Chapter 16

Judges 16:1  Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in unto her.

These people never quit.

Judges 16:22  Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven.

People make mistakes. Are they to remain powerless all their life? God is merciful. The hair does grow back. Ann Shirley’s green hair did grow out. It takes time. It takes suffering. It takes adjustment. Like when us chubby men shave after having a beard. We always regret it. We have to live with looking at that double chin every morning. It takes time to get used to it. We suffer as we see ourselves until it grows out again.

Judges 16:30  And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life.

Let me die with the Philistines… Missionary battle cry.

Can a person’s death affect more people than their life. Samson made alot of mistakes, but there is something to say about the final moments of his life. It’s sad, yet glorious. What will you do with your life? What will you do with your death? Odd question. There’s living for God and there’s dying for God.

Bow yourself with all your might. Sounds like praying.

I think of his eyes being plucked out and his final triumphant act. I think of that verse that Jesus said, It’s better to enter the kingdom of God with one eye.

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Chapter 17

Judges 17:3  And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the LORD from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee.

I don’t understand what’s going on here. Sounds like he stole money from his mother, and then confessed, and the mother praised him for returning it, and after he returned it the mother confessed that she was saving it to make a molten god for him. So she did.

Judges 17:6  In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

Seems really to be an explanation of the previous verse. That same man that stole the money and then gave it back made an ephod and a teraphim and consecrated one of his sons to be priest. He gave him a position on his estate as a clergyman: Mr. Collins, Mr. Edward Ferras. Anyhow, only Levites were priests so this is a commentary on consecrating someone other than a Levite.

Judges 17:8-9  And the man departed out of the city from Bethlehemjudah to sojourn where he could find a place: and he came to mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.  (9)  And Micah said unto him, Whence comest thou? And he said unto him, I am a Levite of Bethlehemjudah, and I go to sojourn where I may find a place.

I wonder what the story was of that young man. Isn’t strange that this Levite was stole from Micah as if he was just an object. These armies throughout the bible take cattle, they take wives, they take children, wine, gold, but I hadn’t heard that they take priests too. My first impression on application is what takes preachers away from their post.

I think that the people of Dan probably had more money that Micah. Maybe there was more prestige. That’s negative.

On a positive note, maybe the priesthood with Dan was closer to the desires of the young man. After all Micah had a house of gods. And his mother made him a silver god. I would assume that the young priest had to serve these gods instead of the Lord God. Maybe this new position with Dan offered him the ability now to do that.

Why did he leave Bethlehemjudah? Was he priest there?

Judges 17:13  Then said Micah, Now know I that the LORD will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest.

Micah said, “I have a Levite to my priest!” Like it was some prize. I mean they were supposed to support the Levites in every tribe, but things were so messed up now, I doubt that they were doing all that properly. I’m sure even that was perverted. So in that sense, maybe Micah was actually being superstitious. I doubt that he was doing right. He had a silver God.

 

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Chapter 18

Judges 18:1  In those days there was no king in Israel: and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought them an inheritance to dwell in; for unto that day all their inheritance had not fallen unto them among the tribes of Israel.

Here’s testimony that at least one tribe NEVER fulfilled all the Lord had asked them to do. Even after 40 years of wandering, 31 kings subdued, they still did not do what the Lord asked of them. To believe him and posses the land.

Judges 18:5-6  And they said unto him, Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God, that we may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous.  (6)  And the priest said unto them, Go in peace: before the LORD is your way wherein ye go.

Hmmff. Nothing between 5&6. It seems as if the young man knew the 5 men. How did the young Levite know that they should go in peace.

Judges 18:7  Then the five men departed, and came to Laish, and saw the people that were therein, how they dwelt careless, after the manner of the Zidonians, quiet and secure; and there was no magistrate in the land, that might put them to shame in any thing; and they were far from the Zidonians, and had no business with any man.

We should always be diligent about our security, our borders, our defenses; because there’s always tribees out there looking for other people’s stuff. No magistrate. Better get a magistrate. I hate magistrates. Sounds like a good for nothing, government moocher.

Judges 18:17  And the five men that went to spy out the land went up, and came in thither, and took the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image: and the priest stood in the entering of the gate with the six hundred men that were appointed with weapons of war.

It just doesn’t seem fair. Did the young man forsee this? I wonder. Give us your priest or we slaughter you.

Judges 18:27  And they took the things which Micah had made, and the priest which he had, and came unto Laish, unto a people that were at quiet and secure: and they smote them with the edge of the sword, and burnt the city with fire.

I don’t know what to say about this.

Judges 18:31  And they set them up Micah’s graven image, which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.

So no. The young priest is doing wrong. The house of God is still in Shiloh. He had no business being a priest for a graven image. Okay okay okay I get it.

They all did that which was right in their own eyes…..

You got preachers and people that are wrong. These people were trying to be religious and trying to obtain their “inheritance” Well, God gave them specific lands. When did God say to raid the Ephramites and take their land. It would be interesting to see where this was and if it was truly NOT in prescribed borders of Dan.

