Lesson#7Joshua’sFarewell

(23:1– 24:33)

1Joshua'sFarewell

WiththedefeatanddeathofthefiveAmoritekings,theothertribalwarlordsfromthenorth,thewesternfoothillsandthecoastalplain formedadefensivecoalitiontofighttheIsraelites,butJoshuaandtheIsraelites“struckthemalldown,leavingnosurvivors” (11:8).“Allthecitiesofthosekings,andthekingsthemselves,Joshuacapturedandputtothesword,carryingoutthebanonthem,asMoses,theservantoftheLordhadcommanded” (11:12).

Inall,Joshuakilled31kingsandputtheircitiesundertheban,killingalltheirpeople—men,women,childrenandinfants—anddestroyingalltheircities.

AftergettingasolidfootholdinCanaan,Joshuadistributedtheland—bothconqueredandunconquered—totheIsraelitesbytribeandclan,including6citiesofrefugeand48townsfortheLevites.

AlthoughtheIsraeliteshadmadeagoodstart,itwilltakeanother300yearsorso,untilthetimeofDavid(1010-970B.C.),tofullyconquerthelandandsubdueit,creatingafunctioningnation,aunitedmonarchy.

2Joshua'sFarewell

AsweenterLesson#7,Joshuais“oldandadvancedinyears” (23:1).HeassemblesallthetribesatShechem,thevillagethatsitsbetweenMountEbal andMountGerizim,andhedelivershisfarewelladdress,endingbyreiteratingtheclearchoicethatMoseshadsovividlyposed:lifeordeath;blessingorcurse.

Withthisdichotomymadeclear,Joshuaclosesmemorably:“Asformeandmyhousehold,wewillservetheLord” (24:15).

ThebookofJoshuaisprofoundlytroublinginmanyways,butespeciallyinitsemphaticandvividinsistenceonGod’scommandingtheIsraelitestoput“undertheban”entirepopulations,everyman,womanandchildintheconqueredcities.Spinithowwemight,herem—puttingapopulation“undertheban”—isgenocide,pureandsimple,thetotalexterminationofentirepopulationsforreligious,ethnicorpoliticalpurposes.AsweleavethebookofJoshua,weexamineherem moreclosely,andweseektounderstandhowGodcouldpossiblycommandthis.

3Joshua'sFarewell

AsDeuteronomyclosedwithMoses’farewelladdress,soJoshuacloseswithJoshua’sfarewelladdress.Asweshallsee,hisaddressincludeswordsofencouragement,butitalsoforeshadowsgreattroublestocome.

4Joshua'sFarewell

5Joshua'sFarewell

“Many years later, after the Lord had given the Israelites rest from all their enemies round about them, and when Joshua was old and advanced in years, he summoned all Israel, including their elders, leaders, judges, and officers, and said to them: ‘I am old and advanced in years. You have seen all that the Lord, your God, has done for you against all these nations; for it has been the Lord, your God, who fought for you. See, I have apportioned among your tribes as their heritage the nations that survive, as well as those I destroyed, between the Jordan and the Great Sea in the west. The Lord, your God, will drive them out and dispossess them at your approach, so that you will take possession of their land as the Lord, your God, promised you. Therefore be strong and be careful to observe all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, never turning from it right or left . . .

6Joshua'sFarewell

. . . or mingling with these nations that survive among you. You must not invoke their gods by name, or swear by them, or serve them, or bow down to them, but you must hold fast to the Lord, your God, as you have done up to this day. At your approach the Lord has dispossessed great and strong nations; not one has withstood you up to this day. One of you puts to flight a thousand, because it is the Lord, your God, himself who fights for you, as he promised you. As for you, takegreat care to love the Lord, your God. For if you ever turn away from him and join with the remnant of these nations that survive among you, by intermarrying and intermingling with them, know for certain that the Lord, your God, will no longer dispossess these nations at your approach . . .

7Joshua'sFarewell

. . . Instead they will be a snare and a trap for you, a scourge for your sides and thorns for your eyes, until you perish from this good land which the Lord, your God, has given you. Today, as you see, I am going the way of all the earth. So now acknowledge with your whole heart and soul that not one of all the promises the Lord, your God, made concerning you has failed. Every one has come true for you; not one has failed. But just as every promise the Lord, your God, made to you has come true for you, so will he bring upon you every threat, even so far as to exterminate you from this good land which the Lord, your God, has given you. If you transgress the covenant of the Lord, your God, which he enjoined on you, to go and serve other gods and bow down to them, the anger of the Lord will flare up against you and you will quickly perish from the good land he has given you.”

