Joshua 19

Joshua 19:47

Augustine of Hippo: And the Amorite remained in Elom and in Salamin; and the hand of Ephraim fell on them and they were made tributary to him. This was already done against the Lord’s command and Joshua still lived. But he was no longer his boss in those battles because of his old age. That is why it is said that the Lord hardened the hearts of those who had made a common conspiracy to go to war against Joshua (Cf Joshua 11,20) so that this mercy would not be granted, even against the command of God (Cf Joshua 21,20), if they had not been defeated , and, being already old Joshua or having died, they will remain to be overcome by the children of Israel, who could forgive their lives against the Lord’s command, something that Joshua would not do. — QUESTIONS ON JOSHUA, Q. 20 (tr. J. Litteral, draft)

Joshua 19:48

Origen of Alexandria: Concerning the “Jebusites,” who “dwelt in Jerusalem,” it was said some time ago how “the sons of Judah could not exterminate them,” and likewise concerning the “Canaanites,” whom “the sons of Ephraim could not exterminate” as they dwelt in their midst. The present reading reports things similar to these concerning the “Amorites,” saying that: “the Amorite continued to dwell in Elom and in Salamin; and the hand of Ephraim was made heavy upon them.” “Amorite” is interpreted as “bitter” or “bitterness.” Those therefore who “dwell in Elom,” which is interpreted as “those butting like rams,” or “in Salamin,” which is interpreted as “peaceable,” continue and dwell as bitternesses among those who butt like rams and among the peaceable. Those who butt like rams are those who, being set in contests, strive to storm the diabolical houses and structures; but the peaceable are those who, having overcome the desires of the flesh, bear peace of soul. Yet in both the contrary power, bitterness, perseveres and struggles to persist. In this we can understand something of this sort, since it says: “the Amorite continued to dwell among them”: for example, if a hostile power of a demon, coming from the troop of bitterness, besieges someone’s body, throws the mind into confusion and lulls it to sleep, while many prayers, many fastings, many invocations of exorcists are applied, and deaf to all these the demon remains and persists in the besieged body, more tolerably enduring the punishments of the exorcists and the torments brought upon it by the invocation of God’s name than to depart from the person whom it shamelessly and wickedly besieges: so also here it must be understood in the case of those who are called “Amorites,” who “continue and persist in dwelling in Elom and in Salamin.” And that Scripture might truly show that they persist while enduring punishments and scourges, it says: “and the hand of Ephraim was made heavy upon them.” But how is “the hand of Ephraim made heavy upon the Amorites”? Either, as we said, “the hand of Ephraim” is said to be “made heavy” upon the unclean spirits by the more forcefully applied laying-on of the exorcists’ hand, or because good acts and good works weigh down and afflict the race of demons and the contrary powers. For the better the things we do and the more we conduct ourselves in the best pursuits, the more these things become troublesome and heavy to them. But it is pleasing and acceptable to them, and in a way affords them delights, when a person lives in baseness and disgraceful deeds. But whoever “makes his hand heavy upon them” by good acts, even if he cannot utterly drive them out, will at least make them tributaries and subject to him. — HOMILIES ON Joshua 24.1

Joshua 19:49

Origen of Alexandria: “And the sons of Ephraim went forth to traverse the land according to their borders.” And when he had recounted that history, in what follows he makes clear how great was the meekness and humility of the blessed Jesus, who was truly worthy to bear the name of Jesus our Lord and Savior! For he says: “And the sons of Israel gave a lot to Jesus [son] of Nave among themselves by the command of the Lord; and they gave him the city which he asked for, Thamnasac, which is on Mount Ephraim; and he built a city there, and dwelt in it.” He it is who gave the inheritance to all “the sons of Judah,” who gave to “Ephraim” and to “the half tribe of Manasseh”; he gave to that magnificent “Caleb [son] of Jephone” an inheritance also; he sent “three men through each of the tribes” to “traverse” the whole “land and describe it in a book” and return and show it to him; he “sent lots” to all and reserved himself for the very last. Why do you think he wished to be “last” of all? Without doubt, that he might be “first” of all. And he did not even presume the lot of an inheritance for himself, but received it from the people, and the people “give an inheritance” to him from whom he himself had received it. For thus it is written: “and the sons of Israel gave a lot to Jesus [son] of Nave.” But “these things happened to them figuratively,” which were set before us as a model, that we too might keep that precept which this man fulfilled in deed, where it is said: “the greater you are, the more humble yourself, and you will find grace before the Lord,” and again what is written: “if they appoint you leader, do not be lifted up, but be among them as one of themselves.” See therefore how he himself was “leader” of the people, who had led them “into the holy land,” into “the land of promise”; he himself was the successor of Moses, and he does not permit himself to take a lot of the land, but waits to receive a little portion from the people, he the leader of the people, and having received his little portion, Jesus, worthy of this name, builds up that very place which he received, and constructs it, that he may make it truly worthy of the gift of God and of the divine inheritance. — HOMILIES ON Joshua 24.2

