American King James Version - AKJV - 1999
Joshua 18
1
And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of the congregation there. And the land was subdued before them.
Reference
📍 Shiloh
Parallel theme
Joshua 21:2
1 Samuel 1:3
Jeremiah 26:6
Psalm 78:66
1 Kings 2:27
1 Kings 14:2
1 Samuel 1:24
Judges 18:31
References Israel
Joshua 22:9
Temple
Joshua 19:51
2
And there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes, which had not yet received their inheritance.
3
And Joshua said to the children of Israel, How long are you slack to go to possess the land, which the LORD God of your fathers has given you?
Reference
Parallel theme
Proverbs 13:4
Judges 18:9
Proverbs 10:4
Proverbs 15:19
Matthew 20:6
Zephaniah 3:16
Ecclesiastes 9:10
References God
John 6:27
4
Give out from among you three men for each tribe: and I will send them, and they shall rise, and go through the land, and describe it according to the inheritance of them; and they shall come again to me.
5
And they shall divide it into seven parts: Judah shall abide in their coast on the south, and the house of Joseph shall abide in their coasts on the north.
6
You shall therefore describe the land into seven parts, and bring the description here to me, that I may cast lots for you here before the LORD our God.
Reference
7
But the Levites have no part among you; for the priesthood of the LORD is their inheritance: and Gad, and Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh, have received their inheritance beyond Jordan on the east, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave them.
Reference
8
And the men arose, and went away: and Joshua charged them that went to describe the land, saying, Go and walk through the land, and describe it, and come again to me, that I may here cast lots for you before the LORD in Shiloh.
Reference
📍 Shiloh
9
And the men went and passed through the land, and described it by cities into seven parts in a book, and came again to Joshua to the host at Shiloh.
Reference
📍 Shiloh
Parallel theme
Acts 13:19
10
And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the LORD: and there Joshua divided the land to the children of Israel according to their divisions.
Reference
📍 Shiloh
11
And the lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin came up according to their families: and the coast of their lot came forth between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph.
12
And their border on the north side was from Jordan; and the border went up to the side of Jericho on the north side, and went up through the mountains westward; and the goings out thereof were at the wilderness of Bethaven.
Reference
13
And the border went over from there toward Luz, to the side of Luz, which is Bethel, southward; and the border descended to Atarothadar, near the hill that lies on the south side of the nether Bethhoron.
Reference
Parallel theme
Genesis 28:19
14
And the border was drawn there, and compassed the corner of the sea southward, from the hill that lies before Bethhoron southward; and the goings out thereof were at Kirjathbaal, which is Kirjathjearim, a city of the children of Judah: this was the west quarter.
Reference
Parallel theme
Joshua 15:9
15
And the south quarter was from the end of Kirjathjearim, and the border went out on the west, and went out to the well of waters of Nephtoah:
Reference
📍 Ephron 1
Parallel theme
Joshua 15:9
16
And the border came down to the end of the mountain that lies before the valley of the son of Hinnom, and which is in the valley of the giants on the north, and descended to the valley of Hinnom, to the side of Jebusi on the south, and descended to Enrogel,
Reference
17
And was drawn from the north, and went forth to Enshemesh, and went forth toward Geliloth, which is over against the going up of Adummim, and descended to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben,
Reference
📍 Geliloth
Parallel theme
Joshua 15:6
18
And passed along toward the side over against Arabah northward, and went down to Arabah:
Reference
Parallel theme
Joshua 15:6
19
And the border passed along to the side of Bethhoglah northward: and the outgoings of the border were at the north bay of the salt sea at the south end of Jordan: this was the south coast.
Reference
20
And Jordan was the border of it on the east side. This was the inheritance of the children of Benjamin, by the coasts thereof round about, according to their families.
21
Now the cities of the tribe of the children of Benjamin according to their families were Jericho, and Bethhoglah, and the valley of Keziz,
Reference
📍 Emek-keziz
Parallel theme
Joshua 18:12
22
And Betharabah, and Zemaraim, and Bethel,
📍 Zemaraim
23
And Avim, and Pharah, and Ophrah,
📍 Locations
24
And Chepharhaammonai, and Ophni, and Gaba; twelve cities with their villages:
Reference
📍 Locations
Parallel theme
Ezra 2:26
26
And Mizpeh, and Chephirah, and Mozah,
📍 Locations
27
And Rekem, and Irpeel, and Taralah,
📍 Locations
28
And Zelah, Eleph, and Jebusi, which is Jerusalem, Gibeath, and Kirjath; fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the children of Benjamin according to their families.
