Joshua Chapter 18
1 The 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.
2 Seven tribes remained amongst the children of Israel, which had not yet divided their inheritance.
3 Joshua said to the children of Israel, "How long will you neglect to go in to possess the land, which the LORD, the God of your fathers, has given you?
4 Appoint 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.
5 They 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.
6 You shall survey the land into seven parts, and bring the description here to me; and I will cast lots for you here before the LORD our God.
7 However, the Levites have no portion amongst you; for the priesthood of the LORD is their inheritance. Gad, Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance east of the Jordan, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave them."
8 The 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 the LORD in Shiloh."
9 The 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.
10 Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the LORD. There Joshua divided the land to the children of Israel according to their divisions.
11 The 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.
12 Their 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.
13 The 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.
14 The 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.
15 The 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.
16 The 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.
17 It 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.
18 It passed along to the side opposite the Arabah northward, and went down to the Arabah.
19 The 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.
20 The 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.
21 Now the cities of the tribe of the children of Benjamin according to their families were Jericho, Beth Hoglah, Emek Keziz,
22 Beth Arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel,
23 Avvim, Parah, Ophrah,
24 Chephar Ammoni, Ophni, and Geba; twelve cities with their villages.
25 Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth,
26 Mizpeh, Chephirah, Mozah,
27 Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah,
28 Zelah, 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.
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Joshua Chapter 18 Guide
An important event is now recorded. The Tent of Meeting was erected at Shiloh. No reason is given for the choice of Shiloh. It certainly was central to the country and perhaps that is the simplest explanation. That which follows immediately would lead us to believe that after districts had been allotted to Judah, Ephraim, and Manasseh there was some slackness in continuing the work of settlement, for Joshua definitely rebuked the seven tribes for being slow to go up and possess the land. Before doing so, however, this place of worship was erected as the symbol of the deepest truth and principle of their nationality.
In the choice of the seven lots, the first fell to Benjamin. His territory occupied the space between that of Judah and Ephraim. This nearness to Ephraim and Manasseh was according to a natural order, but in process of time Benjamin drew nearer in sympathy to Judah, and at the great division went with Judah altogether.
Benjamin was always looked upon as the least of the tribes of Israel, but it is not to be measured by its size but rather by its caliber. Among its cities it included some that became famous in subsequent history-Jericho, Beth-el, Gibeon, and Mizpeh. Dean Stanley pointed out that even in New Testament times its influence remained, this being revealed partly by the frequency of the name of Saul in Hebrew families. It is interesting that one bearing that name subsequently made his boast in that he was "of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin" (Philippians 3:5).
From "An Exposition of the Whole Bible" by G. Campbell Morgan.
Joshua Chapter 18 Commentary
Chapter Outline
- 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.
From the "Concise Commentary on the Bible" by Matthew Henry.