Now the cities of the tribe of the people of Benjamin according to their clans were Jericho, Beth-hoglah, Emek-keziz, Beth-arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel, Avvim, Parah, Ophrah, Chephar-ammoni, Ophni, Geba—twelve cities with their villages: Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth, Mizpeh, Chephirah, Mozah, Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah, Zela, Haeleph, Jebus (that is, Jerusalem), Gibeah and Kiriath-jearim—fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the people of Benjamin according to its clans.
In this section of Joshua, the leader, is distributing the conquered promise land to the each of the tribes of Israel. In the above passage we read about the cities that were included in the territory given to the tribe of Benjamin. Passages like the above challenge our understanding of the following text from Paul’s letter to Pastor Timothy:
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV)
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
It is hard to read a list of cities. It is like we are reading a Google map and hard to see how profitable it is for training in righteousness. How does a list of cities teach us righteousness or improve our walk or equip us from every good work? It should be noted that these types of text were the only text Timothy had. He was being written to in a letter from Paul that was inspired, yes. But these Old Testament text are what Paul was referring to. So how does the above text equipped you and I? What spiritual lesson is here? Is this milk, meat, honey, bread (terms used to describe Scripture)? It would be false to think on a Sunday morning this would be the sole text of the preacher’s sermon. Most of these names in the text mean little to us. Most commentaries do not even handle these texts. I have written 25 or so journal entries on this section of Joshua and have never mentioned them. The only city listed of any consequence is Jebus . The author of Joshua makes a point to add to that name is the name for the city, Jerusalem. But that is the point of the text. In the beginning of the book of Joshua we are told that God is going to give them the land. Each one of these long lists of cities in this section is an exclamation point to that promise of God. Let’s say we were praying over one of our friends and upcoming their surgery. We are praying for success and that God leads the doctor’s hands and eyes. Let’s suppose that once the surgery is over the doctor, or the patient, or a friend gives us a blow by blow account of each phase of the procedure. The significant point is that our friend is healthy and safe. But the salient point to the surgery is each step the surgeon completed. Yes, each of these cities means little to us. But they are each step of the greater picture that God kept His promise. Knowing the truth that God keeps His promise, one city at a time, equips us for training in righteousness.
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