Joshua 18:1 – Then the whole congregation of the people of Israel assembled at Shiloh and set up the tent of meeting there. The land lay subdued before them.
When the children of Israel first crossed the Jordan River, they formed a camp at Gilgal. This camp was probably set up in the same order Israel used when wandering in the wilderness. The tabernacle was set up in the middle of the camp and each tribe had a specific area assigned to them around the ark (Numbers 2).
The camp at Gilgal was Israel's headquarters for the entire time they were fighting against Jericho, Ai, the southern alliance, and the northern confederacy. They had been camped in that location for about seven years.
But at this point, after Ephraim and Manasseh received their allotments, there was no longer any overt Canaanite aggression towards Israel ('the land lay subdued before them'). This is not to say that there were no more Canaanites in the land; there were many, many cities and villages that Israel did not yet control. But the remaining Canaanites had no plans to attack or actively oppose Israel. They seemed content to hide in their cities and avoid God's people, making this a time of relative peace.
While that was good for the Canaanites, it was bad for Israel. God brought his people into the land and gave them astonishing victories over the Canaanites. But instead of pressing that advantage and claiming total victory, Israel grew lazy and sluggish. The tribes that were assigned an allotment were content with possessing only a small portion of the inheritance God had given them. Worse yet, there were seven tribes who had not even received an allotment yet!
Not only were they missing out on all the blessings God had for them, they were putting themselves in grave spiritual danger. From the very beginning, God instructed Israel to wipe out the heathen nations and destroy every trace of their religious activities, lest they corrupt Israel with their idol worship (Numbers 33:50-56). The longer Israel waited to fully possess the land, the more comfortable they became living in the midst of these heathen nations and the more they grew to accept and embrace the idolatry of Canaan.
So God, in his mercy, now speaks to Joshua (who isn't getting any younger) and tells him to get the people moving. It was time for the remaining tribes to divide up the unclaimed land into lots and have God assign them. It was also time for the people to begin worshiping God at the tabernacle, as instructed in the covenant.
The first step in this process was to break up the camp at Gilgal. We know that long before this, God had instructed Moses and Joshua that he would determine the location of his house - the tabernacle (Deuteronomy 12:8-10). Therefore, we can be sure that it was the Lord who instructed Joshua to move the tabernacle from Gilgal to Shiloh.
Why do you suppose God chose that location?
That particular site had many advantages:
- Shiloh was situated on a hill in the territory of Ephraim, 12 miles north of Bethel and about 15 miles from Jerusalem. This effectively put the tabernacle in the very center of the Promised Land, where it would be most convenient for all the tribes. This was important because people needed access to the temple. For example, all males were to appear before the Lord three times a year. In addition, sacrifices/offerings were not to be made anywhere except the tabernacle, so people would be traveling there on a regular basis.
- Joshua was still the leader of the nation, and he was still actively engaged in the division of the land. But he was also getting older. Since much of this work took place at the tabernacle, a location within his home tribe of Ephraim was no doubt helpful for him.
- Shiloh was a relatively safe long-term resting place for the tabernacle (and ark) because Israel had complete control of the land on all sides. It is interesting to note that once moved there, the ark of the covenant would remain in Shiloh for roughly 300 years, until it was captured by the Philistines during the time when Eli was the high priest (I Samuel 4:1-11).
Scripture tells us that the whole nation assembled while the tabernacle was being moved. This reflected their respect and love of God.
Because the camp at Gilgal had been dissolved, the remaining tribes most likely camped around Shiloh until they received their allotment of land. This was an encouraging moment – God was moving and his people were moving with him!
Joshua 18:2 – There remained among the people of Israel seven tribes whose inheritance had not yet been apportioned.
Just as a reminder, Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh had received an inheritance east of the Jordan. Judah, Ephraim and the other half of Manasseh had received allotments on the west side of the river.
Levi was not to receive an allotment; later they would inherit specific cities scattered all throughout the Promised Land.
This left Benjamin, Simeon, Asher, Issachar, Dan, Zebulun and Naphtali as the tribes who still needed to be assigned a territory.
Joshua 18:3 – So Joshua said to the people of Israel, "How long will you put off going in to take possession of the land, which the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given you?"
There is an old proverb which says, 'good is the enemy of best'. That was certainly the case in this situation. The inheritance the Israelites possessed at this point was not the full blessing that God intended for them. However, since it was better than anything they had in the past, they were willing to accept it. Because of this they did not strive to completely displace the Canaanites and obtain the best God had in store for them.
In addition, they were overcome with laziness. The nation was motivated to go to war when they fought as a whole and subdued the land, but when it came down to each individual tribe fighting for their own allotment, they became slothful and indolent.
The land that remained to be divided was partially controlled by the enemy. The seven remaining tribes would have to wage warfare, rebuild or repair the cities and towns, cultivate new fields, move their families and drive their flocks and herds to new far away locations. This would certainly require a lot of work and involve some degree of hardship. For this reason, they were not in a hurry to get moving.
