Joshua 18
World English Bible
WEB1The whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled themselves together at Shiloh, and set up the Tent of Meeting there. The land was subdued before them. 2Seven tribes remained among the children of Israel, which had not yet divided their inheritance. 3Joshua said to the children of Israel, “How long will you neglect to go in to possess the land, which Yahweh, the God of your fathers, has given you? 4Appoint for yourselves three men from each tribe. I will send them, and they shall arise, walk through the land, and describe it according to their inheritance; then they shall come to me. 5They shall divide it into seven portions. Judah shall live in his borders on the south, and the house of Joseph shall live in their borders on the north. 6You shall survey the land into seven parts, and bring the description here to me; and I will cast lots for you here before Yahweh our God. 7However, the Levites have no portion among you; for the priesthood of Yahweh is their inheritance. Gad, Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance east of the Jordan, which Moses the servant of Yahweh gave them.” 8The men arose and went. Joshua commanded those who went to survey the land, saying, “Go walk through the land, survey it, and come again to me. I will cast lots for you here before Yahweh in Shiloh.” 9The men went and passed through the land, and surveyed it by cities into seven portions in a book. They came to Joshua to the camp at Shiloh. 10Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before Yahweh. There Joshua divided the land to the children of Israel according to their divisions. 11The lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin came up according to their families. The border of their lot went out between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph. 12Their border on the north quarter was from the Jordan. The border went up to the side of Jericho on the north, and went up through the hill country westward. It ended at the wilderness of Beth Aven. 13The border passed along from there to Luz, to the side of Luz (also called Bethel), southward. The border went down to Ataroth Addar, by the mountain that lies on the south of Beth Horon the lower. 14The border extended, and turned around on the west quarter southward, from the mountain that lies before Beth Horon southward; and ended at Kiriath Baal (also called Kiriath Jearim), a city of the children of Judah. This was the west quarter. 15The south quarter was from the farthest part of Kiriath Jearim. The border went out westward, and went out to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah. 16The border went down to the farthest part of the mountain that lies before the valley of the son of Hinnom, which is in the valley of Rephaim northward. It went down to the valley of Hinnom, to the side of the Jebusite southward, and went down to En Rogel. 17It extended northward, went out at En Shemesh, and went out to Geliloth, which is opposite the ascent of Adummim. It went down to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben. 18It passed along to the side opposite the Arabah northward, and went down to the Arabah. 19The border passed along to the side of Beth Hoglah northward; and the border ended at the north bay of the Salt Sea, at the south end of the Jordan. This was the south border. 20The Jordan was its border on the east quarter. This was the inheritance of the children of Benjamin, by the borders around it, according to their families. 21Now the cities of the tribe of the children of Benjamin according to their families were Jericho, Beth Hoglah, Emek Keziz, 22Beth Arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel, 23Avvim, Parah, Ophrah, 24Chephar Ammoni, Ophni, and Geba; twelve cities with their villages. 25Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth, 26Mizpeh, Chephirah, Mozah, 27Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah, 28Zelah, Eleph, the Jebusite (also called Jerusalem), Gibeath, and Kiriath; fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the children of Benjamin according to their families.
World English Bible, 2020 stable text edition. Public domain; “World English Bible” is a trademark of eBible.org. eBible.org
Overview
Joshua Chapter 18 describes the process of dividing the remaining land among the tribes of Israel after they have conquered much of Canaan. The chapter begins with the Israelites gathering at Shiloh, where the tabernacle is set up, signifying God's presence among them. The leaders of the tribes are instructed to survey the land and divide it into seven portions, as there are still seven tribes that have not yet received their inheritance. This act of division is crucial as it fulfills God's promise to give the land to the descendants of #Abraham, #Isaac, and #Jacob, ensuring that each tribe has a designated territory.
The chapter emphasizes the importance of seeking God's guidance in the allocation of land. Joshua sends out men to map the land, and they return with a report. The casting of lots is used to determine the specific portions for each tribe, demonstrating reliance on God's sovereignty in the decision-making process. The chapter concludes with the allocation of land to the tribe of #Benjamin, which is situated between the tribes of #Ephraim and #Judah. This division not only reflects God's faithfulness to His covenant but also establishes the tribes in their rightful places, allowing them to thrive in the land He promised them.
Topics in this chapter
- Inheritance
- Obedience
- Shiloh
- Worship
- Promised Land
- Covenant
- Faithfulness
- Joshua
- Benjamin
- Body of Christ
- Community
- Decision Making
- Divine Guidance
- God's Presence
- Guidance in the Bible
- Leadership in the Bible
- Order
- Promise
- Tabernacle
- Tent of Meeting
- Unity
- Action
- Biblical Art
- Canaan
- Casting Lots
- Cooperation
- Courage
- Diligence
- Divine Command
- Divine Sovereignty
- Eleazar
- Fairness
- Faith
- Fulfillment
- God's Promises
- Gratitude
- Jerusalem
- Land
- Land Distribution
- Land Inheritance
- Lot
- Place of Rest
- Planning in the Bible
- Priest
- Promises
- Prophecy
- Providence
- Provision
- Purpose
- Seven Tribes of Israel
- Sovereignty of God
- Tribal Allotment
- Tribal Identity
- Tribal Inheritance
- Trusting God
- Wisdom
- Worship Center
Related chapters
- Numbers 34Land DistributionEleazarTribal Inheritance
- Joshua 19Land DistributionLotTribal Inheritance
- Genesis 12LandCanaanInheritance
- Joshua 21EleazarCooperationShiloh
- 1 Samuel 1ShilohPriestTabernacle
- Joshua 17Land DistributionTribal InheritanceAction
- Genesis 15LandCanaanInheritance
- Joshua 14JoshuaCanaanGod's Promises
- Joshua 16Land DistributionTribal IdentityTribal Inheritance
- Judges 21ShilohBenjamin
- Joshua 22ShilohTribal InheritanceJoshua
- Proverbs 16Planning in the BibleFairness
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