Open English Translation JOS Chapter 15

Poster Map of the Tribe of Benjamin, circa 1200 B.C.

The descendants of Jacob’s son Benjamin occupied one of the smallest of the Israelite tribal allotments–measuring a mere 27 miles (43 km) wide by 14 miles (23 km) high–yet the significance of all the biblical events that took place within it is immense. Benjamin was the location of the Israelites’ very first battles to conquer to the Promised Land, beginning with Jericho and moving on to Ai (see “The Israelites Conquer Ai” map). After this, four Gibeonite towns–all located in western Benjaminite territory–deceived the Israelites into forming an alliance with them (see “The Conquest of Canaan: The Southern Campaign” map) in order to avoid being wiped out by them. Two judges (Ehud and Deborah; see “Ehud Rescues Israel” and “Deborah and Barak Defeat Sisera” maps) hailed from Benjamin as did the prophet Samuel (see “The Tribe of Benjamin” map). After the Ark of the Covenant was captured near Aphek and Shiloh was overrun by the Philistines, it appears that the altar was moved to the High Place of Gibeah by the time of Solomon (see “The Ark of the Covenant in the Promised Land” map). In the closing years of the judges, a tragic incident at Gibeah led to a war between Benjamin and the rest of the Israelites tribes (see “Israel Battles Benjamin” map). Saul, the first king of Israel, also hailed from Benjamin (see “Saul Searches for His Father’s Donkeys” map). While King David’s capital was at Hebron, a detachment of his forces attacked those of Saul’s son Ish-bosheth at Gibeon, leading them to flee to the Hill of Ammah (likely the same as Emmaus; see “The Battle at the Pool of Gibeon” map). David later established Jerusalem, technically located within Benjamin’s territory, as his new capital over all Israel (2 Samuel 5:6-9). The borders of Benjamin’s tribal allotment and the adjacent borders of its neighboring tribes are meticulously defined in Joshua 15:1-16:3 and Joshua 18:11-28, demonstrating the biblical writers’ acute awareness of Benjamin’s territory. Several stretches of these borders appear to follow established roads that existed during the settlement era.

Tribal Allotments of the Promised Land

After the Israelites had conquered portions of the Promised Land and Joshua had grown old, the Lord directed him to divide the rest of the land among the tribes of Israel as their inheritance (Joshua 13-20). The eastern tribes had already been allotted their land under Moses’ leadership (Numbers 32), but they continued to help the other tribes drive out the Canaanites from land west of the Jordan River. The Lord also instructed the Israelites to designate several cities of refuge, where someone could flee for protection from an avenger if they accidentally killed someone (Numbers 35; Joshua 20).

Othniel Rescues Israel

Joshua 15:13-19; Judges 1:11-15; 3:8-11

Though Scripture affords Othniel son of Kenaz a mere six verses to detail his accomplishments, the significance of what he accomplished should not be underestimated. Othniel is first mentioned during the initial conquest of the land, and it is noted that he was the son of Kenaz, the younger brother of Joshua. As the Israelites were seeking to capture Kiriath-sepher (later renamed Debir), Caleb offered the reward of his daughter Achsah (Othniel’s cousin) as a wife for whoever could take the town. Othniel took the town and received Achsah as his wife, and Caleb also granted him the nearby springs. After this, the writer of Judges recounts how the Israelites lived among the pagan inhabitants of the land, intermarried with them, and worshiped their gods. Therefore the Lord became angry with them, and he allowed them to be dominated by King Cushan-rishathaim of Aram-naharaim, who ruled over most of northwest Mesopotamia. This was the same land where Abraham lived before journeying on to Canaan (Genesis 11:27-31; also see “The World of the Patriarchs” map), the homeland of Isaac’s wife Rebekah (Genesis 24:10), the land to which Jacob fled to escape the wrath of his twin brother Esau (Genesis 28; also see “Jacob Goes to Paddan-Aram” map), and the homeland of Balaam son of Beor (Numbers 22:4-5; also see “Balaam Blesses Israel” map). As the first judge of Israel, Othniel led Israel from about 1374-1334 B.C., so it is likely that the kingdom of Cushan-rishathaim was the Mitanni kingdom, which ruled Aram-naharaim from about 1600-1260 B.C. If this is true, it is likely that Cushan-rishathaim was Eriba-Adad I, who ruled Mitanni from about 1390–1366 B.C. The name Cushan-rishathaim, meaning “Cush of the two wickednesses,” may have been an intentional corruption in Hebrew of an otherwise unknown name of Eriba-Adad I. By Othniel’s time, the Mitanni kingdom was beginning a period of decline, so their oppression of the newly established Israelite tribes may have been an attempt to reestablish their dominance throughout the region. Scripture succinctly notes that “the spirit of the Lord came upon [Othniel],” and he waged war against Cushan-rishathaim and defeated him, and the land of Israel had rest for forty years (Judges 3:10-11). Othniel’s bravery during this early period of Israel’s settlement in Canaan ultimately led the nation to victory and survival during a very vulnerable period of their history. And although the Mitanni kingdom continued to rule Aram-naharaim for another century, Othniel’s actions undoubtedly contributed to its continued decline and eventual collapse.