1. Allotment for Ephraim and Manasseh
In this passage, the Lord allots land for the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh - here, land is provided for that subset of Manasseh not on the east side of the Jordan. It is noted that Zelophehad, a descendant of Makir son of Manasseh, only had daughters - and no sons; yet his daughters are given an inheritance, fulfilling the promises of the Lord through Moses in Numbers 27 and 36. It is also noted that Ephraim and Manasseh feared the Perizzites and Rephaites, as they possessed iron chariots.
Reviewing the history of warfare - in particular, the evolution of weaponry - provides a sound basis for Israel's fear of the iron chariots that belonged to the inhabitants of the Promised Land. Iron chariots assuredly belong to the class of transformational weapons that includes the longbow, the Gatling gun and the cruise missile. While the Israelites were woefully inadequate in terms of technological nous, the Lord used this shortcoming to compel them to depend on Him for their military successes.
2. Division of the Rest of the Land
In this passage, Joshua chastises the remaining seven tribes for not dividing up the rest of the Promised Land and taking possession of their inheritance. He has each of these tribes select three men to survey the land; based on the results of these surveys, the land will be divided into seven parts, and lots will be cast for each part. The lots are to be cast at Shiloh in the presence of the Lord, as Shiloh is the site of the Tent of Meeting.
Again, it is (depressingly) simple to understand why the remaining seven tribes failed to obey the Lord and claim their inheritance. Going forth and slaying all of the inhabitants of the Promised Land must have been a frightening, stomach-churning proposition for the Israelites. Someday I hope to ask God why the Canaanites were beyond redemption and obtain an answer of some sort from Him...
3. Allotment for Benjamin
In this passage, the first lot is cast at Shiloh, and it comes up for Benjamin. They receive land between Judah and Ephraim; their inheritance happens to include important cities such as Jerusalem, Jericho and Bethel.
Clearly the Lord had designed to bless the tribe of Benjamin in abundance, which reminds me of the favor that Jacob showed Benjamin - as one of the sons of his beloved wife Rachel. The territory that Benjamin inherited was rather compact, yet - according to Deuteronomy 33:12 - one could say that it was closest to God's heart. It should be noted that Benjamin plays a rather significant role in the New Testament, as the apostle Paul was a Benjamite.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Friday, March 2, 2012
Joshua 13-15
1. Land Still to Be Taken
In this passage, the Lord tells Joshua that the Israelites have not fully obeyed His commands; in particular, they have not conquered the land of the Philistines to the south, and they have not conquered the land of the Sidonians to the north. Now the Lord does promise Joshua that He will drive the Sidonians from their land.
I can understand why the Israelites failed to fully obey the Lord's command for them to completely destroy the inhabitants of the Promised Land. If I were an Israelite at that time, my stomach would have churned at the prospect of having to slay pregnant women, infants, and the elderly. Why the Lord determined that the inhabitants of the Promised Land were beyond redemption is an issue that Christians continue to wrestle with.
2. Division of the Land East of the Jordan
In this passage, the land east of the Jordan is divided among the half-tribe of Manasseh, the tribe of Reuben and the tribe of Gad. Manasseh received a fairly large portion of land that included the former kingdom of Og in Bashan. As for the land that formerly belonged to Sihon king of Heshbon, it was divided between Reuben and Gad. It is noted that Levi did not receive an inheritance.
I wonder if the decision by these tribes to separate themselves from the rest of the Israelites caused friction within Israel. Did the members of these tribes feel a strong bond with the other tribes, or did enmity occasionally bubble to the surface?
3. Division of the Land West of the Jordan
In this passage, it is noted that the Levites were allowed to live in towns; they were also given pasturelands for their flocks and herds. Also, the inheritance of the other nine-and-a-half tribes was determined by casting lots.
4. Hebron Given to Caleb
In this passage, it is noted that Caleb, son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, asked Joshua for the land that the Lord had promised him for his faithfulness 45 years before the writing of this book. Joshua then gave Caleb Hebron as his inheritance.
I definitely enjoyed reading the account of Caleb's acquisition of Hebron - for the obvious reasons. Even though he was 85, he was still raring to drive the Anakites from Hebron and fully claim his inheritance. It is amazing that he still possessed a fighting spirit in his old age - and that he trusted the Lord to carry out the promise that He made 45 years ago.