Origen of Alexandria: But since we are accustomed to refer the things that are written about Jesus to our Lord and Savior, perhaps this whole people of ours too gives some portion to my Lord Jesus and grants him, as it were, a certain place for his dwelling. But lest what is said seem to be injurious, let us inquire how we, his servants, give him a place of habitation. If I could become good, I would give a place to the Son of God within me, and the Lord Jesus would build up and adorn the place received from me in my soul, and would make in it unassailable walls and lofty towers, so that he might build in me, if I were worthy, a dwelling worthy of himself and of the Father, and would so adorn my soul as to make it capable of his wisdom and knowledge and all holiness to such a degree that he would even make God the Father enter in with him “and make his dwelling in it,” and even dine in such a soul upon the foods which he himself had given. And that we may be worthy to attain this, let us prepare in ourselves a clean heart, into which the Lord Jesus may deign willingly and gratefully to enter as the guest-lodging of our clean heart, “to whom is glory and dominion unto the ages of ages. Amen!” — HOMILIES ON Joshua 24.3

Joshua 19:50

Origen of Alexandria: In what precedes it was indeed said that “the sons of Israel gave a portion by lot to Jesus on Mount Ephraim,” and that, the lot having been received, “Jesus built a city there and dwelt in it.” But now Scripture repeats the same thing anew, so as to add this: that “he stored away in that city, which he had built and in which he was dwelling, the flint knives,” that is, the blades of stone, “with which Jesus circumcised the sons of Israel in the wilderness.” Hence for us too the exposition must be repeated, and this too, which has been added, must be explained, so that, by God’s gift, the meaning of Scripture may be fulfilled entire. For we said in what precedes that our Lord Jesus Christ also seeks from us a place which he may build and in which he may dwell, and that we ought to become such — so “clean of heart,” so “simple in mind,” so “holy in body and spirit” — that he may deign both to receive a place in our soul, and to build it, and to dwell in it. And who, do you suppose, are in all the people so acceptable to God as to be worthy to be chosen for this? Or perhaps not even individuals can be capable of this, but the whole people and the entire church together can scarcely be capable of it, of receiving the Lord Jesus into itself and having him dwell in it? Let us see, then, what this place is in which Jesus ought to dwell. “On the mount,” he says, “of Ephraim,” that is, on the fruitful mount. Who, do you suppose, are in us the fruitful mounts on which Jesus may dwell? Assuredly those in whom are “the fruits of the spirit, joy, peace, patience, charity,” and the rest. These, then, are the fruitful mounts, which bring forth “the fruit of the spirit” and are always lofty in mind and in hope. And though such may be few, nevertheless, if there be even a few, the Lord Jesus dwelling in them, who is “the true light,” will send forth the rays of his light even upon all the rest, whom he has not yet judged worthy of his dwelling in the first place. — HOMILIES ON Joshua 26.1

Origen of Alexandria: Now, then, let us see what are “the flint knives, with which Jesus circumcised the sons of Israel.” If you pray for us, that “our word may be living and effective and sharper than any knife,” the Lord Jesus will grant us also that the word of God which we speak to you may circumcise every uncleanness, cut back the impurities, sever the vices from the hearers, and amputate everything by which the force of the mind and its natural effectiveness is overlaid; and thus, through the word of God, which is now called “the flint knife,” you too will be circumcised by Jesus, and you will hear that: “today I have taken away from you the reproach of Egypt.” For what does it profit us to have gone out of Egypt and to carry about with us “the reproaches of Egypt”? What does it profit to walk through the wilderness — that is, what does it help us to have renounced the world in baptism and to retain the former filth of our habits and the uncleannesses of the carnal vices? It is necessary, therefore, after the passage of the Red Sea — that is, after the grace of baptism — that the carnal vices of our old habit also be taken away from us through our Lord Jesus, so that thus at last we may be able to lack “the reproaches of Egypt.” Those very “flint knives,” then, and stone blades, with which we were a second time circumcised by Jesus, are placed in that place which Jesus seeks and has received; in the place which he possesses in the soul of the just man, in that very place he also stores away the “knives.” We have often shown that the “knife” is said to be the word of God, by which word sins are cut away and purged from the souls of the hearers. This power of the divine word, therefore, is stored away in that place to which is given the word of knowledge and the word of wisdom, so that at an opportune time that soul, which through the gift of the spirit has been filled with the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge, may bring forth these “knives” in the church and may circumcise a second time those who have need of a “second circumcision.” But as for his saying “flint knives,” that is, blades of stone and not blades fashioned of iron by the workman’s craft, this shows that this word of God, which can circumcise the uncleannesses from the hearts of the hearers, does not come from the art of grammar or rhetoric, nor has been tamed by the hammers of the learned or filed down on the whetstones of studies, but descends from that “rock” which “was cut from the mountain without hands and filled the round world” and bestows spiritual gifts upon believers. — HOMILIES ON Joshua 26.2