But they find a priest and say “Ask God if he’s going to prosper us?” They are not even near or anywhere close to God’s blessings, but they have no idea. The priest, who ain’t right, tells them to go for it. He taught prosperity doctrine so he said “Yeah, live long and prosper!” But this guy was a wanderer without any story. He shoulda gone to Shiloh. Why wasn’t he in Judah? Did they kick him out.

So of course they listen to him, and on the way to destroy the city of Laish that they spied out they stop by Micah’s house and steal all his stuff and his priest. And what do they do? They set up the molten image and worship it. They aint right. They didn’t start right. They didn’t do right. And they didn’t end right.

 

 

Chapter 11

Judges 11:1  Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, and he was the son of an harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah.

That’s just a great testimony there already. He was the son of a harlot, a son of shame, a son of sin. Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me. But he is now a mighty man of valour. You don’t have to go the way of your fathers or mothers for that matter. I’ve heard Catholics say, My father was a Catholic, My father’s father was a Catholic, and I am a Catholic. You don’t have to go the way of your tendencies. Alcoholic fathers usually produce alcoholic kids. That doesn’t have to be so. Divorce parents usually produce divorced kids. That doesn’t have to be so. It can stop in you. Some people say they were born gay. You don’t have to die gay

Judges 11:6  And they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be our captain, that we may fight with the children of Ammon.

Be our captain? They kicked him out and NOW the want him back. Nombre forget it.

Judges 11:13  And the king of the children of Ammon answered unto the messengers of Jephthah, Because Israel took away my land, when they came up out of Egypt, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and unto Jordan: now therefore restore those lands again peaceably.

A prophetic demonstration of Israel’s struggles. Even unto this day, other nations are trying desperately to reclaim land that belongs to Israel. Did it used to belong to someone else? Sure. But God said it’s Israel’s so that’s what were gonna stick with.

Judges 11:19  And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon; and Israel said unto him, Let us pass, we pray thee, through thy land into my place.

Actually verses (14-23) Jephthah explain God’s providential hand in them obtaining all the lands that they have conquered. In other words, “King of Ammon, I know you used to possess this land, but now you don’t. It’s not yours anymore. Maybe if you were nice to us when we came in, things would be different, but you weren’t and things are not different.

Judges 11:24  Wilt not thou possess that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possess? So whomsoever the LORD our God shall drive out from before us, them will we possess.

If you God gave you land, would you not go possess it? Very reasonable guy.

Judges 11:26  While Israel dwelt in Heshbon and her towns, and in Aroer and her towns, and in all the cities that be along by the coasts of Arnon, three hundred years? why therefore did ye not recover them within that time?

Good point. Even today. If all this land belongs to the Palestinians then why haven’t they taken it earlier. In Texas, possession is 90% ownership. In other words, if this land is your, then why aren’t you sitting on it.

Judges 11:29  Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon.

Passing over in the Spirit. I missed this one. The Passover.

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Chapter 12

Judges 12:4-7  Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites.  (5)  And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites: and it was so, that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said, Let me go over; that the men of Gilead said unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay;  (6)  Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand.  (7)  And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.

Wow, I really don’t remember any of this. I need to look all this up again.

Rick read chapter 12 again.

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Chapter 13

Judges 13:16  And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread: and if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it unto the LORD. For Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the LORD.

What did he think he was. Did he think it was God? Did he think it was man?

Judges 13:19  So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the LORD: and the angel did wondrously; and Manoah and his wife looked on. (20)  For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground.

Just a an awesome beautiful picture of an angel. Just breath-taking.

Judges 13:25  And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.

Moved by the Spirit of the LORD. Moved. We need a MOVE of God.

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Chapter 14

Judges 14:4  But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.

Did God seek an occasion? Why would God seek an occasion? As if he could make an occasion. He could wipe the Philistines out with the breath of one nostril. Not sure?

Judges 14:6  And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.

Renting in the Spirit. That’s another thing of the Spirit. Like Mortifying through the Spirit.

Judges 14:12  And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments:

Games. We like games, Precious! A riddle. Was Samuel also perplexed at the sight he saw. Was his strength the real riddle?

Judges 14:18  And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.

Did he just call his wife a heifer?

Judges 14:19  And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father’s house.

Filled with the Spirit: slew, took, anger.

Fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, gentleness, goodness, longsuffering, faith, meekness, temperance.

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Chapter 15

Judges 15:6  Then the Philistines said, Who hath done this? And they answered, Samson, the son in law of the Timnite, because he had taken his wife, and given her to his companion. And the Philistines came up, and burnt her and her father with fire.

He probably shouldn’t have given his wife away. That’s the moral of the story. Don’t be giving other people’s wives away.

Judges 15:14  And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands.

