Topical Encyclopedia
In the biblical context, "dispossessing" refers to the act of removing or driving out inhabitants from a land or territory, often to make way for the people of Israel as they entered the Promised Land. This concept is primarily associated with the conquest narratives found in the Old Testament, where God commands the Israelites to take possession of the land He promised to their forefathers.
Biblical FoundationThe command to dispossess the inhabitants of Canaan is rooted in God's covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, where He promised to give their descendants the land of Canaan (
Genesis 15:18-21). The fulfillment of this promise is seen in the books of Exodus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, and Joshua, where God instructs the Israelites to take possession of the land.
Key Passages1.
Exodus 23:29-30 : "I will not drive them out before you in a single year, lest the land become desolate and wild animals multiply against you. Little by little I will drive them out ahead of you, until you become fruitful and possess the land."
2.
Numbers 33:52-53 : "You must drive out all the inhabitants of the land before you. Destroy all their carved images and cast idols, and demolish all their high places. You are to take possession of the land and settle in it, for I have given you the land to possess."
3.
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... you must devote them to complete destruction. Make no treaty with them and show them no mercy."
4.
Joshua 1:3-4 : "I have given you every place where the sole of your foot will tread, just as I promised to Moses. Your territory shall extend from the wilderness and Lebanon to the great river, the Euphrates—all the land of the Hittites—and west as far as the Great Sea."
Theological SignificanceThe act of dispossessing the Canaanites is often understood as a divine judgment against the inhabitants of the land due to their idolatry and wickedness (
Leviticus 18:24-25). It also serves as a test of Israel's obedience to God's commands. The Israelites were instructed to avoid adopting the practices of the nations they were dispossessing, emphasizing the need for holiness and separation from pagan influences (
Deuteronomy 7:3-6).
Moral and Ethical ConsiderationsThe command to dispossess and destroy the Canaanite nations raises complex moral and ethical questions. From a conservative Christian perspective, these actions are seen as part of God's sovereign plan and His righteous judgment against sin. The narrative underscores the holiness of God and the seriousness of sin, as well as the importance of obedience to divine commands.
Historical ContextThe historical context of dispossessing the Canaanites involves the transition of the Israelites from a nomadic lifestyle to settling in a land that was already inhabited. The conquest of Canaan, led by Joshua, marks a significant period in Israel's history, establishing them as a nation in the land God had promised.
Spiritual LessonsFor believers today, the concept of dispossessing can be seen as a metaphor for the spiritual battle against sin and the need to remove anything that hinders one's relationship with God. Just as the Israelites were called to rid the land of idolatry, Christians are called to rid their lives of sin and anything that competes with their devotion to God (
Hebrews 12:1-2).
ConclusionThe biblical theme of dispossessing is a complex and multifaceted topic that highlights God's faithfulness to His promises, His judgment against sin, and the call for His people to live in holiness and obedience.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(
p. pr. & vb. n.) of Dispossess.
Greek
2697. kataschesis -- a holding fast... holding fast. Word Origin from katecho Definition a holding fast NASB Word
Usage
dispossessing (1), possession (1). possession. From
...Strong's Hebrew
3423. yarash -- to take possession of, inherit, dispossess... 1), become poor (1), cast (1), come to poverty (1), comes into possession (1), destroy
(1), dispossess (12), dispossessed (9),
dispossessing (1), drive (22
...Library
The Close of the Theban Empire
... or Ramses II., named Nakhtusit, rallied round him the forces of the southern nomes,
and succeeded, though not without difficulty, indispossessing the Syrian...
Matt. xiii. 34, 35
... we ought to strip ourselves of everything else, and cling to the gospel, but also
that we are to do so with joy; and when a man isdispossessing himself of his...
Paul in Ephesus.
... devotion have been performed in their presence; and a power has been ascribed to
them of curing the blind, the deaf, and the lame, ofdispossessing demons, and...
[Shewing] that Common and Saving Grace Differ, not Only in Degree...
... up his bed and walk, (he) was immediately made whole, (John 5:8-9.) After the same
manner Christ cast out devils, which represents Hisdispossessing the devil...
A Clearing-Up Storm in the Realm
... Our Lord Jesus is represented as about to take possession of His realm. The
first step is adispossessing of the claimants in possession....
The Book of Jubilees
... Canaan the son of Ham seized on the region from Lebanon to the brook of Egypt which
appertained to the inheritance of Shem, thusdispossessing the righteous...
Thesaurus
Dispossessing (9 Occurrences)... Noah Webster's Dictionary (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Dispossess. Multi-Version
Concordance
Dispossessing (9 Occurrences). Acts 7:45 which
...Expropriations (1 Occurrence)
... 45:9 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Let it suffice you, princes of Israel: remove violence
and spoil, and execute justice and righteousness;dispossessing my people...
Evictions (1 Occurrence)
... 45:9 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Let it suffice you, princes of Israel: remove violence
and spoil, and execute justice and righteousness;dispossessing my people...
Dispossesseth (2 Occurrences)
Dispossessors (1 Occurrence)
Suffice (22 Occurrences)
... 45:9 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Let it suffice you, princes of Israel: remove violence
and spoil, and execute justice and righteousness;dispossessing my people...
Sworn (118 Occurrences)
... for the uprightness of thy heart, art thou going in to possess their land; but for
the wickedness of these nations is Jehovah thy Goddispossessing them from...
Heights (75 Occurrences)
... Deuteronomy 12:2 ye do utterly destroy all the places where the nations which ye
aredispossessing served their gods, on the high mountains, and on the heights...
Practice (71 Occurrences)
... 45:9 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Let it suffice you, princes of Israel: remove violence
and spoil, and execute justice and righteousness;dispossessing my people...
Oppression (67 Occurrences)
... 45:9 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Let it suffice you, princes of Israel: remove violence
and spoil, and execute justice and righteousness;dispossessing my people...
Resources
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