Joshua 11:20 - For it was of Yahweh to harden their hearts, to come against Israel in battle, that he might utterly destroy them, that they might have no favor, but that he might destroy them, as Yahweh commanded Moses.
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What does "Joshua 11:20" mean?
This verse from Joshua 11:20 is a difficult one and has been the subject of much debate and interpretation. It describes God hardening the hearts of the Canaanite kings, leading them to fight against Israel and ultimately be destroyed. Here's a breakdown of possible interpretations and their implications:
Key Points to Consider:
God's Sovereignty: The verse emphasizes God's ultimate control and purpose. He is the driving force behind the events.
Divine Judgment: The verse speaks of divine judgment upon the Canaanites. This judgment is linked to their wickedness and practices.
Destruction of Canaanites: The verse explains the reason for the complete destruction of the Canaanite people, as commanded by God through Moses.
Possible Interpretations:
1. Literal Interpretation (Divine Causation):
Meaning: God directly intervened and manipulated the minds and wills of the Canaanite kings, making them stubborn and aggressive towards Israel. They had no free will in the matter. He did this to fulfill his promise to give the land to Israel.
Challenges: This interpretation raises significant ethical and theological problems. It portrays God as directly causing evil actions and denying free will, which conflicts with other portrayals of God in the Bible. It raises questions about fairness and justice.
2. Permissive Will/Providence (God Allowing):
Meaning: God didn't directly harden their hearts, but He allowed their already hardened hearts to continue in that state. He withdrew His restraining influence, allowing their own stubbornness and fear to drive them to fight against Israel. He used their pre-existing tendencies for His purposes.
Explanation: The Canaanites were already wicked and opposed to God and His people. God's allowing their natural tendencies to play out ultimately served His plan of judgment and the establishment of Israel.
Support: This interpretation aligns better with the idea of human responsibility and God's justice. It suggests that God works through the natural consequences of human actions.
3. Judicial Hardening (Consequence of Rejection):
Meaning: The Canaanites, by their persistent rejection of God and their wicked practices, had hardened their own hearts. God's "hardening" was a consequence of their own choices. He removed opportunities for repentance and left them to their own destructive path.
Explanation: This is similar to the concept of being "given over" in Romans 1. Their rejection of God led to a hardening of their hearts, and God allowed them to face the consequences of that rejection.
Support: This emphasizes the Canaanites' culpability and aligns with the idea that choices have consequences.
4. Figurative Language (Attribution of Result to God):
Meaning: The verse uses figurative language to emphasize God's overall sovereignty and involvement in the events. It's not necessarily implying direct manipulation, but rather highlighting that God was ultimately in control of the outcome. The "hardening" is a way of saying that God ensured the Canaanites would face judgment.
Explanation: In ancient Near Eastern literature, it was common to attribute all events to the deity, even if the deity didn't directly cause them.
Support: This avoids the ethical problems of direct divine manipulation but still emphasizes God's power and control.
Why This Verse is Problematic:
Divine Justice: It's difficult to reconcile the idea of a just and loving God with the concept of God directly manipulating people to commit evil actions so that He can then punish them.
Free Will: If God hardens hearts, does that mean people don't have free will? How can they be held responsible for their actions if God is controlling them?
Moral Implications: If God commands the complete destruction of a group of people, what does that say about the value of human life?
Conclusion:
There is no single, easy answer to what this verse means. Different interpretations offer different ways to understand God's role and the events described. The most common approaches lean towards interpretations that emphasize God's permissive will, judicial hardening, or the use of figurative language. Ultimately, wrestling with these difficult passages requires careful study, humility, and a willingness to grapple with complex theological questions. It's important to consider the broader context of Scripture and the overall character of God as revealed in the Bible.
Joshua 11:20 - For it was of Yahweh to harden their hearts, to come against Israel in battle, that he might utterly destroy them, that they might have no favor, but that he might destroy them, as Yahweh commanded Moses.
What does "Joshua 11:20" mean?
This verse from Joshua 11:20 is a difficult one and has been the subject of much debate and interpretation. It describes God hardening the hearts of the Canaanite kings, leading them to fight against Israel and ultimately be destroyed. Here's a breakdown of possible interpretations and their implications:
Key Points to Consider:
God's Sovereignty: The verse emphasizes God's ultimate control and purpose. He is the driving force behind the events.
Divine Judgment: The verse speaks of divine judgment upon the Canaanites. This judgment is linked to their wickedness and practices.
Destruction of Canaanites: The verse explains the reason for the complete destruction of the Canaanite people, as commanded by God through Moses.
Possible Interpretations:
1. Literal Interpretation (Divine Causation):
Meaning: God directly intervened and manipulated the minds and wills of the Canaanite kings, making them stubborn and aggressive towards Israel. They had no free will in the matter. He did this to fulfill his promise to give the land to Israel.
Challenges: This interpretation raises significant ethical and theological problems. It portrays God as directly causing evil actions and denying free will, which conflicts with other portrayals of God in the Bible. It raises questions about fairness and justice.
2. Permissive Will/Providence (God Allowing):
Meaning: God didn't directly harden their hearts, but He allowed their already hardened hearts to continue in that state. He withdrew His restraining influence, allowing their own stubbornness and fear to drive them to fight against Israel. He used their pre-existing tendencies for His purposes.
Explanation: The Canaanites were already wicked and opposed to God and His people. God's allowing their natural tendencies to play out ultimately served His plan of judgment and the establishment of Israel.
Support: This interpretation aligns better with the idea of human responsibility and God's justice. It suggests that God works through the natural consequences of human actions.
3. Judicial Hardening (Consequence of Rejection):
Meaning: The Canaanites, by their persistent rejection of God and their wicked practices, had hardened their own hearts. God's "hardening" was a consequence of their own choices. He removed opportunities for repentance and left them to their own destructive path.
Explanation: This is similar to the concept of being "given over" in Romans 1. Their rejection of God led to a hardening of their hearts, and God allowed them to face the consequences of that rejection.
Support: This emphasizes the Canaanites' culpability and aligns with the idea that choices have consequences.
4. Figurative Language (Attribution of Result to God):
Meaning: The verse uses figurative language to emphasize God's overall sovereignty and involvement in the events. It's not necessarily implying direct manipulation, but rather highlighting that God was ultimately in control of the outcome. The "hardening" is a way of saying that God ensured the Canaanites would face judgment.
Explanation: In ancient Near Eastern literature, it was common to attribute all events to the deity, even if the deity didn't directly cause them.
Support: This avoids the ethical problems of direct divine manipulation but still emphasizes God's power and control.
Why This Verse is Problematic:
Divine Justice: It's difficult to reconcile the idea of a just and loving God with the concept of God directly manipulating people to commit evil actions so that He can then punish them.
Free Will: If God hardens hearts, does that mean people don't have free will? How can they be held responsible for their actions if God is controlling them?
Moral Implications: If God commands the complete destruction of a group of people, what does that say about the value of human life?
Conclusion:
There is no single, easy answer to what this verse means. Different interpretations offer different ways to understand God's role and the events described. The most common approaches lean towards interpretations that emphasize God's permissive will, judicial hardening, or the use of figurative language. Ultimately, wrestling with these difficult passages requires careful study, humility, and a willingness to grapple with complex theological questions. It's important to consider the broader context of Scripture and the overall character of God as revealed in the Bible.