Joshua 18: How Long Will You Wait?
Israel gathers at Shiloh, Joshua rebukes the seven tribes' delay, and the remaining land is surveyed and divided by lot before the Lord.
Joshua 18 (WEB)
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 among 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 Yahweh, 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; and 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 Yahweh our God.
7 For the Levites have no portion among you; for the priesthood of Yahweh is their inheritance. Gad, Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan eastward, which Moses the servant of Yahweh 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 Yahweh 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 Yahweh. 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 (the same is 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 (the same is 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 over against the ascent of Adummim. It went down to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben.
18 It passed along to the side over against 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 (the same is Jerusalem), Gibeath, and Kiriath; fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the children of Benjamin according to their families.
Joshua 18 (KJV)
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 Give out 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 coast on the south, and the house of Joseph shall abide in their coasts 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 Jordan on the east, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave them.
8 And the men arose, and went away: and Joshua charged them that 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 coast 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 Jordan; and the border went up to the side of Jericho on the north side, and went up through the mountains westward; and the goings out thereof were at the wilderness of Beth–aven.
13 And the border went over from thence toward Luz, to the side of Luz, which is Beth–el, southward; and the border descended to Ataroth–adar, near the hill that lieth on the south side of the nether Beth–horon.
14 And the border was drawn thence, and compassed the corner of the sea southward, from the hill that lieth before Beth–horon southward; and the goings out thereof were at Kirjath–baal, which is Kirjath–jearim, a city of the children of Judah: this was the west quarter.
15 And the south quarter was from the end of Kirjath–jearim, 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 Jebusi on the south, and descended to En–rogel,
17 And was drawn from the north, and went forth to En–shemesh, and went forth toward Geliloth, which is over against the going up 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 Beth–hoglah northward: and the outgoings of the border were at the north bay of the salt sea at the south end of Jordan: this was the south coast.
20 And Jordan was the border of it on the east side. This was the inheritance of the children of Benjamin, by the coasts 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 Beth–hoglah, and the valley of Keziz,
22 And Beth–arabah, and Zemaraim, and Beth–el,
23 And Avim, and Parah, and Ophrah,
24 And Chephar–haammonai, 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 Jebusi, 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 (ASV)
1 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled themselves together at Shiloh, and set up the tent of meeting there: and the land was subdued before them.
2 And there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes, which had not yet divided their inheritance.
3 And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, How long are ye slack to go in to possess the land, which Jehovah, the God of your fathers, hath given you?
4 Appoint for you three men of each tribe: and I will send them, and they shall arise, and walk through the land, and describe it according to their inheritance; and they shall come unto me.
5 And they shall divide it into seven portions: Judah shall abide in his border on the south, and the house of Joseph shall abide in their border on the north.
6 And ye shall describe the land into seven portions, and bring the description hither to me; and I will cast lots for you here before Jehovah our God.
7 For the Levites have no portion among you; for the priesthood of Jehovah is their inheritance: and Gad and Reuben and the half-tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan eastward, which Moses the servant of Jehovah gave them.
8 And the men arose, and went: and Joshua charged them that went to describe the land, saying, Go and walk through the land, and describe it, and come again to me; and I will cast lots for you here before Jehovah in Shiloh.
9 And the men went and passed through the land, and described it by cities into seven portions in a book; and they came to Joshua unto the camp at Shiloh.
10 And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before Jehovah: 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 border of their lot went out between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph.
12 And their border on the north quarter was from the Jordan; and the border went up to the side of Jericho on the north, and went up through the hill-country westward; and the goings out thereof were at the wilderness of Beth-aven.
13 And the border passed along from thence to Luz, to the side of Luz (the same is Beth-el), southward; and the border went down to Ataroth-addar, by the mountain that lieth on the south of Beth-horon the nether.
14 And the border extended thence, and turned about on the west quarter southward, from the mountain that lieth before Beth-horon southward; and the goings out thereof were at Kiriath-baal (the same is Kiriath-jearim), a city of the children of Judah: this was the west quarter.
15 And the south quarter was from the uttermost part of Kiriath-jearim; and the border went out westward, and went out to the fountain of the waters of Nephtoah;
16 and the border went down to the uttermost part of the mountain that lieth before the valley of the son of Hinnom, which is in the vale of Rephaim northward; and it went down to the valley of Hinnom, to the side of the Jebusite southward, and went down to En-rogel;
17 and it extended northward, and went out at En-shemesh, and went out to Geliloth, which is over against the ascent of Adummim; and it went down to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben;
18 and it passed along to the side over against the Arabah northward, and went down unto the Arabah;
19 and the border passed along to the side of Beth-hoglah northward; and the goings out 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 quarter. 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 Beth-hoglah, and Emek-keziz,
22 and Beth-arabah, and Zemaraim, and Beth-el,
23 and Avvim, and Parah, and Ophrah,
24 and Chephar-ammoni, and Ophni, and Geba; 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 the Jebusite (the same is Jerusalem), Gibeath, and Kiriath; fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the children of Benjamin according to their families.
