Joshua 18:11-20 · Bible study
Joshua 18:11-20 Commentary: Benjamin's Strategic Placement
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why Benjamin received land between Judah and Joseph, fulfilling Moses' blessing. A study of boundaries and providence.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Benjamin's inheritance between Judah and Joseph fulfilled Deuteronomy 33:12 and placed the tribe at the heart of Israel's future life.
- Key words: "Lot" (goral H1486), the divinely guided casting determined the territory; "Border" (gevul H1366), precise boundaries marked God's provision.
- Main debate: How literally to read the border descriptions, some scholars (Barnes) see textual corruption, but all affirm the historical reality of the allotment.
- Theological theme: God's sovereignty in assigning inheritance, even the smallest tribe received a purposeful, prophetic place.
- Best use: A foundation for preaching on God's detailed provision, fulfillment of prophecy, and the value of every community in His plan.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
11The first lot came up for the clans of the tribe of Benjamin. Their allotted territory lay between the tribes of Judah and Joseph:
12On the north side their border began at the Jordan, went up past the northern slope of Jericho, headed west through the hill country, and came out at the wilderness of Beth-aven.
13From there the border crossed over to the southern slope of Luz (that is, Bethel) and went down to Ataroth-addar on the hill south of Lower Beth-horon.
14On the west side the border curved southward from the hill facing Beth-horon on the south and came out at Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim), a city of the sons of Judah. This was the western side.
15On the south side the border began at the outskirts of Kiriath-jearim and extended westward to the spring at the Waters of Nephtoah.
16Then it went down to the foot of the hill that faces the Valley of Hinnom at the northern end of the Valley of Rephaim and ran down the Valley of Hinnom toward the southern slope of the Jebusites and downward to En-rogel.
17From there it curved northward and proceeded to En-shemesh and on to Geliloth facing the Ascent of Adummim, and continued down to the Stone of Bohan son of Reuben.
18Then it went on to the northern slope of Beth-arabah and went down into the valley.
19The border continued to the northern slope of Beth-hoglah and came out at the northern bay of the Salt Sea, at the mouth of the Jordan. This was the southern border.
20On the east side the border was the Jordan. These were the borders around the inheritance of the clans of the tribe of Benjamin.
WEB World English Bible 2000
11The 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.
12Their 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.
13The border passed along from there to Luz, to the side of Luz (also called Bethel), southward. The border went down to Ataroth Addar, by the mountain that lies on the south of Beth Horon the lower.
14The border extended, and turned around on the west quarter southward, from the mountain that lies before Beth Horon southward; and ended at Kiriath Baal (also called Kiriath Jearim), a city of the children of Judah. This was the west quarter.
15The 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.
16The 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.
17It extended northward, went out at En Shemesh, and went out to Geliloth, which is opposite the ascent of Adummim. It went down to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben.
18It passed along to the side opposite the Arabah northward, and went down to the Arabah.
19The 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.
20The 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.
KJV King James Version 1769
11And 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.
12And 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.
13And 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.
14And 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.
15And 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:
16And 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,
17And 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,
18And passed along toward the side over against Arabah northward, and went down unto Arabah:
19And 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.
20And 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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
11And 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.
12And 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.
13And 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.
14And 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.
15And 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;
16and 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;
17and 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;
18and it passed along to the side over against the Arabah northward, and went down unto the Arabah;
19and 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.
20And 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.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
11And a lot goeth up for the tribe of the sons of Benjamin, for their families; and the border of their lot goeth out between the sons of Judah and the sons of Joseph.
12And the border is to them at the north side from the Jordan, and the border hath gone up unto the side of Jericho on the north, and gone up through the hill-country westward, and its outgoings have been at the wilderness of Beth-Aven;
13and the border hath gone over thence to Luz, unto the side of Luz (it is Beth-El) southward, and the border hath gone down to Atroth-Addar, by the hill that is on the south of the lower Beth-Horon;
14and the border hath been marked out, and hath gone round to the corner of the sea southward, from the hill which is at the front of Beth-Horon southward, and its outgoings have been unto Kirjath-Baal (it is Kirjath-Jearim), a city of the sons of Judah: this is the west quarter.
15And the south quarter is from the end of Kirjath-Jearim, and the border hath gone out westward, and gone out unto the fountain of the waters of Nephtoah;
16and the border hath come down unto the extremity of the hill which is on the front of the valley of the son of Hinnom, which is in the valley of the Rephaim northward, and hath gone down the valley of Hinnom unto the side of Jebusi southward, and gone down to En-Rogel,
17and hath been marked out on the north, and gone out to En-Shemesh, and gone out unto Geliloth, which is over-against the ascent of Adummim, and gone down to the stone of Bohan son of Reuben,
18and passed over unto the side over-against Arabah northward, and gone down to Arabah;
19and the border hath passed over unto the side of Beth-Hoglah northward, and the outgoings of the border have been unto the north bay of the salt sea, unto the south extremity of the Jordan; this is the south border;
20and the Jordan doth border it at the east quarter; this is the inheritance of the sons of Benjamin, by its borders round about, for their families.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
11And the lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin came up according to their families. And the territory of their lot came forth between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph.
