How does Joshua 10:36 connect to God's commands in Deuteronomy? Connecting Texts • Joshua 10:36 – “Then Joshua and all Israel with him went up from Eglon to Hebron and fought against it.” • Deuteronomy 7:1-2 – “When the LORD your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess and drives out before you many nations... you must devote them to complete destruction.” • Deuteronomy 20:16-17 – “You must not allow a single soul to live… you must devote them to complete destruction.” • Deuteronomy 1:36 – “…to him [Caleb] and his children I will give the land on which he has walked, because he has wholly followed the LORD.” The Command in Deuteronomy • God required Israel to take the land and remove its idolatrous inhabitants so that covenant purity would be protected (Deuteronomy 7:4-6). • The instruction to “devote them to complete destruction” (ḥerem) was absolute, demonstrating God’s holiness and judgment (Deuteronomy 20:16-18). • Specific promise: the Anakim-infested hill country—including Hebron—would fall (Deuteronomy 9:1-3). • Personal pledge: Caleb’s loyal faith would be rewarded with the very territory that includes Hebron (Deuteronomy 1:36). Joshua 10:36—Deuteronomy in Action • Joshua moves north from Eglon to Hebron, entering the heart of Anakim territory just as God foretold. • The campaign fulfills the blanket command of Deuteronomy 7 and Deuteronomy 20: the Canaanite stronghold is assaulted without compromise. • By taking Hebron, Joshua paves the way for Caleb’s inheritance promised in Deuteronomy 1:36 and later sealed in Joshua 14:13-15. • The verse shows Israel’s obedience: they act decisively, trusting God’s prior word that He Himself would “cross over before you as a consuming fire” (Deuteronomy 9:3). Key Theological Threads 1. Continuity of Covenant—Joshua’s actions are not novel strategies; they are the ripple of commands issued forty years earlier. 2. Divine Sovereignty—The same LORD who issued the decree in Deuteronomy now empowers the army in Joshua. 3. Judgment and Mercy—Canaan’s judgment safeguards Israel’s worship, keeping the covenant community distinct (Deuteronomy 7:6; Joshua 23:6-13). 4. Personal Faithfulness Rewarded—Caleb’s promised portion is secured as Hebron falls, illustrating that God’s macro-promises and micro-promises stand equally firm. Takeaway Insights • God’s commands and His historical outworking align perfectly; Joshua 10:36 is the lived obedience to Deuteronomy’s directives. • Literal fulfillment of earlier Scripture underlines the trustworthiness of every divine word. • Corporate obedience (nation under Joshua) and individual inheritance (Caleb) intertwine, reminding believers that God’s large-scale purposes never eclipse His personal promises. |
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