Summary
The whole congregation of Israel gathers at Shiloh and sets up the Tent of Meeting there, for the land has been subdued before them. Yet seven tribes have still not received their inheritance, and Joshua confronts their delay with a pointed question: “How long will you neglect to go in to possess the land?” He commands that three men from each of the seven tribes be appointed to walk through the remaining land, survey it, and describe it in a written record divided into seven portions. The men do as commanded, surveying the land by its cities and bringing the description back to Joshua at Shiloh. There Joshua casts lots for them before Yahweh, dividing the land according to their divisions. The first lot comes up for the tribe of Benjamin, whose borders fall between Judah and Joseph, and the chapter traces Benjamin's boundaries and lists its cities. The scene gathers the nation around the place of God's presence and challenges a strange sluggishness: with the land subdued and the gift waiting, the people had been slow to claim it. Joshua's rebuke calls them to act, and the orderly survey and casting of lots before the Lord restores their forward motion in faith.
Main Characters
- Joshua — The leader who rebukes the seven tribes' delay, organizes the survey of the land, and casts lots before Yahweh at Shiloh.
- The seven remaining tribes — The tribes who had not yet taken their inheritance and are challenged for neglecting to go in and possess the land God had given.
- The tribe of Benjamin — The tribe that receives the first lot at Shiloh, settling between Judah and Joseph, with borders and cities described.
- The surveyors — Three men from each tribe sent to walk through the land, describe it in writing, and divide it into seven portions.
Key Verse
Joshua 18:3 (WEB)
Joshua said to the children of Israel, “How long will you neglect to go in to possess the land, which Yahweh, the God of your fathers, has given you?
Lessons Learned
- God's people can be strangely slow to claim what he has freely given.
- Worship and decision belong together; Israel gathers around God's presence at Shiloh.
- Spiritual progress often requires honest confrontation of our delay and neglect.
- Casting lots before the Lord shows that the inheritance is assigned by God, not seized by human preference.
- Do not neglect the gift God has given. Joshua asks, “How long will you neglect to go in to possess the land, which Yahweh, the God of your fathers, has given you?” (Joshua 18:3, WEB).
- God's presence is at the center. Israel “set up the Tent of Meeting there” at Shiloh (Joshua 18:1, WEB), and the lots are cast “before Yahweh” (18:6), grounding their action in worship.
- Faith takes orderly, concrete steps. Joshua sends men to “walk through the land, and describe it” (Joshua 18:4, WEB), turning a vague promise into a clear plan to claim it.
- The inheritance is the Lord's to assign. “I will cast lots for you here before Yahweh our God” (Joshua 18:6, WEB). The lot acknowledges that God, not human striving, distributes the gift.
- What is significant about Israel gathering and setting up the Tent of Meeting at Shiloh?
- Why does Joshua rebuke the seven tribes, and what does their delay reveal?
- How does the plan to survey and record the land help the people move forward?
- Why is it important that the lots are cast “before Yahweh”?
- Where might God be asking “How long will you wait?” about a gift or calling you have been slow to claim?
- Israel centers itself around God's dwelling, setting up the Tent of Meeting at Shiloh now that the land is subdued (18:1). Decisions about the inheritance are made in the presence of God, showing that possessing the land and worshiping the Lord belong together.
- Joshua confronts a puzzling passivity: the land is subdued and given, yet seven tribes have not gone in to possess it (18:3). Their delay reveals a failure to act on God's gift—a sluggishness that needs a clear, loving rebuke to break.
- By sending men to walk through, survey, and write down the land in seven portions (18:4-9), Joshua turns inertia into action. A concrete plan, made before the Lord, gives the people a definite way to take hold of what God promised.
- Casting lots “before Yahweh” at Shiloh (18:6, 8, 10) acknowledges that the inheritance is God's to distribute. It guards against rivalry and self-seeking, teaching the tribes to receive their portion as a gift from his hand rather than a prize they grasp.
- This is a personal-application question. Invite members to hear Joshua's question for themselves: is there a calling, relationship, or step of faith they have been neglecting though God has already provided for it? As leader, encourage one concrete, prayerful move forward.