In the book of Joshua, we learned how, “All the cities of the children of Aaron, the priests, were thirteen cities with their suburbs, and the families of the children of Kohath, the Levites which remained of the children of Kohath, even they had the cities of their lot out of the tribe of Ephraim. For they gave them Shechem with her suburbs in mount Ephraim, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Gezer with her suburbs, and Kibzaim with her suburbs, and Bethhoron with her suburbs; four cities, and out of the tribe of Dan, Eltekeh with her suburbs, Gibbethon with her suburbs, Aijalon with her suburbs, Gathrimmon with her suburbs; four cities”, and in chapter twenty-one and verse twenty-five of Joshua we learn about, “Tanach and Gathrimmon” where we read,
And out of the half tribe of Manasseh, Tanach with her suburbs,
and Gathrimmon with her suburbs; two cities.
The verse reads, “And out of the half tribe of Manasseh, Tanach with her suburbs, …” Joshua or the writer began with the words, “and out of the half tribe of Manasseh” which means “and from one-half of the clan or people group belonging to Manasseh whose name means ‘causing to forget” and was “the eldest son of Joseph and progenitor of the tribe of Manasseh”, “Tanach” or Taanach whose name means “sandy” and was “an ancient Canaanite city conquered by Joshua and allotted to the half tribe of Manasseh although in the territory of Issachar; given to the Kohathite Levites; located on the west of the Jordan and near the waters of Megiddo” “with her suburbs” or “alongside and accompanied by her, Tanach’s, open and common land”. Joshua or the writer shared how the “one-half tribe of Manasseh” got involved giving dwelling places to the “Levites” by providing “Tanach” and it’s open land to them.
The verse continues, “… and Gathrimmon with her suburbs; two cities.” Joshua or the writer added the word, “and Gathrimmon” whose name means “winepress of the pomegranate” and was “a town of the half tribe of Manasseh located on the west side of the Jordan, assigned to the Levites” “with her suburbs” or “alongside and accompanied by her, Gathrimmon’s, open and common land”: “two cities” which means “two dwelling places”. Joshua or the writer shared how “Gathrimmon” and it’s common land was also one of the “two locations” provided to the “Levites” by the “half tribe of Manasseh”.
When we consider the words in this verse, we learn how the “half tribe of Manasseh” gave land to the “Levites”. “Tanach and Gathrimmon” were locations that were to be used by the “Levites” as “cities of refuge”, and because Jehovah God desired for these “cities” to be readily accessible, they were spread throughout the land of Israel both on the western and eastern side of the Jordan River. God wants to have a personal relationship with us 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 submit to Him as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and put His Holy Spirit in us to guide us into all truth and to give us the ability to live in keeping with His ways wherever we are in the world. (See John 3:16; 16:13; Acts 1:8; Revelation 4:11)
Next time we learn how, “all the cities were ten with their suburbs”, 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".
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