Another major theme the compiler of the Book of Joshua wanted to communicate to us is…
…that the Tribe of Judah was the first in line to receive their Promised Land inheritance.
However, what’s interesting is that it wasn’t actually Judah but the clan of Caleb who received their inheritance (Caleb was one of the many clans that made up Judah).
Not only was this the fulfillment of a promise but it also demonstrated something that some sects of Judaism would prefer to overlook.
What am I talking about?
I’m talking about the fact that the Lord gave a piece of the Promised Land to a person who was NOT of Hebrew origin.
That’s right, Caleb, a man who was of foreign origin, was the first person to receive his inheritance in the Promised Land.
Caleb came from the line of Kenaz which was a line that stemmed from Edom (Esau’s line).
In spite of this, we know for a fact that Caleb had been fully grafted into the Tribe of Judah because the Book of Numbers tells us he was one of the 12 spies who went to scout out the Promised Land per Moses’ command.
And that’s the big takeaway here.
The issue of being chosen or receiving an inheritance from Hashem was more about obedience to God than blood ties and genealogical origins.
However, to be fair, I also have to let you know that Caleb, in spite of being the first person to receive land from God, would also serve as a reminder to future generations of Israelites of what to expect if they ever followed after a King who decided to disobey the Torah.
Who am I talking about?
I’m talking about the great King Solomon.
He ended up veering away from Torah obedience.
Instead, he let his lust for personal wealth and power get the better of him as he traveled to foreign countries and brought home many foreign wives.
These foreign wives caused Solomon’s heart to turn away from Hashem which led to rebellion and Israel’s eventual destruction.
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