1 And the whole congregation H5712 of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 assembled together H6950 at Shiloh, H7887 and set up H7931 the tabernacle H168 of the congregation H4150 there. And the land H776 was subdued H3533 before H6440 them.
2 And there remained H3498 among the children H1121 of Israel H3478 seven H7651 tribes, H7626 which had not yet received H2505 their inheritance. H5159
3 And Joshua H3091 said H559 unto the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 How long are ye slack H7503 to go H935 to possess H3423 the land, H776 which the LORD H3068 God H430 of your fathers H1 hath given H5414 you?
4 Give out H3051 from among you three H7969 men H582 for each tribe: H7626 and I will send H7971 them, and they shall rise, H6965 and go H1980 through the land, H776 and describe H3789 it according H6310 to the inheritance H5159 of them; and they shall come H935 again to me.
5 And they shall divide H2505 it into seven H7651 parts: H2506 Judah H3063 shall abide H5975 in their coast H1366 on the south, H5045 and the house H1004 of Joseph H3130 shall abide H5975 in their coasts H1366 on the north. H6828
6 Ye shall therefore describe H3789 the land H776 into seven H7651 parts, H2506 and bring H935 the description hither to me, that I may cast H3384 lots H1486 for you here before H6440 the LORD H3068 our God. H430
7 But the Levites H3881 have no part H2506 among H7130 you; for the priesthood H3550 of the LORD H3068 is their inheritance: H5159 and Gad, H1410 and Reuben, H7205 and half H2677 the tribe H7626 of Manasseh, H4519 have received H3947 their inheritance H5159 beyond H5676 Jordan H3383 on the east, H4217 which Moses H4872 the servant H5650 of the LORD H3068 gave H5414 them.
8 And the men H582 arose, H6965 and went away: H3212 and Joshua H3091 charged H6680 them that went H1980 to describe H3789 the land, H776 saying, H559 Go H3212 and walk H1980 through the land, H776 and describe H3789 it, and come again H7725 to me, that I may here cast H7993 lots H1486 for you before H6440 the LORD H3068 in Shiloh. H7887
9 And the men H582 went H3212 and passed through H5674 the land, H776 and described H3789 it by cities H5892 into seven H7651 parts H2506 in a book, H5612 and came H935 again to Joshua H3091 to the host H4264 at Shiloh. H7887
10 And Joshua H3091 cast H7993 lots H1486 for them in Shiloh H7887 before H6440 the LORD: H3068 and there Joshua H3091 divided H2505 the land H776 unto the children H1121 of Israel H3478 according to their divisions. H4256
11 And the lot H1486 of the tribe H4294 of the children H1121 of Benjamin H1144 came up H5927 according to their families: H4940 and the coast H1366 of their lot H1486 came forth H3318 between the children H1121 of Judah H3063 and the children H1121 of Joseph. H3130
12 And their border H1366 on the north H6828 side H6285 was from Jordan; H3383 and the border H1366 went up H5927 to the side H3802 of Jericho H3405 on the north H6828 side, and went up H5927 through the mountains H2022 westward; H3220 and the goings out H8444 thereof were at the wilderness H4057 of Bethaven. H1007
13 And the border H1366 went over H5674 from thence toward Luz, H3870 to the side H3802 of Luz, H3870 which is Bethel, H1008 southward; H5045 and the border H1366 descended H3381 to Atarothadar, H5853 near the hill H2022 that lieth on the south side H5045 of the nether H8481 Bethhoron. H1032
14 And the border H1366 was drawn H8388 thence, and compassed H5437 the corner H6285 of the sea H3220 southward, H5045 from the hill H2022 that lieth before H6440 Bethhoron H1032 southward; H5045 and the goings out H8444 thereof were at Kirjathbaal, H7154 which is Kirjathjearim, H7157 a city H5892 of the children H1121 of Judah: H3063 this was the west H3220 quarter. H6285
15 And the south H5045 quarter H6285 was from the end H7097 of Kirjathjearim, H7157 and the border H1366 went out H3318 on the west, H3220 and went out H3318 to the well H4599 of waters H4325 of Nephtoah: H5318
16 And the border H1366 came down H3381 to the end H7097 of the mountain H2022 that lieth before H6440 the valley H1516 of the son H1121 of Hinnom, H2011 and which is in the valley H6010 of the giants H7497 on the north, H6828 and descended H3381 to the valley H1516 of Hinnom, H2011 to the side H3802 of Jebusi H2983 on the south, H5045 and descended H3381 to Enrogel, H5883
17 And was drawn H8388 from the north, H6828 and went forth H3318 to Enshemesh, H5885 and went forth H3318 toward Geliloth, H1553 which is over against H5227 the going up H4608 of Adummim, H131 and descended H3381 to the stone H68 of Bohan H932 the son H1121 of Reuben, H7205
18 And passed along H5674 toward the side H3802 over against H4136 Arabah H6160 northward, H6828 and went down H3381 unto Arabah: H6160
19 And the border H1366 passed along H5674 to the side H3802 of Bethhoglah H1031 northward: H6828 and the outgoings H8444 of the border H1366 were at the north H6828 bay H3956 of the salt H4417 sea H3220 at the south H5045 end H7097 of Jordan: H3383 this was the south H5045 coast. H1366
20 And Jordan H3383 was the border H1379 of it on the east H6924 side. H6285 This was the inheritance H5159 of the children H1121 of Benjamin, H1144 by the coasts H1367 thereof round about, H5439 according to their families. H4940
