In the context of the Bible, the term "occupants" refers to those who inhabit or reside in a particular place. This concept is significant throughout the Scriptures, as it often relates to the divine promises, judgments, and the unfolding of God's plan for His people.

Old Testament Context

1. Canaanite Occupants: The land of Canaan, promised to Abraham and his descendants, was initially occupied by various tribes and peoples. Genesis 15:18-21 outlines the boundaries of this promised land and lists the occupants, including the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites. The presence of these occupants posed a challenge to the Israelites, who were commanded by God to conquer and inhabit the land (Deuteronomy 7:1-2).

2. Israelite Occupation: The Israelites' occupation of Canaan was a fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham. Joshua led the conquest, and the land was divided among the twelve tribes of Israel (Joshua 13-21). The occupation was conditional upon Israel's obedience to God's laws, as seen in Deuteronomy 28, where blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience are outlined.

3. Divine Judgment and Occupation: The Old Testament also records instances where God used foreign nations to judge Israel, leading to changes in occupancy. For example, the Assyrian and Babylonian captivities resulted in the displacement of Israelites and the occupation of their land by foreign powers (2 Kings 17:6, 2 Kings 25:1-21).

New Testament Context

1. Roman Occupation: During the New Testament period, the land of Israel was under Roman occupation. This political context is crucial for understanding the environment in which Jesus lived and ministered. The Roman presence is evident in various passages, such as the census ordered by Caesar Augustus (Luke 2:1) and the interactions between Jesus and Roman officials (e.g., Pontius Pilate in John 18:28-40).

2. Spiritual Occupation: The New Testament also speaks of spiritual occupation. Believers are described as temples of the Holy Spirit, indicating that God occupies their lives (1 Corinthians 6:19). This spiritual occupation is a mark of the new covenant, where God dwells within His people, transforming them into His likeness.

Theological Implications

The concept of occupants in the Bible underscores the sovereignty of God over nations and lands. It highlights the transient nature of human occupancy in contrast to the eternal purposes of God. The displacement and settlement of peoples serve as a backdrop for God's redemptive plan, culminating in the establishment of His kingdom, where He will dwell with His people forever (Revelation 21:3).

Key Verses

· Genesis 15:18-21 : "On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, 'To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates—the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.'"
· Deuteronomy 7:1-2 : "When the LORD your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess, and He drives out before you many nations—the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, seven nations larger and stronger than you—and when the LORD your God has delivered them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must devote them to complete destruction."
· 1 Corinthians 6:19 : "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own."

The theme of occupants in the Bible serves as a reminder of God's ultimate authority and His desire to dwell among His people, both physically and spiritually.1093. ge -- the earth, land
... Contracted from a primary word; soil; by extension a region, or the solid part or
the whole of the terrene globe (including the occupants in each application ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1093.htm - 7k3427. yashab -- to sit, remain, dwell
... 1), inhabits (1), left (1), live (118), lived (137), lives (7), living (44), lurking
(1), makes (1), married (6), marrying (1), occupants (1), occupied (1 ...
/hebrew/3427.htm - 7k

8165. Seir -- a mountain range in Edom, also its inhab., also a ...
... Seir. Formed like sa'iyr; rough; Seir, a mountain of Idumaea and its aboriginal
occupants, also one in Palestine -- Seir. see HEBREW sa'iyr. 8164, 8165. ...
/hebrew/8165.htm - 6k

6999. qatar -- to make sacrifices smoke
... A primitive root (identical with qatar through the idea of fumigation in a close
place and perhaps thus driving out the occupants); to smoke, ie Turn into ...
/hebrew/6999.htm - 6k

The Nawab's Gift
... indoor patients January 1, 1874. From that time on there was no lack of
occupants for the rooms. In the published collection of ...
//christianbookshelf.org/hoskins/clara a swain md/the nawabs gift.htm

