Joshua 16

Joshua 16:1

Hewers of Wood and Drawers of Water

The Gibeonites are as slaves in the house of God, not as sons. Joshua curses them and condemns them to do the humblest work (cf. Deuteronomy 29:11). They fetch wood for the altar, but are not offerors themselves. They fetch water, but not to become clean by it themselves. They are a plague to the people of God because the people have given them access to the service to God without asking God. They serve, however, not out of love, but out of fear.

The Israelites want to kill them, but Joshua saves them (Joshua 9:26). It is better to bow before the Lord than to eradicate the evil that has come in through our fault against God’s will. Sometimes He wants it to exist, to constantly remind us that we can only prevent evil if we consult Him before we do anything.

Later in the history of the Gibeonites in the midst of Israel, God’s grace also becomes visible. Ishmaiah, one of the heroes of David, is a Gibeonite (1 Chronicles 12:4). There is also a Gibeonite, Melatiah, and other men of Gibeon, who have returned with the people of God from captivity in Babylon and help to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem (Nehemiah 3:7).

Joshua 16:2

Hewers of Wood and Drawers of Water

The Gibeonites are as slaves in the house of God, not as sons. Joshua curses them and condemns them to do the humblest work (cf. Deuteronomy 29:11). They fetch wood for the altar, but are not offerors themselves. They fetch water, but not to become clean by it themselves. They are a plague to the people of God because the people have given them access to the service to God without asking God. They serve, however, not out of love, but out of fear.

The Israelites want to kill them, but Joshua saves them (Joshua 9:26). It is better to bow before the Lord than to eradicate the evil that has come in through our fault against God’s will. Sometimes He wants it to exist, to constantly remind us that we can only prevent evil if we consult Him before we do anything.

Later in the history of the Gibeonites in the midst of Israel, God’s grace also becomes visible. Ishmaiah, one of the heroes of David, is a Gibeonite (1 Chronicles 12:4). There is also a Gibeonite, Melatiah, and other men of Gibeon, who have returned with the people of God from captivity in Babylon and help to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem (Nehemiah 3:7).

Joshua 16:3

Hewers of Wood and Drawers of Water

The Gibeonites are as slaves in the house of God, not as sons. Joshua curses them and condemns them to do the humblest work (cf. Deuteronomy 29:11). They fetch wood for the altar, but are not offerors themselves. They fetch water, but not to become clean by it themselves. They are a plague to the people of God because the people have given them access to the service to God without asking God. They serve, however, not out of love, but out of fear.

The Israelites want to kill them, but Joshua saves them (Joshua 9:26). It is better to bow before the Lord than to eradicate the evil that has come in through our fault against God’s will. Sometimes He wants it to exist, to constantly remind us that we can only prevent evil if we consult Him before we do anything.

Later in the history of the Gibeonites in the midst of Israel, God’s grace also becomes visible. Ishmaiah, one of the heroes of David, is a Gibeonite (1 Chronicles 12:4). There is also a Gibeonite, Melatiah, and other men of Gibeon, who have returned with the people of God from captivity in Babylon and help to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem (Nehemiah 3:7).

Joshua 16:5

Introduction

The five kings mentioned (Joshua 10:3) unite to form a powerful army to punish apostate Gibeon. When Joshua gets the request to help, he is at Gilgal. From there he leaves (Joshua 10:7) and the LORD gives him a great victory. Then he goes back to Gilgal. Even after he has taken several cities in southern Canaan, he returns to Gilgal (Joshua 10:43).

Gilgal is the place where the people have been circumcised (Joshua 5:2-9). For us it means that the Lord Jesus bore the judgment we deserved. To go from victory to victory, we must always remember what the Lord Jesus did for us. Otherwise we will rely on ourselves and the defeat will come.

Joshua is heard in a way no one has ever experienced (Joshua 10:14). We can also receive such hearing if we trust that the Lord Jesus will fight for us.

In Joshua 10 Joshua comes to our attention in a special way. It is a different Joshua from the failing Joshua of the previous chapters. He shows here the Divine power that characterizes him so much and in which he looks so much like the Lord Jesus in His acting through the Holy Spirit. With this he is also a picture of the individual believer who can come to powerful acts of faith through the Holy Spirit.

