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Moses and the Law of Israel
Abraham’s grandson, Jacob, had 12 sons who became the fathers
of the 12 tribes of Israel. They went to live in Egypt and
subsequently became slaves of the Egyptians. Moses led them
out of Egypt into the wilderness where they received the Law
from God. This was the national Law of Israel for 1500 years.
The tribes of Israel
Abraham’s grandson Jacob had 12 sons who became the fathers of
the 12 tribes of Israel. Abraham’s other descendants became part of
the Arab nations.
Jacob and his family left the land of Canaan and moved to Egypt
because of a severe famine around 1650 B.C. There were about 75 of
them in total. In a little more than two centuries, they had grown to
about 2 million and had become slaves to the Egyptians.
The exodus from Egypt
At the age of 80, Moses delivered a message from God to the
Pharaoh of Egypt, “Let my people go!”. Not only did God want to
deliver his nation from slavery, but his purpose was also to display
his power over Egypt, the most powerful nation of the day. Exodus 9:16
Only after a catastrophic succession of plagues, culminating in the
death of the firstborn of all in Egypt, did the Egyptian ruler relent
long enough for Israel to escape through the Red Sea.
The Ten Plagues
1. Blood Exodus 7:14–25
2. Frogs Exodus 7:25 – 8:15
3. Gnats Exodus 8:16–19
4. Flies Exodus 8:20–32
5. Livestock Exodus 9:1–7
6. Boils Exodus 9:8–12
7. Hail Exodus 9:13–35
8. Locusts Exodus 10:1–20
9. Darkness Exodus 10:21–29
10. Death of first-born Exodus 11:1–10; 12:29–30.
The wonderful miracles God performed for his people at this time
and his continued deliverance of them were constantly brought before
Israel in later years to remind them that they owed their existence
to him. The most dramatic of these was the opening of the Red
Sea which provided an escape for Israel and doom for the Egyptians.
All ten commandments clearly show man’s obligations and responsibilities
to others. First to God, second to family, third to all humanity.
Note that there is no commandment which draws attention to
self. Selflessness is therefore one of the dominating features taught
by the ten commandments. In every commandment there is the call
to deny self, and live only to serve others.
While the commands given to Moses were meant for the nation of
Israel, the principles behind them apply with equal force today. Jesus
showed that the essence of the Law is to
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your
soul and with all your mind. . . Love your neighbor as yourself.
(Matthew 22:37–40)
Jesus reaffirmed 9 of the 10 commandments giving them an even
greater meaning. The only commandment not restated in the New
Testament concerns keeping the Sabbath. In fact, we are told to keep
God in our lives every day, and that there is no need to hold one day Colossians 2:16; Galatians
as special above others. 4:10
In addition to the 10 commandments, further statutes and judgements
were given. These expressed God’s will on a variety of
matters, and provided laws which regulated the attitude of the Israelites
to God and his worship, to each other, and to the nations
among which they dwelt. These various laws and ordinances together
came to be known as the Law of Moses. Obedience to the
Law would have guaranteed Israel continued occupation of the
Land of Promise until Messiah appeared
Laws of social justice
If you take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge, return it to him by sunset, because his cloak is
the only covering he has for his body. What else will he sleep in? When he cries out to me, I
will hear, for I am compassionate. (Exodus 22:26–27)
Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge
your neighbor fairly. (Leviticus 19:15)
When you lay siege to a city for a long time, fighting against it to capture it, do not destroy its
trees by putting an ax to them, because you can eat their fruit. Do not cut them down. Are
the trees of the field people, that you should besiege them? (Deuteronomy 20:19)
Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain. (Deuteronomy 25:4)
The purpose of the Law
One reason why God gave the Law was to establish Israel as a
unique people, directing their minds towards his thoughts and
ways, so that other nations would admire them, fear them, and fol- Deuteronomy 4:6–8;
low them. This Law disciplined the people in divine thinking. It 28:9–10
brought God to the mind of the people in every way—in the home,
in their education, in the field, in the workshop, and in their daily
(not just weekly) worship.
The Law very effectively revealed that human beings were sinners
before God and in need of redemption. There was no hope of life Romans 5:20; Galatians
apart from the promised Messiah, for no man was able to live a life 3:19
without committing sin. Romans 3:21–23
But above all, the Law was designed to direct the nation to Christ,
the promised redeemer. It was this one great offering that God had Galatians 3:24
promised in the covenants made in Eden, and to Abraham, and Genesis 3:15; 22
which was fulfilled in Christ. Colossians 2:16–17
3.4 In the wilderness
It was a scene of glory when Israel left Mt Sinai after a stay of about
twelve months. A journey of only a week or two separated them Exodus 19:1; Numbers
from the Promised Land, but within a few days the people had be- 10:11
come dispirited by the hard, tiring walk through the barren and
desolate wilderness.