(23: 1-13)

Notme.

Joshua'sFarewell

AndaswelearnedinDeuteronomy27&28,obeyingthetermsofthecovenantleadstogreatblessings;disobeyingthetermsofthecovenantleads

tohorrificcurses!

Wow!That’salottotakein,butitreiterateswhatbothMosesandJoshuahavealreadysaid.GodhasestablishedaneverlastingcovenantwithIsrael,asuzeraine/vassalrelationship,andthatrelationshiprequiresobediencetothe

termsofthecovenant.

8

Joshua'sFarewell 9

That’scorrect!So,let’sworkthroughwhatJoshuasaid,onestepatatime.

10Joshua'sFarewell

“Many years later, after the Lord had given the Israelites rest from all their enemies round about them, and when Joshua was old and advanced in years, he summoned all Israel, including their elders, leaders, judges, and officers, and said to them: ‘I am old and advanced in years. You have seen all that the Lord, your God, has done for you against all these nations; for it has been the Lord, your God, who fought for you. See, I have apportioned among your tribes as their heritage the nations that survive, as well as those I destroyed, between the Jordan and the Great Sea in the west. The Lord, your God, will drive them out and dispossess them at your approach, so that you will take possession of their land as the Lord, your God, promised you. Therefore be strong and be careful to observe all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, never turning from it right or left . . .

Joshua'sFarewell 11

• Joshuaisnow“oldandadvancedinyears.”RecallthatJoshuaandCalebwereamongthetwelvespiesthatMosessentintoCanaantoreconnoitertheland(Numbers13:1-16).WelearnedinJoshua14:7thatCalebwas40yearsoldwhenheandJoshuaspiedoutCanaan,andwelearnedinJoshua14:10thattheconquestofCanaantook45years,sowhenJoshuaallocatedlandtoCalebinJoshua14,Calebwas85yearsold.

• In24:29welearnthatJoshuadiesat110yearsold,sowhenhegiveshisfarewelladdressheisover100yearsold!

Joshua'sFarewell 12

Oh,boy,hewas,indeed,“oldandwelladvancedinyears!”That’s453yearsoldindogyears!IhopeI

livethatlong!

Joshua'sFarewell 13

GiovanniLanfranco.MosesandtheMessengersfromCanaan(oiloncanvas),c.1621-1624.GettyCenter,LosAngeles.

Joshua'sFarewell 14

• AlthoughMosesandJoshualedtheIsraelites,JoshuamakesclearthatitwasGod whofoughtforIsrael,God wholedtheIsraelites,God whodefeatedthe31kingsandcitiesduringJoshua’scommand. Indeed,ifweexaminecloselythestoryofthesunstandingstill,forexample,weseeGodastheprimaryactorinasequenceoffouractionverbs:

• “Afteranall-nightmarchfromGilgal,Joshuamadeasurpriseattackuponthem,andtheLord threw themintodisorderbeforeIsrael,[who]inflictedagreatslaughteronthematGibeonandpursued themdowntheBeth-horon slope,attacking themasfarasAzekah andMakkedah”(Joshua10:9-11,NABtrans.).

• Theverbsarehamam [ha-mam,’“threw”];nakah [na-kah,’“inflicted,”orbetter,“slew”];radaph [ra-daph,’“pursued”];andagainnakah [na-kah,’“attacked,”or“smote”].

• Importantly,“theLord”threw themintodisorder...andinflicted ...[and]pursued them...attacking them...”TheNABincorrectlyadds“TheIsraelites”inverse10,makingtheIsraelitesthesubjectoftheaction;itisnot theIsraelites,buttheLordwhoisthegrammaticalsubject,theactordrivingtheverbs!

Joshua'sFarewell 15

Theold1611KingJamestranslationgetsitright:

“Joshuathereforecameuntothemsuddenly,andwentupfromGilgalallnight.AndtheLorddiscomfited thembeforeIsrael,andslew themwithagreatslaughteratGibeon,andchased themalongthewaythatgoeth uptoBeth-horon,andsmote themtoAzekah anduntoMakkedah.”

(Joshua10:9-10)

Titlepagetothe1611firstedition.

Joshua'sFarewell 16

• Therefore,JoshuaurgestheIsraelitesto“bestrongandcarefultoobserveallthatiswritteninthebookofthelawofMoses,neverturningfromitrightorleft” (23:6).Thereference,ofcourse,istothescrollMoseswroteattheendofDeuteronomy:“WhenMoseshadwrittendownthislaw,hegaveittotheLeviticalpriestswhocarrythearkofthecovenantoftheLord,andtoalltheeldersofIsrael”(Deuteronomy31:9).