5. Allotment for Judah
This passage meticulously describes the inheritance of the tribe of Judah. It contains a complete list of the towns that they received - which happened to be in the Negev, the western foothills, the hill country and the desert. It is also noted that Judah could not dislodge the Jebusites from Jerusalem, and so they co-existed at that time. In addition, it is noted that Caleb gave his daughter Acsah in marriage to Othniel son of Kenaz, his brother - since Othniel had captured Kiriath Sepher.
The account of Caleb in this passage was rather humbling, as it appears - based on the note in the sidebar in my NIV Study Bible - that the land that he gave to Acsah and Othniel lacked a source of water. I suppose that we are all forgetful and overlook key details every now and then...
In this passage, the Lord tells Joshua that the Israelites have not fully obeyed His commands; in particular, they have not conquered the land of the Philistines to the south, and they have not conquered the land of the Sidonians to the north. Now the Lord does promise Joshua that He will drive the Sidonians from their land.
I can understand why the Israelites failed to fully obey the Lord's command for them to completely destroy the inhabitants of the Promised Land. If I were an Israelite at that time, my stomach would have churned at the prospect of having to slay pregnant women, infants, and the elderly. Why the Lord determined that the inhabitants of the Promised Land were beyond redemption is an issue that Christians continue to wrestle with.
2. Division of the Land East of the Jordan
In this passage, the land east of the Jordan is divided among the half-tribe of Manasseh, the tribe of Reuben and the tribe of Gad. Manasseh received a fairly large portion of land that included the former kingdom of Og in Bashan. As for the land that formerly belonged to Sihon king of Heshbon, it was divided between Reuben and Gad. It is noted that Levi did not receive an inheritance.
I wonder if the decision by these tribes to separate themselves from the rest of the Israelites caused friction within Israel. Did the members of these tribes feel a strong bond with the other tribes, or did enmity occasionally bubble to the surface?
3. Division of the Land West of the Jordan
In this passage, it is noted that the Levites were allowed to live in towns; they were also given pasturelands for their flocks and herds. Also, the inheritance of the other nine-and-a-half tribes was determined by casting lots.
4. Hebron Given to Caleb
In this passage, it is noted that Caleb, son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, asked Joshua for the land that the Lord had promised him for his faithfulness 45 years before the writing of this book. Joshua then gave Caleb Hebron as his inheritance.
I definitely enjoyed reading the account of Caleb's acquisition of Hebron - for the obvious reasons. Even though he was 85, he was still raring to drive the Anakites from Hebron and fully claim his inheritance. It is amazing that he still possessed a fighting spirit in his old age - and that he trusted the Lord to carry out the promise that He made 45 years ago.
5. Allotment for Judah
This passage meticulously describes the inheritance of the tribe of Judah. It contains a complete list of the towns that they received - which happened to be in the Negev, the western foothills, the hill country and the desert. It is also noted that Judah could not dislodge the Jebusites from Jerusalem, and so they co-existed at that time. In addition, it is noted that Caleb gave his daughter Acsah in marriage to Othniel son of Kenaz, his brother - since Othniel had captured Kiriath Sepher.
The account of Caleb in this passage was rather humbling, as it appears - based on the note in the sidebar in my NIV Study Bible - that the land that he gave to Acsah and Othniel lacked a source of water. I suppose that we are all forgetful and overlook key details every now and then...
Monday, October 31, 2011
Joshua 10-12
1. The Sun Stands Still
This passage describes the victory that Israel achieved over five Amorite kings. In particular, Adoni-Zedek, who was the king of Jerusalem, gathered the kings of Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon to attack Gibeon after hearing about Israel's destruction of Ai and their peace treaty with Gibeon. The Gibeonites urgently requested Joshua's assistance, and he agreed to help them. The Lord then enabled Israel to achieve a great victory over the Amorite kings; during that battle, the Lord miraculously increased the hours of daylight and used large hailstones to destroy the Amorite forces.
Being assailed by large hailstones sounds terrifying. In fact, it is noted in Joshua 10:11 that hailstones accounted for more Amorite deaths than the swords of the Israelites. Not only does this highlight the Lord's role in Israel's victory, but it shows His power over nature.