Numbers 13: The twelve spi
Tuesday, October 18, 2016
11.5 hebrews after crossing the red sea
==========================
16th Dynasty—Hebrew Governors of Canaan
| # | Hebrew Dynasty1 | Egyptian Identity | Ruled | Concurrent Egyptian King | Ruled |
| 1 | Abraham | Akheperenre | 1504–1458 | Thutmosis I | 1505–1492 |
| Thutmosis II | 1492–1484 | ||||
| Thutmosis III + Hatshepsut | 1484–1430 | ||||
| 2 | Isaac | Mempsasthenoth (Amenhotep II?) | 1458–1405 | ||
| Amenhotep II | 1430–1405 | ||||
| 3 | Jacob | Yey?/Yi? | 1405–1392 | Thutmosis IV | 1405–1396 |
| 4 | Joseph | Zaphnath-Paaneah/Yuya | 1392–1365 | Amenhotep III (Manasseh/Minos)4 | 1396–1358 |
| 5 | Ephraim2 | Ay | 1365–1325? | [Amarna Period] | [1358–1325] |
| Ay | ?–1325 | ||||
| 6 | Beriah | Horemhab | 1325–1301 | ||
| 7 | Rephah | Ramses I | 1301–1300 | ||
| 8 | Resheph | Seti I | 1300–1286 | ||
| 9 | Telah | Ramses II | 1286–1219 | ||
| 10 | Tahan | ||||
| 11 | Ladan | Merneptah | 1219–1206 | ||
| 12 | Ammihud | Amenmesse (Aaron) | 1206–1201 | ||
| 13 | Elishama | Seti II | 1201–1195 | ||
| Siptah | 1195–1193 | ||||
| Tausret (Miriam) | 1193–1186 | ||||
| 14 | Nun of Ephraim | Setnakhte (Seti II again) | 1186–1182 | ||
| [Amorite Rule]3 | Ramses III | 1182–1150 | |||
| 15 | Joshua | Son of Tausret & Nun | ?–1149 | ||
| [Assyrian Conquest] | Ramses IV | 1150–1144 | |||
| 16 | Othniel | 1145–1134 | Ramses V | 1144–1140 | |
| Ramses VI | 1140–1132 | ||||
| 17 | Eglon of Moab | 1134–1125 | Ramses VII | 1132–1131 | |
| Ramses VIII | 1131–1124 | ||||
| 18 | Ehud | 1125–1115 | Ramses IX | 1124–1105 | |
| 19 | Jabin of Canaan | 1115–1105 | |||
| 20 | Deborah | 1105–1089 | Ramses X | 1105–1097 | |
| 21 | ? of Midian | 1089–1085 | Ramses XI | 1097–1069 | |
| 22 | Gideon | 1085–1084 | |||
| 23 | Abimelech | 1084–1082 | |||
| 24 | Tola | 1082–1071 | |||
| 25 | Jair | 1071–1060 | Nesbanebdjed I (Smendes) | 1069–1043 | |
| [Philistine Conquest] | |||||
| 26 | Jephthah | 1051–1048 | |||
| 27 | Ibzan | 1048–1045 | |||
| 28 | Elon | 1045–1040 | Amenemnisu (Amenophthis) | 1043–1039 | |
| 29 | Abdon | 1040–1036 | Pasebakhaenniut I (Psousennes I) | 1039–991 | |
| [Philistine Conquest] | |||||
| 30 | Shamgar | ?–1016 | |||
| 31 | Eli | 1016–996 | |||
| 32 | Samuel | 996–986 | Amenemope (Nepherkheres) | 991–984 | |
1This is a king-list, not a genealogy. None of these rulers is necessarily related to his predecessor, even in those parts in which the Hebrew bible has them as father and son. That being said, there is no reason to assume that these rulers were not related in some way, whether biologically or by marriage. This is, after all, an Egyptian dynasty, in which kings were commonly created by marriage to their fathers' daughters or, at the transition between dynasties, by marriage of someone of rank to that same daughter.
2Possibly the commissioner mentioned in the Amarna Letters by Abdi-Heba, king of Jerusalem, and Labayu, king of Shechem. 3Blue=Foreign rulers. 4Highlighted in gray=direct Hebrew rule of Egypt? | |||||
11.6 Joshua's Conquest.
==========================
The Land of Canaan. It is well to consider at least three things concerning this little, yet wonderful country. (1) Its geography. It is about four hundred miles long and from seventy-five to one hundred miles wide and is made up of plains, valleys, plateaus, gorges and mountains fashioned together in wonderful variety. There are many small bodies of land capable of supporting a group of people and yet so secluded as to allow them to develop their own individuality and become independent. Every traveler between Egypt and Babylonia must pass through Palestine which thereby became the bridge for the civilization and commerce of tie world. Here the Hebrew could easily keep in touch with the world events of his day. Later it became the gateway of travel from east to west. The territory naturally falls into three divisions: (a) Judah or Judea which is in the southern portion and about seventy-five miles long, (b) Ephraim or Samaria occupying the center of the country, (c) Galilee occupying the northern portion. Along the entire coast line there is a continuous coast plain. There are many mountains, the most important being Hermon, Carmel and Gerizim.
