Joshua 18WEB
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Joshua18

World English Bible · Public Domain

1The 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.

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Joshua 18.

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Chapter Summary

In this chapter: The tabernacle set up at Shiloh. (1). The remainder of the land described and divided. (2–10). The boundaries of Benjamin. (11–28).

v1

Shiloh was in the lot of Ephraim, the tribe to which Joshua belonged, and it was proper that the tabernacle should be near the residence of the chief governor. The name of this city is the same as that by which Jacob prophesied of the Messiah, Ge 49:10. It is supposed by some that the city was thus called, when it was chosen for the resting-place of the ark, which typified our great Peace-maker, and the way by him to a reconciled God.

vv2-10

After a year or more, Joshua blamed their slackness, and told them how to proceed. God, by his grace, has given us a title to a good land, the heavenly Canaan, but we are slack to take possession of it; we enter not into that rest, as we might by faith, and hope, and holy joy. How long shall it be thus with us? How long shall we thus stand in our own light, and forsake our own mercies for lying vanities? Joshua stirs the Israelites up to take possession of their lots. He is ready to do his part, if they will do theirs.

vv11-28

The boundaries of each portion were distinctly drawn, and the inheritance of each tribe settled. All contests and selfish claims were prevented by the wise appointment of God, who allotted the hill and the valley, the corn and pasture, the brooks and rivers, the towns and cities. Is the lot of any servant of Christ cast in affliction and sorrow? It is the Lord; let him do what seemeth him good. Are we in prosperity and peace? It is from above. Be humbled when you compare the gift with your own unworthiness. Forget not Him that gave the good, and always be ready to resign it at his command.

Cross References

Joshua 18
v11Deuteronomy 33:12fulfillment

Benjamin's lot fell safely between Joseph and Judah, fulfilling Moses' blessing.

Supported by JFB

The choice of Shiloh fulfilled God's command to establish a place for His name.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

Jeremiah recalls how God set His name at Shiloh at the first, warning of judgment.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v1Genesis 49:10typology

The name Shiloh connects to Jacob's Messianic prophecy of peace and gathering.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v11 Samuel 1:3thematic

Shiloh remained the center of Israel's worship for over 300 years until Samuel's day.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v16Joshua 15:8thematic

Detailed description of the Valley of Hinnom, tracing the exact same boundary with Judah.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v1Psalms 78:60thematic

Asaph laments how God eventually forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v3Judges 18:9thematic

Uses the same Hebrew term to upbraid the people for being slack to possess land.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v7Joshua 13:14thematic

Confirms the Levites have no land inheritance, as the Lord's priesthood is their portion.

Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin

v28Judges 1:21contrast

Jerusalem was allotted to Benjamin, but they could not drive out the Jebusites.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v5Joshua 15:1-12thematic

Establishes the south and north boundaries with Judah and Joseph respectively.

Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB

v10Proverbs 16:33thematic

Expresses the theology of the lot being entirely disposed by the Lord before His presence.

Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB

v10Joshua 19:51thematic

The final conclusion of dividing the land by lot in Shiloh before the Lord.

Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB