 13.8-33. In 13.8-33: East of the Jordan. In verses 8-14: A general outline moves from south to north. Aroer on the edge of the Wadi Amon (v.9) forms the boundary with Moab on the south. Mount Hermon and the former kingdom of Og in Bashan mark off the north (vv. 11-12), There are two exceptions: Geshur and Maacath remain as alien enclaves (v. 13) and the tribe of Levi receives no allotment (vv. 14, 33). In verses 15-23: Reuben's territory is described by a line extent drawn north from Aroer (v. 16) and a list of towns (vv. 17-20). In verses 24-26: Gad lies to the north of Reuben. two boundary lines run northward from Heshbon and from Mahanaim (v. 26). There is a short list of four towns in the first part of v. 27. In verses 29-31; The clans of Manasseh east of the Jordan occupy territory north and east of Gad. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 30th

 Read Joshua 13.1-7. In 13.1-7: The land that remains. In verse 1: Joshua's advanced age prompts the distribution of territory west of the Jordan 9V. 7) Inverse 2-6: A parenthetical digression describes Philistine territory and areas to the north in Phoenicia and Lebanon as land yet to be conquered. The Lord will eventually drive these people out, but for now Joshua is to allot the land already conquered (v. 6). Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 29th

 Read Joshua 12.1-24. In 12.1-24: A list of defeated kings. In verse 1-6: Moses defeated two kings, east of the Jordan. The territories seized from Sihon are delineated in vv. 2-3 and those taken from Og in vv. 4-5. In verses 7-8: Joshua seized territory from thirty-one kings (v. 24). This description mirrors 11.16-17. In verses 9-24: Jericho and Ai naturally come first (v. 9). The five cities of 10.3 are listed in vv. 10-12a. The four cities of 11.1 are listed in vv. 19-20. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 28th

 Read Joshua 11.16-23. In 11.16-23: Culmination of the conquest. In verse 16: The description parallels 10.40, In verse 17: A line of territorial extent reaches from Mount Halak in the south near the border with Edom to Baal-gad somewhere near Mount Hermon on Israel's north (12.7; 13.5-6). In verse 20: The stubborn hostility and incessant attacks of the enemy were the Lord's doing, part of a divine plan to wipe them out. On verses 21-22: In Israel folklore, the Anakim were an ancient indigenous race of unusual statue. In verse 23: The Lord has kept the promise made in 1.3-5, and Joshua has the task assigned in 1.6.With the words the land had rest from war, the conquest draws to a close. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 27th

 Read Joshua 11.1-15. In 11.1-15: Conquests in the north. In verses 1-3: Deborah and Barak also confront a King Jabin of Hazor in Judg 4-5. Jabin may have been a dynastic name for Hazor's kings. Separate folk traditions about Hazor simply used this well-known name. Jabin's response parallels the pattern of 10.1-5. In verse 4 Israel's enemies had the advantage of horses and chariots, a sophisticated and expensive weapons system. In verse 6: To hamstring a horse means to cut its rear leg tendons so that is could no longer be used in war (2 Sam 8.4). Israel was unable to support and use chariots until the reign of Solomon. In verse 8: The Lord is always the real victor in holy war tradition. In verse 11: The language for the holy war ban, no one left who breathed (also v. 14), is taken from Deut 20.16. In verse 13: Israel did not destroy most captured cities, but took them over in accordance with the principles of Deut 6.10-11. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 26th

 Read Joshua 10.28-43. In 10.28-43: Capturing five cities. In verse 31: Three cities (Lachish, Eglon, and Hebron) were part of the earlier coalition, but Jerusalem and Jarmuth (v. 3) are not attacked. No mention is made of the kings of Lachish or Eglon; they have already been killed (vv. 23, 26). In verse 33: Gezer is not captured. It did not ever come part of Israel until the reign of Solomon (1 Kings 9.16-17). In verse 37: mention of a king of Hebron seems to contradict vv. 23, 26. In verse 41: This describes the land conquered so far. The south boundary runs east to west from Kadesh-barrnea to Gaza. Northward it, extends as far as Gibeon. The extent of the country of Goshen (11.16; perhaps 15.51) is unknown. Comments or Questions..

