A Prophecy of Esau and Jacob

Joshua 9

¹ And it came to pass when all the kings who were on this side of the Jordan, in the hills and in the valleys and in all the borders of the Great Sea over against Lebanon — the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite — heard thereof, — these details record the general preparation of the natives of Canaan for their last struggle with Joshua;

² that they gathered themselves together to fight with Joshua and with Israel with one accord.

³ And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai,

⁴ they worked cunningly, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wineskins, old and rent and bound up,

— much cunning and subtlety; they did not enter into consultations and alliances, but made use of a stratagem to make peace, and enter into a league with Israel; or also as the Israelites had done, either as Simeon and Levi had dealt craftily with the Shechemites, who were Hivites;

⁵ and old and patched shoes upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and moldy.

⁶ And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a far country. Now therefore make ye a league with us.”

⁷ And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, “Perhaps ye dwell among us. Then how shall we make a league with you?”

⁸ And they said unto Joshua, “We are thy servants.” And Joshua said unto them, “Who are ye? And from whence come ye?”

⁹ And they said unto him, “From a very far country thy servants have come because of the name of the Lord thy God; for we have heard the fame of him and all that he did in Egypt,

¹⁰ and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan — to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, who was at Ashtaroth.

¹¹ Therefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, ‘Take provisions with you for the journey, and go to meet them and say unto them, “We are your servants. Therefore now make ye a league with us.”’

¹² This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go unto you; but now, behold, it is dry and it is moldy.

¹³ And these skins of wine which we filled were new, and behold, they are rent; and these our garments and our shoes have become old by reason of the very long journey.”

¹⁴ And the men took of their provisions, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord. — at the mouth of the Lord; that is, in not asking by the high priest’s Urim and Thummim before entering into the alliance.

¹⁵ And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them to let them live; and the princes of the congregation swore unto them.

¹⁶ And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a league with them, that they heard that they were their neighbors and that they dwelt among them.

¹⁷ And the children of Israel journeyed and came unto their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjathjearim.

¹⁸ And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes.

¹⁹ But all the princes said unto all the congregation, “We have sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel. Now therefore we may not touch them.

²⁰ This we will do to them: we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us because of the oath which we swore unto them.”

²¹ And the princes said unto them, “Let them live, but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation, as the princes had promised them.”

²² And Joshua called for them, and he spoke unto them, saying, “Why have ye beguiled us, saying, ‘We are very far from you,’ when ye dwell among us?

²³ Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.” — therefore ye are cursed; this appear to be the posterity of cursed Canaan, “a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren” Genesis 9:25;

²⁴ And they answered Joshua and said, “Because it was certainly told thy servants how the Lord thy God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you, therefore we were sore afraid for our lives because of you, and have done this thing.

²⁵ And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us, do.”

²⁶ And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not.

²⁷ And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of the Lord, even unto this day, in the place which He should choose.

— they became the servants of the Levites, who were servants to the priests; yet they had a place in the sanctuary of the Lord, and opportunity of learning the law of God, and understanding the true religion, worship, and knowledge of God.

Joshua 10

¹ Now it came to pass when Adonizedec king of Jerusalem had heard how Joshua had taken Ai and had utterly destroyed it (as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king), and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them,

— this Adonizedec king of Jerusalem has been identified by Jewish writing as Melchizedek, also king of Jerusalem, whom Abraham gave tenth of his spoil when he won a battle with other kings in Genesis 14:18–20;

² that they feared greatly because Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai and all the men thereof were mighty.

³ Therefore Adonizedec king of Jerusalem sent unto Hoham king of Hebron, and unto Piram king of Jarmuth, and unto Japhia king of Lachish, and unto Debir king of Eglon, saying,

⁴ “Come up unto me and help me, that we may smite Gibeon; for it hath made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel.”

⁵ Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together and went up, they and all their hosts, and encamped before Gibeon and made war against it.

⁶ And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, “Slacken not thy hand from thy servants. Come up to us quickly, and save us and help us; for all the kings of the Amorites who dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us.”

⁷ So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him and all the mighty men of valor.

⁸ And the Lord said unto Joshua, “Fear them not, for I have delivered them into thine hand. There shall not a man of them stand before thee.”

⁹ Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night.

¹⁰ And the Lord discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth up to Bethhoron, and smote them to Azekah and unto Makkedah.

¹¹ And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel and were at the descent of Bethhoron, that the Lord cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died. There were more who died with hailstones than those whom the children of Israel slew with the sword.

¹² Then spoke Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel: “Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.”

¹³ And the sun stood still and the moon stayed until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the Book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hastened not to go down for about a whole day.

— the book of Jasher; either of a man so called, or of the righteous or upright, wherein possibly the memorable actions of worthy men were recorded; and this book was written and published before Joshua wrote his, and so is fitly alleged here. But this historical book was lost, not being a canonical book, and therefore not well-preserved with the same care as they should;

— the Book of Jasher (or the Book of the Righteous) has lots of details and is worthy of some indepth study; for more, see A Study Index of Jasher; and since Joshua fought and won against Adonizedec king of Jerusalem, he couldn’t be Melchizedek, also king of Jerusalem, a priest of the Most High; Genesis 14:18–20

¹⁴ And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the Lord hearkened unto the voice of a man; for the Lord fought for Israel.

¹⁵ And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal.

¹⁶ But these five kings fled and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah.

¹⁷ And it was told Joshua, saying, “The five kings are found hidden in a cave at Makkedah.”

