Joshua 18

This chapter is part of the record of the division of the land in the latter half of the book of Joshua. The chapters through Joshua 17 cover the inheritances received by Judah and the children of Joseph (Ephraim and Manasseh). This chapter begins the division for the remaining seven tribes.

Outline

• Verses 1–2 The whole congregation of Israel assembles at Shiloh and sets up the tabernacle of the congregation there. The land has already been subdued, but seven tribes have not yet received their inheritance.
• Verses 3–7 Joshua asks how long they will delay going in to possess the land. He has three men chosen from each tribe to describe the land in seven parts. Judah is to remain in the south and the house of Joseph in the north. The Levites have no portion, because the priesthood is their inheritance, while Gad, Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh have already received land east of the Jordan from Moses.
• Verses 8–10 The men who are sent go throughout the land, describe it by cities in seven parts in a book, and return. Joshua casts lots before the LORD at Shiloh and divides the land.
• Verses 11–20 The first lot falls to the tribe of Benjamin, whose territory lies between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph. The northern border runs from the Jordan past the north side of Jericho, Beth-aven, Luz (that is, Bethel), and Beth-horon. The western border ends at Kirjath-jearim. The southern border passes through the Valley of Hinnom, the south side of the Jebusite city, and En-rogel, reaching the north end of the Salt Sea (the Dead Sea). The eastern border is the Jordan.
• Verses 21–28 The cities of Benjamin are listed: twelve cities, including Jericho, and fourteen cities, including Gibeon, Ramah, Mizpeh, and Jebus (that is, Jerusalem), together with their villages.

Key Verses

• 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." This marks the beginning of Shiloh's role as the center of worship and the site of the tabernacle, a role it held until the time of Samuel.
• Joshua 18:3 "How long are ye slack to go to possess the land...?" These words rebuke a people who were putting off taking possession of what had been promised to them.
• Joshua 18:10 "And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the LORD." The division of the land is recorded not as a human decision but as something done before the LORD.

People and Places

• Joshua: The leader who succeeded Moses; in this chapter he oversees the survey of the land and the casting of lots.
• Tribe of Benjamin: The descendants of Benjamin, the youngest son of Jacob.
• Gibeon: A city within Benjamin's territory, whose inhabitants made a treaty with Israel in Joshua 9.
• Kirjath-jearim: A city of Judah at the end of Benjamin's western border, also called Kirjath-baal.
• En-rogel: A spring south of Jerusalem, located on Benjamin's southern border.

Points for Reflection

• In this chapter Jerusalem is listed as a city of Benjamin. Joshua 15:63 treats the same city from Judah's side, and Judges 1:21 reports that the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites. Together these texts reflect the city's position on the boundary between the two tribes.
• The tribe of Benjamin later produced Israel's first king, Saul (1 Samuel 9:1–2). In the New Testament, Paul identifies himself as being of the tribe of Benjamin (Philippians 3:5; Romans 11:1).
• The practice of seeking God's will by lot appears again in the New Testament when Matthias is chosen as an apostle (Acts 1:26).
• The rebuke for being "slack" in 18:3 is sometimes applied in preaching as an exhortation not to put off decisions of faith. The text itself, however, concerns the division of the land.