I never leave Naphtali’s land, skirting sweet Galilee, without a deeper longing for the Great Galilean. Inland and parallel to Asher’s mountainous region was the territory given to Naphtali (Jos 19:32-39). Coming south from Mount Hermon, a second range of mountains looks down from their heights upon the azure Sea of Galilee. High in these […]
When baby Asher was born, Leah was happy. When baby Jesus was born, Anna from Asher was happy. Asher means “blessed” or “happy,” and the territory given to this tribe was a blessing indeed (Jos 19:24-31). Both Jacob and Moses spoke of a potentially bright future for this tribe. “Bread from Asher shall be rich, […]
Issachar, with a fighting male census of 64,300, was the third most populous tribe in Israel. When you look at the region given to Issachar (Jos 19:17-23), it isn’t hard to imagine that “Issachar is a strong donkey, lying down between two burdens” (Gen 49:14). The Jezreel Valley is composed of three parts. The city […]
Zebulun, numbering 240,000 fighting men, was nevertheless given one of the smallest regions. Of Zebulun, the only landlocked territory, it was prophesied: “Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out…for they shall partake of the abundance of the seas” (Deut 33:18-19). Just 300 square miles, the small size is deceiving. Like Benjamin, who controlled the northern approach […]
The NT Jacob reminds us, “the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (Jas 1:20). Before we think about the tribal allotment to Simeon (Jos 19:1-9), a little history might help. Jacob had just received a new name after wrestling with the Lord at Jabbok—Israel, a prince with God. But at Shechem, […]
Benjamin, the younger brother of Joseph, was last in line with eleven big, blustery siblings. Benjamin’s territory was small to begin with, 25 miles from the Jordan River to the neighboring tribe of Dan, and 12 miles north to south. It was one of the smallest regions distributed and grew even smaller in time. In […]
After a seven-year war, “the land was subdued” (Jos 18:1) so the tabernacle was set up at Shiloh. Shiloh, in the mountains now claimed by Ephraim, is almost exactly halfway between the northern border at Mount Hermon and the southern border at the Negev. There, we read, “the whole congregation of the children of Israel […]
“That the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls” (Rom 9:11). Following the listing of Judah’s land, “the lot fell to the children of Joseph” (Jos 16:1), apportioned to Ephraim (ch 16) and Manasseh (ch 17). A large section east of the Galilee had already been […]