Benjamin’s inheritance included key sites like Gibeah and Jerusalem, demonstrating God’s meticulous care in fulfilling His promises to His people.
The verse states, “And Zelah, Haeleph and the Jebusite (that is, Jerusalem), Gibeah and Kiriath; fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the sons of Benjamin according to their families.” (v.28) This section concludes the list of cities allotted to the tribe of Benjamin within the Promised Land. By specifically naming these locations, the text emphasizes the importance of each individual city and its villages. The mention of “the Jebusite (that is, Jerusalem)” points out that Jerusalem was originally inhabited by the Jebusites and then later became a central city for worship and governance, especially after King David conquered it in approximately 1004 BC (2 Samuel 5:7). The inheritance given to Benjamin is a testament to how God arranged each tribe’s portion with precision, fulfilling His covenant promise.
Among the locations mentioned is Gibeah, which holds particular significance because it became the hometown of Israel’s first king, Saul, who reigned from around 1050 to 1010 BC (1 Samuel 10:26). Situated just north of Jerusalem, Gibeah served as a strategic vantage point and occasionally acted as a seat of power. Zelah and Haeleph, though lesser-known sites, contributed to the tapestry of Benjamin’s territory by ensuring that the tribe’s borders were well-defined. Together, these cities formed a cohesive regional identity for Benjamin, nestled between larger tribes such as Judah and Ephraim, and they laid the groundwork for events that would shape Israel’s history for centuries to come.
Jerusalem, the most notable name in this list, would later become the central place of worship when King Solomon built the temple there around 957 BC (1 Kings 6). This underscores how a seemingly straightforward allotment of land would have tremendous ramifications across biblical history, eventually tying into the ministry and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who frequently ministered and taught in Jerusalem (Luke 13:33). The tribe of Benjamin’s inheritance thus served purposes far beyond their immediate settlement, ultimately playing a role in God’s salvation narrative for all people.
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Joshua 18:28 meaning
The verse states, “And Zelah, Haeleph and the Jebusite (that is, Jerusalem), Gibeah and Kiriath; fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the sons of Benjamin according to their families.” (v.28) This section concludes the list of cities allotted to the tribe of Benjamin within the Promised Land. By specifically naming these locations, the text emphasizes the importance of each individual city and its villages. The mention of “the Jebusite (that is, Jerusalem)” points out that Jerusalem was originally inhabited by the Jebusites and then later became a central city for worship and governance, especially after King David conquered it in approximately 1004 BC (2 Samuel 5:7). The inheritance given to Benjamin is a testament to how God arranged each tribe’s portion with precision, fulfilling His covenant promise.
Among the locations mentioned is Gibeah, which holds particular significance because it became the hometown of Israel’s first king, Saul, who reigned from around 1050 to 1010 BC (1 Samuel 10:26). Situated just north of Jerusalem, Gibeah served as a strategic vantage point and occasionally acted as a seat of power. Zelah and Haeleph, though lesser-known sites, contributed to the tapestry of Benjamin’s territory by ensuring that the tribe’s borders were well-defined. Together, these cities formed a cohesive regional identity for Benjamin, nestled between larger tribes such as Judah and Ephraim, and they laid the groundwork for events that would shape Israel’s history for centuries to come.
Jerusalem, the most notable name in this list, would later become the central place of worship when King Solomon built the temple there around 957 BC (1 Kings 6). This underscores how a seemingly straightforward allotment of land would have tremendous ramifications across biblical history, eventually tying into the ministry and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who frequently ministered and taught in Jerusalem (Luke 13:33). The tribe of Benjamin’s inheritance thus served purposes far beyond their immediate settlement, ultimately playing a role in God’s salvation narrative for all people.