What is the meaning of Joshua 15:50? Anab “Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim” (Joshua 15:50) opens with Anab, a hill-country town about 13 miles southwest of Hebron. • Joshua earlier “cut off the Anakim… from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab” (Joshua 11:21). The inclusion here quietly certifies that the conquest Joshua began was real and complete; the very place once dominated by giants becomes a settled possession of Judah. • The town’s placement among forty-eight hill towns (Joshua 15:48-51) shows how thoroughly God’s promise in Numbers 33:53 is being realized—Israel is truly “possessing the land and settling in it.” • For believers today, Anab’s transformation from a stronghold of fear to a patrimony of faith illustrates 2 Corinthians 10:4-5: every lofty obstacle can be brought under Christ’s authority. What God removes, He replaces with blessing. Eshtemoh Next is Eshtemoh, about nine miles south of Hebron. • Later, “they gave to the descendants of Aaron… Eshtemoa with its pasturelands” (Joshua 21:14; 1 Chronicles 6:57). Its move from general inheritance to priestly city underlines the priority of worship within everyday life. • When David sent gifts after recovering everything at Ziklag, “to those in Eshtemoa” made the list (1 Samuel 30:28). The town had become a partner in the king’s victories, showing how priestly places and royal purposes intertwine. • Practically, Eshtemoh teaches: – God carves out dedicated space for ministry inside ordinary territory (Romans 12:1). – Giving to God’s servants is inseparable from enjoying His victories (Philippians 4:17-18). Anim Anim closes the trio. Though mentioned only here, its presence is as concrete as any on the map. • Positioned in the same hill district, Anim fills out Judah’s southern flank, affirming that “not one of the good promises which the LORD had made… failed” (Joshua 21:45). • The town’s obscurity reminds us that no inheritance, however small or unknown to us, is overlooked by God (1 Corinthians 12:22). • Anim also evokes the broader promise of rest that characterized the land grant: “The LORD gave them rest on every side” (Joshua 21:44). In the same way, Christ offers rest to His people (Matthew 11:28-29), a spiritual Anim within every believer’s domain. summary Joshua 15:50 is far more than a terse census of villages. Anab proclaims victory over entrenched enemies, Eshtemoh highlights worship and priestly service in daily life, and Anim assures that even the least-known portions of God’s promises are secure. Together they underscore that the Lord’s gifts are exact, complete, and meant for both conquest and communion, inviting every follower to live in the fullness of what He has literally assigned. |
    |