The Spirit gives freedom. Romans 8;2 For the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

Judges 15:19  But God clave an hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived: wherefore he called the name thereof Enhakkore, which is in Lehi unto this day.

The Spirit revives….  There is a tremendous study of the Holy Spirit in the life of Samson.

 

 

Chapter 6

Judges 6:3-4  And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them;  (4)  And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass.

Wow that’s pretty mean. To destroy someone’s work has got to be one of the lowest deeds on earth. Very troubling when kids destroy other kids art work or whatever creation.

Judges 6:5  For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it.

Now that’s a real threatening picture: War Camels! Actually camels are pretty fast. Grasshoppers? At Kadesh grasshoppers were the losers. This time around grasshoppers are the winners. Maybe I’m not understanding this.

Judges 6:8  That the LORD sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage;

Moses was called a prophet. “There arose not a prophet like unto Moses…” There is law regarding prophets. Aaron was Moses’ prophet. But this is a mystery prophet. Who was this prophet? He said, “Ye have not obeyed my voice…”

Judges 6:11  And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.

Hiding wheat by the winepress? Why wouldn’t the Midianites find that? The bible says that they destroyed the increase of the earth and left not sustenance, no sheep, nor ox, nor ass. Why wouldn’t they destroy the fruit of the vine? Wine is spoil. Don’t destroy the wine.

Maybe Gideon knew that the Midianites would preserve the wine and the means of production. A diversion. That’s clever. Wise as serpents and harmless as doves.

Judges 6:15  And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.

What a great example. This is who God is looking for. Someone who know that there is no power in them save the power of God. Blessed are the poor. The least shall be the greatest. Not many noble…

Judges 6:21  Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the LORD departed out of his sight.

Awesome! Where is the Lord God of Elijah? Altar fire. I wish I can do a study on the fire from the altar. I’ve been fascinated with the idea that Jesus’ baptism of fire is not hell fire, but rather altar fire, purging fire, power fire, consuming fire. Read The Tongue of Fire; Or, The True Power of Christianity by William Arthur

Judges 6:23  And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.

Don’t worry you won’t die. It might hurt. Your life might be totally turned upside down from here on out. You’re going judge Israel for 40 years (not sure on that). You’re going to do battle against the Midianites. But don’t worry, thou shalt not die.

Judges 6:31  And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar.

Good for you dad!

Judges 6:34  But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered after him.

That’s what happens when you’re filled with the Spirit. You blow a trumpet. PuPurrrrrr!!!! Is that not what Jesus has asked of us? To blow the trumpet of warning. There’s a great day coming by and by. To blow the trumpet of war. Jesus will come with 10,000 of his saints.

This may have gone real well in the Things of the Spirit, Carried away in the Spirit. Carried away into battle for the Lord.

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Chapter 7

Judges 7:8  So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets: and he sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent, and retained those three hundred men: and the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley.

Down in the valley with my Savior I will go….

Yea thou I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…

Food and trumpets. French fries and French horns. Crumpets and Trumpets.

300 men? It doesn’t take much to make a difference.

Judges 7:13  And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along.

His fellow answered “This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon!” A cake of barley bread is the sword of Gideon? I’m not making the connection.

Here’s the connection. Gideon was poor. Barley bread was the bread of the poor. The wheat was usually for animals. Remember Gideon was hiding his threshing of wheat. The Midianites had destroyed the crops. So his wheat had to be a crop that he could grow secretly. Barley is a fool hardy crop and easy to grow. So it’s very likely that barley is what Gideon was threshing.

Well, what a picture for a cake of barley to come tumbling down the hill and smite the tents of the Midians. Glory to God! God really spoke to Gideon through that dream. The bible says that after he heard the interpretation of the dream, he went and worshipped and then returned to the 300 men and said, “Arise, for the LORD hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian!” Great stuff.

Benson Commentary – A weak and contemptible thing, and in itself as unable to overthrow a tent as to remove a mountain; but, being thrown by a divine hand, it bore down all before it.

“Little is much when God is in it!”

Judges 7:18  When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.

Good typology here. This the same manner in which we meet our enemies on the battle field. We go in the strength of God, and in the power of his Holy Word. This also ought to be our battle cry. Can’t help but recognize the similarity to Joshua and Jericho. Joshua and Gideon were very similar in faith and humility.

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Chapter 8

Judges 8:1  And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? And they did chide with him sharply.

What a bunch of jealous jerky children! This is one of my biggest beefs! I see this everywhere. Nobody wants responsibility. Why does Ephraim have to wait for Gideon to fight the Midianites? Why didn’t the go and fight and ask Gideon to help? Why must we be told to do everything. And then on top of that, they get mad because they weren’t included.

You got some people that just get offended at things like this. They get mad because they weren’t invited. They get mad because they were invited. They get mad when people don’t jump at their invitations. And then people do go, they find something to be mad about that too like being late or something.

Judges 8:3  God hath delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison of you? Then their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that.