After his failure in Joshua 7 he goes to battle against Ai in Joshua 8. He stretched out his hand with the javelin until all enemies are defeated (Joshua 8:26). The same order we see in Joshua 9-10. After falling into Gibeon’s stratagem in Joshua 9, in Joshua 10 he uncompromisingly attacks the enemy in spiritual power. Joshua is the head of the people. In this chapter they will gain experiences that they would never have had if they had not been weak, such as the standing still of the sun and the stopping of the moon and God’s use of hailstones to defeat enemies.

After weakness come the greatest victories and experiences of faith. That is no excuse for weakness and unbelief. Nevertheless, grace proves itself stronger afterward. That is typical of grace. God did not want the fall into sin either. Yet thereby His grace shines in a way that would not otherwise have been possible. We may experience this in our lives.

The Amorites Unite Against Gibeon

After the Gibeonite trick, the enemies unite and form a large army. This is the result of the weakness of God’s people shown in the previous chapter. But God knows how to use the failure of His people and even the wicked actions of man to His glorification. “But they do not know the thoughts of the LORD, and they do not understand His purpose; for He has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor” (Micah 4:12; cf. Revelation 17:17).

Adoni-zedek – which means ‘lord of justice’ – the king of Jerusalem, takes the initiative to form a common army to fight Israel. He heads the enemy allies. Here for the first time Jerusalem is mentioned, apart from Genesis 14, where Melchizedek – which means ‘king of righteousness’ – the king of Salem, is mentioned (Genesis 14:18). Melchizedek blesses Abraham, unlike Adoni-zedek who heads the enemies of Abraham’s offspring. Adoni-zedek is a picture of the antichrist who will also be king of Jerusalem.

The application for us is that the further we get into the land, the more we meet an enemy that defends itself more and more, making the fight more and more fierce. Those who do not know the heavenly blessings, do not know any struggle in the land. Often the reason for not knowing the blessings is that one does not want to make an effort to get to know them. The believer has to make spiritual things his own. To be aware that the spiritual blessings are there is something else than to really know them.

Gibeon is a big city, its men are heroes and want to stay alive. Therefore they have entered into the people of God with deceit. This requires a certain amount of courage. They don’t belong to the people, but neither to the world, which is now hostile to them. They are never really happy. First they are afraid of Israel, now they are afraid of their former friends.

Joshua 16:6

Introduction

The five kings mentioned (Joshua 10:3) unite to form a powerful army to punish apostate Gibeon. When Joshua gets the request to help, he is at Gilgal. From there he leaves (Joshua 10:7) and the LORD gives him a great victory. Then he goes back to Gilgal. Even after he has taken several cities in southern Canaan, he returns to Gilgal (Joshua 10:43).

Gilgal is the place where the people have been circumcised (Joshua 5:2-9). For us it means that the Lord Jesus bore the judgment we deserved. To go from victory to victory, we must always remember what the Lord Jesus did for us. Otherwise we will rely on ourselves and the defeat will come.

Joshua is heard in a way no one has ever experienced (Joshua 10:14). We can also receive such hearing if we trust that the Lord Jesus will fight for us.

In Joshua 10 Joshua comes to our attention in a special way. It is a different Joshua from the failing Joshua of the previous chapters. He shows here the Divine power that characterizes him so much and in which he looks so much like the Lord Jesus in His acting through the Holy Spirit. With this he is also a picture of the individual believer who can come to powerful acts of faith through the Holy Spirit.

After his failure in Joshua 7 he goes to battle against Ai in Joshua 8. He stretched out his hand with the javelin until all enemies are defeated (Joshua 8:26). The same order we see in Joshua 9-10. After falling into Gibeon’s stratagem in Joshua 9, in Joshua 10 he uncompromisingly attacks the enemy in spiritual power. Joshua is the head of the people. In this chapter they will gain experiences that they would never have had if they had not been weak, such as the standing still of the sun and the stopping of the moon and God’s use of hailstones to defeat enemies.