• ItisthisveryscrollthatHilkiah thepriestfindsintheTempleduringtherevivalinitiatedbykingJosiahin622B.C.,thescrollthatbecomesthecoreofthebookofDeuteronomy.

17Joshua'sFarewell

. . . or mingling with these nations that survive among you. You must not invoke their gods by name, or swear by them, or serve them, or bow down to them, but you must hold fast to the Lord, your God, as you have done up to this day. At your approach the Lord has dispossessed great and strong nations; not one has withstood you up to this day. One of you puts to flight a thousand, because it is the Lord, your God, himself who fights for you, as he promised you. As for you, takegreat care to love the Lord, your God. For if you ever turn away from him and join with the remnant of these nations that survive among you, by intermarrying and intermingling with them, know for certain that the Lord, your God, will no longer dispossess these nations at your approach . . .

Joshua'sFarewell 18

• JoshuainsiststhattheIsraelitesnot“minglewith”thenationsyettobeconqueredor“invoketheirgodsbyname,orswearbythem,orservethem,orbowdowntothem”(23:7).Butthisispreciselywhathappensintheverynextgeneration,aswewilllearninthebookofJudges:

• “SotheIsraelitessettledamongtheCanaanites,Hittites,Amorites,Perizzites,Hivites,andJebusites.Theytooktheirdaughtersinmarriage,andgavetheirowndaughterstotheirsonsinmarriage,andservedtheirgods.”

(Judges3:5-6)

• JoshuaequallyinsiststhatiftheydothistheLord“willnolongerdispossessthesenations”and...

19Joshua'sFarewell

. . . Instead they will be a snare and a trap for you, a scourge for your sides and thorns for your eyes, until you perish from this good land which the Lord, your God, has given you. Today, as you see, I am going the way of all the earth. So now acknowledge with your whole heart and soul that not one of all the promises the Lord, your God, made concerning you has failed. Every one has come true for you; not one has failed. But just as every promise the Lord, your God, made to you has come true for you, so will he bring upon you every threat, even so far as to exterminate you from this good land which the Lord, your God, has given you. If you transgress the covenant of the Lord, your God, which he enjoined on you, to go and serve other gods and bow down to them, the anger of the Lord will flare up against you and you will quickly perish from the good land he has given you.”

(23: 1-16)

Notme.

Joshua'sFarewell

Butalreadywehaveforeshadowingthatthings

willnotgowell!

Well,Joshuaisveryclearaboutthis.IftheIsraelitesadheresteadfastlytotheir

covenantwithGod,allwillgowell;iftheydon’t,itwon’t.

20

JoshuanowgathersallthetribesofIsraelatShechem,alongwiththeirleaders,andtheystandinmilitaryformation,asJoshuaaddressesthem,saying:“ThussaystheLord,theGodofIsrael:Intimespastyourancestors,downtoTerah,fatherofAbrahamandNahor,livedbeyondtheRiverandservedothergods...”

(24:2)

JoshuathenrecountsallthatGodhasdoneforIsrael,fromAbrahamthroughthepresentgeneration,andthenhesays:

21Joshua'sFarewell

22Joshua'sFarewell

“Now, therefore, fear the Lord and serve him completely and sincerely. Cast out the gods your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. If it is displeasing to you to serve the Lord, choose today whom you will serve, the gods your ancestors served beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose country you are dwelling. As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. But the people answered, ‘Far be it from us to forsake the Lord to serve other gods. For it was the Lord, our God, who brought us and our ancestors up out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. He performed those great signs before our very eyes and protected us along our entire journey and among all the peoples through whom we passed. At our approach the Lord drove out all thepeoples, including the Amorites who dwelt in the land. Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God.’”

(24: 14-18)

Joshua'sFarewell 23

NoticethatJoshuasays:

“IfitisdispleasingtoyoutoservetheLord,choosetodaywhomyouwillserve....”

(24:15a)

JoshuaknowsthatitisnotachoiceofpeopleservingGodorservingnothing,achoiceofbelongingtoGodorofbeingafree,independentmoralagent.No.Peoplemustservesomething.That’safactofthehumancondition.

Anditholdstruetoday.IfpeoplechoosenottoserveGod,theywillservesomethingelse:theircareers,theirlustforpowerorwealth,theirpoliticalpartyortheirleader,beitapoliticalleader,religiousleader,businessleaderorcultleader.

Joshua'sFarewell 24

ButJoshuafamouslysays:

“Asformeandmyhousehold,wewillservetheLord.”