2. Five Amorite Kings Killed
In this passage, the five Amorite kings from the previous passage fled to a cave at Makkedah. Unfortunately for them, the Israelites tracked them down, trapped them in that cave and destroyed their forces. The Israelites returned to the cave and brought out the five kings; Joshua had his army commanders stand on their necks, and then he killed them. After that, Joshua hung the kings' bodies on trees and then tossed them into the cave. After blocking up the cave entrance with large rocks, Joshua caused Makkedah to suffer the same fate that befell Jericho.
This passage further highlights the brutality of war in ancient times. It is evident that opposing the Lord had very nasty consequences.
3. Southern Cities Conquered
In this passage, Joshua and the Israelites laid waste to the southern part of Canaan. They defeated the cities of Libnah, Lachish, Eglon, Hebron and Debir; they also defeated the king of Gezer and his forces when he attempted to rescue Lachish.
While reading this passage I thought about the costs that Israel suffered - or didn't suffer - over the course of this campaign. Were any Israelites killed in these battles, or did the Lord miraculously preserve them from harm? Did the fact that the Lord fought for Israel in these instances imply that the Israelites were never injured, or did casualties actually occur?
4. Northern Kings Defeated
This passage describes the victories that Israel achieved over the northern cities of Canaan. Jabin, who was the king of Hazor, gathered several kings and formed a vast army with horses and chariots. This large host prepared to fight against Israel, yet the Lord told Joshua that He would give them the victory. Indeed, Israel defeated their enemies, hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots. Israel then laid waste to most of the northern part of Canaan, though they did leave Anakites alive in Gaza, Gath and Ashdod.
It is interesting that Israel did not completely destroy the Anakites, which essentially led to their future conflicts with the Philistines. This issue was raised in my NIV Study Bible, and it was noted there that the Israelites were probably weary of war after conquering the northern part of Canaan; thus, they would have refrained from wiping out the Anakites. Perhaps Israel did suffer losses during their battles, even though the Lord fought for them?
5. List of Defeated Kings
This passage lists all of the kings who Israel defeated as they entered the Promised Land, including Sihon king of the Amorites, Og king of Bashan, and thirty-one other kings. It is reiterated that Moses gave the land east of the Jordan River to the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh.
This passage is essentially a long trophy list, and I was intimidated as I read through it.
This passage describes the victory that Israel achieved over five Amorite kings. In particular, Adoni-Zedek, who was the king of Jerusalem, gathered the kings of Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon to attack Gibeon after hearing about Israel's destruction of Ai and their peace treaty with Gibeon. The Gibeonites urgently requested Joshua's assistance, and he agreed to help them. The Lord then enabled Israel to achieve a great victory over the Amorite kings; during that battle, the Lord miraculously increased the hours of daylight and used large hailstones to destroy the Amorite forces.
Being assailed by large hailstones sounds terrifying. In fact, it is noted in Joshua 10:11 that hailstones accounted for more Amorite deaths than the swords of the Israelites. Not only does this highlight the Lord's role in Israel's victory, but it shows His power over nature.
2. Five Amorite Kings Killed
In this passage, the five Amorite kings from the previous passage fled to a cave at Makkedah. Unfortunately for them, the Israelites tracked them down, trapped them in that cave and destroyed their forces. The Israelites returned to the cave and brought out the five kings; Joshua had his army commanders stand on their necks, and then he killed them. After that, Joshua hung the kings' bodies on trees and then tossed them into the cave. After blocking up the cave entrance with large rocks, Joshua caused Makkedah to suffer the same fate that befell Jericho.
This passage further highlights the brutality of war in ancient times. It is evident that opposing the Lord had very nasty consequences.
3. Southern Cities Conquered
In this passage, Joshua and the Israelites laid waste to the southern part of Canaan. They defeated the cities of Libnah, Lachish, Eglon, Hebron and Debir; they also defeated the king of Gezer and his forces when he attempted to rescue Lachish.
While reading this passage I thought about the costs that Israel suffered - or didn't suffer - over the course of this campaign. Were any Israelites killed in these battles, or did the Lord miraculously preserve them from harm? Did the fact that the Lord fought for Israel in these instances imply that the Israelites were never injured, or did casualties actually occur?