So yeah, after the Midianites were on the run, Gideon called for Ephraim to go get ’em. And they did. The got the two princes and sent their heads to Gideon. So they were made because Gideon didn’t call them in the first place, but they did reap some of the spoil. So Gideon is taking one for the team and essentially saying that their victory over the two princes and the land they took than anything Gideon did. He saying. You want the glory? You got the glory? You the man. I might have started it, but you guys finished it.

Judges 8:6-7  And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thine army?  (7)  And Gideon said, Therefore when the LORD hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.

Why do people have to be mean?

Judges 8:16  And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth.

He schooled them. He beat down the tower of Penuel and slew the men of the city.

Judges 8:18-21  Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they whom ye slew at Tabor? And they answered, As thou art, so were they; each one resembled the children of a king.  (19)  And he said, They were my brethren, even the sons of my mother: as the LORD liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you.  (20)  And he said unto Jether his firstborn, Up, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword: for he feared, because he was yet a youth.  (21)  Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us: for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments that were on their camels’ necks.

So Gideon had a beef with Zebah and Zalmunna.  What happened at Tabor. I’ll find out later.

Psalms 83:11  Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb: yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna:

Judges 8:26  And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels’ necks.

These guys were rich. Mr. T Camel

Judges 8:27  And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.

Why did he do that?

Judges 8:33  And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baalberith their god.

Nombre forget it.

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Chapter 9

Judges 9:5  And he went unto his father’s house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone: notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself.

We’re talking about Abimelech. Jerubbaal is Gideon. That’s totally wicked to kill all your family. We see things like this happen in our land today and think “Things are getting real bad.” But it’s nothing new. Read on in the book of Judges and it gets sicker and sicker.

Judges 9:6  And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem.

Here’s some advice: Don’t make a king out of someone that just killed his entire family. That’s probably not a good idea.

Judges 9:7  And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you.

<——SPEECH—->

Judges 9:20  But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech.

Awesome speech. I like Jotham. Everything he said came to pass.

Judges 9:24  That the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, which slew them; and upon the men of Shechem, which aided him in the killing of his brethren.

God shall not be mocked. You reap what you sow.

Judges 9:27  And they went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards, and trode the grapes, and made merry, and went into the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech.

There you go. I heard one time, pastor advice “The first ones to praise you will be the first ones to turn on you.”  Very true sometimes. “Quick to shout is sometimes quick to pout.”

Judges 9:28  And Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? is not he the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his officer? serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem: for why should we serve him?

He sounds like these malcontents protesting the presidential inauguration. Gaal was unsuccessful. But read on to the tower of Thebez. Some woman drops a millstone on his head. That is funny.

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Chapter 10

Judges 10:13  Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more.

That’s pretty plain. Falling asleep.

Judges 10:14  Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.

That’s no good. You don’t want to hear God say that. Patty bought a soap cutter that I could have easily made with the waterjet. But she wanted me to take it to the shop and clean it and take off some burrs. Not. i said, “Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation!”

Judges 10:16  And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.

Misery. That’s what it is. Misery for the child of God that wants out from under his Father’s authority.

 

 

Chapter 1

Judges 1:3  And Judah said unto Simeon his brother, Come up with me into my lot, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise will go with thee into thy lot. So Simeon went with him.

Isn’t that kinda sweet. Brother helping brother. Faith in family and the promises of God.

Judges 1:6  But Adonibezek fled; and they pursued after him, and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes.

Ouch. Why did they do that?

Judges 1:7  And Adonibezek said, Threescore and ten kings, having their thumbs and their great toes cut off, gathered their meat under my table: as I have done, so God hath requited me. And they brought him to Jerusalem, and there he died.

So did Adonibezek cut off the thumbs and great toes of 70 other kings. What goes around comes around, huh? This is an indication of how these people were. I think they were vicious to each other. No one king ruled the area, it was a lot of little kings that were constantly fighting with each other.

Judges 1:8  Now the children of Judah had fought against Jerusalem, and had taken it, and smitten it with the edge of the sword, and set the city on fire.

Jerusalem is now the children of Israel’s. Salem. Peace? There’s never been much peace in Jerusalem.

Judges 1:12  And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjathsepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife.

This was also mentioned in Joshua. I don’t think this is legal today.

Judges 1:19  And the LORD was with Judah; and he drave out the inhabitants of the mountain; but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron.

Well they had chariots of iron! That was some pretty technical stuff. Where did they get the iron ore I wonder. Those were the first tanks! Chariots of iron! Well, God had chariots of fire! Fire melts iron. God wins.

Judges 1:20  And they gave Hebron unto Caleb, as Moses said: and he expelled thence the three sons of Anak.

Hit the road Jack and don’t you come back here no more! Anak was the one who scared off Israel in the first place. Caleb said, “I’ve been waiting a long time for this! I could have took you out 40 years ago, but nobody wanted to come with me. Well, here I am. And there you go!”

Judges 1:21  And the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem unto this day.

