Joshua 18
Joshua 18:1 – The Tabernacle at Shiloh This passage tells about the important moment when the Israelites set up the tabernacle in Shiloh. Until now, the tabernacle had stayed in the middle of their camp as they traveled through the wilderness. But now, many tribes had moved to their new homes, so it was time to place the tabernacle in a permanent city. This move signaled a new stage for Israel, showing that they were settling in the land God had given them. The tabernacle’s new location would become the main place for worship for many years.v. 1: The Israelites moved the tabernacle to Shiloh, a city in the territory of Ephraim, near the border with Benjamin. God likely guided them in choosing Shiloh, since He had promised to pick the place where His name would dwell (Deuteronomy 12:11 a). Shiloh was in the center of the country, which made it easier for all the tribes to gather there. It was also in Joshua’s tribe, so it was convenient for their leader and brought honor to his people. Some people thought the name "Shiloh" had special meaning, because it is used for the Messiah in Jacob’s prophecy (Genesis 49:10 b). Others said it was called Shiloh because the land was peaceful at that time, like the name "Salem" where the temple would later be built (meaning "peaceful"). The tabernacle would remain at Shiloh for about 300 years, until the time of Eli, when sin caused its loss (Jeremiah 7:12; Psalm 78:60 c).The whole congregation of Israel came together to celebrate this event. Everyone wanted to honor the ark of God and show their joy at its new home. The tribes that had not yet settled probably moved their camps to be near Shiloh. This was a sign that their first priority was God’s presence among them. The land around Shiloh had been subdued, so they felt safe. Setting up the tabernacle showed they were thankful for God’s help and wanted to put Him first as they settled in Canaan. Later, the destruction of Shiloh became a warning for Jerusalem (Jeremiah 7:12; Psalm 78:60 d). Joshua 18:2 – Joshua Reproves the Unsettled Tribes This passage describes how Joshua challenged the seven tribes of Israel who had not yet claimed their land. Even though God had promised them an inheritance, these tribes were slow to take action. Joshua encouraged them to stop delaying and to take possession of what God had given them. He also set up a fair process for dividing the remaining land, making sure each tribe would receive its share by God’s guidance.v. 2: Seven tribes still had not received their land. They were not in a hurry to settle, even though they knew they would get an inheritance (v. 2 e). Joshua saw that they were too comfortable living together and did not want to move apart. They enjoyed the good things from the cities already conquered and did not want to face the hard work of settling new land. Some were lazy and did not want to rebuild cities or move their families far away. Joshua warned them that waiting would only make it harder, because the Canaanites could become stronger again. He urged them to act quickly and take what God had given them. v. 3: Joshua asked the tribes, “How long are you slack to go to possess the land?” He reminded them that God had given them the land, but they needed to take action. Joshua wanted them to stop making excuses and to trust God’s promise by moving forward (v. 3 f). He knew that if they waited too long, they would lose their advantage over the Canaanites. v. 4: Joshua told them to choose three men from each of the seven tribes to survey the land. These men would divide the land into seven equal parts, making sure each part was fair in value, not just in size or number of cities (v. 4 g). Judah and Joseph already had their land, so only the remaining land needed to be divided. v. 5: Judah’s land was on the south and Joseph’s land was on the north of Shiloh, where the tabernacle was. This protected the tabernacle and made it clear which areas still needed to be divided (v. 5 h). v. 6: After the land was divided into seven parts, Joshua would cast lots before the Lord at the tabernacle to decide which tribe would get each part. This showed that God was in control of the process, and everyone needed to accept what God gave them (v. 6 i). v. 7: The Levites did not get a share of the land because their inheritance was to serve as priests for the Lord. The tribes of Gad, Reuben, and half of Manasseh already had their land on the other side of the Jordan, so they did not need to be included in this division (v. 7 j). v. 8-9: The surveyors went out and described the land, dividing it into seven parts. They brought their report back to Joshua at Shiloh. Even though there were still many Canaanites in the land, the surveyors trusted God to protect them as they did their duty (v. 8, 9 k).General Note: Joshua’s plan made sure the land was divided fairly and that everyone trusted God’s decision. This is a reminder that God gives us blessings, but we must take action to receive them. Like the Israelites, we should not be lazy or afraid, but trust God and do our part (Ecclesiastes 11:4; John 17:2,3 l). – – Joshua 18:11 – The Lot of Benjamin This passage explains how the tribe of Benjamin received its share of land. Benjamin’s territory was placed between the lands of Joseph’s descendants (Ephraim and Manasseh) and Judah. This position was special because Benjamin was Joseph’s only full brother and also would later join with Judah in supporting the throne of David and the temple in Jerusalem. The borders and main cities of Benjamin are listed to show the importance and blessings of their inheritance.v. 11–13: The borders for Benjamin’s land are carefully described. Benjamin’s land was between Judah in the south and Joseph’s tribes in the north. The Jordan River was to the east, and the tribe of Dan was to the west. Although the western border is said to “compass the corner of the sea southward” (v. 14 m), this probably means it ran parallel to the Mediterranean Sea or refers to a local lake, such as the pool of Gibeon, rather than the sea itself (Jeremiah 41:12 n). – – v. 14–20: More details are given about the exact boundaries of Benjamin’s land. The description is complex, but it shows how carefully the land was divided so every tribe would know their inheritance. – – – – – – v. 21–28: The main cities of Benjamin are listed—twenty-six in total. Jericho is mentioned first, even though it was destroyed and was not allowed to be rebuilt as a walled city, it could still be a village for the tribe. Gilgal, where Saul became king (1 Samuel 11:15 o), was also in Benjamin’s territory, although later it became a place of sin (Hosea 9:15 p). Beth-el, a famous place, was in Benjamin’s land but was later controlled by the house of Joseph (Judges 1:23-25 q) and became a center of idol worship under Jeroboam. Other important cities included Gibeon, where Solomon worshiped at the altar (2 Chronicles 1:3 r), Gibeah (where the Levite’s concubine was abused), Mizpeh, Samuel’s Ebenezer, Anathoth (the prophet Jeremiah’s hometown), and the northern part of Jerusalem.General Note: The apostle Paul came from the tribe of Benjamin (Romans 11:1; Philippians 3:5 s). We do not know exactly where his family’s land was, because Paul looked for a “better country,” meaning his inheritance was spiritual and in heaven.
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