After weakness come the greatest victories and experiences of faith. That is no excuse for weakness and unbelief. Nevertheless, grace proves itself stronger afterward. That is typical of grace. God did not want the fall into sin either. Yet thereby His grace shines in a way that would not otherwise have been possible. We may experience this in our lives.

The Amorites Unite Against Gibeon

After the Gibeonite trick, the enemies unite and form a large army. This is the result of the weakness of God’s people shown in the previous chapter. But God knows how to use the failure of His people and even the wicked actions of man to His glorification. “But they do not know the thoughts of the LORD, and they do not understand His purpose; for He has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor” (Micah 4:12; cf. Revelation 17:17).

Adoni-zedek – which means ‘lord of justice’ – the king of Jerusalem, takes the initiative to form a common army to fight Israel. He heads the enemy allies. Here for the first time Jerusalem is mentioned, apart from Genesis 14, where Melchizedek – which means ‘king of righteousness’ – the king of Salem, is mentioned (Genesis 14:18). Melchizedek blesses Abraham, unlike Adoni-zedek who heads the enemies of Abraham’s offspring. Adoni-zedek is a picture of the antichrist who will also be king of Jerusalem.

The application for us is that the further we get into the land, the more we meet an enemy that defends itself more and more, making the fight more and more fierce. Those who do not know the heavenly blessings, do not know any struggle in the land. Often the reason for not knowing the blessings is that one does not want to make an effort to get to know them. The believer has to make spiritual things his own. To be aware that the spiritual blessings are there is something else than to really know them.

Gibeon is a big city, its men are heroes and want to stay alive. Therefore they have entered into the people of God with deceit. This requires a certain amount of courage. They don’t belong to the people, but neither to the world, which is now hostile to them. They are never really happy. First they are afraid of Israel, now they are afraid of their former friends.

Joshua 16:7

Introduction

The five kings mentioned (Joshua 10:3) unite to form a powerful army to punish apostate Gibeon. When Joshua gets the request to help, he is at Gilgal. From there he leaves (Joshua 10:7) and the LORD gives him a great victory. Then he goes back to Gilgal. Even after he has taken several cities in southern Canaan, he returns to Gilgal (Joshua 10:43).

Gilgal is the place where the people have been circumcised (Joshua 5:2-9). For us it means that the Lord Jesus bore the judgment we deserved. To go from victory to victory, we must always remember what the Lord Jesus did for us. Otherwise we will rely on ourselves and the defeat will come.

Joshua is heard in a way no one has ever experienced (Joshua 10:14). We can also receive such hearing if we trust that the Lord Jesus will fight for us.

In Joshua 10 Joshua comes to our attention in a special way. It is a different Joshua from the failing Joshua of the previous chapters. He shows here the Divine power that characterizes him so much and in which he looks so much like the Lord Jesus in His acting through the Holy Spirit. With this he is also a picture of the individual believer who can come to powerful acts of faith through the Holy Spirit.

After his failure in Joshua 7 he goes to battle against Ai in Joshua 8. He stretched out his hand with the javelin until all enemies are defeated (Joshua 8:26). The same order we see in Joshua 9-10. After falling into Gibeon’s stratagem in Joshua 9, in Joshua 10 he uncompromisingly attacks the enemy in spiritual power. Joshua is the head of the people. In this chapter they will gain experiences that they would never have had if they had not been weak, such as the standing still of the sun and the stopping of the moon and God’s use of hailstones to defeat enemies.

After weakness come the greatest victories and experiences of faith. That is no excuse for weakness and unbelief. Nevertheless, grace proves itself stronger afterward. That is typical of grace. God did not want the fall into sin either. Yet thereby His grace shines in a way that would not otherwise have been possible. We may experience this in our lives.

The Amorites Unite Against Gibeon

After the Gibeonite trick, the enemies unite and form a large army. This is the result of the weakness of God’s people shown in the previous chapter. But God knows how to use the failure of His people and even the wicked actions of man to His glorification. “But they do not know the thoughts of the LORD, and they do not understand His purpose; for He has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor” (Micah 4:12; cf. Revelation 17:17).