This I don’t understand. Apparently Judah and Benjamin reside in Jerusalem? And Judah drive his part out but Benjamin doesn’t his? I don’t understand. Was there a border in the city?

Judges 1:24-25  And the spies saw a man come forth out of the city, and they said unto him, Shew us, we pray thee, the entrance into the city, and we will shew thee mercy.  (25)  And when he shewed them the entrance into the city, they smote the city with the edge of the sword; but they let go the man and all his family.

Rahab. Be nice to God’s people. You never know what it will lead to.

Judges 1:27  Neither did Manasseh drive out the inhabitants of Bethshean and her towns, nor Taanach and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns: but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.

What is the problem with these guys? Were they trying to fail? Okay, so if all this is for admonishment, what is the application? Incomplete obedience will come back to bite us. It’s better to stick together. Joshua said that God would drive them out, so what’s the problem.

The journey into the promised is marked with a type. Feet in first, then water moves. I think that maybe Manasseh didn’t succeed because they didn’t try. I really don’t know. I need to study that up.

 

 

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Chapter 2

Judges 2:2  And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this?

That angel is saying exactly what I’m thinking.

Judges 2:10  And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.

It’s so easy to lose information from one generation to the next. There were alot of them standing there that were born in the wilderness. They grew up hearing their mom and dad complain all the time. You never know what they thought or knew. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob? Who’s that? Joseph was 2nd greatest in Egypt and now we were all slaves? What?

Judges 2:15  Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn unto them: and they were greatly distressed.

Are you distressed? Maybe the hand of the LORD is against you.

Why was it. Well now they served Baalim. The bowed down to Baal and Ashtaroth. Great. So they go there by the and of God and then they forgot him. Diligence is important. Some people call it legalism.

Judges 2:16  Nevertheless the LORD raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them.

Nevertheless! God is good.

Judges 2:19  And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way.

It’s so stressful to read about the up and down roller coaster relationship that Israel had with the Lord. God is faithful and clear. But Israel is in and out, up and down, yes and no. They just can’t stick with the program. Stubborn.

Judges 2:22  That through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the LORD to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not.

Here’s the challenge for all Christians: your children!

The typology: Egypt, Wilderness, Promised Land: Lost, Saved and Carnal, Saved and Spirit-filled. But then come the battles. The key: Judges 2:10 “…there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD”

 

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Chapter 3

Judges 3:6  And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods.

There it is again: Sounds like the doctrine of Baalim. Mickey’s advise: Women weaken legs. Becareful who you marry.

Judges 3:9  And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.

Othniel. Caleb’s little brother. Those little brothers are watching the older brother. You are an example to them.

Judges 3:13  And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees.

What is the city of palm trees. I’m gonna have to look at this later.

Deut 34:3, Judges 3:13, Judges 1:16, 2 Chronicles 28:15

Judges 3:15  But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab.

This is proof that we let Georgians come into Texas back in the early 1600’s to help us with the King James Bible. Since most of the church lived down here around Padre Island, we named the town Corpus Christi and we held the Texas Receptus there in a secret vault. We let the Georgians translate the book of Judges. You can see that in their use of the name Ehud, instead of Ed.

Judges 3:22  And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly; and the dirt came out.

This is gross.

Judges 3:30  So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.

I don’t have much to say about Ehud right now. I did preach a message years ago, “Ehud made a dagger!” I remember I had a great time preaching that message. I’m gonna have to dig that up one day.

Judges 3:31  And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel.

Patty said the other day, “I’m just trying to get your goat”

“You better not mess with my ox goad!”

 

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Chapter 4

Judges 4:11  Now Heber the Kenite, which was of the children of Hobab the father in law of Moses, had severed himself from the Kenites, and pitched his tent unto the plain of Zaanaim, which is by Kedesh.

Interesting. I thought Jethro was Moses’ father-in-law? Was Hobab and Jethro the same person all this time? No way! Where exactly did Hobab come from?

 

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Chapter 5

Judges 5:2  Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves.

This is a song of praise. Praise him for fighting for us. Praise him for the victories.

The people willingly offered themselves. This kinda reminds me of a preacher begging people to come down to the altar. I’m all for it. Beg them. Plead with them. Encourage them. Drag them. Whatever it takes. But what a blessing when the people willingly offer themselves. Present your bodies a living sacrifice.

Judges 5:6  In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways.

Shamgar. Not much said of him. Killed 600 Philistines with an ox goad. Not sure what this means. No a lot of business going on. Not a lot of trade. Not very friendly maybe. I don’t know.

Judges 5:9  My heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the LORD.

There’s that willingly again. Oh Lord, may I ever be willing. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.

Judges 5:12  Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam.

He lead captivity captive. What in the world does this mean? I’ve heard this of Jesus and I know it was uttered in the OT, but this is such a mystery to me. Lead captivity captive. That’s like leading freedom free.

Judges 5:24  Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent.

