3 And Joshua H3091 said H559 unto the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 How long are ye slack H7503 to go H935 to possess H3423 the land, H776 which the LORD H3068 God H430 of your fathers H1 hath given H5414 you?
And they said, H559 Arise, H6965 that we may go up H5927 against them: for we have seen H7200 the land, H776 and, behold, it is very H3966 good: H2896 and are ye still? H2814 be not slothful H6101 to go, H3212 and to enter H935 to possess H3423 the land. H776
So that thou incline H7181 thine ear H241 unto wisdom, H2451 and apply H5186 thine heart H3820 to understanding; H8394 Yea, if thou criest H7121 after knowledge, H998 and liftest up H5414 thy voice H6963 for understanding; H8394 If thou seekest H1245 her as silver, H3701 and searchest H2664 for her as for hid treasures; H4301 Then shalt thou understand H995 the fear H3374 of the LORD, H3068 and find H4672 the knowledge H1847 of God. H430 For the LORD H3068 giveth H5414 wisdom: H2451 out of his mouth H6310 cometh knowledge H1847 and understanding. H8394
The soul H5315 of the sluggard H6102 desireth, H183 and hath nothing: but the soul H5315 of the diligent H2742 shall be made fat. H1878
In that day H3117 it shall be said H559 to Jerusalem, H3389 Fear H3372 thou not: and to Zion, H6726 Let not thine hands H3027 be slack. H7503
And G1161 about G4012 the eleventh G1734 hour G5610 he went out, G1831 and found G2147 others G243 standing G2476 idle, G692 and G2532 saith G3004 unto them, G846 Why G5101 stand ye G2476 here G5602 all G3650 the day G2250 idle? G692
Labour G2038 not G3361 for the meat G1035 which G3588 perisheth, G622 but G235 for that meat G1035 which G3588 endureth G3306 unto G1519 everlasting G166 life, G2222 which G3739 the Son G5207 of man G444 shall give G1325 unto you: G5213 for G1063 him G5126 hath G4972 God G2316 the Father G3962 sealed. G4972
Brethren, G80 I G1473 count G3049 not G3756 myself G1683 to have apprehended: G2638 but G1161 this one thing G1520 I do, forgetting G1950 those things G3303 which are behind, G3694 and G1161 reaching forth unto G1901 those things which are before, G1715 I press G1377 toward G2596 the mark G4649 for G1909 the prize G1017 of the high G507 calling G2821 of God G2316 in G1722 Christ G5547 Jesus. G2424
Wherefore G1352 the rather, G3123 brethren, G80 give diligence G4704 to make G4160 your G5216 calling G2821 and G2532 election G1589 sure: G949 for G1063 if ye do G4160 these things, G5023 ye shall G4417 G4218 never G3364 fall: G4417 G4218 For G1063 so G3779 an entrance G1529 shall be ministered G2023 unto you G5213 abundantly G4146 into G1519 the everlasting G166 kingdom G932 of our G2257 Lord G2962 and G2532 Saviour G4990 Jesus G2424 Christ. G5547
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Joshua 18
Commentary on Joshua 18 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 18
Jos 18:1. The Tabernacle Set Up at Shiloh.
1. the whole congregation … assembled together at Shiloh—The main body of the Israelites had been diminished by the separation of the three tribes, Judah, Ephraim, and Manasseh into their respective allotments; and the country having been in a great measure subdued, the camp was removed to Shiloh (now Seilun). It was twenty or twenty-five miles north of Jerusalem, twelve north of Beth-el, and ten south of Shechem, and embosomed in a rugged and romantic glen. This sequestered spot in the heart of the country might have been recommended by the dictates of convenience. There the allotment of the territory could be most conveniently made, north, south, east, and west, to the different tribes. But "the tabernacle of the congregation was also set up there," and its removal therefore must have been made or sanctioned by divine intimation (De 12:11). It remained in Shiloh for more than three hundred years (1Sa 4:1-11).
Jos 18:2-9. The Remainder of the Land Described.
2. there remained … seven tribes, which had not yet received their inheritance—The selection of Shiloh for the seat of worship, together with the consequent removal of the camp thither, had necessarily interrupted the casting of lots, which was commenced by fixing localities for the tribes of Judah and Joseph. Various causes led to a long delay in resuming it. The satisfaction of the people with their change to so pleasant and fertile a district, their preference of a nomad life, a love of ease, and reluctance to renew the war, seem to have made them indifferent to the possession of a settled inheritance. But Joshua was too much alive to the duty laid on him by the Lord to let matters continue in that state; and accordingly, since a general conquest of the land had been made, he resolved to proceed immediately with the lot, believing that when each tribe should receive its inheritance, a new motive would arise to lead them to exert themselves in securing the full possession.
3. How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the Lord God of your fathers hath given you—This reproof conveys an impression that the seven tribes were dilatory to a criminal extent.
4-9. Give out from among you three men for each tribe—Though the lot determined the part of the country where each tribe was to be located, it could not determine the extent of territory which might be required; and the dissatisfaction of the children of Joseph with the alleged smallness of their possession gave reason to fear that complaints might arise from other quarters, unless precautions were taken to make a proper distribution of the land. For this purpose a commission was given to twenty-one persons—three chosen from each of the seven tribes which had not yet received their inheritance, to make an accurate survey of the country.
9. The men went and passed through the land, and described it by cities into seven parts in a book—dividing the land according to its value, and the worth of the cities which it contained, into seven equal portions. This was no light task to undertake. It required learning and intelligence which they or their instructors had, in all probability, brought with them out of Egypt. Accordingly, Josephus says that the survey was performed by men expert in geometry. And, in fact, the circumstantial account which is given of the boundaries of each tribe and its situation, well proves it to have been the work of no mean or incompetent hands.
Jos 18:10. Divided by Lot.
10. Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the Lord—before the tabernacle, where the divine presence was manifested, and which associated with the lot the idea of divine sanction.
11. the lot of … Benjamin came up—It has been supposed that there were two urns or vessels, from which the lots were drawn: one containing the names of the tribes, the other containing those of the seven portions; and that the two were drawn out simultaneously.
the coast of their lot came forth between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph—Thus the prophecy of Moses respecting the inheritance of Benjamin was remarkably accomplished. (See on De 33:12).