inhabitants and the nations surrounding it. That the population was very dense is indicated by the mention of about three hundred cities and towns a large number of which have been identified. While there were many war-like people crowded into Palestine, seven, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, the Jebusites, the Amorites and the Canaanites, were the most important. The Canaanites, who had been there about six centuries, and the Amorites, who had lived there about ten centuries, were the two peoples that furnished greatest resistance to Israel's occupancy of the country. They were virtually one people.
Around Palestine were many kingdoms, some large and strong, some small and weak. Among the more important were the Philistines, west of Judah, the Phoenician kingdoms on the north, Arameans or Syrians on the northeast, and on the east and southeast, the Ammonites, Moabites and Edomites, the last three being kinsmen of the Hebrews.
The Land of Canaan. It is well to consider at least three things concerning this little, yet wonderful country. (1) Its geography. It is about four hundred miles long and from seventy-five to one hundred miles wide and is made up of plains, valleys, plateaus, gorges and mountains fashioned together in wonderful variety. There are many small bodies of land capable of supporting a group of people and yet so secluded as to allow them to develop their own individuality and become independent. Every traveler between Egypt and Babylonia must pass through Palestine which thereby became the bridge for the civilization and commerce of tie world. Here the Hebrew could easily keep in touch with the world events of his day. Later it became the gateway of travel from east to west. The territory naturally falls into three divisions: (a) Judah or Judea which is in the southern portion and about seventy-five miles long, (b) Ephraim or Samaria occupying the center of the country, (c) Galilee occupying the northern portion. Along the entire coast line there is a continuous coast plain. There are many mountains, the most important being Hermon, Carmel and Gerizim.
inhabitants and the nations surrounding it. That the population was very dense is indicated by the mention of about three hundred cities and towns a large number of which have been identified. While there were many war-like people crowded into Palestine, seven, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, the Jebusites, the Amorites and the Canaanites, were the most important. The Canaanites, who had been there about six centuries, and the Amorites, who had lived there about ten centuries, were the two peoples that furnished greatest resistance to Israel's occupancy of the country. They were virtually one people.
Around Palestine were many kingdoms, some large and strong, some small and weak. Among the more important were the Philistines, west of Judah, the Phoenician kingdoms on the north, Arameans or Syrians on the northeast, and on the east and southeast, the Ammonites, Moabites and Edomites, the last three being kinsmen of the Hebrews.
Conditions favorable to its conquest. Several circumstances conspired to make it a suitable time for the Hebrews to enter Canaan: (a) Egypt had crushed the Hittites and devastated their land; (b) Northern hordes from and through Syria had broken the power of Egypt and the Hittites and had also crushed the Canaanites; (c) Assyria had increased her borders to the coasts of Phoenicia and was feared by all other peoples; (d) Babylonia was not strong enough to displace Assyria as an Asiatic power but strong enough to dispute her supremacy; (e) For two hundred years, therefore, their weakness together with that of Egypt and the Hittites gave the Hebrews ample time to develop and grow strong.
The Crossing of the Jordan and the Fall of Jericho. To the Hebrews these two incidents have always been of first importance. As the two great events through which they gained entrance to their permanent home, they have been given a place in Hebrew literature almost equal to that of their deliverance from Egyptian bondage. The divine share in these great accomplishments was fully recognized. He it was who caused the waters of Jordan to separate and He it was who threw down the walls of Jericho. Not only did Jericho occupy a strategic position, being somewhat apart from other Canaanite cities, but the marvelous manner of its fall both encouraged the Hebrews to expect complete victory and also caused the Canaanites to fear them and expect defeat.
The Complete Conquest of Canaan. The conquest was a sort of whirlwind campaign that crushed the active and dangerous opposition of the Canaanites, the complete occupancy being accomplished by a piecemeal process of subduing one after another of the little cities and independent tribes. The campaign was well planned. The Jordan was crossed, Jericho was taken and then by pushing forward for the heart of the land, Ai was overcome and in a short time Joshua was in the center of the land, ready to strike either way. With his central camp established at Gilgal (5:10; 9:6) and the forces of Canaan divided, Joshua could advance by two lines of invasion. Whether he made simultaneous campaigns in different directions is not certain, but he seems first to have turned his attention to the southern territory and then to have completed his conquest by an invasion of the northern districts. After bending before this storm the Canaanites still held possession of the land and the piecemeal process of subjugation began. It was not all accomplished by the sword but aided by the peaceful measures of inter-marriage and treaties with friendly neighbors. Israel contended against a far superior civilization but finally won because the religious as well as the civil and social life was involved.