4. Northern Kings Defeated
This passage describes the victories that Israel achieved over the northern cities of Canaan. Jabin, who was the king of Hazor, gathered several kings and formed a vast army with horses and chariots. This large host prepared to fight against Israel, yet the Lord told Joshua that He would give them the victory. Indeed, Israel defeated their enemies, hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots. Israel then laid waste to most of the northern part of Canaan, though they did leave Anakites alive in Gaza, Gath and Ashdod.
It is interesting that Israel did not completely destroy the Anakites, which essentially led to their future conflicts with the Philistines. This issue was raised in my NIV Study Bible, and it was noted there that the Israelites were probably weary of war after conquering the northern part of Canaan; thus, they would have refrained from wiping out the Anakites. Perhaps Israel did suffer losses during their battles, even though the Lord fought for them?
5. List of Defeated Kings
This passage lists all of the kings who Israel defeated as they entered the Promised Land, including Sihon king of the Amorites, Og king of Bashan, and thirty-one other kings. It is reiterated that Moses gave the land east of the Jordan River to the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh.
This passage is essentially a long trophy list, and I was intimidated as I read through it.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Joshua 7-9
1. Achan's Sin
This passage focuses on the misdeeds of Achan, who disobeyed the Lord's command in Joshua 6:17-19. In particular, he took a Babylonian robe, about five pounds of silver and about 1.25 pounds of gold from Jericho when Israel conquered it. His sin led to the Israelites' defeat by Ai when they attempted to conquer that city. The subsequent outpouring of grief by the Israelites set the stage for God's revelation of Achan's deception. Achan, his family and all of his possessions were then destroyed by Israel.
While reading this passage, I could sense the rising tension that must have pervaded the Israelite camp while God methodically searched for the person who had caused their defeat by Ai. I do wonder why Achan failed to reveal himself immediately, given that God would inevitably reveal his sin.
2. Ai Destroyed
After rectifying the misdeeds of Achan, the Lord enabled Israel to achieve a great victory over Ai. The key aspect of this victory was an ambush that Israel set behind Ai; after the ambush was set, Joshua lured the fighting men of Ai away from the city by massing the bulk of his forces in front of it and then ordering this main body to retreat. When the men of Ai pursued the retreating Israelites, the ambushing force set fire to Ai. This led to the total destruction of Ai and its troops. The king of Ai was killed and hung from a tree (or impaled).
I must admit that being impaled sounds quite horrid. Now it is possible that the king of Ai was killed before he was either hung or impaled, yet it is evident that war was brutal even in ancient times.
3. The Covenant Renewed at Mount Ebal
After Israel had achieved a great victory over Ai, Joshua built an altar to the Lord on Mount Ebal. He assembled all Israel and had half of the people stand in front of Mount Gerizim, while the other half stood in front of Mount Ebal. He then read the entire Law of the Lord to the people while they faced the ark of the covenant that was being carried by the priests.
My thought is that this was an appropriate time for Israel to renew its covenant with the Lord. They had just seen the consequences of disobeying Him (defeat by Ai after Achan's sin) and the benefits of obedience (victory over Ai).
4. The Gibeonite Deception
Israel's victories over Ai and Jericho spurred the people of Gibeon to make a peace treaty with them. The Gibeonites knew that Israel would attempt to destroy all of their neighbors, so they resorted to deceiving the Israelites into thinking that they hailed from a distant land (mainly by how they presented themselves to Israel). Somehow Israel failed to ask the Lord for guidance in this regard, and they ratified a peace treaty with the Gibeonites. Their deception was then uncovered, yet Israel honored its treaty and subjugated the Gibeonites instead of destroying them.
After renewing their covenant with the Lord, one would think that Israel would immediately ask Him for guidance when they encountered the Gibeonites. Their actions highlight man's inherent sinfulness.
This passage focuses on the misdeeds of Achan, who disobeyed the Lord's command in Joshua 6:17-19. In particular, he took a Babylonian robe, about five pounds of silver and about 1.25 pounds of gold from Jericho when Israel conquered it. His sin led to the Israelites' defeat by Ai when they attempted to conquer that city. The subsequent outpouring of grief by the Israelites set the stage for God's revelation of Achan's deception. Achan, his family and all of his possessions were then destroyed by Israel.