Unfortunately, every day that Israel delayed was a day the Canaanites used to strengthen and fortify their hold on the land.� Every day Israel allowed themselves to dwell among the heathen was a day they grew more accustomed to false idols.�
It could truly be said that Israel was in danger of losing their inheritance before they had even fully obtained it!� They had to be prompted into action.�
Is there a lesson here for us?
I believe there is. The questions Joshua poses to the children of Israel here in verse three could just as well be asked of the church of today. Let's consider that for a minute:
Scripture tells us that Jesus died for the entire human race�
John 3:16 – For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
�and it is his will for everyone to hear the gospel and turn to Jesus for salvation:
II Peter 3:9 – The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
Just as the armies of Israel had to fight to gain ground in the Promised Land, the church is the army of God, and we are to fight spiritual battles to take ground in the kingdom of heaven.
But in some ways, the church has followed in the footsteps of Israel. In the last few generations, the church seems to have fallen into a spiritual lethargy with Christians being caught up in a love of pleasure, entertainment, prosperity, and ease. Because we are so content with what we have, we have delayed going to war against our enemy. Look around you - is this the inheritance we want to leave for our children and grandchildren?
Now is the time for the church to get moving again. This will not be easy. It requires spiritual training. It requires work and sacrifice, and it will undoubtedly involve hardship. But in the end, we will receive God's fullest blessings if we keep his commands and seek his best.
God sent Israel a warning against apathy through Joshua. He has given the church a similar warning through Jesus, in his address to the seven churches of Revelation:
Revelation 13:16-19 – "So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind and naked. I council you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich and white garments so that you may clothe yourself� and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see."
While the church has been relaxing, our enemy has been advancing. Now is the time to clothe ourselves with personal holiness, prepare/train ourselves for war, and engage the enemy to win souls for Christ. Now is the time for us to press forward and bring the kingdom of heaven to the uttermost ends of the world.
Jesus instructed us to pray that workers will be sent into his harvest fields (Luke 10:2). Let's take it one step further – let's pray 'here am I Lord, send me' (Isaiah 6:8)!
Joshua 18:4-5 – Provide three men from each tribe, and I will send them out that they may set out and go up and down the land. They shall write a description of it with a view to their inheritances, and then come to me. They shall divide it into seven portions. Judah shall continue in his territory on the south, and the house of Joseph shall continue in their territory on the north.
A preliminary survey of the land had already been completed. It included information about the land itself, such as the resources available (timber, ore), the quality of the ground and pastures, whether there were hills or mountains, what kind of water was available, etc.
The second survey was very different. It focused almost exclusively on the cities and towns located within the land. Why was that important?
Israel was in the midst of making a huge change. The only lifestyle they had known up to this point was a nomadic one – they constantly moved from place to place. If a family wound up in an unsuitable spot, they could just 'make do' knowing that it was only temporary. Now, however, they would be permanently established in the vacated cities of Canaan.
These cities had been won through war, which means they had all been destroyed to a greater or lesser degree as they were being captured. Obviously, some cities could be occupied immediately, while others had to be totally rebuilt.
In addition, each tribe had to have enough cities to accommodate their population. It was important for some of the cities to be larger, as they would have protective walls (and would serve as centers of trade), while others could be smaller and more rural. For these reasons, the second survey focused on the size and importance of the cities, rather than the characteristics of the land.
A secondary reason for the new survey may have been the complaints made by the tribe of Joseph, who alleged their lot was too small. The specific listing of cities would ensure a fair division of the remaining land while removing any questions or suspicions of unfair treatment.
So without further ado, Joshua sends out the twenty-one men. Some scholars have speculated that these 21 were divided into three groups, with each group taking a different section of land to survey, which would have sped up the process considerably.
Although it is possible that this group (or groups) was accompanied by a military guard, it probably wasn't necessary. The remaining Canaanites were still struck with terror from heaven making it highly unlikely that they would attack Israel in any way (even a small group of men).
Finally, it should be noted that the new survey was not to include any of the land already allotted to Judah, Ephraim or Manasseh. Any changes to their territory (and changes were made) would be made in the future, based on the need of the tribes.
Joshua 18:6-7 – And you shall describe the land in seven divisions and bring the description here to me. And I will cast lots for you here before the Lord our God. The Levites have no portion among you, for the priesthood of the Lord is their heritage. And Gad and Reuben and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan eastward, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave them.
Once the survey was done, the seven portions would be set forth in writing. Again, this would allow everyone to see that the division was fair and equal. It provided an opportunity for the elders to voice their opinions, if they thought their tribe's allotment was too small. It would ensure that any arguments or complaints about the parcels would be addressed in advance - before Joshua approached the Lord to ask him to assign each parcel to a particular tribe.
After the lots were cast and God assigned a parcel to the remaining tribes, no one would have any basis for complaining. Each lot contained many benefits for which to be thankful, as well as a few challenges designed to bring out the best in each tribe.
According to the historian Josephus, the survey took seven months to complete, although this is not confirmed in scripture.
Joshua 18:8-10 – So the men arose and went, and Joshua charged those who went to write the description of the land, saying, "Go up and down the land and write a description and return to me. And I will cast lots for you here before the Lord in Shiloh." So the men went and passed up and down in the land and wrote in a book a description of it by towns in seven divisions. Then they came to Joshua to the camp at Shiloh and Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the Lord. And there Joshua apportioned the land to the people of Israel, to each his portion.