12And their border on the north side was from the Jordan; and the border went up to the side of Jericho on the north, and went up to the mountain westward; and ended at the wilderness of Beth-Aven;
13and the border passed on from thence toward Luz, to the south side of Luz, which is Bethel: and the border went down to Ataroth-Addar, near the hill that is on the south of the lower Beth-horon.
14— And the border reached along and turned on the west side, southward from the hill that is before Beth-horon southward; and ended at Kirjath-Baal, which is Kirjath-jearim, a city of the children of Judah: this is the west side.
15— And the south side was from the extreme end of Kirjath-jearim, and the border went out on the west, and went out to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah.
16And the border went down to the end of the mountain that is before the valley of the son of Hinnom, which is in the valley of Rephaim on the north, and went down the valley of Hinnom, to the side of the Jebusite on the south, and went down to En-rogel;
17and it reached along on the north, and went forth to En-shemesh, and went forth towards Geliloth, which is opposite to the ascent of Adummim, and went down to the stone of Bohan, the son of Reuben,
18and passed along towards the side opposite to Arabah northwards, and went down to Arabah;
19and the border passed on to the side of Beth-hoglah on the north, and the border ended at the tongue of the salt sea northward, at the south end of the Jordan: this is the southern border.
20— And the Jordan borders it on the east side. — This was the inheritance of the children of Benjamin, according to its borders round about, according to their families.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
11And first came up the lot of the children of Benjamin by their families, to possess the land between the children of Juda, and the children of Joseph.
12And their border northward was from the Jordan: going along by the side of Jericho on the north side, and thence going up westward to the mountains, and reaching to the wilderness of Bethaven,
13And passing along southward by Luza, the same is Bethel, and it goeth down into Ataroth-addar to the mountain, that is on the south of the nether Beth-horon.
14And it bendeth thence going round towards the sea, south of the mountain that looketh towards Beth-horon to the southwest: and the outgoings thereof are into Cariathbaal, which is called also Cariathiarim, a city of the children of Juda This is their coast towards the sea, westward.
15But on the south side the border goeth out from part of Cariathiarim towards the sea, and cometh to the fountain of the waters of Nephtoa.
16And it goeth down to that part of the mountain that looketh on the valley of the children of Ennom: and is over against the north quarter in the furthermost part of the valley of Raphaim, and it goeth down into Geennom (that is the valley of Ennom) by the side of the Jebusite to the south: and cometh to the fountain of Rogel,
17Passing thence to the north, and going out to Ensemes, that is to say, the fountain of the sun:
18And It passeth along to the hills that are over against the ascent of Adommim: and it goeth down to Abenboen, that is, the stone of Boen the son of Ruben: and it passeth on the north side to the champaign countries; and goeth down Into the plain,
19And it passeth by Bethhagla northward: and the outgoings thereof are towards the north of the most salt sea at the south end of the Jordan.
20Which is the border of it on the east side. This is the possession of the children of Benjamin by their borders round about, and their families.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Joshua 18:11
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that Benjamin's allotment was no accident. Calvin observes that "a small tribe takes precedence of the others" in receiving its inheritance before more distinguished tribes, an honor that placed Benjamin between the sons of Judah and Joseph. Wesley notes that this arrangement fulfilled Deuteronomy 33:12, where Moses blessed Benjamin as "the beloved of the Lord" dwelling between his shoulders. The Cambridge Bible confirms that Benjamin's territory "lay between the sons of Judah on the south and the sons of Joseph on the north." Matthew Henry sees divine providence in this central location, preparing Benjamin to later unite with Judah in adherence to the Davidic throne and Jerusalem temple. Keil and Delitzsch point out that the northern border coincided with Ephraim's southern boundary, while the southern border matched Judah's northern border. The lot thus gave Benjamin a compact region with Jerusalem at its heart, making the tribe small in size but strategically positioned for God's purposes.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Providential fulfillment: All commentators affirm that Benjamin's location between Judah and Joseph fulfills Deuteronomy 33:12, showing God's purpose.
- Textual/geographic uncertainty: Barnes and Cambridge note that some border details may be corrupt or lost; modern identification is sometimes speculative.