The Cruelty to the Canannites. Stress has commonly been laid on the cruelty to the Canaanites and upon their being driven out of their land when it should have been put upon their character where the Scripture puts it. This is a waste of false sympathy. The Scripture always speaks of the driving out of the Canaanites as a punishment for their sins (Dt, 9:4-5; Lev. 18:24-25). Some of the abominations which they practiced are described in Lev. 18:21-30 and Dt. 12:30-32. These abominations were practiced in the name of religion and were so shocking that one shudders to read the description.
Everything evil was worshiped. The chief god was Baal, the sun, who was worshiped at different places under different names, but everywhere his worship was fierce and cruel. His consort Ashtaroth, the Babylonian goddess Istar, the goddess of love, worshiped as the morning star, Venus, fostered in her worship abominations that are almost inconceivable in our times. It was a worship of impurity and could not be cured by ordinary means. God had borne with it for hundreds of years. Their destruction was therefore justifiable just as was that of the old world and the Jews were simply God's instruments just as were the waters of the flood or the fire and brimstone in the case of Sodom and Gomorrah.
God was planning to begin, a new nation, to start a new civilization and by using this method of punishment for the Canaanites he impressed the Hebrews in a most striking way with the consequences of forsaking worship of the true God. It was a new thing in the world to have all idolatrous symbols destroyed and to worship an unseen God and yet Joshua constantly represented to them that all the evils they had inflicted upon the Canaanites, and greater evils, would be sent upon them if they should become idolaters. Little, therefore, need be said of the cruelty of the Hebrews nor of the suffering of the Canaanites. The Hebrews were the instrument of God and the Canaanites were reaping what they had sown.
The Significance of the War Against the Canannites. Of all the wars recorded in human history this was one of the greatest, if not the greatest of all. None was ever fought for a more noble purpose and none has accomplished greater ends. The fate of the world was in the balance. Old civilizations on account of their wickedness, were to soon fall and this series of conflicts was to decide whether a new civilization with a pure and holy purpose to serve God could arise in their midst. It was, therefore, a war (1) For purification. The individual, the temple and the home must all be pure. (2) For civil liberty. Israel was now, under God, to govern herself and thereby to give the world a pattern of government as God's free nation. (3) For religious liberty. Idolatry, vice and superstition were everywhere and the people must be free to worship the one true God and Creator of all. (4) For the whole world. Israel was to be a blessing to all nations. Out of her and out of this land was to come Christ, her son, who should save the nations. The war was, therefore, for us as well as for them.
The Character and Work of Joshua. The name Joshua in the Old Testament is equivalent to Jesus in the New (Heb. 4:8). His character and work were well adapted to his age and he therefore made a deep impression upon this formative period of Israel's history. He was fully prepared for the work of the conquest by his association with Moses and by such events as the defeat of Amalek which he accomplished by divine help (Ex. 17:10-16). With all he had been called of God and set apart for the work of subjugating the Canaanites. As a soldier and commander, he ranks among the first of the world. He is resourceful, brave, straightforward, fertile in strategy, and quick to strike (1:10-11; 2:1 etc.). In the councils of peace he was wise and generous. He displayed statesmanship of the highest order in mapping out the boundaries of the tribes and thus preparing the land for a permanent occupancy of the Hebrews. In the matter of religion he was actuated by a spirit of implicit obedience to God's authority. He combined in his nature both courage and gentleness and exhibited in his dealings the disposition of both the lion and the lamb. His dying charge is full of earnestness and devotion. As a type of Christ he led the people to the "rest" of Canaan, though not to the rest of the gospel which "remaineth to the people of God." A void still remained and they still had to look forward. He led them to victory over their enemies and became their advocate when they sinned and met defeat.
Lessons of the Period. Among many lessons suggested by this book the following should be considered and the student asked to suggest others. (1) God is at war with sin: (a) He thrusts out the Canaanites because of their sins; (b) He allows the defeat of Israel at Ai because sin was among them; (c) He allows Achan put to death because of it. He is, therefore, against all sin, personal, social and civic or national. (2) Religious victory and entrance upon spiritual rest is accomplished through a leader or commander and through a divine power, not through a law giver and by the works of the law. It was not Moses, the lawgiver, through whom they entered and not by their own strength. (3) God keeps his covenants in spite of all the weakness of man. (4) God decides the issues of battles and of wars with a view to the final on-going of his kingdom. Only God and not the relative strength or preparedness of the contending armies can forecast the final issues of war. (5) The fact that God is for one does not preclude the use of strategy and discretionary methods. (6) The failure or sin of one man may defeat a whole cause and that in spite of the faithful efforts of many others. (7) What is a just severity to some is often a great mercy to others. The destruction of the Canaanites was a severe penalty for their sins, but it was an unspeakable blessing to all the future ages because by it a true faith and a pure worship was preserved.