21 Now the cities H5892 of the tribe H4294 of the children H1121 of Benjamin H1144 according to their families H4940 were Jericho, H3405 and Bethhoglah, H1031 and the valley H6010 of Keziz, H7104
22 And Betharabah, H1026 and Zemaraim, H6787 and Bethel, H1008
23 And Avim, H5761 and Parah, H6511 and Ophrah, H6084
24 And Chepharhaammonai, H3726 and Ophni, H6078 and Gaba; H1387 twelve H8147 H6240 cities H5892 with their villages: H2691
25 Gibeon, H1391 and Ramah, H7414 and Beeroth, H881
26 And Mizpeh, H4708 and Chephirah, H3716 and Mozah, H4681
27 And Rekem, H7552 and Irpeel, H3416 and Taralah, H8634
28 And Zelah, H6762 Eleph, H507 and Jebusi, H2983 which is Jerusalem, H3389 Gibeath, H1394 and Kirjath; H7157 fourteen H702 H6240 cities H5892 with their villages. H2691 This is the inheritance H5159 of the children H1121 of Benjamin H1144 according to their families. H4940
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Joshua 18
Commentary on Joshua 18 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 18
Jos 18:1. The Tabernacle Set Up at Shiloh.
1. the whole congregation … assembled together at Shiloh—The main body of the Israelites had been diminished by the separation of the three tribes, Judah, Ephraim, and Manasseh into their respective allotments; and the country having been in a great measure subdued, the camp was removed to Shiloh (now Seilun). It was twenty or twenty-five miles north of Jerusalem, twelve north of Beth-el, and ten south of Shechem, and embosomed in a rugged and romantic glen. This sequestered spot in the heart of the country might have been recommended by the dictates of convenience. There the allotment of the territory could be most conveniently made, north, south, east, and west, to the different tribes. But "the tabernacle of the congregation was also set up there," and its removal therefore must have been made or sanctioned by divine intimation (De 12:11). It remained in Shiloh for more than three hundred years (1Sa 4:1-11).
Jos 18:2-9. The Remainder of the Land Described.
2. there remained … seven tribes, which had not yet received their inheritance—The selection of Shiloh for the seat of worship, together with the consequent removal of the camp thither, had necessarily interrupted the casting of lots, which was commenced by fixing localities for the tribes of Judah and Joseph. Various causes led to a long delay in resuming it. The satisfaction of the people with their change to so pleasant and fertile a district, their preference of a nomad life, a love of ease, and reluctance to renew the war, seem to have made them indifferent to the possession of a settled inheritance. But Joshua was too much alive to the duty laid on him by the Lord to let matters continue in that state; and accordingly, since a general conquest of the land had been made, he resolved to proceed immediately with the lot, believing that when each tribe should receive its inheritance, a new motive would arise to lead them to exert themselves in securing the full possession.
3. How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the Lord God of your fathers hath given you—This reproof conveys an impression that the seven tribes were dilatory to a criminal extent.
4-9. Give out from among you three men for each tribe—Though the lot determined the part of the country where each tribe was to be located, it could not determine the extent of territory which might be required; and the dissatisfaction of the children of Joseph with the alleged smallness of their possession gave reason to fear that complaints might arise from other quarters, unless precautions were taken to make a proper distribution of the land. For this purpose a commission was given to twenty-one persons—three chosen from each of the seven tribes which had not yet received their inheritance, to make an accurate survey of the country.
9. The men went and passed through the land, and described it by cities into seven parts in a book—dividing the land according to its value, and the worth of the cities which it contained, into seven equal portions. This was no light task to undertake. It required learning and intelligence which they or their instructors had, in all probability, brought with them out of Egypt. Accordingly, Josephus says that the survey was performed by men expert in geometry. And, in fact, the circumstantial account which is given of the boundaries of each tribe and its situation, well proves it to have been the work of no mean or incompetent hands.
Jos 18:10. Divided by Lot.
10. Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the Lord—before the tabernacle, where the divine presence was manifested, and which associated with the lot the idea of divine sanction.
11. the lot of … Benjamin came up—It has been supposed that there were two urns or vessels, from which the lots were drawn: one containing the names of the tribes, the other containing those of the seven portions; and that the two were drawn out simultaneously.
the coast of their lot came forth between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph—Thus the prophecy of Moses respecting the inheritance of Benjamin was remarkably accomplished. (See on De 33:12).