Adoni-zedek – which means ‘lord of justice’ – the king of Jerusalem, takes the initiative to form a common army to fight Israel. He heads the enemy allies. Here for the first time Jerusalem is mentioned, apart from Genesis 14, where Melchizedek – which means ‘king of righteousness’ – the king of Salem, is mentioned (Genesis 14:18). Melchizedek blesses Abraham, unlike Adoni-zedek who heads the enemies of Abraham’s offspring. Adoni-zedek is a picture of the antichrist who will also be king of Jerusalem.

The application for us is that the further we get into the land, the more we meet an enemy that defends itself more and more, making the fight more and more fierce. Those who do not know the heavenly blessings, do not know any struggle in the land. Often the reason for not knowing the blessings is that one does not want to make an effort to get to know them. The believer has to make spiritual things his own. To be aware that the spiritual blessings are there is something else than to really know them.

Gibeon is a big city, its men are heroes and want to stay alive. Therefore they have entered into the people of God with deceit. This requires a certain amount of courage. They don’t belong to the people, but neither to the world, which is now hostile to them. They are never really happy. First they are afraid of Israel, now they are afraid of their former friends.

Joshua 16:8

Introduction

The five kings mentioned (Joshua 10:3) unite to form a powerful army to punish apostate Gibeon. When Joshua gets the request to help, he is at Gilgal. From there he leaves (Joshua 10:7) and the LORD gives him a great victory. Then he goes back to Gilgal. Even after he has taken several cities in southern Canaan, he returns to Gilgal (Joshua 10:43).

Gilgal is the place where the people have been circumcised (Joshua 5:2-9). For us it means that the Lord Jesus bore the judgment we deserved. To go from victory to victory, we must always remember what the Lord Jesus did for us. Otherwise we will rely on ourselves and the defeat will come.

Joshua is heard in a way no one has ever experienced (Joshua 10:14). We can also receive such hearing if we trust that the Lord Jesus will fight for us.

In Joshua 10 Joshua comes to our attention in a special way. It is a different Joshua from the failing Joshua of the previous chapters. He shows here the Divine power that characterizes him so much and in which he looks so much like the Lord Jesus in His acting through the Holy Spirit. With this he is also a picture of the individual believer who can come to powerful acts of faith through the Holy Spirit.

After his failure in Joshua 7 he goes to battle against Ai in Joshua 8. He stretched out his hand with the javelin until all enemies are defeated (Joshua 8:26). The same order we see in Joshua 9-10. After falling into Gibeon’s stratagem in Joshua 9, in Joshua 10 he uncompromisingly attacks the enemy in spiritual power. Joshua is the head of the people. In this chapter they will gain experiences that they would never have had if they had not been weak, such as the standing still of the sun and the stopping of the moon and God’s use of hailstones to defeat enemies.

After weakness come the greatest victories and experiences of faith. That is no excuse for weakness and unbelief. Nevertheless, grace proves itself stronger afterward. That is typical of grace. God did not want the fall into sin either. Yet thereby His grace shines in a way that would not otherwise have been possible. We may experience this in our lives.

The Amorites Unite Against Gibeon

After the Gibeonite trick, the enemies unite and form a large army. This is the result of the weakness of God’s people shown in the previous chapter. But God knows how to use the failure of His people and even the wicked actions of man to His glorification. “But they do not know the thoughts of the LORD, and they do not understand His purpose; for He has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor” (Micah 4:12; cf. Revelation 17:17).

Adoni-zedek – which means ‘lord of justice’ – the king of Jerusalem, takes the initiative to form a common army to fight Israel. He heads the enemy allies. Here for the first time Jerusalem is mentioned, apart from Genesis 14, where Melchizedek – which means ‘king of righteousness’ – the king of Salem, is mentioned (Genesis 14:18). Melchizedek blesses Abraham, unlike Adoni-zedek who heads the enemies of Abraham’s offspring. Adoni-zedek is a picture of the antichrist who will also be king of Jerusalem.

The application for us is that the further we get into the land, the more we meet an enemy that defends itself more and more, making the fight more and more fierce. Those who do not know the heavenly blessings, do not know any struggle in the land. Often the reason for not knowing the blessings is that one does not want to make an effort to get to know them. The believer has to make spiritual things his own. To be aware that the spiritual blessings are there is something else than to really know them.

