Reading… and Thinking

    The people of Joseph said to Joshua, “Why have you given us only one allotment and one portion for an inheritance? We are a numerous people and the LORD has blessed us abundantly.”
    “If you are so numerous,” Joshua answered, “and if the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you, go up into the forest and clear land for yourselves there in the land of the Perizzites and Rephaites.”
    The people of Joseph replied, “The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who live in the plain have iron chariots, both those in Beth Shan and its settlements and those in the Valley of Jezreel.”
    But Joshua said to the house of Joseph—to Ephraim and Manasseh—”You are numerous and very powerful. You will have not only one allotment but the forested hill country as well. Clear it, and its farthest limits will be yours; though the Canaanites have iron chariots and though they are strong, you can drive them out.”

— Joshua 17:14-18 (NIV)

The first thing we have to notice is that the people of Joseph were not being quite honest. They already had THREE allotments: half of Manasseh had an allotment east of Jordan, the other half had an allotment west of Jordan, and Ephraim had a large allotment. It had already been taken into account that they were numerous.

In the conversation that follows, we learn the truth about why they were asking for still more land. Number one, they seem to have not wanted to do all the work that it would take to clear the forests of the hill country. (Those who have visited or seen pictures of Israel today have a hard time imagining the hills of Ephraim covered in forests, but they were!)

But the biggest issue finally comes out: they were afraid of the Canaanites’ chariots. The Valley of Jezreel was then, and still is today, the most fertile part of the land. They had been given the best—but they wanted something else, because they were afraid. They had failed to learn the lesson that was reinforced for them daily, through seven years of war: the walled cities and the chariots of the Canaanites were no match for the Lord, who was fighting on the side of Israel.

Joshua then delivers a marvelous piece of irony, turning the argument of their large numbers back on their own head. “You are so numerous and strong, defeating the Canaanites should be no problem!”

We see here the beginning of a pattern that will characterize much of the later history of the tribe of Ephraim. They are quick to put themselves into the position of the leaders, threatening other tribes when they aren’t given first place. But they’re slow to respond to actually lead. Mostly, they whine and grumble and gripe—to the point that they actually start three civil wars. (An interesting side note: Joshua was himself from Ephraim. Obviously not everyone from this tribe had the same failings.)

Can we gain any spiritual lessons from these would-be leaders?

First of all, whining isn’t a solution. Often, the real solution is right in front of us. Or more than one! We can clear the forest and defeat the Canaanites. But the solutions might take effort on our part, and will call on us to rely on the Lord.

Second, wanting the prestige of leadership isn’t the same thing as actually leading. True leaders are not jealous of others being out in front—they are happy to encourage others to show leadership as well. They do not incite conflict with their brethren over a perceived slight, or because they didn’t get their way. And they don’t whine!