Readng for October 25th

 Read  Joshua 10.16-27. In 10.16-27: Executing the five kings. In verse 16: Makkedah was the southernmost limit of the enemy's flight (v. 10) and the starting point for the final phase of the campaign (v. 28), In verse 20: In spite of Joshua's energetic pursuit (v. 19), survivors do escape to the fortified towns, thus setting up the need for attacks on Lachish, Eglon, and Hebron (vv. 31,34, 36), In verse 24: Feet on the necks of enemy, long symbolizes total victory (Ps 110.1). In verses 26-27:Exposing enemy bodies was a humiliating insult (1 Sam 31.10; 2 Sam 4.12). Joshua obeys Deut 21.22-23. These large stones were presumably a well-known landmark (compare 7.26, 8.29). Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 24th

 Read Joshua 10.12-15. In 10.12-15: The sun stands still. In verses 12-13: A prose framework encloses and interprets an older poetic text from the Book of Jashar (see 2 Sam 1.18). According to the framework, Joshua requests to the Lord (v. 12) for extended daylight causes the sun to stop in its noon position (in midheaven, v. 13) and delay its setting. The poem itself actually addresses the moon and sun, not God. The poet calls upon them to freeze in stunned amazement at the scope of Israel's victory (compare Ex 15.16; Hab 3.11). In verse 14: That the Lord fought for Israel perfectly summarizes the divine warrior tradition. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 23rd

 Read Joshua 10.1-11. In 10.1-11: Victory at Gibeon. In verse 1: News of Israel's success motivates enemy action (compare 5.1; 9.1-2; 11.1-3). In verse 2: Israel's treaty with Gibeon threatened Jerusalem's northern approaches. In verse 3: These four cities are south and west of Jerusalem. In verse 6: All the kings of the Amorites is an exaggeration to motivate Israel's response. In verse 10: Panic is a standard weapon of the divine warrior (Ex 14.24; Jug 3.21-22). The pursuit extends westward from Gibeon,  down through the pass at the ascent of Beth-horon, then southward. In verse 11: Whether phenomena are also weapons of the  divine warrior (Isa 30.30). Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 22nd

 Read  Joshua 9.16-27. In 9.16-27: Discovery and punishment. In verse 16: The fears of v. 7 are realized; the Gibeonites indeed are living among them. In verses 20-21: The sanctity of the oath must be preserved, but this deception has  endangered the community and must be punished. The expression hewers of wood and drawers of water indicates a subservient servant class (Deut 29.11). In verse 22: Joshua summaries their deceit by contrasting very far (see vv. 6, 9). with living among us (see vv. 7, 16). In verse 23: Some Gibeonites are to be servants of the house of my God, that is the Temple. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 21st

 Read Joshua 9.1-15. In 9.1-15: The Gibeonite deception. In verses 1-4; There are two contrasting reactions to the news about Israel's victories. The kings of the various peoples gathered ... to fight (v. 20). But the citizens of Gibeon acted with cunning (v. 4). In verse 6; Their argument rests on being from a far country (also v. 9), exempting them from the extermination required by Deut 20.16-18. In verse 7: In reality they are Hivites, one of the nations to be destroyed (9.1; Deut 20.17). A Treaty with any who live among Israel was forbidden (Deut 7.2). In verse 8: Their language about being servants is respectful but it also ironic in light of vv. 21, 23, 27. In verses 9-10: Their speech is similar to Rahab's confession (2.10-11), but is hypocritical. In verse 15: All three Israelite parties fall for the ruse. The ordinary Israelite of vv. 6 and 7 ("men" is the better reading) taste the evidence. Joshua makes peace. The leaders of the congregation swear an oath. Gibeonites retained their special status as a foreign enclave down to the reign of David (2 Sam 21.1-6). Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 20th

 Read Joshua 8.30-35. In 8.30-35: Building an altar, reading the law. In verses 3-31 Joshua obeys Mosaic ordinance (Deut 11.29-30: 27.2-13) by building an altar for sacrifice, writing on the stones (v. 32), and arranging the people for blessing and cursing (v. 33), Deuteronomy 27.5 is quoted directly. In verse 32: These are not the altar stones, but others set up in accordance with Deut 27.4. In verses 34-35: In obedience to Deut 31.10-12, Joshua reads the book of the law (Deuteronomy), including the blessings and curses of Deut 28. These is an emphasis on  blessing and curses on Deut 28. There is a, emphasis the blessings and curses of Deut 28. There is an emphasis on totality; As the words and all that is written are read to all the assembly. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 19th

