How does this verse connect with God's commands in Deuteronomy 20:14? The Verse under Study “Israel carried off for themselves the livestock and plunder of that city, according to the word that the LORD had commanded Joshua.” (Joshua 8:27) Quick Glance at Deuteronomy 20:14 “But the women, the children, the livestock, and everything else in the city—all its spoil—you may take as plunder for yourselves. And you may use the spoil of your enemies that the LORD your God gives you.” How the Two Passages Link Together • Same divine Source—both commands come from the LORD; Joshua acts “according to the word that the LORD had commanded.” • Same subject—handling the spoils of war. • Same principle—God grants His people the right to enjoy the plunder, but only on His terms and timing. Contrast with Jericho (Joshua 6) • At Jericho, everything was devoted to destruction (6:17–19). • Achan’s sin (7:1) showed what happens when the people grab what God has not yet given. • At Ai, God now permits the spoil, illustrating that timing and obedience matter as much as the act itself. Key Truths Highlighted • Ownership: All resources ultimately belong to the LORD (Psalm 24:1). He decides when to withhold or release them (Haggai 2:8). • Obedience: Blessing follows precise obedience (Deuteronomy 28:1–2). Israel’s victory at Ai hinges on following every detail. • Holiness in Warfare: Even military conquest was to be conducted under God’s moral authority, not Israel’s impulses (Numbers 31:7–12). • God’s Provision: What He forbade one day, He may freely provide the next (Matthew 6:33). Waiting on Him protects the heart from covetousness (Exodus 20:17). Timeless Application • Trust God’s timing—what is off-limits now may become lawful later when He deems it good. • Steward resources as gifts, not entitlements; they are “the spoil … the LORD your God gives you” (Deuteronomy 20:14). • Obedience prepares the way for blessing; disobedience, like Achan’s, brings defeat (Proverbs 3:5–8). • God’s commands never contradict; later instructions (Joshua 8:27) unfold the earlier principle (Deuteronomy 20:14) in real time. Summary Joshua 8:27 is a concrete outworking of Deuteronomy 20:14. Both passages spotlight Israel’s duty to let God define the boundaries of warfare, plunder, and provision, underscoring that true blessing flows from patient, wholehearted obedience. |
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