I’m too sleepy. I though Mary was blessed above all women? Because she could wield a hammer and nails. She was a master-builder.

Judges 5:31  So let all thine enemies perish, O LORD: but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.

Rest? Good idea. Good night

 

 

Chapter 21

(Joshua 21:45)  There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass.

God is good. He keeps his promises. Every good gift cometh down from the father of lights. God is faithful. God’s stuff don’t fail. He promised he’d bring them in the promised land and God delivered. He brought them in.

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Chapter 22

(Joshua 22:4)  And now the LORD your God hath given rest unto your brethren, as he promised them: therefore now return ye, and get you unto your tents, and unto the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the other side Jordan.

They fulfilled their obligation. And now they can rest. Have you fulfilled your obligations? Lester Roloff once said, if you don’t work, you shouldn’t eat. If you haven’t done anything worth eating, you shouldn’t eat. Build up an appetite for rest, I guess.

Reuben, Gad, and Mannaseh did as they ought. Good for them.

(Joshua 22:12)  And when the children of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up to war against them.

This is how serious they were about the tabernacle. Maybe. But then again, you see that most all these tribes on this side of the Jordan, when Joshua died, they didn’t drive out the inhabitants of the land like they were supposed to. They were willing to get together and go fight against their own people, but they gave up getting together and fighting against the real enemy. “Forsake not the assemblying of yourselves!” Isn’t there some hypocrisy in that?

(Joshua 22:16)  Thus saith the whole congregation of the LORD, What trespass is this that ye have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following the LORD, in that ye have builded you an altar, that ye might rebel this day against the LORD?

This is common. If you do something outside the approval of everybody else, if it’s of the religious sort, they immediately assume that you’re sinning against God. If it doesn’t look like their church or smell like their church or sound like their pastor, then it can’t possibly be right. I know I’m guilty of that.

I know if I don’t hear a little Amen or Praise God or if I don’t see some animation from that preacher, I start getting worried. It don’t seem right. I heard a preacher one time that the only time he got passionate about what he was saying was when he was telling people to clean up after themselves. I thought there’s something wrong with this. But who am I to judge.

Seriously, we judge other people and churches because they don’t do things the way we do. They MAY be wrong, but that’s none of our business. Our business is to keep our eyes on Jesus and do what we know to do is right and worry about ourselves first.

(Joshua 22:17)  Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we are not cleansed until this day, although there was a plague in the congregation of the LORD,

Wow, this is a major threat. They’re saying 24,000 people died because of the iniquity of Peor, and we’re not done yet. Apparently that sin is not cleansed yet and we’ve come to take care of it! Thems fight’n words! Phineas needs to chill. But that javelin away.

(Joshua 22:18)  But that ye must turn away this day from following the LORD? and it will be, seeing ye rebel to day against the LORD, that to morrow he will be wroth with the whole congregation of Israel.

Even though Phineas is wrong about the Reuben, Gad, and Mannaseh, he is right about the results of turning away from the Lord. What you do does not just affect you. It affects the whole family of God. No man lives unto himself. No man dies unto himself.

(Joshua 22:20)  Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the accursed thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel? and that man perished not alone in his iniquity.

That man did no perish alone in his iniquity. Great truth. Not preached enough about. Sounds like a good message to preach on.

(Joshua 22:34)  And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar Ed: for it shall be a witness between us that the LORD is God.

Can’t help but think of a guy name Eddie that is a Jehovah’s witness. Ed the witness!

 

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Chapter 23

(Joshua 23:3)  And ye have seen all that the LORD your God hath done unto all these nations because of you; for the LORD your God is he that hath fought for you.

He fought for you. He fought for me. What a blessed thought. What a comfort and relief to know that God fights for us. There’s some battles I don’t have to fight. There’s some I just have to wait it out until God brings the victory. There’s some where you do have to fight. Sometimes the Israelites fought, sometimes they didn’t. Either way, we trust in God. Amen.

Either he’ll fight for us, or he’ll he fight through us!

Either he’ll fight for us, or we’ll fight for him!

(Joshua 23:10)  One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.

Here’s a clue as to how the disciples distributed food for the 5000 men beside women and children.

(Joshua 23:14)  And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof.

Going the way of all the earth. All the earth is going to die. The grass withereth and flowers therof fadeth away. So must Joshua. He must decrease. Cursed is the ground for thy sake.

What is the way of all the earth? It’s appointed unto man once to die.

 

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Chapter 24

Joshua 24:2-3  And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods.  (3)  And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the flood, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac.

I think it’s amazing that he goes all the way back to before the flood. A reference to the judgment of God upon those that did not serve him, but served other God’s. What’s God done before, he can do some more. Don’t doubt God.

Joshua 24:5  I sent Moses also and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to that which I did among them: and afterward I brought you out.

Remember Egypt

Joshua 24:8  And I brought you into the land of the Amorites, which dwelt on the other side Jordan; and they fought with you: and I gave them into your hand, that ye might possess their land; and I destroyed them from before you.