While reading this passage, I could sense the rising tension that must have pervaded the Israelite camp while God methodically searched for the person who had caused their defeat by Ai. I do wonder why Achan failed to reveal himself immediately, given that God would inevitably reveal his sin.
2. Ai Destroyed
After rectifying the misdeeds of Achan, the Lord enabled Israel to achieve a great victory over Ai. The key aspect of this victory was an ambush that Israel set behind Ai; after the ambush was set, Joshua lured the fighting men of Ai away from the city by massing the bulk of his forces in front of it and then ordering this main body to retreat. When the men of Ai pursued the retreating Israelites, the ambushing force set fire to Ai. This led to the total destruction of Ai and its troops. The king of Ai was killed and hung from a tree (or impaled).
I must admit that being impaled sounds quite horrid. Now it is possible that the king of Ai was killed before he was either hung or impaled, yet it is evident that war was brutal even in ancient times.
3. The Covenant Renewed at Mount Ebal
After Israel had achieved a great victory over Ai, Joshua built an altar to the Lord on Mount Ebal. He assembled all Israel and had half of the people stand in front of Mount Gerizim, while the other half stood in front of Mount Ebal. He then read the entire Law of the Lord to the people while they faced the ark of the covenant that was being carried by the priests.
My thought is that this was an appropriate time for Israel to renew its covenant with the Lord. They had just seen the consequences of disobeying Him (defeat by Ai after Achan's sin) and the benefits of obedience (victory over Ai).
4. The Gibeonite Deception
Israel's victories over Ai and Jericho spurred the people of Gibeon to make a peace treaty with them. The Gibeonites knew that Israel would attempt to destroy all of their neighbors, so they resorted to deceiving the Israelites into thinking that they hailed from a distant land (mainly by how they presented themselves to Israel). Somehow Israel failed to ask the Lord for guidance in this regard, and they ratified a peace treaty with the Gibeonites. Their deception was then uncovered, yet Israel honored its treaty and subjugated the Gibeonites instead of destroying them.
After renewing their covenant with the Lord, one would think that Israel would immediately ask Him for guidance when they encountered the Gibeonites. Their actions highlight man's inherent sinfulness.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Joshua 4-6
This passage begins with the rather inspiring conclusion of Israel's crossing of the Jordan River. Here, the Lord instructs Joshua to select one man from each of the twelve tribes; each of these men must take a stone from the middle of the Jordan where the priests have been standing with the ark of the covenant. After they take the stones and cross the Jordan, the priests also cross the Jordan with the ark; the Lord then returns the river to its normal state. Israel camps at Gilgal, which is east of Jericho, and Joshua sets up the stones from the middle of the Jordan; this monument will serve as a reminder for future generations of the Lord's faithfulness.
1. Circumcision at Gilgal
The Lord commands Joshua to make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites. Apparently the current generation had not been circumcised during their time in the desert; this may have stemmed from the spiritual apathy of the previous generation, though this is unclear. After Joshua performs this mass circumcision, Israel celebrates the Passover by gathering food from the Promised Land; it should be noted that the Lord stopped providing manna for them at this time, as they now had no need for it.
2. The Fall of Jericho
The Lord then commands Joshua to lay siege to Jericho. For each of the next six days, the armed men of Israel are to march once around the city walls; during this daily march they are to be followed by seven priests blowing shofars. These priests are to be followed by other priests who are carrying the ark of the covenant, and the latter group of priests are to be followed by a rear guard. On the seventh day this march is to be performed seven times, and then the priests with the shofars are to signal the people of Israel with a long blast; the people will then give a loud shout and the Lord will knock down the walls of Jericho, setting the stage for Israel's devastation of the city and its inhabitants. All of these events then occur as prescribed by the Lord.
While reading this familiar section I came across the following tidbits:
1. Circumcision at Gilgal
The Lord commands Joshua to make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites. Apparently the current generation had not been circumcised during their time in the desert; this may have stemmed from the spiritual apathy of the previous generation, though this is unclear. After Joshua performs this mass circumcision, Israel celebrates the Passover by gathering food from the Promised Land; it should be noted that the Lord stopped providing manna for them at this time, as they now had no need for it.
