Map of life expectancy at birth from Global Education Project.

Sunday, April 25, 2021

Sunday Sermonette: Notching the belt

Joshua 12 is just a list of all the genocide victims up till now. There really isn't much to say about it except that it seems pointless. So I''ll take this opportunity to say that the Book of Joshua is notable because the the title character is a complete cipher. God tells him to lead the Israelites in multiple acts of genocide, and he does so. Then God tells him to divide up the stolen land among the tribes, and he does so. Then he dies. We never learn if he marries or has any children, he never says anything interesting, we have no description of him. He's just a placeholder. Many people name sons after him, but I can't see why. We only know one thing about him, that, if he actually existed, he would be one of the most monstrous figures in world history. It's like naming your kid after Adolf Hitler. Go figure.


12 These are the kings of the land whom the Israelites had defeated and whose territory they took over east of the Jordan, from the Arnon Gorge to Mount Hermon, including all the eastern side of the Arabah:

Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon.

He ruled from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Gorge—from the middle of the gorge—to the Jabbok River, which is the border of the Ammonites. This included half of Gilead. He also ruled over the eastern Arabah from the Sea of Galilee[a] to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea), to Beth Jeshimoth, and then southward below the slopes of Pisgah.

And the territory of Og king of Bashan, one of the last of the Rephaites, who reigned in Ashtaroth and Edrei.

He ruled over Mount Hermon, Salekah, all of Bashan to the border of the people of Geshur and Maakah, and half of Gilead to the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.

Moses, the servant of the Lord, and the Israelites conquered them. And Moses the servant of the Lord gave their land to the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh to be their possession.

Here is a list of the kings of the land that Joshua and the Israelites conquered on the west side of the Jordan, from Baal Gad in the Valley of Lebanon to Mount Halak, which rises toward Seir. Joshua gave their lands as an inheritance to the tribes of Israel according to their tribal divisions. The lands included the hill country, the western foothills, the Arabah, the mountain slopes, the wilderness and the Negev. These were the lands of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. These were the kings:

the king of Jerichoone
the king of Ai (near Bethel)one
10 the king of Jerusalemone
the king of Hebronone
11 the king of Jarmuthone
the king of Lachishone
12 the king of Eglonone
the king of Gezerone
13 the king of Debirone
the king of Gederone
14 the king of Hormahone
the king of Aradone
15 the king of Libnahone
the king of Adullamone
16 the king of Makkedahone
the king of Bethelone
17 the king of Tappuahone
the king of Hepherone
18 the king of Aphekone
the king of Lasharonone
19 the king of Madonone
the king of Hazorone
20 the king of Shimron Meronone
the king of Akshaphone
21 the king of Taanachone
the king of Megiddoone
22 the king of Kedeshone
the king of Jokneam in Carmelone
23 the king of Dor (in Naphoth Dor)one
the king of Goyim in Gilgalone
24 the king of Tirzahone
thirty-one kings in all.

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 12:3 Hebrew Kinnereth

1 comment:

Don Quixote said...

See, human nature hasn’t changed over the millennia. Still plenty of insecure, testosterone-fueled assholes boasting of their revolting conquests. Here we have an example of scribes proudly recounting the rapacious deeds of their kin.