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Joshua 18

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The allocation of former Canaanite lands continues...

Verse 1


For some years after entering Canaan on the East and then fighting many Canaanite tribes and kings, the Israelites were settled enough to set up the Tabernacle at Shiloh. All the tribes and people gathered in one mass to celebrate this event in Shiloh (‘place of rest’) in the tribal land of Ephraim; the tabernacle itself was still the temporary tent from the wanderings. The second sentence seems to suggest that the land was subdued either as a result of this, or as a prior circumstance after fighting the Canaanites. Though subdued and free from major wars, many Canaanites remained in the land.

Verses 2-4




To that point only five tribes had received their inheritance-lands. Seven tribes had still to inherit. Joshua was impatient with this and asked why the remaining tribes were so slow in claiming their lands. God promised them a land of their own, hundreds of years previously, brought them out of bondage in Egypt, kept them safe for forty years, and subdued hostile, godless nations, so they could enjoy their inheritance. So, why are they dragging their feet and not taking what belongs to them?


Some might argue that the land of Canaan belonged to the Canaanites. No, this is a very bad notion of land. The whole earth belongs to God. As Lord of lords He can give land to anyone He wishes, and those He gives to own the land in a secondary sense, as tenants looking after their Master’s property. People who are godless own nothing and are given nothing by God; indeed, that which they think they own can be removed from them instantly by God. Godless people cannot own anything that God owns. Nor do they have rights to what they think they own. The Canaanites owned their land only until the rightful owners arrived. And yet seven tribes reluctantly held back! There is surely a sense of sin in this, almost a rejection of God’s gift.


Joshua used words that showed the seven tribes to be ‘slack’, raphah – feeble, weak, idle. The fight to subdue the Canaanites was long and hard, so a time of rest in which the tribes enjoyed their conquered lands should have been a priority. We see this today in the many Christians who will not stand up to be counted, or be strong before unbelievers, or refusing to grab what God has already given to them.

Each tribe, said Joshua, will pick three men. That is, 21 men in total from the seven tribes. These men would travel through the land and find the cities and boundaries Israel had conquered. Then they will return to speak with Joshua about what they find. The task would take several months.

Verses 5-7




In this way the representatives did not just conceptualise what God has promised them – they could see it for themselves. The men, having seen what belongs to each of their tribes, would be told by Joshua which parts were theirs. Judah would mainly be in the south and the house of Joseph would mainly be north. The rest would be allocated to the remaining seven tribes, after Joshua had cast lots. It is thought that he cast pebbles to find each lot, so that the tribes could not say he favoured one tribe over another. He again reminded them that the Levites would not be included in this decision making, for their priesthood was their inheritance; thus they lived amongst most of the tribes. The ‘half-tribes’ (or, more correctly ‘half the tribes of Joseph’) already had their allocated lands, decided upon not by Joshua but by Moses.

Verses 8-10




And so the 21 men left to complete their task; to ‘describe’ meant to look at and record in writing. This they did, recording all that remained to be allocated. When they were finished they had to return to Shiloh so the lots could be cast. Every city, village, mountain, plain, forest and river was recorded in a book or scroll, very precisely and accurately. The men then returned to Joshua, and he cast lots confirming which parts of Canaan would belong to each of the seven tribes.

Verses 11-14





Benjamin’s land was between that of Judah and Joseph and it is possible that an actual map was drawn, though the meaning of the word ‘drawn’ may, or may not, refer to a map. It might only refer to written records of names. Really, this underlines the need to base all we believe on scripture, the written word of God, and not on the muses of men who choose what they think from their own lists of perceptions.

Verses 15-20







These are the beginning of the written topographic history of the people of God. The records were very precise, accurate and factual and handed down through the generations, still applicable today.

Verses 21-28


  2. And Betharabah, and Zemaraim, and Bethel,

  3. And Avim, and Parah, and Ophrah,

  4. And Chepharhaammonai, and Ophni, and Gaba; twelve cities with their villages:

  5. Gibeon, and Ramah, and Beeroth,

  6. And Mizpeh, and Chephirah, and Mozah,

  7. And Rekem, and Irpeel, and Taralah,


We can see that the northern portion of Jebusi/Jebus/Jerusalem was given to the tribe of Benjamin and sub-divided among the various families. In total they had many cities, some mentioned because they were major places of significance, and their satellite villages. Saul came from the tribe of Benjamin. 


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Bible Theology Ministries - PO Box 415, Swansea, SA5 8YH
United Kingdom