For Study and Discussion. (1) Each of the lessons suggested above. Find a basis either in incident or teaching for each. (2) The geography of the country with the principal cities mentioned. (3) The several tribes of people mentioned in the narrative. (4) The providential conditions favorable to the conquest just at that time. (5) The cruelties of the Israelites to their enemies. Select examples and discuss each. (6) The significance of the war. (7) The character and work of Joshua. Point out incidents or acts that show elements of greatness and weakness in his character; also estimate the value of his work. (8) The cooperation of the two and a half tribes in these wars. (9) The several battles described. List them and decide what contributed to the success or failure of Israel in each case. (10) The story of the fall of Jericho. (11) The sin of Achan, its results, its discovery and punishment. (12) The story of the Gibeonites, their stratagem, its embarrassment to Joshua and consequent slavery to them. (13) The portion of land allotted to each tribe and how it was secured. (14) The miraculous element running through the narrative. List and discuss each incident that tends to show or makes claim of such miraculous element. (15) The place of prayer and worship in the hook. Give incidents. (16) The element that is figurative or illustrative of truth revealed in New Testament times.
11.7 JOSHUA AT Jericho and Ai
==========================
Joshua sent two men across the Jordan River to infiltrate Jericho and discover its weaknesses. The spies found an accomplice in Rahab, a Jericho prostitute. She hid them from the king of the city-state of Jericho and in return extracted a pledge of protection from them: When they attacked Jericho, she and her family would be spared
The priests picked up the ark and left Shittim, heading for the Jordan River. When their feet touched the waters of the Jordan, it stopped flowing, and the people crossed over on dry ground. This miracle of the crossing parallels the miracle of crossing the Reed Sea (see Exodus 14), and by association with Moses and this miracle, Joshua’s leadership is again validated
Once the entire group had crossed over, a representative from each tribe picked up a stone from the river bottom and carried it to Gilgal
The events to be remembered include this miraculous crossing that Yhwh engineered, the victory over Jericho, and especially the making of the covenant
Also at Gilgal, Joshua had all the male Israelites circumcised.
Those who were circumcised were of course the second generation of Israelites since the departure from Egypt. That they were uncircumcised implies that the first generation had been unfaithful in yet another way. They had failed to perpetuate the essential sign of the covenant
The instruction to totally eliminate the Canaanite enemy was commanded to effect a complete separation between the incoming Israelites and the indigenous Canaanites. As the account of the book of Joshua goes on to describe, this instruction was not carried out to the letter. The result was that many Canaanites remained in the land, and the eventual spiritual problems of the Israelites were traced to this shortcoming: The Canaanites lured the Israelites into following after foreign gods.
After the victory at Jericho the Israelites attacked Ai. Expecting only minimal resistance, Joshua sent a small raiding party against the city, yet the Israelite fighters were soundly defeated. This defeat was a sign that God was displeased with the Israelites. By casting lots—small objects that are made of clay, wood, or stone that function like dice—an Israelite named Achan was identified as the culprit. Casting lots was the mechanical means whereby God revealed his decisions. After being thrown, their configuration provided answers. Because Achan had stolen goods from Jericho,
Joshua sent two men across the Jordan River to infiltrate Jericho and discover its weaknesses. The spies found an accomplice in Rahab, a Jericho prostitute. She hid them from the king of the city-state of Jericho and in return extracted a pledge of protection from them: When they attacked Jericho, she and her family would be spared
The priests picked up the ark and left Shittim, heading for the Jordan River. When their feet touched the waters of the Jordan, it stopped flowing, and the people crossed over on dry ground. This miracle of the crossing parallels the miracle of crossing the Reed Sea (see Exodus 14), and by association with Moses and this miracle, Joshua’s leadership is again validated
Once the entire group had crossed over, a representative from each tribe picked up a stone from the river bottom and carried it to Gilgal
The events to be remembered include this miraculous crossing that Yhwh engineered, the victory over Jericho, and especially the making of the covenant
Also at Gilgal, Joshua had all the male Israelites circumcised.
Those who were circumcised were of course the second generation of Israelites since the departure from Egypt. That they were uncircumcised implies that the first generation had been unfaithful in yet another way. They had failed to perpetuate the essential sign of the covenant
Jericho’s Walls Fall Down
The story of the famous fight against Jericho does not detail the military side of things. It does not describe the armor of the Israelites or any siege devices. Rather, the account describes the battle as a sacred event.
The instruction to totally eliminate the Canaanite enemy was commanded to effect a complete separation between the incoming Israelites and the indigenous Canaanites. As the account of the book of Joshua goes on to describe, this instruction was not carried out to the letter. The result was that many Canaanites remained in the land, and the eventual spiritual problems of the Israelites were traced to this shortcoming: The Canaanites lured the Israelites into following after foreign gods.
