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.

2 And there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes, which had not yet received their inheritance.

3 And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, "How long are ye slack to go to possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers hath given you?

4 Appoint 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 border on the south, and the house of Joseph shall abide in their borders on the north.

6 Ye shall therefore describe the land into seven parts and bring the description hither to me, that I may cast lots for you here before the LORD our God.

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 the Jordan on the east, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave them."

8 And the men arose and went away; and Joshua charged those who 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."

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.

10 And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the LORD, and there Joshua divided the land unto the children of Israel according to their divisions.

11 And the lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin came up according to their families; and the borders 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 the Jordan; and the border went up to the side of Jericho on the north side, and went up through the mountains westward; and the boundaries thereof were at the Wilderness of Bethaven.

13 And the border went over from thence toward Luz, to the side of Luz (which is Bethel), southward; and the border descended to Atarothadar, near the hill that lieth on the south side of the Nether Bethhoron.

14 And the border was drawn thence and compassed the corner of the sea southward, from the hill that lieth before Bethhoron southward; and the boundaries thereof were at Kirjathbaal, which is Kirjathjearim, a city of the children of Judah: this was the west quarter.

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.

16 And the border came down to the end of the mountain that lieth 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 the Jebusites on the south, and descended to Enrogel;

17 and was drawn from the north, and went forth to Enshemesh, and went forth toward Geliloth, which is over against the ascent of Adummim, and descended to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben,

18 and passed along toward the side over against Arabah northward, and went down unto Arabah.

19 And the border passed along to the side of Bethhoglah northward; and the boundaries of the border were at the north bay of the Salt Sea at the south end of the Jordan: this was the south border.

20 And the Jordan was the border of it on the east side. This was the inheritance of the children of Benjamin by the borders 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,

22 and Betharabah, and Zemaraim, and Bethel,

23 and Avim, and Parah, and Ophrah,

24 and Chepharhaammonai, and Ophni, and Gaba: twelve cities with their villages;

25 Gibeon, and Ramah, and Beeroth,

26 and Mizpeh, and Chephirah, and Mozah,

27 and Rekem, and Irpeel, and Taralah,

28 and Zelah, Eleph, and Jebus (which is Jerusalem), Gibeath, and Kirjath: fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the children of Benjamin according to their families.

Joshua 18 Commentary

Chapter 18

The tabernacle set up at Shiloh. (1) The remainder of the land described and divided. (2-10) The boundaries of Benjamin. (11-28)

Verse 1 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.

Verses 2-10 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.

Verses 11-28 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.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 18

This chapter informs us of the setting up of the tabernacle at Shiloh, Jos 18:1; of the notice Joshua took, that seven tribes had not received their inheritance, Jos 18:2; of the instructions he gave them to send three men out of each tribe, and describe the land not yet disposed of, and bring the account to him, which was accordingly done, Jos 18:3-9; and then he cast lots for them, and the first lot came up for Benjamin, Jos 18:10,11; the borders of whose lots are described, Jos 18:12-20; and the several cities in it enumerated, Jos 18:21-28.