Toward the Sea to Michmethah - Joshua 16:6

In the book of Joshua, we learned how, “the children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, took their inheritance, and the border of the children of Ephraim according to their families was thus: even the border of their inheritance on the east side was Atarothaddar, unto Bethhoron the upper”, and in chapter sixteen and verse six of Joshua we learn how, “the border went out toward the sea to Michmethah” where we read,

And the border went out toward the sea to Michmethah on the north side; and the border went about eastward unto Taanathshiloh, and passed by it on the east to Janohah;

The verse reads, “And the border went out toward the sea to Michmethah on the north side;” Joshua or the writer began with the words, “and the border” or “and the edge, circuit and boundary” “went out toward the sea” which means “proceeded forth and lead to the large body of water” “to Michmethah” whose name means “hiding place” and was “a place in northeast Ephraim near the border of Manasseh between Shechem and Taanath-shilo” “on the north side” which means “in the northern direction”. Joshua or the writer shared how the edge or boundary of the territory given to the “children of Joseph” proceeded to the large body of water, the Mediterranean Sea, to “Michmethah” in the northern direction. 

 

The verse continues, “and the border went about eastward unto Taanathshiloh, and passed by it on the east to Janohah;” Joshua or the writer added the words, “and the border” which means “and the edge, circuit and boundary” “went about eastward” or “proceeded forth and lead in an eastern direction” “unto Taanathshiloh” which means “to Taanathshiloh whose name means ‘approach to Shiloah’ and was a landmark on the boundary of Ephraim”, “and passed by it” or “and crossed, marched over and traversed it, Taanathshiloh” “on the east to Janohah” which means “in the eastern direction toward Janahah or Janoah whose name means ‘he rests’ and was a place apparently in the north of Galilee in Naphtali, taken by Tiglath-pileser in his first incursion into Palestine”. Joshua or the writer said the boundary of the territory given to the “tribe of Joseph” proceeded in an eastern direction toward “Taanathshiloh” and crossed “Taanathshiloh” in an eastern direction toward “Janahah”. 

When we meditate upon the words in this verse, we learn more about the boundaries of the territory within the promise land that was given to the offspring of “Joseph” who were Ephraim and one-half of the tribe of Manasseh. The edge of the land provided for them proceeded toward the Mediterranean Sea toward “Michmetha” in an northern direction, and lead in an eastern direction to “Taanathshiloh” where it crossed and went in an eastern direction toward “Janahoh”. These locations were to be used by the people of “Ephraim and Manasseh” to raise their families and worship God. God wants to be the priority of our lives, (See Matthew 6:33) and because we have sin that separates us from a personal relationship with Him, He sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind and to be raised 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 put His Holy Spirit within us to guide us into all truth and to help us live, in whatever location, with Him as our priority and 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 the boundary, “went down from Janohah to Ataroth, and to Naarath, and came to Jericho”, 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".