After the victory at Jericho the Israelites attacked Ai. Expecting only minimal resistance, Joshua sent a small raiding party against the city, yet the Israelite fighters were soundly defeated. This defeat was a sign that God was displeased with the Israelites. By casting lots—small objects that are made of clay, wood, or stone that function like dice—an Israelite named Achan was identified as the culprit. Casting lots was the mechanical means whereby God revealed his decisions. After being thrown, their configuration provided answers. Because Achan had stolen goods from Jericho,
Second Campaign: Five City-States
Most of the indigenous Canaanites viewed the presence of the Israelites in Canaan as a threat. But some isolated villages decided it would be to their advantage to make peace with the Israelites. One such village was Gibeon. The problem, however, was that the Gibeonites knew that the Israelites were not in the practice of making peace but were under divine orders to exterminate everyone. But the Gibeonites were clever in avoiding this. Although they lived only a short distance from Gilgal where the Israelites were encamped, they disguised themselves as travelers from afar. They figured that if they were perceived to be foreigners, who presumably held no claim to Canaan, then the Israelites might make a treaty with them
Third Campaign: Hazor
A coalition of city-states in the region of the Sea of Galilee was organized by Jabin, king of Hazor, and they fought against the Israelites at Merom. Joshua and the Israelites won a great victory and finished by burning Hazor to the ground. This was a tremendous victory because Hazor was the dominant urban center in northern Canaan in the Middle Bronze Age. Though smaller in the late Bronze Age, Yadin (1972), its principal investigator, called it “the New York City of Canaan.” Hazor contains unmistakable evidence of destruction by fire in the second half of the thirteenth century BCE and was resettled by a less sophisticated people, judging by the material remains, who lived in tents and huts. Archaeologists and historians have credited the destruction and subsequent resettlement to
11.8 JOSHUA ASSIGNED TRIBAL TERRITORIES
==========================
JOSHUA ASSIGNED TRIBAL TERRITORIES
a known group of marginalized citizens called the habiru, the indigenous inhabitants of inferior social status who pressured the ruling establishment of Canaan
Toward the end of Joshua’s life a conflict arose, and the Transjordanian tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East-Manasseh fought against the Israelite tribes in Canaan (22). The dispute was religious in nature and almost provoked a full-scale civil war.
JOSHUA ASSIGNED TRIBAL TERRITORIES
a known group of marginalized citizens called the habiru, the indigenous inhabitants of inferior social status who pressured the ruling establishment of Canaan
Toward the end of Joshua’s life a conflict arose, and the Transjordanian tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East-Manasseh fought against the Israelite tribes in Canaan (22). The dispute was religious in nature and almost provoked a full-scale civil war.
11.9 times of the judges
==========================
Judges 1; 1 Sam. 7.
his is a period of transition for Israel Nothing was quite certain, and "every man did that which was right in his own eyes" (17:6). In consequence of this there was lack of organization, cooperation or leadership. there was no central stable government and no hereditary rulers the people accepted from time to time as their rulers certain military leaders whom God raised up and who, by their prowess, delivered them from the yoke of foreign oppression. It was, therefore, a period of personal efforts some of which are preserved for us in this portion of scripture. Fifteen Judges are named counting Eli and Samuel,
The Mesopotamians came down from the northeast and oppressed Israel until Othniel, Caleb's nephew, was raised up to deliver them.
The invasion of the Moabites and the deliverance through Ehud.
The oppression of the Canaanites, who came down from the north, was thrown off through the leadership of Deborah assisted by Barak.
The Midianites came in from the east and greatly oppressed Israel until Gideon defeated and destroyed these bold oppressors.
he invasion of the Ammonites and Israel's deliverance through Jephthah.
The Philistines were the next successful enemies of Israel and were enabled to do great harm to Israel until Samson arose and overthrew their power.
Samuel was the last of the judges and was also a priest and prophet. He is one of the outstanding Old Testament characters. Abraham founded the Hebrew race; Joseph saved them from famine; Moses gave them a home and Samuel organized them into a great kingdom which led to their glory. His birth was in answer to prayer and as judge or deliverer he won his most signal victory, that against the Philistines, by means of prayer. He founded schools for the instruction of young prophets at Gilgal. Bethel, Mizpeh and Ramah.
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Judges 1; 1 Sam. 7.
his is a period of transition for Israel Nothing was quite certain, and "every man did that which was right in his own eyes" (17:6). In consequence of this there was lack of organization, cooperation or leadership. there was no central stable government and no hereditary rulers the people accepted from time to time as their rulers certain military leaders whom God raised up and who, by their prowess, delivered them from the yoke of foreign oppression. It was, therefore, a period of personal efforts some of which are preserved for us in this portion of scripture. Fifteen Judges are named counting Eli and Samuel,
The Mesopotamians came down from the northeast and oppressed Israel until Othniel, Caleb's nephew, was raised up to deliver them.
