1
The entire community of the people of Isra'el assembled themselves together at Shiloh and set up the tent of meeting there, after the land had been subdued before them.
2
There still remained among the people of Isra'el seven tribes that had not yet received their inheritance.
3
Y'hoshua said to the people of Isra'el, "How long will you delay going in to take possession of the land which ADONAI the God of your ancestors has given you?
4
Appoint three men for each tribe; I will commission them; and they are to set out, go through the land and describe it according to their inheritance; then they are to come back to me.
5
They are to divide it into seven portions, with Y'hudah remaining in its territory to the south and the house of Yosef in their territory to the north.
6
You will describe seven portions of land and bring the descriptions here to me; then I will cast lots for you here before ADONAI our God.
7
But the L'vi'im have no share with you, because the office of cohen to ADONAI is their inheritance; and Gad and Re'uven and the half-tribe of M'nasheh have received their inheritance beyond the Yarden to the east, which Moshe the servant of ADONAI gave them."
8
So the men got up and went. Y'hoshua gave them this commission as they left to describe the land: "Go; walk through the land; and describe it; then come back to me, and I will cast lots for you here before ADONAI in Shiloh."