Reference
📍 Locations
Summary of Joshua 18
Chapter 18 of the book of Joshua continues the division of the land among the tribes of Israel. By this time, the tribes of Judah, Ephraim, and half of Manasseh had received their territories, leaving several other tribes waiting for their share. Joshua called the people to Shiloh, where the tabernacle had been set up, and took steps to complete the division of the remaining land.
Following the conquest of the land, all the congregation had assembled together in Shiloh and the tabernacle of the congregation had been erected there. Shiloh would serve as the center of worship for Israel, for this was where the tabernacle would stay while the land was being apportioned out among the tribes.
It is this location of worship that caused Joshua to ask the people how long they would be staying in this place before going forth to possess the land that the Lord had given them. This was the first time that the Israelites had fought a campaign not on the move, but in place, claiming a particular region of the Promised Land.
There were seven tribes who had yet to receive their share of the land. They were the tribes of Benjamin, Simeon, Zebulun, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Dan. There were still areas left to be assigned to these tribes, even though the great battles had already been fought.
The men of these tribes were instructed by Joshua to choose three representatives to survey and describe the region according to its cities and countryside.
They were to divide the land into seven portions and return their descriptions to Joshua in Shiloh.
Joshua would then cast lots before the Lord for the distribution of the land, which did not merely reflect the preferences of the tribes, but the will of God.
This survey team traveled the remaining land, marking the cities and regions, and returned to Shiloh with their descriptions. Joshua then cast lots for the tribes before the Lord. The tribe of Benjamin received the first lot.
The territory of Benjamin lay between the tribes of Judah and Joseph, placing them in a strategic location in the center of the land.
The description of the boundary also includes Jericho and Beth-hoglah to the east, passing through several other places to the hill country and Jerusalem.
The cities of Benjamin include Jericho, Beth-hoglah, Emek-keziz, Beth-arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel, Avim, Pharah, Ophrah, Chephar-haammonai, Ophni, and Gaba.
Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth, Mizpeh, Chephirah, Mozah, Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah, Zelah, Eleph, Jebusi, Gibeath, and Kirjath were also included.
It can be seen from this description that Benjamin occupied a special place among the tribes of Israel. They had many of the cities connected with Israel’s future history.
It is noted in 2 Samuel 5:6-7 that Jerusalem belonged to the Jebusites, but they were not driven out, as was the practice with many of the conquered cities. This is one example of the gradual nature of the conquest of Canaan, although the general battles had been fought.
Perhaps the most important city associated with Benjamin was Gibeon. This was the city whose inhabitants had tricked Israel into making a covenant with them. The Gibeonites became servants of the Lord, connected especially with the service of the tabernacle.
This is followed by a description of the boundaries of Benjamin’s territory according to their families.
Clearly, the division of the land was not a straight assignment of tribal names to regions, but a careful survey had to be made, including the location of cities and families.
It can also be noted from this chapter that there was a delay in the assignment of the territories. By asking how long it would take before they should go and possess the land that the Lord had given them, Joshua was not encouraging his fellow Israelites to remain inactive while their share of the land was debated.
Even though this land had been given to Israel, it still needed to be occupied and built upon, and there were many obstacles that had to be faced.
The place where Shiloh was located is also of interest. This was the home of the tabernacle, the worship center for the people of Israel. Thus the division of the land had taken place within the sight of the sanctuary, showing how the possession of the land was connected with Israel’s adoration of the Lord.
It is also of interest that the casting of lots is used several times in the Old Testament to show how decisions had been made in the courts of heaven. In this instance, the lots were cast before the Lord, determining the land that was to be assigned to each tribe.
The territory of Benjamin was small compared with some of the other tribes, but it was strategically located between Judah to the south and the territory of Joseph to the north. There are several cities that bordered on or were located within the territory of Benjamin, some of which were connected with important roads.
It can also be noted that this chapter continues the pattern observed in other sections of Joshua. The Israelites were fighting great battles and gaining great victories, but the actual assignment of the land was a slow and drawn-out process, requiring much organization and effort to complete.
