The Small Branch

  Read Joshua 16 and 17 Who? The tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim What? The boundaries of the inheritance these tribes are given Where? In central and northern Israel, also east of the Jordan for half of Manasseh When? After the land is somewhat conquered Why? Each tribe is given a specific land grant  How? Lots were cast to tell the priest and Joshua the land grant God has for specific tribes  These chapters cover the land inheritance for Joseph’s sons.  Remember that Joseph was given the “oldest” status rather than Reuben among Jacob’s twelve sons and the oldest son gets a double portion of the inheritance (see Genesis 30-50 and 1 Chronicles 5:1-2).  This means that Joseph’s sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, are each named as a tribe rather than a tribe of Joseph.  Throughout these lists of land assignments, God does not stick to birth order at all.  He is sovereign and puts them in the order He chooses, showing Judah to be the line of Messiah by ...

  Read Joshua 13, 14, and 15.   Make sure you have a map handy while you are reading. Who? Joshua and the Israelites, specifically Reuben, Gad, the half tribe of Manasseh, and Judah, including Caleb specifically What?  Allotments given by Moses previously are recorded as well as allotments given to Judah by Joshua, including the specific allotment for Caleb When?  Once they have conquered much of the hill country in the south and in the north Where?  The land east of the Jordan and the southern part of the land west of the Jordan  Why? God gives Joshua the instruction to go ahead and divide the land west of the Jordan because he is getting older and his time is limited How? Most of the land is divided by the priest casting lots to see God’s will, although some of it is divided by specific instructions These allotments are very specific and are an elaborate testimony of God’s faithfulness.  God had already told them that they would occupy the ...

  Read Joshua 11 and 12 (Be sure to have a map handy as you read.)   As you read, remember that 2 Timothy 3:16-17 applies to every word of Scripture, “All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be equipped, having been thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Who? The northern kings and their people, Joshua and the people of Israel What? The battle in the north, the summary of the conquest so far Where? The northern part of the Promised Land, the same general latitude of the Sea of Galilee When? The battles were long - probably a year or more (11:18).  These happened after the kings of the South were defeated. Why? Joshua is leading the people to finish the work. How? The Lord fights for Israel and defeats these kings using battle strategies. Notes: (11:1-5) “Jabin” is probably a title meaning “wise one” rather than a name.  Even after the defeat of the so...

  Read Joshua 10.   You will want a map handy for this chapter (click here for one). Who? The kings of the hill country and their people, Joshua and the Israelites, the Gibeonites. What? The 5 kings of the hill country form an alliance and attack Gibeon.  God and the Israelites defeat the alliance and then go on to defeat other cities in the area. When? After the covenant with the Gibeonites is made Where? The hill country to the southwest of Jericho Why? The alliance attacks Gibeon because they are afraid of the Israelites and they also “feared greatly because Gibeon was a great city” (v. 2) How? The alliance joins together and camps near Gibeon to attack it.  Joshua and the Israelites march from Gilgal to defend them.  The Lord fights for Israel using hailstones and also causing the sun to stand still in the sky for a day so that the battle can be completed.  Once these five kings are dealt with, Israel moves from one city to the next, defeating th...