(24:15b)

TheIsraelitesconcur,agreeingwithJoshuaandinsistingthatthey,too,willservetheLord:

25Joshua'sFarewell

“Now, therefore, fear the Lord and serve him completely and sincerely. Cast out the gods your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. If it is displeasing to you to serve the Lord, choose today whom you will serve, the gods your ancestors served beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose country you are dwelling. As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. But the people answered, ‘Far be it from us to forsake the Lord to serve other gods. For it was the Lord, our God, who brought us and our ancestors up out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. He performed those great signs before our very eyes and protected us along our entire journey and among all the peoples through whom we passed. At our approach the Lord drove out all thepeoples, including the Amorites who dwelt in the land. Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God.’”

(24: 14-18)

Notme.

Joshua'sFarewell

We’vehadalotofexperiencewiththem,too.Iwouldn’ttakeanybetson

theirobedience!

I’mnotatallsureJoshuabelievestheIsraelites.

Afterall,likeMoses,he’shadalotexperiencewith

them!

26

27Joshua'sFarewell

“Joshua in turn said to the people, ‘You may not be able to serve the Lord, for he is a holy God; he is a passionate God who will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. If you forsake the Lord and serve strange gods, he will then do evil to you and destroy you, after having done you good.’ But the people answered Joshua, ‘No! We will serve the Lord.’ Joshua therefore said to the people, ‘You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to serve the Lord.’ They replied, ‘We are witnesses!’ ‘Now, therefore, put away the foreign gods that are among you and turn your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.’ Then the people promised Joshua, ‘We will serve the Lord, our God, and will listen to his voice.’”

(24: 19-24)

Joshua'sFarewell 28

SincethepeoplesovehementlyinsistthattheywillservetheLord,Joshuamakesacovenantwiththepeople:

29Joshua'sFarewell

“So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day and made statutes and ordinances for them at Shechem. Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God. Then he took a large stone and set it up there under the terebinth that was in the sanctuary of the Lord. And Joshua said to all the people, ‘This stone shall be our witness, for it has heard all the words which the Lord spoke to us. It shall be a witness against you, should you wish to deny your God.’ Then Joshua dismissed the people, each to their own heritage.”

(24: 25-28)

Joshua'sFarewell 30

Terebinthtree[Pistacia palaestina]inupperGalilee.

Photosource:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pistacia_palaestina

Joshua'sFarewell 31

WithJoshua’scovenantwiththeIsraelitessealed,hisjobisover,andweconcludethebookofJoshuawithJoshua’sdeath:

32Joshua'sFarewell

“After these events, Joshua, son of Nun, servant of the Lord, died at the age of a hundred and ten, and they buried him within the borders of his heritage at Timnath-serah in the mountain region of Ephraim north of Mount Gaash. Israel served the Lord during the entire lifetime of Joshua, and of those elders who outlived Joshua and who knew all the work the Lord had done for Israel. The bones of Joseph, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt, were buried in Shechemin the plot of ground Jacob had bought from the sons of Hamor, father of Shechem, for a hundred pieces of money. This was a heritage of the descendants of Joseph. When Eleazar, son of Aaron, also died, he was buried on the hill which had been given to his son Phinehas in the mountain region of Ephraim.”

(24: 29-33)

Joshua'sFarewell 33Jordan

River

DEADSEA

MountEbalè

MountGerizimèç Shechem

[PalestinianwestbankvillageofKifl Harestoday]

TraditionaltombofJoshua.

Timnath-serah

34Joshua'sFarewell

“After these events, Joshua, son of Nun, servant of the Lord, died at the age of a hundred and ten, and they buried him within the borders of his heritage at Timnath-serah in the mountain region of Ephraim north of Mount Gaash. Israel served the Lord during the entire lifetime of Joshua, and of those elders who outlived Joshua and who knew all the work the Lord had done for Israel. The bones of Joseph, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt, were buried in Shechemin the plot of ground Jacob had bought from the sons of Hamor, father of Shechem, for a hundred pieces of money. This was a heritage of the descendants of Joseph. When Eleazar, son of Aaron, also died, he was buried on the hill which had been given to his son Phinehas in the mountain region of Ephraim.”

(24: 29-33)

Notme.

Joshua'sFarewell

Apparently,theIsraeliteshadbeencartingaroundJoseph’sboneseversincetheyleftEgypt!Ilike

bones.

Howaboutthat!InGenesis50:25wereadthatJosephmadethesonsofIsraelswear:“WhenGodthustakescareofyou,youmustbringmybonesupfromthisplace[Egypt].”AndwhenMosesleadstheIsraelitesoutofEgypt400yearslater,

“MosesalsotookJoseph’sboneswithhim”(Exodus13:19).