The act of taking a second survey by the express commission of the Lord must surely have aroused the faith of the people. In their mind's eye they could now see/perceive that by the grace of God, they were about to finish the great work of claiming the Land.
All the promises made to them by the Lord were about to finally be fulfilled! What an exciting and joyful day that must have been!
Joshua 18:11 – The lot of the tribe of Benjamin according to its clans came up, and the territory allotted to it fell between the people of Judah and the people of Joseph.
Obviously, the survey was completed, the parcels were agreed upon, and Joshua went to the tabernacle to have Eleazar assist him in inquiring of the Lord as the lots were cast.
The next lot was assigned to the tribe of Benjamin, who received a relatively small allotment of 26 cities. However, we want to note once again that the lots were divinely appointed by God and the borders adjusted by the council so the portion given to Benjamin was perfect for them.
Scholars have commented a great deal about the divine hand of God in this allotment.
In life, Benjamin and Joseph had been full brothers – their father was Israel and their mother was Rachel (Genesis 35:24). Due to Joseph being the favorite son, the other 10 brothers were jealous of him, and they were often in conflict with each other. The 10 went so far as to sell Joseph into slavery in the land of Egypt. However, all of them loved Benjamin (the youngest son/brother) very dearly.
As you know from reading the book of Genesis, the 10 brothers were eventually sent to Egypt to buy grain. Unbeknownst to them, they were buying it from their long lost brother, Joseph who proceeded to tell them they had to bring back their youngest brother Benjamin before he would sell them any grain. To make a long story short, it was the mutual love and affection for Benjamin that eventually reconciled Joseph to his other 10 brothers.
And now, in the allotment of the land, we find the little tribe of Benjamin sandwiched between the two very large and powerful rival tribes of Joseph and Judah! There is a lot of intense interaction among these tribes in the history of Israel, which you can read for yourself as you study the era of the kings of Israel.
Joshua 18:12-28 – On the north side their boundary began at the Jordan. Then the boundary goes up to the shoulder north of Jericho, then up through the hill country westward, and it ends at the wilderness of Beth-aven� Zela, Haeleph, Jebus (there is, Jerusalem), Gibeah and Kiriath-jearim� This is the inheritance of the people of Benjamin according to its clans.
Verses 12 through 28 go on to detail the cities, towns, and boundaries assigned to the tribe of Benjamin. We are not going to look at them in detail, but it is worth mentioning that Jebus/Jerusalem was on the border between Judah and Benjamin.
Neither tribe had much luck in conquering the city. It wasn't until the time of David that the Canaanites were fully removed and Jerusalem was made the royal city.
Let me offer you some encouragement and relief:
It's easy to see that the children of Israel were somewhat lazy or indifferent when it came to fully possessing their inheritance and establishing their nation.
The underlying spiritual principle is a reminder to us not to be lazy in our work of establishing the kingdom of God. Now is the time for us to get to work. The apostle Paul expresses this same thought in his letter to the Ephesian church:
Ephesians 5:15-16 - See then that you walk carefully, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
In other words, Paul is instructing us to get busy and make the best use of our time.
In Ephesians chapter five he goes on to say that our time can best be spent in continual praise and worship, speaking/singing spiritual hymns and songs, being filled with Holy Spirit, and carefully walking through this life with a full understanding of God's will for us.
In light of his comments, I encourage you to take a few minutes and ask yourself these questions:
- How do I spend my time?� In a 24 hour cycle, how much of that time do I spend working for the kingdom by praying, reading the word, worshiping God and acting when I hear his voice?
- How does that amount of time compare to the amount of time I spend in entertainment or pursuing hobbies?
- Do I have a good understanding of God's will for my life?�
- If I need to balance my priorities a little, what changes can I make to allow that to happen?� �
Let me offer you some strength:
God provided motivation for his people to once again 'get moving' and finish the task of possessing their inheritance/kingdom.
He did that by disrupting or breaking apart their established habits and patterns (living in the camp at Gilgal), refocusing their attention on him (moving them to Shiloh), and filling them with a fresh sense of excitement (they were about to accomplish their goal).
If you find you own spiritual life to be stale or at a standstill, these steps may help you too.
- Begin by breaking old habits/patterns.� Find new times of the day to read/study the word, find new places of prayer and look around your church and community for new opportunities to minister to people.� Study the bible with a new/different bible scholar.� Buy some new praise music and learn some new songs.�
- As you break old habits, refocus your heart and mind upon the Lord and what he is currently doing in your life.� Seek him until you feel confident that you know what his will is for you during this specific season of your life.
- Ask the Lord to give you a fresh sense of hope and excitement for the future.� After all, no matter how desperate things may seem, God is in control and he is going to be victorious in this world.� God has never lost a war and he isn't going to start now!�
Dear readers, I wish you all a very merry Christmas!! Thank you for studying the bible along with me. I pray for the Lord to bless you mightily during 2024!