Remember the Alamo again. He’s talking about Sihon and Og.

Joshua 24:12  And I sent the hornet before you, which drave them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; but not with thy sword, nor with thy bow.

There they are specifically. I am NEVER going to forget Sihon and Og. It has been mentioned so many times. Remember Sihon and Og.

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Joshua 24:14  Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD.

Look, there’s always room for improvement. God has a plan. Jesus is going to present us spotless before the Father.

Joshua 24:15  And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

Choose choose choose. We must consciencely make choices in this matter of serving God. The choice is before us every day, every week, every month, every year. The Christian life is a life of making choices. Serving is choosing.

Joshua 24:22  And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the LORD, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses.

We are Jehovah’s Witnesses

Joshua 24:23  Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the LORD God of Israel.

Incline your heart. That means to lean it over toward God. Point your heart toward God.

There are strange gods among you. Put them away.

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Joshua 24:26  And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak, that was by the sanctuary of the LORD.

A great stone. Remember the stone of Bohan. I wonder if they named this stone. Or if it’s the same stone in other places in the bible.

Another truth about stones: people do forget them.

Joshua 24:32  And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph.

They carried those bones around for over 40 years, and finally buried them. Faith to the bone.

Joshua 24:33  And Eleazar the son of Aaron died; and they buried him in a hill that pertained to Phinehas his son, which was given him in mount Ephraim.

Eleazar died. I thought that was sad. Eleazar had seen alot. He went from Egypt all the way to the Promised Land. From a child to an old man. He’d seen it all. Many among him that never saw Egypt. He’s dead now. Makes me think of the old men of God that I know that are getting older and older and one day, they’ll go the way of all the earth like Joshua and Eleazar. It’s gonna be sad. 🙁

 

 

Chapter 16

Joshua 16:5  And the border of the children of Ephraim according to their families was thus: even the border of their inheritance on the east side was Atarothaddar, unto Bethhoron the upper;

Actually this whole chapter lays out the borders of these people. I wonder what that looks like on a map. I think that would be a neat study, to map out all these borders to show where the different tribes were situated in the land of Israel.

Joshua 16:10  And they drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day, and serve under tribute.

What is the deal with these Israelites? Why can’t they drive out the inhabitants. They took out 31 kings. What’s the problem. Or course this has to be the beginning of disobedience. They didn’t even try in a lot of cases. All these people were a snare unto them. It wasn’t until David, that a lot of these people were taken care of. A man after God’s own heart. God’s heart was to give this land to the Israelites.

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Chapter 17

Joshua 17:12  Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.

There it is again. Could not drive out the inhabitants. They could not or they would not. If they would not that’s one thing. But if they could not, then why could they not? Was God not fighting for them? Had they already sinned against God in other things?

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Chapter 18

Joshua 18:1  And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of the congregation there. And the land was subdued before them.

Shiloh. I think this is really the first mention of this place, at least as a capital or resting ground. As we started reading into the Judges, I noticed that there was really little to no mention of the ark and the tabernacle all the sacrifices and the Passover and such. What happened. Did they already lose the red heifer?

Joshua 18:2-3  And there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes, which had not yet received their inheritance.  (3)  And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the LORD God of your fathers hath given you?

How long are ye slack? What are you waiting for? You’re doddling. You’re loafing around. You’re beating around the bush. The approach is clear. Why are you in a holding pattern. Clearance to land has been given. Vamanos. For many it’s a way of life. We waiting until we’re told to do something before we do it. It’s like the kids and the dishes. One of those kids is eventually gonna wash the dishes. Why do they wait until they’re told? Why don’t they just volunteer? They’re gonna have to clean their room. I’m not going in there to clean it for them. Why do you have to be told? Same things at work. Why do you have to be told clean up your area? To stay on task. To quit wasting time and talking. To do a better job. To show up on time. To show some initiative. Why do we wait? Why are we slack? Same thing with the things of God. Why do you wait until you’re driven to your knees to pray. Why don’t you read that Bible? You’ve got questions and you don’t understand what God is doing in your life? The mind of God is before you, why don’t you read it?

Joshua 18:9-10  And the men went and passed through the land, and described it by cities into seven parts in a book, and came again to Joshua to the host at Shiloh.  (10)  And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the LORD: and there Joshua divided the land unto the children of Israel according to their divisions.

Inny-minny-mighty-moe. Everybody pick a number. Snake-eyes gets the northern region. I remember Moses saying that big tribes get more land and little tribes get less land. I suprised there was no quarreling about this. Please don’t give me the Philistines. Please don’t give me the Philistines. Please don’t give me the Philistines.