35

Joshua'sFarewell 36

Holycow!DidtheypropupJoseph’s

mummyinacornerofMoses’andJoshua’stent,likethecorpseatanIrishwake?

37Joshua'sFarewell

Excursus:The Problem of Herem

AsweareabouttoleavethebookofJoshua,weneedtopauseandconsidertheextremelydifficultissueofGodcommandingthatallindigenouspeoplewestoftheJordanRiverbeput“undertheban”;thatis,everyman,womanandchildbeslaughteredandtheircities,townsandvillagesbeutterlydestroyed.

Spinitaswewill,thereisnogettingaroundthefactthatherem—puttingapeople“undertheban”—isgenocide,pureandsimple.

38Joshua'sFarewell

Itwasstandardpracticeinancientwarfaretoattackyourenemies;killtheirwarriorsinbattle;executetheirleaders;andtaketheirwomen,childrenandpossessionsasplunder.ThisisexactlywhathappensintheTrojanWarwhentheAchaeanssackTroy.Setin1184B.C.,300orsoyearsafterourstoryinJoshua,Homer’sTheIliad recountsthetale.InBook6Hector,theprinceofTroyandTroy’sgreatestwarrior,speakswithhiswifeAndromache,whoforeseesherfate,andthefateofTroy:

Joshua'sFarewell 39

Atthat,Hectorspunandrushedfromhishouse,backbythesamewaydownthewide,well-pavedstreetsthroughoutthecityuntilhereachedtheScaean Gates,thelastpointhewouldpasstogainthefieldofbattle.Therehiswarm,generouswifecamerunninguptomeethim,Andromachethedaughterofgallant-heartedEetionwhohadlivedbelowMountPlacos richwithtimber,inThebebelowthepeaks,andruledCilicia’speople.HisdaughterhadmarriedHectorhelmedinbronze.Shejoinedhimnow,andfollowinginherstepsaservantholdingtheboyagainstherbreast,inthefirstflushoflife,onlyababy,Hector’sson,thedarlingofhiseyesandradiantasastar...HectorwouldalwayscalltheboyScamandrius,townsmencalledhimAstyanax,LordoftheCity,sinceHectorwasthelonedefenseofTroy.Thegreatmanofwarbreakingintoabroadsmile,hisgazefixedonhisson,insilence.Andromache,pressingclosebesidehimandweepingfreelynow,clungtohishand,urgedhim,callinghim:“Recklessone,myHector—yourownfierycouragewilldestroyyou!Haveyounopityforhim,ourhelplessson?Orme,andthedestinythatweighsmedown,yourwidow,nowsosoon?Yes,soontheywillkillyouoff,alltheAchaeanforcesmassedforassault,andthen,bereftofyou,betterformetosinkbeneaththeearth...

Joshua'sFarewell 40

Andromache,Astyanax andHector.Apulian red-figurecolumn-crater,c.370-360B.C.

Museo Nazionale Jatta,Ruvo di Puglia.

Whatotherwarmth,whatcomfort’sleftforme,Onceyouhavemetyourdoom?Nothingbuttorment!Ihavelostmyfather.Mother’sgoneaswell.Father...thebrilliantAchilleslaidhimlowwhenhestormedCilicia’scityfilledwithpeople,Thebewithhertoweringgates.HekilledEetion,notthathestrippedhisgear—he’dsomerespectatleast—forheburnedhiscorpseinallhisblazonedbronze,thenheapedagrave-moundhighabovetheashesandnymphsofthemountainplantedelmsaroundit,daughtersofZeuswhoseshieldisstormandthunder.AndthesevenbrothersIhadwithinourhalls...allinthesamedaywentdowntotheHouseofDeath,thegreatgodlikerunnerAchillesbutcheredthemall,tendingtheirshamblingoxen,shiningflocks.

RobertFagels,trans.TheIliad(NewYork:VikingPress,1990),6:462-503.

Joshua'sFarewell 41

“Achilles”(BradPitt)fromthe2004movieTroy,directedbyWolfgangPeterson.

[Thisisareallygoodmovie!]

Euripides’TheTrojanWomen(c.415B.C.)lamentsTroy’sfate.GiventhatalltheTrojanwarriorshavebeenslainbytheirGreekvictors,itistheirwomen—mothers,daughters,wives—whogivevoicetothesufferingofthecity.

TakenasslavesandconcubinesbytheirGreekmasters,Hector’swidowAndromacheannouncesthatPolyxena hasbeensacrificedtothedeadAchilles,andHector’sinfantsonAstyanax hasbeenhurledfromthecitywalls,smashedonthestonesbelow.