Gibeon is a big city, its men are heroes and want to stay alive. Therefore they have entered into the people of God with deceit. This requires a certain amount of courage. They don’t belong to the people, but neither to the world, which is now hostile to them. They are never really happy. First they are afraid of Israel, now they are afraid of their former friends.

Joshua 16:9

Introduction

The five kings mentioned (Joshua 10:3) unite to form a powerful army to punish apostate Gibeon. When Joshua gets the request to help, he is at Gilgal. From there he leaves (Joshua 10:7) and the LORD gives him a great victory. Then he goes back to Gilgal. Even after he has taken several cities in southern Canaan, he returns to Gilgal (Joshua 10:43).

Gilgal is the place where the people have been circumcised (Joshua 5:2-9). For us it means that the Lord Jesus bore the judgment we deserved. To go from victory to victory, we must always remember what the Lord Jesus did for us. Otherwise we will rely on ourselves and the defeat will come.

Joshua is heard in a way no one has ever experienced (Joshua 10:14). We can also receive such hearing if we trust that the Lord Jesus will fight for us.

In Joshua 10 Joshua comes to our attention in a special way. It is a different Joshua from the failing Joshua of the previous chapters. He shows here the Divine power that characterizes him so much and in which he looks so much like the Lord Jesus in His acting through the Holy Spirit. With this he is also a picture of the individual believer who can come to powerful acts of faith through the Holy Spirit.

After his failure in Joshua 7 he goes to battle against Ai in Joshua 8. He stretched out his hand with the javelin until all enemies are defeated (Joshua 8:26). The same order we see in Joshua 9-10. After falling into Gibeon’s stratagem in Joshua 9, in Joshua 10 he uncompromisingly attacks the enemy in spiritual power. Joshua is the head of the people. In this chapter they will gain experiences that they would never have had if they had not been weak, such as the standing still of the sun and the stopping of the moon and God’s use of hailstones to defeat enemies.

After weakness come the greatest victories and experiences of faith. That is no excuse for weakness and unbelief. Nevertheless, grace proves itself stronger afterward. That is typical of grace. God did not want the fall into sin either. Yet thereby His grace shines in a way that would not otherwise have been possible. We may experience this in our lives.

The Amorites Unite Against Gibeon

After the Gibeonite trick, the enemies unite and form a large army. This is the result of the weakness of God’s people shown in the previous chapter. But God knows how to use the failure of His people and even the wicked actions of man to His glorification. “But they do not know the thoughts of the LORD, and they do not understand His purpose; for He has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor” (Micah 4:12; cf. Revelation 17:17).

Adoni-zedek – which means ‘lord of justice’ – the king of Jerusalem, takes the initiative to form a common army to fight Israel. He heads the enemy allies. Here for the first time Jerusalem is mentioned, apart from Genesis 14, where Melchizedek – which means ‘king of righteousness’ – the king of Salem, is mentioned (Genesis 14:18). Melchizedek blesses Abraham, unlike Adoni-zedek who heads the enemies of Abraham’s offspring. Adoni-zedek is a picture of the antichrist who will also be king of Jerusalem.

The application for us is that the further we get into the land, the more we meet an enemy that defends itself more and more, making the fight more and more fierce. Those who do not know the heavenly blessings, do not know any struggle in the land. Often the reason for not knowing the blessings is that one does not want to make an effort to get to know them. The believer has to make spiritual things his own. To be aware that the spiritual blessings are there is something else than to really know them.

Gibeon is a big city, its men are heroes and want to stay alive. Therefore they have entered into the people of God with deceit. This requires a certain amount of courage. They don’t belong to the people, but neither to the world, which is now hostile to them. They are never really happy. First they are afraid of Israel, now they are afraid of their former friends.

Joshua 16:10

The Gibeonites Call Joshua for Help

Through their friendship with Israel, Israel is now also obliged to work for them. Israel does not use them, but they need Israel. ‘Gibeonites’ among us can be influential in the world, but they always lack spiritual strength. For this they call upon the people of God. They are just a plague and a burden. But God stands above it and can still use it to fulfill His plans. He has allowed it for this.