Saturday, March 26, 2011

Joshua 19:24-20:9

This is where cross references in your Bible come in very handy.  If you don't have a Bible with good cross-references, you might consider getting one.  Reading about the allotment of Dan, I was surprised by the obscure reference to the fact that they lost their territory.  However, I had a few cross-references which, when I looked them up, shed a little more light on the subject.  Apparently, the Amorites came down and pushed Dan from the cities they were allotted, driving them into some hill country rather than the plain they were to have.  They were unable to push the Amorites out, as they should have done by faith, and instead took over another town across from the northern part of Naphtali.  By chapter 18 of Judges, several generations later, Dan was still on borrowed territory and were seeking their own inheritance.  Their lack of faith had thwarted their ability to gain and maintain a territory, as God has said over and over throughout Deuteronomy and Joshua that He would go before them in securing the land.  This lack of faith is reiterated by the end result of the story in Judges 18, which we will look at in more detail, but it boils down to Dan adopting idolatry and setting up their own priesthood.  Very sad, indeed.

Tomorrow's Reading: Joshua 21:1-45

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