AsTroy’swomenareabouttobetakencaptiveaboardOdysseus’ship,Hecuba,wifeofPriamkingofTroy,laments:

Joshua'sFarewell 42

Ah,wretchedme.SothisistheunhappyendandgoalofallthesorrowsIhavelived.Igoforthfrommycountryandacitylitwithflames.Come,agedfeet;makeonelastwearystruggle,ThatImayhailmycityinitsaffliction.OTroy,OncesohugeoverallAsiainthedrawnwindofpride,Yourverynameofgloryshallbestrippedaway.Theyareburningyou,andustheydragforthfromourlandenslaved.Oh,gods!DoIcalluponthegodsforhelp?Wecriedtothembeforenow,andtheywouldnothear.Comethen,hurlourselvesintothepyre.Bestnowtodieintheflamingruinsofourfathers’house!

RichardLattimore,trans.“TheTrojanWomen”inEuripidesIII(TheCompleteGreekTragedies),3rd edition.(Chicago:UniversityofChicagoPress,2013),1272-1283.

Joshua'sFarewell 43

Merry-JosephBlondel.HecubaandPolyxena(oiloncanvas),1814.LACMA,LosAngeles.

Theconceptofherem—ofputtingapeople“undertheban”—differsfromconventionalancientwarfarebyanorderofmagnitude,however,anditistypicallymotivatedbyadesireforreligiouspurityorsimplybyrawvengeance.

Anditisnotuncommon.

IntheHebrewScripturesherem occursinitsverbform51timesanditsnounform28times.Forexample,IsraelputstheMoabitesandMidianites“undertheban”inNumbers31,killingeveryman,womanandchild(butkeepingthevirginsforthemselves).

Theydosobecause,attheadviceofBalaam,theMoabiteandMidianitewomenhadseducedtheIsraelitesintoworshippingtheirgods.

Joshua'sFarewell 44

RecallthestoryinNumbers31inwhich“TheLordsaidtoMoses:AvengetheIsraelitesontheMidianites,” sotheIsraelitesproceededtowagewar“andkilledeverymale,”andthenexecutedthefivekingsofMidian,alongwithBalaamsonofBeor “withthesword”(thatis,theIsraelitesbeheadedthem).

TheIsraelitesthen“tookcaptivethewomenoftheMidianites withtheirchildren,andalltheirherdsandflocksandwealthasloot,whiletheysetonfireallthetownswheretheyhadsettledandalltheirencampments.Thentheytookalltheplunder,withthepeopleandanimalstheyhadcaptured,andbroughtthecaptives,togetherwiththespoilsandplunder,toMosesandEleazar thepriestandtotheIsraelitecommunity....”(31:9-12).

Joshua'sFarewell 45

Atthisstage,thecaptives(thewomenandchildren)wouldbecometheIsraeliteslavesorconcubines,tobekeptorsold,ashappensinthepost-TrojanWartalesofEuripides,Virgil,OvidandSeneca,aswellasinotherancientcultures,suchasMoab.ButthatisnotwhathappenshereinNumbers31:

Joshua'sFarewell 46

47Joshua'sFarewell

“When Moses and Eleazar the priest, with all the leaders of the community, went outside the camp to meet them, Moses became angry with the officers of the army, the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, who were returning from the military campaign. ‘So you have spared all the women!’ he exclaimed. These are the very ones who on Balaam’s advice were behind the Israelites’ unfaithfulness to the Lord in the affair at Peor, so that plague struck the Lord’s community. Now kill, therefore, every male among the children and kill every woman who has had sexual relations with a man. But you may spare for yourselves all the girls who have not had sexual relations.”

(31: 13-18)

Whatgoesaround,comesaround.DuringthetimeofOmri kingofIsrael,around840B.C.,theMoabitesplacetheIsraelites“undertheban,”astoryalludedtoin2Kings3:4-8.TheMesha Stele,discoveredin1868byFrederickAugustusKleinatthearchaeologicalsiteofancientDibon inmodern-dayJordanconfirmsthebiblicalaccount(butwithaverydifferentending!),tellingthestoryofhowkingMesha ofMoab,withthehelpofhisgod,Chemosh,defeatsOmri andhissonAhab,kingsofIsrael,whohadsubjectedtheMoabitesformanyyears.

Joshua'sFarewell 48

“IamMesha,sonofChemosh-gad,kingofMoab,theDibonite.MyfatherreignedoverMoabthirtyyears,andIhavereignedaftermyfather.AndIhavebuiltthissanctuaryforChemosh inKarchah,asanctuaryofsalvation,forhesavedmefromallaggressors,andmademelookuponallmineenemieswithcontempt.Omri waskingofIsrael,andoppressedMoabduringmanydays,andChemosh wasangrywithhisaggressions.His[Omri’s]son[kingAhab]succeededhim,andhealsosaid,IwilloppressMoab.