Joshua 18, then, serves as another step toward the complete division of the Promised Land, showing how Joshua dealt with the problem of the tribes who had yet to receive their share. There were seven tribes waiting for their turn, so Joshua called for a survey of the land to apportion it out, Benjamin receiving the first of these seven shares.
Following the conquest of the land, all the congregation had assembled together in Shiloh and the tabernacle of the congregation had been erected there. Shiloh would serve as the center of worship for Israel, for this was where the tabernacle would stay while the land was being apportioned out among the tribes.
It is this location of worship that caused Joshua to ask the people how long they would be staying in this place before going forth to possess the land that the Lord had given them. This was the first time that the Israelites had fought a campaign not on the move, but in place, claiming a particular region of the Promised Land.
There were seven tribes who had yet to receive their share of the land. They were the tribes of Benjamin, Simeon, Zebulun, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Dan. There were still areas left to be assigned to these tribes, even though the great battles had already been fought.
The men of these tribes were instructed by Joshua to choose three representatives to survey and describe the region according to its cities and countryside.
They were to divide the land into seven portions and return their descriptions to Joshua in Shiloh.
Joshua would then cast lots before the Lord for the distribution of the land, which did not merely reflect the preferences of the tribes, but the will of God.
This survey team traveled the remaining land, marking the cities and regions, and returned to Shiloh with their descriptions. Joshua then cast lots for the tribes before the Lord. The tribe of Benjamin received the first lot.
The territory of Benjamin lay between the tribes of Judah and Joseph, placing them in a strategic location in the center of the land.
The description of the boundary also includes Jericho and Beth-hoglah to the east, passing through several other places to the hill country and Jerusalem.
The cities of Benjamin include Jericho, Beth-hoglah, Emek-keziz, Beth-arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel, Avim, Pharah, Ophrah, Chephar-haammonai, Ophni, and Gaba.
Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth, Mizpeh, Chephirah, Mozah, Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah, Zelah, Eleph, Jebusi, Gibeath, and Kirjath were also included.
It can be seen from this description that Benjamin occupied a special place among the tribes of Israel. They had many of the cities connected with Israel’s future history.
It is noted in 2 Samuel 5:6-7 that Jerusalem belonged to the Jebusites, but they were not driven out, as was the practice with many of the conquered cities. This is one example of the gradual nature of the conquest of Canaan, although the general battles had been fought.
Perhaps the most important city associated with Benjamin was Gibeon. This was the city whose inhabitants had tricked Israel into making a covenant with them. The Gibeonites became servants of the Lord, connected especially with the service of the tabernacle.
This is followed by a description of the boundaries of Benjamin’s territory according to their families.
Clearly, the division of the land was not a straight assignment of tribal names to regions, but a careful survey had to be made, including the location of cities and families.
It can also be noted from this chapter that there was a delay in the assignment of the territories. By asking how long it would take before they should go and possess the land that the Lord had given them, Joshua was not encouraging his fellow Israelites to remain inactive while their share of the land was debated.
Even though this land had been given to Israel, it still needed to be occupied and built upon, and there were many obstacles that had to be faced.
The place where Shiloh was located is also of interest. This was the home of the tabernacle, the worship center for the people of Israel. Thus the division of the land had taken place within the sight of the sanctuary, showing how the possession of the land was connected with Israel’s adoration of the Lord.
It is also of interest that the casting of lots is used several times in the Old Testament to show how decisions had been made in the courts of heaven. In this instance, the lots were cast before the Lord, determining the land that was to be assigned to each tribe.
The territory of Benjamin was small compared with some of the other tribes, but it was strategically located between Judah to the south and the territory of Joseph to the north. There are several cities that bordered on or were located within the territory of Benjamin, some of which were connected with important roads.
It can also be noted that this chapter continues the pattern observed in other sections of Joshua. The Israelites were fighting great battles and gaining great victories, but the actual assignment of the land was a slow and drawn-out process, requiring much organization and effort to complete.
Joshua 18, then, serves as another step toward the complete division of the Promised Land, showing how Joshua dealt with the problem of the tribes who had yet to receive their share. There were seven tribes waiting for their turn, so Joshua called for a survey of the land to apportion it out, Benjamin receiving the first of these seven shares.