Joshua 17
Pastor Mark Hudson
The conquest of the land of Canaan is not as simple as one might think. Also, the people of Israel had various reactions to the fighting and allocation of the land. Caleb in chapter 14:6ff is a sterling example of both courageous speech and action 15:13ff. This is not always the case in the book of Joshua, the Bible as a whole, or in real life. In this stage of Israel’s journey, they were to annihilate the inhabitants of Canaan. They were warned of the serious consequences of allowing the Canaanites to remain in the land (Deut 12:29ff).
Yet we keep reading that certain people of Canaan remained, “But the Jebusites . . . the people of Judah could not drive out . . . .” “they did not drive out the Canaanites . . . .” “Now when the people of Israel grew strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but did not utterly drive them out” (15:63; 16:10; 17:13). Why? Was it because they were too strong to defeat. They have “chariots of iron” (17:16) and they are strong (17:18). But did Israel find it to their advantage to have free labor? Did they think, ‘these Canaanites are warriors and why not leave them alive and they will provide free work for us so we can pursue other activities?”
In 17:14, the people of Joseph attempt to get land more to their liking. They appeal to Joshua saying their land is too small. After all, they are numerous. Ephraim is 32,500 and Manasseh is 52,700 according to Numbers 26:34, 37. They end their appeal with a healthy dose of religiosity, “since all along the Lord has blessed me?”
Joshua isn’t buying it. “If you are a numerous people . . .” quoting them verbatim. Joshua is reminding them that God has allotted each tribe certain land. They had work to do to bring that land under subjection. Joshua tells them to “go up by yourselves . . . and there clear ground for yourselves . . . .” (v. 15).
The people of Joseph are not done. They respond asking for more land. But Joshua replies with, “You are a numerous people and have great power.” Sometimes when people ask for things that are unusual, they get it. We read this in vs. 3-6. The daughters of Zelophehad ask for a logical but an atypical request. Moses responds affirmatively and now Joshua follows through. But the people of Joseph are told to exert themselves if they want more land. They need to go fight for it, not ask for more or different allotment.
We don’t know the reason for this request. But we can see Joshua was not budging. Joshua wanted them to go fight; the people of Joseph wanted different and possibly more land. I can imagine that if you were allotted land and you compared your land to anther tribe’s land, the grass could look greener on their side. And maybe it was. Or maybe it just looked that way.
The conquest was hard arduous work. Sometimes your work for the church is just plain work. You are not up front where others see you, you do not receive thanks, and it is hard to see progress. Thank God for church planters, missionaries, elders, pastors, who never see the fruit of their labor. Others see the fruit of their labor but may never know their names. Yet, our tasks are before us to fulfill. They may be difficult and thankless, but God has given those tasks to us to complete.
Father, the work of serving You and serving Your church is not all that glorious. We often feel like we teach, clean, nurture and then have to do it all over again. Sometimes we complain or develop bad attitudes. Forgive us for our many sins. Help us to be patient with fellow sinners. You have to put up with us. The least we can do is put up with our brothers and sisters in Christ when they act like sons of Adam and daughters of Eve. In Christ’s name. Amen.