 Read Joshua 8.14-29. In verses 14-29: Victory at Ai. In verses 14-15: The sight of Israel's main army draws the forces of Ai out to the north. Israel's withdrawal pulls them further away from the city in the direction of the wilderness, that is, eastward away from the ambush on the west (vv. 12-13). In verse 19: Joshua's extended sword signals the ambush to overrun the undefended (v. 17) city. In verses 20-21: The smoke of the city both disheartens the defenders and signals the Israelite main body to turn and attack. Biblical narratives are not always in strict chronological order.: v. 21 overlaps with the last part of v. 20. On verse 22: The Israelite ambush comes out of Ai to attack the enemy's rear, so they were surrounded by Israelites. In verses 25-27: Devoting the enemy population to destruction (utterly destroyed; v. 26) but sparing the booty follows the pattern set by v. 2. In verse 28: Joshua's action explains the name of Ai, which means "the ruin." In verse 29: Exposing an enemy's body was a grand insult (1 Sam 31.10). Joshua is careful not to violate Deut 21.22-23. This great heap of stones was presumably a well-known landmark (compare 7.26; 10.27). Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 18th

 Read Joshua 8.1-13. In 8.1-13: Setting the trap at Ai. In verse 2: From now on, Israel is to follow the more usual pattern of killing all potential slaves, but keeping the other spoils of war. Even though ultimate victory is given by the Lord (vv. 1, 7, 18), human strategy (an ambush) is still required. In verse 3: Here the ambush is thirty thousand strong in v. 12. It will number only five thousand. Such irregularities resulted when different narrative versions where blended together. In verse 8; The tactical purpose of setting the city on fire is not revealed until v. 20. Unanswered questions boost reader interest. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 17th

 Read Joshua 7.16-26. In 7.16-26: Discovery and punishment. In verses 16-18: That Joshua rose early in the morning signals obedient zeal (3.1;6.12). the sacred lot gave only a yes or no answer, so the discovery process moves down through smaller and smaller social unit: tribe, clan, family, (household). In verse 19: because of confession acknowledges God's justice, it is the equivalent of giving glory to the Lord. In verse 21: Cloth, sliver, and gold are typically items of plunder (2 Kings 7.8). the mantle from Shinar would be a costly outer robe imported from Babylon.  In verse 22: Discovery of the sliver underneath (v. 21) communications the complete accuracy of Achan's confession. In verses 25-26: The trouble (better; "state of ritual isolation"; 6.18) brought on by Achan connects the the valley of Achor where later generations could view the stone pile that marked his grave. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 16th

 Read Joshua 7.1-15. In 7.1-15: The consequence of Achan's sin. In verse 1: Achan, a man of impeccable ancestry, has ignored Joshua's explicate warning concerning the ban (6.18). He acted alone, but the principle of corporate responsibility means that all the Israelites broke faith (also v. 11). Thus the anger of the Lord is directed against the entire nation. In verse 2; Sending spies was a typical first step in a campaign (2.1; Judg 1.23). In verse 5: Such a great panic associated with only thirty-six deaths indicates something is seriously amiss. Israel experiences the fear their enemies have felt: The hearts of the people melted (contrast 2.11; 5.1). In verses 7-9: Joshua follows the pattern of typical lament prayers such as Psalm 44 or 74. He questions the Lord's motives and seeks to provoke a response by highlighting the potential damage to the covenant. (also v. 15). Achan's crime endangers Israel's relationship with the Lord in a fundamental way. In verse 12: The contagious effect of items devoted for destruction (compare 6.18) means that the entire nation has fallen under the ban. In verse 13: The people must engage in a ceremony to make themselves holy in order to prepare for contact with God's action (compare 3.5). In verse 14: The procedure for discovering the culprit involves the use of the sacred lot (1 Sam 14.40-42). In verse 15: An outrageous thing in Israel means a heinous crime against society that endangers the whole nation. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 15th

 Read Joshua 6.22-27. In 6.22-27: The aftermath of Jericho's fall. In verse 23: Rahab's family stays outside the camp because the holy war encampment must remain ritually clean (Deut 23.9-14). In verse 25; The Rahab story explains and justifies the existence of a foreign group still living in Israel. In verse 26: Joshua caps Jericho's state of being banned (devoted to destructions; v. 21) with a curse blocking its reconstruction (compare Deut 13,16). 1 Kings 16.34 reports the consequences of this curse. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 14th

