Joshua 23:4

Amharic Bible (መጽሐፍ ቅዱስ (የብሉይና የሐዲስ ኪዳን መጻሕፍት))

እነሆ፥ እኔ ካጠፋኋቸው አሕዛብ ሁሉ ጋር ከዮርዳኖስ ጀምሮ በፀሐይ መግቢያ እስካለው እስከ ታላቁ ባሕር ድረስ ለነገዶቻችሁ ርስት እንዲሆኑ የቀሩትን እነዚህን አሕዛብ በዕጣ ከፈልሁላችሁ።

What Does This Mean?

Joshua is speaking and telling the Israelites that he has divided the land among them by lot. The land extends from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea and includes all the nations that Joshua has conquered.

Explained for Children

Imagine you and your friends are dividing up a big piece of cake. Joshua is like the person giving out slices of cake. He's saying, 'I've divided up this big piece of land for you all, from one side to the other, just like giving out slices of cake.'

Historical Background

This verse is part of the Book of Joshua, written by Joshua or scribes shortly after the conquest of Canaan. It was written around 1400-1350 BCE and is addressed to the Israelites who are about to inherit the land promised to them by God.

Living It Out Today

In modern life, this verse reminds us that we have been given certain responsibilities and resources. Just as the Israelites were given land to manage, we too have areas of life (like careers, families, or community roles) that we are meant to steward and cultivate.

Topics

• leadership
• inheritance
• promise
• stewardship
• conquest
• land division

Related Verses

• Joshua 1:1-9
• Joshua 14:1-5
• Psalms 105:44-45
• Ezekiel 47:13-23
• Acts 17:26

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is speaking in Joshua 23:4?

Joshua is speaking to the Israelites, reminding them of his division of the land among the tribes.

What does 'by lot' mean in this context?

'By lot' means that the land was divided among the tribes through a process of drawing lots, which was a method used to distribute land fairly and believed to be guided by God.

What are the boundaries mentioned in the verse?

The boundaries extend from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea (the great sea westward), indicating the full extent of the land promised to the Israelites.

Why is this division of land significant?

This division is significant because it represents the fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham to give his descendants a land to inhabit, and it marks the establishment of the tribes of Israel in their promised land.