The invasion of the Moabites and the deliverance through Ehud.
The oppression of the Canaanites, who came down from the north, was thrown off through the leadership of Deborah assisted by Barak.
The Midianites came in from the east and greatly oppressed Israel until Gideon defeated and destroyed these bold oppressors.
he invasion of the Ammonites and Israel's deliverance through Jephthah.
The Philistines were the next successful enemies of Israel and were enabled to do great harm to Israel until Samson arose and overthrew their power.
Samuel was the last of the judges and was also a priest and prophet. He is one of the outstanding Old Testament characters. Abraham founded the Hebrew race; Joseph saved them from famine; Moses gave them a home and Samuel organized them into a great kingdom which led to their glory. His birth was in answer to prayer and as judge or deliverer he won his most signal victory, that against the Philistines, by means of prayer. He founded schools for the instruction of young prophets at Gilgal. Bethel, Mizpeh and Ramah.
| 15 | Joshua | Son of Tausret & Nun | ?–1149 | ||
| [Assyrian Conquest] | Ramses IV | 1150–1144 | |||
| 16 | Othniel | 1145–1134 | Ramses V | 1144–1140 | |
| Ramses VI | 1140–1132 | ||||
| 17 | Eglon of Moab | 1134–1125 | Ramses VII | 1132–1131 | |
| Ramses VIII | 1131–1124 | ||||
| 18 | Ehud | 1125–1115 | Ramses IX | 1124–1105 | |
| 19 | Jabin of Canaan | 1115–1105 | |||
| 20 | Deborah | 1105–1089 | Ramses X | 1105–1097 | |
| 21 | ? of Midian | 1089–1085 | Ramses XI | 1097–1069 | |
| 22 | Gideon | 1085–1084 | |||
| 23 | Abimelech | 1084–1082 | |||
| 24 | Tola | 1082–1071 | |||
| 25 | Jair | 1071–1060 | Nesbanebdjed I (Smendes) | 1069–1043 | |
| [Philistine Conquest] | |||||
| 26 | Jephthah | 1051–1048 | |||
| 27 | Ibzan | 1048–1045 | |||
| 28 | Elon | 1045–1040 | Amenemnisu (Amenophthis) | 1043–1039 | |
| 29 | Abdon | 1040–1036 | Pasebakhaenniut I (Psousennes I) | 1039–991 | |
| [Philistine Conquest] | |||||
| 30 | Shamgar | ?–1016 | |||
| 31 | Eli | 1016–996 | |||
| 32 | Samuel | 996–986 | Amenemope (Nepherkheres) | 991–984 | |
1This is a king-list, not a genealogy. None of these rulers is necessarily related to his predecessor, even in those parts in which the Hebrew bible has them as father and son. That being said, there is no reason to assume that these rulers were not related in some way, whether biologically or by marriage. This is, after all, an Egyptian dynasty, in which kings were commonly created by marriage to their fathers' daughters or, at the transition between dynasties, by marriage of someone of rank to that same daughter.
2Possibly the commissioner mentioned in the Amarna Letters by Abdi-Heba, king of Jerusalem, and Labayu, king of Shechem. 3Blue=Foreign rulers. 4Highlighted in gray=direct Hebrew rule of Egypt? | |||||
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12 KINGDOM OF ISRAEL The Reign of Saul.
I Sam. 8-31; I Chron. 10
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The Demand for a King. The last period saw one tribe after another come to the front and assert itself through some leading man as an emergency arose, but now the tribes are to be united into a monarchy and this, too, at their own request made in the form of a desire for a king. Several things no doubt influenced them to make this request. (1) From the days of Joshua there had been no strong national bond. They were only held together by the law of Moses and the annual assemblages at Shiloh. But the wise reign of Samuel had given an enlarged national consciousness and led to a desire for a stable government with the largest possible national unity. (2) The failure of the sons of Samuel, who had been entrusted with some power and who would naturally succeed him, led them to feel that provision for the welfare of the nation must be made before the death of Samuel or ruin would come. (3) The attitude of the nations around Israel suggested the need of a strong government headed by a leader of authority. The Philistines and Ammonites had already made incursions into their land and threatened at any time to further oppress them. The new organization, therefore, seemed necessary as a national protection. (4) The faith of Jehovah was threatened. The victories of the Philistines would be interpreted to mean that Jehovah was powerless or else did not care for his people. This would lead them to turn to other gods. Then too they were greatly tempted by the religion of the Canaanite to turn from Jehovah. It was, therefore, a religious crisis that made it essential that the Hebrews unite and in the name of Jehovah over throw the Philistines and establish a nation that would rightly represent to all nations Jehovah as the God of their race. (5) The nations around them such as Egypt and Assyria with their seats of royalty had excited their pride and they were moved with a desire to be like their heathen neighbors-a desire which involved disrespect for their divine king and want of faith in him.
