Week 67, Day 1: Joseph’s portions
Today’s Reading: Joshua 16:1-10
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
We now have recorded the giving of Joseph’s portions of the inheritance. I say portions because Joseph received two portions. Both of his sons received a portion so he received two portions of the land. This again reflects Jacob’s favortism toward Joseph over the other brothers.
We have another statement given at the end of detailing Ephraim’s possession that tells us some of the inhabitants of the land were not driven out. This time there is no mention of not being able to do overcome them. Rather we are told that they did not drive them out and they were made forced laborers. This again reflects that there is something wrong with how Israel is taking the land. God had instructed them to remove ALL of the peoples and to not spare them, pitty them or make covenants with them. Here is yet another time stated where they do not remove them. In order to make these people forced laborers indicates that they subjugated them. If you can subjugate a people then you can defeat them. Ephraim was able to defeat these people, but for some reason they allowed them to stay. Violations like these will lead to God turning against Israel. They will soon not have the Lord fighting for them to drive out the rest of the inhabitants which will lead to further conflicts down the road. I can imagine Ephraim being willing to let these few people remain so that they may serve them. I can imagine that they reasoned that these people were few and would not be a problem. But when man begins to alter or stray from God’s commands there will be unintended consequences. They didn’t think about what consequences would come from such disobedience. Again, it is sad to see how Israel squandered a rich blessing from God (to deliver the land completely to them).
Question: If Joseph received two portions of the land and there are still only 12 portions given, whose other portion of land did he receive?
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