Bible Discussion Thread

 
  • Aurora 2023 on Joshua 16:1 - 1 year ago
    I am unable to find a detailed commentry on Joshua 16:10.... on your website. I shall be grateful for an answer. Joshua was a man who served God faithfully and did as he was told. So Why were the canaanites not fully destroyed. It does mention the Tribute factor ?
  • Richard H Priday - In Reply - 1 year ago
    1 Kings 9:16 gives the answer; as to how they obtained the land; the king of Egypt conquered it and gave it as a present to his daughter; Solomon's wife. Verses 20 and 21 show how they were bondservants instead. In the case of the Gibeonites; Israel had to protect them because they didn't seek God first and made a covenant with them.

    There may be other scriptures indicating specifics here; my point is that there were exceptions; even in the lineage of David leading to Christ (such as Ruth; Rahab and other descendants from Gentile origin.) There were rules as to how many generations had to pass before Temple worship; etc. but there was always a contingency of those who would follow the God of Israel (such as the multitude in the Exodus).

    I would also say that God devoted destruction to the descendants of Nephilim (which were wiped out in the time of David with the last remaining one: Goliath and earlier his 4 brothers). This was a big reason for what seems like wholesale cruel destruction of everyone; namely they were not fully human. The nations which would cause their own children to be sacrificed to idols were also the recipients of God's wrath; such as the Amorites in Genesis 15:16. There was a set time for destruction when iniquity is at the full; and such was the case with Nineveh; but was granted a reprieve after repentance for a couple hundred years or so; eventually fulfilled as the book of Nahum explained.

    In some ways as well; the Caananites served as an object lesson to Israel. ( 1 Samuel 4:3-5 and later verses show how the fear of the Lord came on the Caananites and they made sacrifice.) Whether they repented after being plagued by God; or healed of the ailments is unclear; but they at least knew what they had to do and that they were under God's wrath and displeasure.

    The Caananites were under a curse in general since Genesis 9 (the details have been debated). Judges 2:21-23 gives a further clue; disobedience of Israel stopped it.



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