To the Coast of Japhleti - Joshua 16:3

In the book of Joshua, we learned how, “the lot of the children of Joseph fell from Jordan by Jericho, unto the water of Jericho on the east, to the wilderness that goes up from Jericho throughout mount Bethel, and goes out from Bethel to Luz, and passes along unto the borders of Archi to Ataroth”, and in chapter sixteen and verse three of Joshua we learn how, the border of Joseph, “goes down westward to the coast of Japhleti” where we read,

And goes down westward to the coast of Japhleti, unto the coast of Bethhoron the nether, 

and to Gezer: and the goings out thereof are at the sea.

The verse reads, “And goes down westward to the coast of Japhleti, unto the coast of Bethhoron the nether, and to Gezer:” Joshua or the writer began with the words, “and goes down westward” or “and descends or proceeds downward in a western direction” “to the coast of Japhleti” which means “toward the border, territory, region and boundary belonging to Japhleti whose name means ‘let him escape’ and was the descendant of Asher of the family of Japhlet who lived on the southwest border of Ephraim”, “unto the coast of Bethhoron” or “to the border, territory, region and boundary belonging to Bethhoron whose name means ‘house of hollowness’ and was a town located eight hundred feet (245 m) lower than Upper Beth-horon” “the nether” which means “the lowest or bottommost”, “and to Gezer” or “and toward Gezer or Gazer whose name means ‘portion’ and was a Levitical city on the border of Ephraim”. Joshua or the writer shared now the boundary of “Joseph” also descended in a western direction to the border belonging to “Japhleti”, the bottommost edge of “Bethhoron” and to “Gezer”. 

 

The verse goes on to say, “and the goings out thereof are at the sea.” Joshua or the writer continued with the words, “and the goings out thereof” which means “and the outgoing extremity or end border or source” “are at the sea” or “exist in the location of the large body of water, the Mediterranean Sea”. Joshua or the writer shared how the extremity and border of the territory given to the people of “Joseph” was in the location of the Mediterranean Sea. 

When we think through the words in this verse, we discover more of the territory given to the “tribe of Joseph”. Their boundaries stretched in a western direction to the edge of “Japhleti”, to the border of “Bethhoron” which was in the southern direction, to “Gezer” whose extremities ended at the Mediterranean Sea. God’s gift of land given to the people of “Joseph” was according to His Divine purpose and will, and the families of “Joseph” were to use those places to live in acknowledgment and worship of Him. God wants an intimate personal relationship with everyone through His Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of all mankind and was resurrected from the dead after three days. When we yield to Him as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and give us His Holy Spirit who will guide us into all truth and give us the ability to live in a manner that acknowledges Him and that is pleasing to Him. (See John 3:16; 16:13; Acts 1:8)

Next time we learn how, “the children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, took their inheritance”, 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".