The Transformation of Rome from a Pagan into a Christian City.
... represents the new faith as searching among the haunts of poverty and slavery, seeking
to inspire faith, hope, and charity in their occupants; to transform ...
/.../lanciani/pagan and christian rome/chapter i the transformation of.htm

Chrysostom -- Excessive Grief at the Death of Friends
... For when a man is about to rebuild an old and tottering house, he first sends out
its occupants, then tears it down, and rebuilds anew a more splendid one. ...
/.../various/the worlds great sermons volume i/chrysostom excessive grief at.htm

Chapter viii
... The major items discovered by the occupants of the ark are listed. ... The occupants
of the ark may have heard its cawing, now on one side, now on another. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter viii.htm

The Coming of the Pharaoh
... When this proceeding was impracticable because of the construction of the barges,
one boat would take another in tow until the occupants of one had joined ...
//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the yoke/chapter xiii the coming of.htm

History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 2
... The royal city: the palace and its occupants -- The royal household and its officers:
Pharaoh's jesters, dwarfs, and magicians -- The royal domain and the ...
/.../history of egypt chaldaea syria babylonia and assyria v 2/title page.htm

Guilt of Neglecting the Heathen.
... blood-guiltiness? A house is in flames. The perishing occupants, looking
from a window, implore of me to reach them a ladder. I have ...
/.../dibble/thoughts on missions/chapter iii guilt of neglecting.htm

St. Gregory the Great.
... covered with gold-embroidered tapestry. But it was falling to pieces like
a fortress deserted by its occupants. In some small corner ...
/.../allies/the formation of christendom volume vi/chapter v st gregory the.htm

Babylonia and Assyria
... beliefs which equally characterised Babylonia. But the Semites were not
the first occupants of Babylonia. The civilisation of the ...
/.../early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter vi babylonia and assyria.htm

We Have, I Think, Faithfully Carried Out Our Plan of Showing in ...
... "Not that an idol is anything," [361] as the apostle says, but that the homage they
render is to demons, who are the real occupants of these consecrated images ...
/.../tertullian/the shows or de spectaculis/chapter xiii we have i.htm

Occupants (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Occupants (1 Occurrence). Isaiah 5:9 The Lord
of armies has said to me secretly, Truly, numbers of great ...
/o/occupants.htm - 6k

Occupation (9 Occurrences)

/o/occupation.htm - 9k

Occasions (8 Occurrences)

/o/occasions.htm - 8k

Chariot (102 Occurrences)
... fatigue. The ordinary chariot was made of wood and leather, and had only
two occupants, the fighting man and his shield-bearer. ...
/c/chariot.htm - 55k

Inmate (1 Occurrence)
... 1. (n.) One who lives in the same house or apartment with another; a fellow lodger;
esp., one of the occupants of an asylum, hospital, or prison; by extension ...
/i/inmate.htm - 7k

Taanach (7 Occurrences)
... through a period of nearly 2,000 years. The Canaanites were the earliest
occupants. In accordance with Biblical history, "there ...
/t/taanach.htm - 12k

Pit (110 Occurrences)
... of the stage and behind the orchestra; now, in England, commonly the part behind
the stalls; in the United States, the parquet; also, the occupants of such a ...
/p/pit.htm - 41k

Bore (221 Occurrences)
... According to primitive thinking near the door dwelt the household gods whose function
it was to guard the house and its occupants, eg against the entry of ...
/b/bore.htm - 38k

Bonnet (1 Occurrence)
... escape of sparks. 8. (n.) A roofing over the cage of a mine, to protect its
occupants from objects falling down the shaft. 9. (n.) In ...
/b/bonnet.htm - 10k

Where did Old Testament believers/saints go when they died? | GotQuestions.org

How do we know that the Bible is the Word of God, and not the Apocrypha, the Qur'an, the Book of Mormon, etc.? | GotQuestions.org

What is Gehenna? | GotQuestions.org

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