The Principle of the Kingdom. The folly of the people did not lie in their asking for a king to rule over them, but in the spirit of forgetfulness of God with which they made the request. Indeed Moses had provided for a kingdom and given the law upon which the king was to rule (Dt 17:14-20). He was to be unlike other kings. He was not to rule according to his own will or that of the people but according to the will of Jehovah. He was to be subject to God as was the humblest Israelite, and, under his immediate direction, was to rule for the good of the people. This was a new principle that showed it self in all the future history of Israel. Saul attempted to be like others-to assert his own will-and disobeyed God and was deposed while David identified himself with God and his purposes and was successful. One represent the ideal of the people, the other that of the Scripture.
Saul the First King. He began his career under the most auspicious circumstances. His tribe and its location as well as his fine physical appearance gave him great advantage. He was enthusiastic and brave, and yet in the early days he charms us with his modesty. After he was anointed by Samuel and had been made to see the great career opening to him he returned to his regular toil until the people were called together at Mizpah and proclaimed him king. Samuel supported him with his influence and the people gave him allegiance. He was for a while subservient to the will of God and greatly prospered. But later he became self-willed and failed to see that the nation was God's and not his. He developed a spirit of disobedience, perverseness and evil conduct that mark him as insane.
Saul's Great Achievements. The oppression of Israel's enemies which in part at least made necessary their king had to be dealt with at once. In his contest with them Saul had a very successful military career. He was successful in the following campaigns: (I) Against the Ammonites (I Sam. 11) in which he delivered from ruin the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead on the east Of Jordan and won the love of all the Hebrew people. (2) Against the Philistines (I Sam. 13-14) in which Jonathan was the hero. Before the battle he disobeyed the will of God by performing the duties of a priest and was told he should lose his kingdom on account of it. At the close of the campaign he lost his temper and proposed to kill Jonathan, his son, the hero of the day because he had unwittingly disobeyed a foolish command. (3) Against Moab, Ammon, Edom and Zobah (I Sam. 14:47) of which there are no particulars given. (4) Against the Amalekites (I Sam. 15) in which, though he defeated Amalek, he disobeyed God in not wholly destroying all Amalek and his possessions and thereby lost for the time being Samuel's help and finally his kingdom. It was after this battle that David was anointed to become king in Saul's stead.
Saul's Decline. From Chapter 16 on the story tells of the rapid decline of Saul and of the rise of David to the kingdom. (1) There is given the story of the madness of Saul and the introduction of David to the court as the king's musician. (2) The campaign against the Philistines in which David kills Goliath, the giant that was defying Israel, and won great honor from the king. (3) His effort to destroy David. During many years he, with bitter jealousy and an insane hatred, tried to destroy David who was as constantly delivered by a divine providence. Whether on account of sickness or other reason, he seems to have had fits of insanity during this period. (4) His last battle and death. The Philistines arrayed themselves against Saul. With a sense of defeat he tried to get in touch with Samuel, but finally met a death in harmony with his life and thus ended one of the most melancholy careers of all history. All because of his disobedience to God (I Chron. 10:1.1-14).
Lessons of the Period. (1) God adapts his methods to the needs and conditions of the people from tribal government to kingdom. (2) A man out of harmony with God will certainly fail-Saul. (3) A man in harmony with God's plan will succeed no matter how much opposed by others-David. (4) God never forgets to punish those who oppress his people-Amalekites. (5) The success of God's work does not depend upon our attitude toward his will, but our condition when it has succeeded does. (6) A righteous man can succeed without doing wrong to do it. (7) God's anointed will suffer if they sin. (8) Kindness to enemies-David to Saul. (9) The strength of true friendship-Jonathan and David.
For Study and Discussion. (1) The condition that led to the establishment of the kingdom. (3) Four statements Samuel made to Saul and four ways by which he tried to impress him with the responsibility to which he was called I Sam. 9:19-10-8. (3) The prophet bands or school of prophets. (4) The story of Jonathan's exploits against Michmash by Saul and his escape, I Sam. 14. (5) The story of David's choice and anointing, I Sam. 16:1-13. (6) The killing of Goliath and defeat of the Philistines. I Sam. Ch. 17. (7) Story of Jonathan and David, I Sam. 18:1-4; 19:1-7; 20:1-4, 12-17, 41-42; 23:16-18. (8) David's wanderings, 21:10-22-5. (9) Compare Saul and David at the time of the anointing of each as to their chances of success. (10) David's sojourn in Philistia with the experience of embarrassment and advantage, I Sam. Chs. 27-28. (11) Saul's last battle and death, (a) the appeal to Samuel through the witch, I Sam. Ch. 28, (b) the battle, his and his son's death, I Sam. Ch.31.
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