Joshua 18:17  And was drawn from the north, and went forth to Enshemesh, and went forth toward Geliloth, which is over against the going up of Adummim, and descended to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben,

Who is Bohan or what is the stone of Bohan? Nothing on Bible Hub, other than the fact that this is also mention in Joshua 15 regarding Judah’s territory. This one is Benjamin’s territory. So this stone was between Joshua and Benjamin’s land but named after Bohan, son of Reuben. These are the only mention in the Bible of Bohan.

(Genesis 46:9)  And the sons of Reuben; Hanoch, and Phallu, and Hezron, and Carmi.

Yeah, so Bohan doesn’t sound like any of those guys.

he presence of this stone of Bohan, who is called the son of Reuben, might imply that at one time descendants of the tribe of Reuben temporarily inhabited the NE corner of the territory of Judah before the final boundary settlements were made by Joshua. https://www.biblicaltraining.org/library/bohan

bo’-han (bohan, “thumb,” “stumpy”): A son of Reuben according to Joshua 15:6; Joshua 18:17. No mention is made of Bohan in the genealogies of Reuben. “The stone of Bohan” (‘ebhen bohan) was a boundary mark on the Northeast frontier of Judah, separating it from Benjamin. Site unidentified. http://biblehub.com/topical/b/bohan.htm

Stone of Abel:

And the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fenced cities, and of country villages, even unto the great stone of Abel, whereon they set down the ark of the LORD: which stone remaineth unto this day in the field of Joshua, the Bethshemite. (1 Samuel 6:18)

So the stone of Adam was in the field of Joshua. It was a great stone. The busted the cart that the Philistines had sent with the ark. And offered the two kine a burnt offering unto the LORD there on that stone.

So my guess is that the stone of Bohan was a place where the childre of Israel offered sacrifice. But who is Bohan and why did they name the stone after him. We know who Adam is but not sure as to why they named the stone after him. Stones in the bible for offering and worship is a big thing. What mean these stones?

Joshua, the Bethshemite – Bethshemeth was a city that was border of Judah’s land (Joshua 15:10), border of Isachar’s land (Joshua 19:22), but in the land of Napthali (Joshua 19:38) So this Joshua was a Napthalite. And there was a big stone in his field, and he called it the Stone of Adam

(Judges 1:33)  Neither did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of Bethshemesh, nor the inhabitants of Bethanath; but he dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: nevertheless the inhabitants of Bethshemesh and of Bethanath became tributaries unto them.

Interestingly, the Stone of Adam, They recieved the ark back and offered sacrifice, the bible says that they rejoiced to see the ark! But then they look in it and God killed them: 50, 070 men. Don’t touch the ark!

(1 Samuel 6:19)  And he smote the men of Bethshemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the LORD, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men: and the people lamented, because the LORD had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter.

So I agree, Reuben’s family must have lived up there for awhile. Possibly before the dispersion of the land. Not sure how. I wonder it it was before Egypt. No telling.

Here’s another interesting tidbit:

(2 Kings 14:11)  But Amaziah would not hear. Therefore Jehoash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the face at Bethshemesh, which belongeth to Judah.

Who is Judah at this point? Did the borders change. It was once at the border of Judah but belonged to Napthali. Perhaps Judah refers to the souther kingdom now.

Here’s another one:

(Jeremiah 43:13)  He shall break also the images of Bethshemesh, that is in the land of Egypt; and the houses of the gods of the Egyptians shall he burn with fire.

So the name Bethshemeth is quite possibly the name of a God that the city was named after. Apparantly a god of Egypt.

And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine: and Israel heard it. (Genesis 35:22) Now, there’s nothing anywhere on this, but I wonder if Bilhah had a son from this encounter, perhaps his name is Bohan.

Why would you name a stone after the guy who plunged the world into sin? Adam. Perhaps this stone was name after the illegitimate child of Reuben because it caused him to lose the status of the firstborn?

(Genesis 49:3)  Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:
(Genesis 49:4)  Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.

(1 Chronicles 5:1)  Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, (for he was the firstborn; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel: and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright.

That’s all speculation, but you never know. My guess is as good as anyone’s. Here’s my theories:

• He might be an illegitimate child of Reuben and Bilhah
• He must be pre-Moses. I just don’t see them going into the land before it was divided.
• He may have been from the lineage of Reuben before they came to Egypt.
• He may have been recognized by family that did not go to Egypt. In other words the stone was named well after they went to Egypt but well before they came back. The bible says that Isaac’s son’s sons came with him, but maybe there were some son’s son’s sons that didn’t want to go; great-grand children that said, “No, we’ll stay here.” And of those, Boshan came from and the stone was named after him.
• Who knows?

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Chapter 19

Joshua 19:9  Out of the portion of the children of Judah was the inheritance of the children of Simeon: for the part of the children of Judah was too much for them: therefore the children of Simeon had their inheritance within the inheritance of them.

That’s interesting. It sound like a nation inside of a nation. Sounds like trouble.

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Chapter 20

Joshua 20:2  Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of Moses:

There is much talk about cities of refuge. It’s not just one time. There’s much importance placed on this by God, Moses, and Joshua.