 Read Joshua 6.1-21. In 6.1-21: The capture of Jericho. In verse 1: The problem facing Israel is Jericho's impregnable defensive wall. In verse 2: An assurance of victory was part of holy war tradition (8.1; 10.8). In verse 3: Israel is to engage in a ceremonial siege. In verse 5: A long blast on a trumpet will signal the attack, and a great shout will initiate it (vv. 16, 20). Both are part of holy war tradition. In verses 8-9: The order of march is; armed men followed by seven priests with trumpets, then the ark, and finally the rear guard. In verse 18: To take any of the devoted things would put Israel itself under the ban (an object for destruction) by the principle of contagion. This will be Achan's crime (7.21). In verse 20: Israel makes an assault from all sides at once. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 13th

 Read Joshua 5.13-15. In 5.13-15: The commander of the Lord's army. By Jericho must be understood as "in the general vicinity of Jericho." The drawn sword indicates that war is immanent, Apparently assuming that the man is a human soldier, Joshua challenges him. In verse 14; The commander is not part of either human army, but a visible sign that the Lord's supernatural forces will be fighting for Israel. In verse 15: A quotation from Ex 3.5 draws a parallel between Joshua and Moses. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 12th

 Read Joshua 5.1-12. In 5.1-12: A new start in anew land. In verse 1; Enemy fear repeats Rahab's observations (2.9-11) and will motivate enemy strategy (9.1-2; 10.1-5; 11.1-5). In verse 2: The use of flint knives demonstrates the conservatism of ritual. Israel's circumcised generation had died in the wilderness. Circumcision a second time applies to the men of the post Exodus generation. In verse 3: Apparently this explains the name of a hill near Gilgal. In verse 9: The disgrace of Egypt may refer to Israel's former status as slaves or insults suffered from the Egyptians. Probably Gilgal originally referred to a circle of stones, but here it is explained by reference to Joshua's circumcision. In verses 11-12: The end of manna coordinates with the first Passover in the land, it signifies that Israel has moved from wilderness into an agriculturally productive land. Unleavened cakes and parched grain could be prepared quickly and would be appropriate foods for the first day of this new situation. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 11th

 Read Joshua 4.10-24. In 4.10-24: The crossing completed. In verse 11: The action of crossing is picked up again from v. 1:. In verses 12-13: Particular mention of the eastern tribes emphasizes that all Israel engaged in the conquest together a motif also present in Deut 3.18-20. In verse 14: This exaltation fulfills the pledge of 3.7. In verse 18: The events of 3.15-16 are reversed item by item. In verse 19: The date points forward to Passover in 5.10. In verses 22-24: This answer (in contrast to vv. 6-7) focuses on similarities to crossing the Red Sea on dry ground (Ex 14.22). Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 10th

 Read Joshua 4.1-9. Commemorative stones. In verse 1: Verse 11 repeats words from this verse and 3.17 to indicate that vv. 2-10 happened while the crossing was still going on. In verse 3: The stones are temporarily deposited in the camp, but will be set up permanently at Gilgal (v. 20). In verses 6-7: The stones memorializes the crossing for future generations (compare Deut 6.20-25). This answer highlights the role of the ark and that the water was cut off (in contrast to vv. 22-24). In verse 9: What is apparently a second group of stones is installed in the river itself. Comments or Questions...

Reading for October 9th

 Read Joshua 3.1-17. In 3.1-17: Crossing the Jordan. In verse 3: The crossing is described as a religious procession led by the ark. In verse 4: Because the ark is dangerously holy (compare 2 Sam 6.6-7), the people must keep their distance. In verse 5: To be ready for a miraculous event, the people are to perform a ceremony to make themselves holy. In verse 7: The concern raised by 1.17 is resolved here and in 6.27; The Lord is indeed with Joshua. In verse 10: As the living God, the Lord will be alive and active in the upcoming conquest. In verse 12: The selection of twelve men anticipates 4.2. In verse 15: That the Jordan overflows all its banks increases the wonder of the miracle and makes possible for the priests' feet to touch the edge of the water. In verse 16: Because the flow stood still sixteen miles (twenty-five kilometers) upstream at Adam, the water that would have flowed downstream was cut off. Comments or Questions..