Inmydays[Chemosh]said,Letusgo,andIwillseemydesireuponhimandhishouse,andIsraelsaid,Ishalldestroy[Moab]forever.NowOmri tookthelandofMadeba,andoccupieditinhisday,andinthedaysofhisson[Ahab], fortyyears...

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Mesha Stele,c.840B.C.LouvreMuseum,Paris.

...andChemosh hadmercyon[Moab]inmytime.AndIbuiltBaal-meon andmadethereintheditch,andIbuiltKiriathaim.AndthemenofGaddwelledinthecountryofAtaroth fromancienttimes,andthekingofIsraelfortifiedAtaroth.Iassaultedthewallandcapturedit,andkilledallthewarriorsofthecityforthewell-pleasingofChemosh andMoab,andIremovedfromitallthespoil,andoffereditbeforeChemosh inKirjath;andIplacedthereinthemenofSiran,andthemenofMochrath.AndChemosh saidtome,“GotakeNeboagainstIsrael,”andIwentinthenightandIfoughtagainstitfromthebreakofdaytillnoon,andItookit:andIkilledallseventhousandmen,butIdidnotkillthewomenandmaidens,forIdevotedthemtoAshtar-Chemosh;andItookfromitthevesselsofJehovah[YHWH], andofferedthembeforeChemosh.”1

1 JamesKing.Moab’sPatriarchalStone(London:BickersandSon,1878),pp.55-56.[TexttranslatedbyJamesKing.]

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Themostvividexamplesofherem,however,occurinthebookofJoshua,whereGodcommandsJoshuatoputallconqueredpeoplewestoftheJordanRiver“undertheban,”beginningwithJerichoandAi,andcontinuingwithall31kingsandtheircitieswhomJoshuadefeats.

InDeuteronomyGodhadcommanded:“InthecitiesofthesepeoplesthattheLord,yourGod,isgivingyouasaheritage,youshallnotleaveasinglesoulalive.Youmustputthemallundertheban—theHittites,Amorites,Canaanites,Perizzites,Hivites,andJebusites—justastheLord,yourGod,hascommandedyou,sothattheydonotteachyoutodoalltheabominationsthattheydofortheirgods,andyouthussinagainsttheLord,yourGod.”

(Deuteronomy20:16-18)

Andthat’swhattheydo.

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Theconceptofherem inScripturehasprovokedintenseandvariedcommentary,rangingfromThomasPaine’svisceralscornandcontempttoChristianapologists’whoattempttojustifysuchactionsassomehowmorallycorrect.HereisThomasPaine(1737-1809),philosopher,politicaltheoristandoneoftheFoundingFathersoftheUnitedStatesinTheAgeofReason(publishedin3parts:1794,1795and1807):

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“Themostdetestablewickedness,themosthorridcruelties,andthegreatestmiseries,thathaveafflictedthehumanracehavehadtheirorigininthisthingcalledrevelation,orrevealedreligion...[whence]aroseallthehorridassassinationsofwholenationsofmen,women,andinfants,withwhichtheBibleisfilled;andthebloodypersecutions,andtorturesuntodeathandreligiouswars,thatsincethattimehavelaidEuropeinbloodandashes.”

TheAgeofReason,pp.226-227

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Auguste Millière.ThomasPaine(oiloncanvas),1880.

NationalPortraitGallery,London.

Incontrast,hereisthecommentaryfromarecentChristianapologeticwebsite,justifyingherem:

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the“Complaining about Jehovah’s order to destroy innocent children is a vain gesture when one realizes that the children were spared an even worse fate of being reared as slaves under the domination of sin. Instead of having to endure the scourge of a life of immorality and wickedness, these innocents were ushered early into the bliss of Paradise. If the male children had been allowed to mature, they most likely would have followed the pagan ways of their forefathers, and eventually would have taken vengeance on the Israelites. Killing the males not only prevented them from falling into the same abominable sins as their parents, but also kept Israel from having to battle them later . . .”

www.apologeticspress.org

RobertAlter,inTheFiveBooksofMoses,strikesareasonedbalancebetweensuchextremes:

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“ThepracticeofmassacringmostorallofaconqueredpopulationwaswidespreadintheancientNearEast(theMoabiteMesha stelerecordsasimilar‘ban’or‘herem’againstadefeatedenemy,usingcertainSemitictermscognatetoonesthatareemployedhere),butthatisnotexactlyapalliative.Itispainfullyevidentthatthisisaninstanceinwhichthebiblicaloutlooksadlyfailedtotranscenditshistoricalcontexts.”

