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Unlike Exodus' instructions for the Tabernacle and paired narrative of its construction, here, the second account is of an incomplete project, in part because the Israelites failed to honor and obey God’s guidance.

Joshua 12 presents Israel’s initial battles for the land as something like comprehensively successful, while following accounts show the more permanent occupation as incomplete even at the end of the book.

first delineating instructions for building the Eden-like Tabernacle, then describing the faithful implementation of its construction. Similarly, Joshua contains two versions of fighting for the Eden-like promised land of Canaan.

Sihon and Og make additional appearances, as does Balaam, as the narrator recalls the allotments Moses made on the east side of the Jordan.

Genesis 1-2 contain two versions of the movement from wilderness to garden. Exodus contains a repetitive two-part section,

The land had rest because Yahweh won the battle, and he won the battle because of the obedience of the people”

In 13, God speaks to Joshua as he approaches death to tell him of the lands remaining and that he must divide the land for Israel’s tribal allotments.

#Bible #Joshua 12-13 #land
12 lists defeated kings and lands. Sihon and Og merit special attention, defeated by Moses on the east side of the Jordan.
In The Message of Joshua, David Firth writes, “We might wonder about the value of a text like this – but it is a roll call of God’s faithfulness.

"Cursed is the one who perverts justice for the resident foreigner..."

New job:

Associate/Full Professor, Endowed Chair in the Hebrew Bible in Ancient Times and Contemporary Media

University of California - San Diego

jobs.h-net.org/jobs/68946

Tenured Professor in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations | Harvard University Cambridge, Massachusetts, Position Description:  The Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at Harvard University seeks to appoint a tenured professor in Jewish Studies, with a specialization in Jewish history, religion, and culture in antiquity and/or late antiquity. The successful candidate must have demonstrated expertise in Rabbinic and other Jewish literatures of the ancient world; facility with the relevant languages; deep knowledge of the surrounding civilization(s) in which Jews were embedded, i.e., some combination of Hellenistic, Roman, Eastern or Western Christian, and/or Zoroastrian; command of relevant disciplines in the Humanities including historical method. The appointment is expected to begin on July 1, 2027. The professor will teach and advise at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Basic Qualifications:  Candidates are required to have a doctorate. Additional Qualifications:  Demonstrated strong commitment to teaching, advising, and research is a necessity. Candidates should also evince intellectual leadership and impact on the field and potential for significant contributions to the department, University, and wider scholarly community. Special Instructions:   Please submit the following materials through the ARIeS portal ( https://academicpositions.harvard.edu/postings/14958 ). Candidates are encouraged to apply by September 1, 2025; applications will be reviewed until the position is filled. 1.  Curriculum Vitae 2.  Authorization form Contact Information:  Jay M Harris, Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, jharris@g.harvard.edu

New History Job Posted Today: Tenured Professor in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations | Harvard University

After the Order of Melchizedek Exhibition: After the Order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 7–8). Featuring works of art by Alexander Ponekhalsky, Unknown Netherlandish (Antwerp Mannerist) artists and Unknown Russian artist. Commentaries by...

Read more about this Netherlandish triptych in our exhibition of the week on Hebrews 7–8, 𝘈𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘖𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘔𝘦𝘭𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘬:⁣

thevcs.org/after-order-...

In Exodus 4:24-25, God threatens Moses' life, but Tzippora's actions save him. This puzzling event is ignored by Philo and Josephus, while texts like the Septuagint and Targums radically alter it ... #intertextuality #bible #literature

https://intertextual.bible/t/2581

Rereading Esther What if we saw Xerxes as Jeffrey Epstein instead of Prince Charming?

My latest on Substack: Rereading Esther: What if we saw Xerxes as a Jeffrey Epstein rather than Prince Charming?

sandraglahn.substack.com/p/rereading-...

The first ten pages of the Bible tell us – as a core principle – that making a name for ourselves is the opposite of God’s vision. We’re here to represent him.

yet this group of Rephaim known as the Anakim still dwells in Canaan in Joshua. Israel collectively drives them out to cities later recognized as Philistine including Gath, where the giant Goliath will emerge to taunt Israel centuries later.

suggesting the Israelite war on Rephaim is the culmination of a multi-generational, territorial, and tribal conflict against this enigmatic group. Og of Bashan, apparently a giant, is cited as among the last of them in Deuteronomy 3,

It’s unclear whether the biblical author intends the reader to accept this characterization.
Deuteronomy 2 identifies the Anakim as part of a larger group called Rephaim and lists similar peoples eradicated from their respective territories by Canaan’s neighbors,

Later in Joshua, their defeat, at least at select cities, is assigned to Caleb, but here in summary, Joshua receives credit as the commander of the whole Israelite army.
The Numbers 14 rebellious Israelites (or possibly a narrator) identify Anakim as descended from the pre-Flood Nephilim.

#Bible #Joshua 11 cont #war #Anakim
To end the summary, the author emphasizes victory over the Anakim, who we first met in Numbers 13-14 as figures of horror to the Israelites, part of their reason for refusing to go up into the land.

The first ten pages show us people who deceive, make a name for themselves, abuse women, are violent, consolidate power, ruin the land
The church hasn’t understood the first ten pages
It has enthusiastically elected the thing they warn against
The American church is the problem

[‘the sweeping, total conquest and occupation’] rhetoric…was a regular feature of military reports in the second…milleni[um]…It is in this frame of reference that Joshua must be understood.”

“the basic formulaic layout and its variations…reflect commonplace ancient Near Eastern usage as found in original and unitary works. This was how such military reports were customarily written, and these structures…are the common coin of the second millennium…

The summary presents the land as conquered, but as previously discussed, this may indicate the Israelite army defeated each of these cities’ armies at some point without permanently displacing the inhabitants.

In On the Reliability of the Old Testament, K. A. Kitchen says of Joshua 10-11,

Similar to the exodus pharaoh (eg Ex 7:3) where God hardened/made harsh (קָשָׁה) the leader’s heart “so that I may multiply my signs and wonders,” here God makes kings of Canaan obstinate/strengthened/hardened (חָזַק) their hearts, so they would attack Israel and Israel would herem (חָרַם) them.

Joshua campaigned against these kings for quite some time.” (NET)

“the Lord determined to make them obstinate so they would attack Israel. He wanted Israel to annihilate[/ban/devote/dedicate/consecrate] them without mercy[/favor/supplication], as he had instructed Moses.” (NET)

#Bible #Joshua 11 cont #war
“Joshua conquered the whole land, including the hill country, all the Negev, all the land of Goshen, the foothills, the rift valley, the hill country of Israel and its foothills...He captured all their kings and executed them.