¹⁸ And Joshua said, “Roll great stones upon the mouth of the cave, and set men by it to keep them.

¹⁹ And stay ye not, but pursue after your enemies and smite the hindmost of them. Permit them not to enter into their cities, for the Lord your God hath delivered them into your hand.”

²⁰ And it came to pass, when Joshua and the children of Israel had made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter till they were consumed, that the rest who remained of them entered into fortified cities.

²¹ And all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace. None moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel.

²² Then said Joshua, “Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out those five kings unto me out of the cave.”

²³ And they did so, and brought forth those five kings unto him out of the cave: the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon.

²⁴ And it came to pass, when they brought out those kings unto Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said unto the captains of the men of war who went with him, “Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings.” And they came near and put their feet upon the necks of them.

²⁵ And Joshua said unto them, “Fear not, nor be dismayed. Be strong and of good courage, for thus shall the Lord do to all your enemies against whom ye fight.”

²⁶ And afterward Joshua smote them and slew them, and hanged them on five trees; and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening.

²⁷ And it came to pass at the time of the going down of the sun that Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees and cast them into the cave wherein they had been hid, and laid great stones in the cave’s mouth, which remain until this very day.

²⁸ And that day Joshua took Makkedah, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof he utterly destroyed — them and all the souls who were therein. He let none remain, and he did to the king of Makkedah as he did unto the king of Jericho.

²⁹ Then Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel with him, unto Libnah, and fought against Libnah.

³⁰ And the Lord delivered it also, and the king thereof, into the hand of Israel. And he smote it with the edge of the sword and all the souls who were therein. He let none remain in it, but did unto the king thereof as he did unto the king of Jericho.

³¹ And Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, unto Lachish, and encamped against it and fought against it.

³² And the Lord delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel, which took it on the second day, and smote it with the edge of the sword and all the souls who were therein, according to all that he had done to Libnah.

³³ Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish; and Joshua smote him and his people until he had left him none remaining.

³⁴ And from Lachish Joshua passed unto Eglon, and all Israel with him; and they encamped against it, and fought against it.

³⁵ And they took it on that day and smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls who were therein he utterly destroyed that day, according to all that he had done to Lachish.

³⁶ And Joshua went up from Eglon, and all Israel with him, unto Hebron; and they fought against it.

³⁷ And they took it and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof and all the cities thereof and all the souls who were therein. He left none remaining, according to all that he had done to Eglon, but destroyed it utterly and all the souls who were therein.

³⁸ And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir, and fought against it.

³⁹ And he took it, and the king thereof, and all the cities thereof; and they smote them with the edge of the sword and utterly destroyed all the souls who were therein. He left none remaining. As he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir and to the king thereof, as he had done also to Libnah and to her king.

⁴⁰ So Joshua smote all the country of the hills, and of the south and of the vale and of the springs, and all their kings. He left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the Lord God of Israel commanded.

⁴¹ And Joshua smote them from Kadeshbarnea even unto Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, even unto Gibeon.

⁴² And all these kings and their land did Joshua take at one time, because the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel.

⁴³ And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal.

Joshua 12

¹ Now these are the kings of the land whom the children of Israel smote, and possessed their land on the other side of the Jordan toward the rising of the sun, from the River Arnon unto Mount Hermon and all the plain on the east:

² Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon and ruled from Aroer, which is upon the bank of the River Arnon, from the middle of the river, and from half of Gilead, even unto the River Jabbok, which is the border of the children of Ammon,

³ and from the plain to the Sea of Chinneroth on the east, and unto the sea of the plain, even the Salt Sea on the east, the way to Bethjeshimoth, and from the south, under Ashdothpisgah;

⁴ and the territory of Og king of Bashan, who was of the remnant of the giants, who dwelt at Ashtaroth and at Edrei,

⁵ and reigned in Mount Hermon and in Salcah and in all Bashan, unto the border of the Geshurites and the Maachathites, and half of Gilead, the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.

⁶ These Moses the servant of the Lord and the children of Israel smote; and Moses the servant of the Lord gave it for a possession unto the Reubenites and the Gadites and the halftribe of Manasseh.

⁷ And these are the kings of the country which Joshua and the children of Israel smote on this side of the Jordan on the west, from Baalgad in the Valley of Lebanon even unto the Mount Halak that goeth up to Seir, which Joshua gave unto the tribes of Israel for a possession according to their divisions,

⁸ in the mountains and in the valleys and in the plains, and in the springs and in the wilderness and in the south country — the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites:

⁹ the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one;

¹⁰ the king of Jerusalem, one; the king of Hebron, one;

¹¹ the king of Jarmuth, one; the king of Lachish, one;

¹² the king of Eglon, one; the king of Gezer, one;

¹³ the king of Debir, one; the king of Geder, one;

¹⁴ the king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one;

¹⁵ the king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one;

¹⁶ the king of Makkedah, one; the king of Bethel, one;

¹⁷ the king of Tappuah, one; the king of Hepher, one;

¹⁸ the king of Aphek, one; the king of Lasharon, one;

¹⁹ the king of Madon, one; the king of Hazor, one;

²⁰ the king of Shimronmeron, one; the king of Achshaph, one;

²¹ the king of Taanach, one; the king of Megiddo, one;

²² the king of Kedesh, one; the king of Jokneam of Carmel, one;

²³ the king of Dor in the province of Dor, one; the king of the nations of Gilgal, one;

²⁴ the king of Tirzah, one — all the kings thirty and one.

~ by Joel on January 5, 2025.

Posted in Old Testament