The twelve spies that were sent out to tour the Promised Land are the main focus in this week’s Torah Portion. We all know the story and we all remember the two heroes, Joshua and Caleb, who rose up in faith against the majority. What caused these two men to standout above the rest?
To begin, it is important to understand their tribal affiliation. Joshua was from the tribe of Ephraim and Caleb from the tribe of Judah. The significance of the tribe of Judah is well known but what about Ephraim?
Actually it is Ephraim together with Judah that are exalted above his brothers in the final chapters of Genesis when Jacob blessed his sons (Gen. 48; 49). Ephraim was not the direct son of Jacob but rather the grandson. Joseph was Jacob’s favorite son and after Joseph was restored to Jacob, as if from the dead, Jacob takes Ephraim and Manasseh for himself and blesses them with the blessing of a son. Manasseh was the older of the two and should have received the blessing of the firstborn but it didn’t turn out this way. Jacob decided to bless Ephraim above Manasseh and blessed them both with the patriarchal line that would continue from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob onto these two with Ephraim at the head.
Jacob also blessed Joseph with a double (extra) blessing in the Land of Promise (Gen. 48:21-22). This blessing would then pass to Ephraim with the blessing of the firstborn. We see clearly in Ephraim the blessing of the firstborn son of Israel with a particular blessing of inheriting the Land. Joshua, from the tribe of Ephraim, was a supernatural choice for leading the Israelites in faith to conquer the Land of Promise.
Caleb was from the tribe of Judah. A Jew of Jews from the tribe of tribes in Israel. He was in a natural position to lead the people as Jacob blessed Judah to be the praise of his brothers. Leadership and the kingdom are promised to Judah (Gen 49:8-12). It seems so natural that Caleb, from the tribe of Judah, would be among the two that stand up in faith to enter the Land. Although all of this is true, who is Caleb?
Caleb, as we know from the Scriptures is the son of Jephunneh (Num. 13:6). We also know that he was a Kenezzite (Num. 32:12). Who are the Kenezzites? Kenaz was the grandson of Esau and a chief in Edom. Kenaz was an Edomite. Caleb was from Kenaz of Edom (Gen 36). If this is so, how is he part of Israel and counted in the tribe of Judah? Somewhere along the way Caleb or his family joined to the people of Israel and Caleb arose in the tribe of Judah as chief among them.
Caleb a descendant of Edom, who is grafted into the tribe of Judah, became the leader of Judah and together with Joshua from Ephraim, the youngest amongst his brothers, led Israel by faith into the Promised Land.
God chose the youngest (Joshua) to be exalted. God chose a gentile (Caleb) from a foreign nation to represent the tribe of Judah, the very tribe from which the Messiah would come. In Israel, God has a master plan for the entire world.
The story doesn’t end here. In the reading from the prophets for this week’s Torah Portion we read about Rahab, a woman of faith (Joshua 2). Rahab is a prostitute from Jericho who heard of all the wonders that God had done for the Israelites and she believed in the LORD (Joshua 2:12-13). Rahab’s faith saved her and her entire family. We also know that Rahab was the great great grandmother of King David (Matt. 1:5) and that Rahab is listed among those who lived by faith (Hebrews 11).
God has a master plan that He is working out in this world. God desires to bring His redemptive plan in this world through His chosen people and through gentiles grafted in by faith!
Shabbat Shalom!
Torah portion: Numbers 13- Numbers 15
Haftarah portion: Joshua 2:1-24