TheFiveBooksofMoses,p.843.

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RobertAlterProfessorofHebrew

andComparativeLiteratureUniversityofCalifornia,Berkeley.

Andthatisthekey:“historicalcontexts.”Aswehavenotedinourpreviousstudies,allart—literary,visualormusical—mirrorsthetimeandculturefromwhichitemerges.

Scriptureisnoexception.WhenwereadinNumbers,“TheLordsaidtoMoses:‘AvengetheIsraelitesontheMidianites,’”orwereadinJoshuaofthewholesaleslaughterofanentirepopulation,includingwomenandchildren,itisamistaketoapply21st-centuryChristianmoralandethicalstandardstoastorythatemergesfroma3,000-yearoldNearEasternculture.

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IntheHebrewScriptureswearereadingstoriesthatreflecthowpeopleunderstoodGodandthemselvesintheirowntimeandculture.Inaddition,thestorieswereadinJoshuathrough2Kingswerewritten500-1,000yearsafter theeventstheydescribe.Theyareliteraryworksthatembodyanation’sself-createdidentityintheformofstories,storiesthatemploymanyoftheconventionsofmythopoeicandepicliterature.

Toapplythepracticesofsuchstoriesinaliteralwaytoourowntimeandcultureisafundamentalmistake,bothinmethodologyandintheology,moralityandethics.Unfortunately,therehavebeenthosewhodoso,suchasthenow-defunctIsraelipoliticalmovementGushEmunim whichconsideredmodern-dayPalestinianstobeliketheCanaanites,andtheysawitastheirdutytoexterminateallArabswhorejectJewishsovereignty.

FundamentalistMoslems,suchasISIS,makethesamemistake,withhorrendousconsequences.

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Today—inlightofthecatastrophicwarsofthe20th centuryandthetechnologicaladvancesinmodernwarfareandweaponry—muchthoughthasbeengiventotheconditionsunderwhichwarmaybejustlywaged.TheRomanCatholicchurchsuccinctlysummarizesitsthinkingonwarintheCatechismoftheCatholicChurch(1995):

“Thestrictconditionsforlegitimatedefensebymilitaryforcerequirerigorousconsideration.Thegravityofsuchadecisionmakesitsubjecttorigorousconditionsofmorallegitimacy.Atoneandthesametime:

•Thedamageinflictedbytheaggressoronthenationorcommunityofnationsmustbelasting,grave,andcertain;•Allothermeansofputtinganendtoitmusthavebeenshowntobeimpracticalorineffective;•Theremustbeseriousprospectsofsuccess;•Theuseofarmsmustnotproduceevilsanddisordersgraverthantheeviltobeeliminated.Thepowerofmodernmeansofdestructionweighsveryheavilyinevaluatingthiscondition.”

(3:2309)

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TheCompendiumoftheSocialDoctrineoftheChurch, (2004)probesdeeper,placingwarwithintheoverallcontextofsocialjustice.Paragraphs500-501areparticularlyinstructive:

“Itisimportanttorememberthatitisonethingtowageawarofself-defense;itisquiteanothertoseektoimposedominationonanothernation.Thepossessionofwarpotentialdoesnotjustifytheuseofforceforpoliticalormilitaryobjectives.Nordoesthemerefactthatwarhasunfortunatelybrokenoutmeanthatallisfairbetweenthewarringparties....Therefore,engaginginapreventivewarwithoutclearproofthatanattackisimminentcannotfailtoraiseseriousmoralandjuridicalquestions.”

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Whenwereadaboutherem andthegenocidalwarsintheHebrewScriptures,weshouldunderstandthatthestorieswereadmirrorthetimeandculturefromwhichtheyemerge,andweshouldunderstandtheliteraryconventionsembodiedinthosestories.That’swhatbecoming“educatedreadersofScripture”isallabout.

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1. HowoldwasJoshuawhenhedied?2. InhisfarewelladdressJoshuarecountsallthatGod

hasdonefortheIsraelites,fromAbrahamthroughhisownday.Whenhefinishes,JoshuapresentstwopathsfortheIsraelites.Whatarethey?

3. WhatpathdoesJoshuafamouslyfollow?4. WhereareJoseph’sbonesburied?5. Howdoyou explainGodcommandingtheIsraelitesto

placetheirenemies“undertheban,”tokilleveryman,womanandchild—tocommitgenocide?

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