The Coast reaches to Tabor, Shahazimah, and Bethshemesh - Joshua 19:22

In the book of Joshua, we learned how, “the fourth lot came out to Issachar, for the children of Issachar according to their families. And their border was toward Jezreel, and Chesulloth, and Shunem, and Hapharaim, and Shion, and Anaharath, and Rabbith, and Kishion, and Abez,, and Remeth, and Engannim, and Enhaddah, and Bethpazzez”, and in chapter nineteen and verse twenty-two of Joshua we learn how, “the coast reaches to Tabor, and Shahazimah, and Bethshemesh” where we read,

And the coast reaches to Tabor, and Shahazimah, and Bethshemesh; 

and the outgoings of their border were at Jordan: sixteen cities with their villages.

The verse reads, “And the coast reaches to Tabor, and Shahazimah, and Bethshemesh;” Joshua or the writer began with the words, “and the coast” which means “and the border, region and territory”, “reaches to Tabor” which means “encounters, entreats and makes intercession to Tabor whose name means ‘mound’ and was a mountain in the plain of Esdraelon rising abruptly and insulated except for a narrow ridge on the west connecting it to the hills of Nazareth”, “and Shahazimah” whose name means “toward the heights” and was “a town in Issachar”, “and Bethshemesh” whose name means “house of the sun or sun-temple” and was “a town in Issachar”. Joshua or the writer shared how the territory for the people of “Issachar” stretched to “Tabor, Shahazimah and Bethshemesh”. 

 

The verse goes on to say, “and the outgoings of their border were at Jordan: sixteen cities with their villages.” Joshua or the writer continued with the words, “and the outgoings” or “and the edges, extremities and ends” “of their border” which means “belonging to their, the people of Issachar’s, edges, circuits and boundaries” “were at Jordan” which means “existed at Jordan whose name means ‘descender’ and was “the river of Palestine running from the roots of Anti-Lebanon to the Dead Sea a distance of approximately 200 miles (320 km)”: “sixteen cities” which means “sixteen dwelling places or places of wakening”, “with their villages” which means “alongside and accompanied by their, the sixteen cities’, settled abodes and towns”. Joshua or the writer shared how the extremity to the boundary belonging to the “tribe of Issachar” was the Jordan River and there were “sixteen” dwelling places accompanied by their settled abodes that were allotted to them. 

When we meditate upon the words in this verse, we learn about the edges to the territory that was allotted to the people of Issachar which was comprised of “sixteen cities” within the promise land. “Tabor, Shahazimah and Bethshemesh” were among the places where they were to live and raise their families in the nurture and admonition of God. (See Matthew 6:33) God wants everyone, wherever they are in the world, to be in a personal relationship with Him through His Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of all mankind and was raised from the dead after three days. When we receive Him as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and fill us with His Holy Spirit who will guide us into all truth and help us live in a manner that is pleasing to Him. (See John 3:16; 16:13; Acts 1:8; Revelation 4:11)

Next time we learn how, “this is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Issachar”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".