2. The Fall of Jericho
The Lord then commands Joshua to lay siege to Jericho. For each of the next six days, the armed men of Israel are to march once around the city walls; during this daily march they are to be followed by seven priests blowing shofars. These priests are to be followed by other priests who are carrying the ark of the covenant, and the latter group of priests are to be followed by a rear guard. On the seventh day this march is to be performed seven times, and then the priests with the shofars are to signal the people of Israel with a long blast; the people will then give a loud shout and the Lord will knock down the walls of Jericho, setting the stage for Israel's devastation of the city and its inhabitants. All of these events then occur as prescribed by the Lord.
While reading this familiar section I came across the following tidbits:
- This question was actually raised in my NIV Study Bible: was the Sabbath ignored during war? This is something that I had completely overlooked during my previous strolls through Joshua; I'm not sure why the Sabbath was not observed in the usual manner at that time.
- In 6:23, we see that Rahab and her family were placed outside the camp of Israel after the sacking of Jericho. This shows that God's decrees regarding the purity of the Israelite camp were being observed, as none of Rahab's family members were Israelites; they would have been classified as aliens.
- In 6:26, we see that the Lord placed a curse on the unfortunate soul who would attempt to rebuild Jericho. In particular, it turns out that this curse was fulfilled over 500 years later in 1 Kings 16:34.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Joshua 1-3 "Entering the Promised Land"
Joshua 1 {Joshua takes control}
After Moses died, God told Joshua that he was now in charge of taking the Israelites across the Jordan to the Promised Land. God encouraged Joshua multiple time, saying "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
But to the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, he reminded them of a promise God had made earlier to give them THIS land. Their wives and children could settle. However, the fighting men had to go along with everyone else to fight first and take possession of the Promised Land before they could return.
Joshua 2 {Rahab and the Spies}
A few men were sent out to spy on the land, especially Jericho. They stayed at the home of a prostitute named Rahab. The king of Jericho found out that there were spies and tried to ask Rahab to reveal them. Rahab protected the men and hid them.
She then told the men how everybody had heard they were coming and they were really really scared. They had heard the stories about how God had parted sea for them, etc. They knew the Israelites were coming and they were terrified. She asked that they show favor on her and her family since she showed favor to them.
They agreed, telling her to tie a scarlet cord on the door so that they would know not to harm her or her family.
She agreed and the men eventually reported back to the Israelites, “The LORD has surely given the whole land into our hands; all the people are melting in fear because of us.”
Joshua 3 {Crossing the Jordan}
Early the next morning Joshua told everyone to follow the ark of the covenant. God told Joshua to tell the priests who were carrying the ark to step into the water of the Jordan. Miraculously, the water stopped flowing and built up somewhere else upstream. The ground was dry and the Israelites crossed the river on foot.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Deuteronomy 32-35
The Promised Land
Chapter 32
Moses teaches the Israelites a song whose lyrics appear in this chapter. In essence, the song exalts God, summarizes what the Lord has done for Israel, predicts how they will turn away from Him, and then details how they will suffer curses as a result of the Lord's "vindiction."
Moses uses this song to warn the Israelites to obey the Lord. If they do,
"By them you will live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.”
God then commands Moses to climb up the mountain to die. Moses will never be able to see the Promised Land because he and Aaron "broke faith with [God] in the presence of the Israelites at the waters of Meribah Kadesh in the Desert of Zin," and because they did not uphold God's holiness among the Israelites.
Chapter 33
Moses then blessed each of the tribes one by one:
Let Reuben live and not die
be Judah's help against his foes
Bless Levi's skills and strike down those who rise against him
Let the beloved of the Lord rest in Benjamin
Many many blessings, both material goods and battle strength, were bestowed upon Joseph
Zebulun will feast on the abundance of the seas
Gad chose the choicest land, and blessed is he who enlarges it
Dan is a lion’s cub, springing out of Bashan
Naphthali will inherit southward to the lake
Asher's strength will equal his days
Blessed are you, Israel!
Who is like you,
a people saved by the LORD?
He is your shield and helper
and your glorious sword.
Chapter 34
Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo and the Lord showed him all the land that the Israelites would inherit. Then, Moses died at the age of 120. The Israelites mourned his death for a month. Joshua, who was filled with the spirit of wisdom from the Lord, took over as leader.
I like the ending . . .
10 Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, 11 who did all those signs and wonders the LORD sent him to do in Egypt—to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. 12 For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.
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