What is clear: Benjamin's inheritance was assigned by lot between Judah and Joseph, fulfilling the Mosaic blessing.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Method of casting lots | The lot was cast before Yahweh at Shiloh, indicating divine involvement. | Clarke suggests two urns (one with tribe names, one with portions); Jamieson-Fausset-Brown agrees. The exact mechanics are not specified, but all agree God guided the outcome. |
| Identification of Beth-aven | Beth-aven is a location on the border of Benjamin. | Clarke identifies Beth-aven as the same as Bethel, later renamed after Jeroboam's calf; most other commentators treat it as a distinct place (e.g., Cambridge Bible: 'bare and rocky heights east of Michmash'). |
| Condition of the text | The text presents a coherent border description for Benjamin. | Barnes and Cambridge note that 'the text is in great disorder, and many of the places are still unknown' (Barnes), while Keil and others treat the geography as largely identifiable. |
| Prophetic fulfillment | The location between Judah and Joseph aligns with Moses' blessing. | Some emphasize the fulfillment as a sign of divine sovereignty (Wesley, Henry); others focus on the historical geography without stressing typology (Keil). |
Historical & Cultural Context
Joshua 18 opens at the camp in Shiloh, where the tabernacle now stood and the land lay subdued but not yet fully allotted. Seven tribes had not received their inheritance. Joshua rebuked the people for delaying and sent surveyors to map the remaining land into seven portions. At Shiloh, "Joshua cast lots for them before Yahweh" (Joshua 18:10). This was not a game of chance; the Urim and Thummim likely guided the process. The lot fell first on Benjamin, the smallest tribe (Psalm 68:27), and its territory was carved from the hill country between Judah and Ephraim.
The northern boundary (vv. 12-13) runs east to west, starting at the Jordan near Jericho, climbing into the hills past the "wilderness of Beth-aven" (a region later defiled by Jeroboam's calf, Clarke notes), then south of Luz/Bethel to Ataroth-addar and Lower Beth-horon. The western line (v. 14) curves south to Kiriath-jearim, a city of Judah. The southern border (vv. 15-19) traces the Valley of Hinnom, later Gehenna, a symbol of judgment, passes En-rogel and the Stone of Bohan, then reaches the Dead Sea at the Jordan's mouth. The eastern border is simply the Jordan (v. 20). Several place-names carry echoes: En-shemesh ("fountain of the sun") hints at Canaanite sun-worship; Kiriath-baal ("city of Baal") was renamed Kiriath-jearim to erase the pagan name (Wesley). The description is precise, even if modern identification of some sites remains uncertain (Barnes). Every turn of the border testifies to God's careful apportionment of the promised land.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants in the Hebrew manuscripts for this passage. However, Barnes and the Cambridge Bible observe that many place-names are difficult to identify with certainty, and Barnes suggests "the text is in great disorder" based on topographical discrepancies. These difficulties likely stem from corruption in the transmission of place-names rather than from the larger narrative. The overall geographic framework, Benjamin between Judah and Ephraim, with the Jordan as eastern border, remains clear across all manuscript traditions.
Reception History
Through church history, Joshua 18:11-20 has been read primarily as a record of God's faithful allocation of the promised land. Early Christian writers, including Origen and Jerome, saw the division as a type of Christ distributing gifts to his people. The Reformers (Calvin, Luther) emphasized the sovereignty of God in the lot, encouraging trust in divine providence. Matthew Henry saw Benjamin's central position as preparing the tribe for its role alongside Judah in preserving the Davidic line and the temple. In Jewish tradition, the detailed boundaries reinforced the sanctity of the land and the importance of each tribe's inheritance. More recently, archaeological surveys have sought to correlate the ancient place-names with modern sites, offering fresh appreciation for the geographical precision of the text.
Preaching This Verse
Three-Point Outline
- God Assigns the Lot: The casting of lots at Shiloh was not random; it was a divinely guided decision that gave each tribe its place. Benjamin, though small, received a central territory that spoke of God's deliberate plan.
- Fulfillment of Prophecy: Moses had blessed Benjamin as "the beloved of the Lord" who dwells between His shoulders (Deuteronomy 33:12). The location between Judah (the royal tribe) and Joseph (the fruitful tribe) placed Benjamin exactly where prophecy said he would be.
- Small Tribe, Strategic Role: Benjamin's inheritance included Jerusalem (though held by Jebusites at this time) and key gateways. This small tribe would later rally with Judah and produce figures like Saul and the apostle Paul.
Five-Point Outline
- Divine Direction in the Lot: The lot system (vv. 11, 20) shows God sovereignly distributing the land.
- Geographic Precision: The detailed border descriptions (vv. 12-19) emphasize that every boundary mattered to God.
- Prophetic Placement: Benjamin's position "between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph" (v. 11) directly fulfills Deuteronomy 33:12.
- Purging Pagan Names: Renaming Kiriath-baal to Kiriath-jearim (v. 14) reflects Israel's mission to displace idolatry.
- Centrality of Jerusalem: The southern border runs through the Valley of Hinnom near Jebus, foreshadowing Jerusalem's future role as the city of God.
Illustration Hooks
- Assigning seats at a wedding: the host places guests where they belong. God placed Benjamin exactly between Judah and Joseph.
- Homeowners marking property lines: boundaries bring order and identity. God's boundaries for Benjamin gave the tribe identity and security.
- Team assignments in a workplace: the smallest team often handles the most critical position. Benjamin's small territory covered Jerusalem and the main north-south route.
Questions Your Congregation Is Asking
- Why does God care about where people live? This passage shows His interest in the details of our lives.
- If Benjamin was the smallest tribe, why did it receive so much attention? God often uses the small and overlooked to fulfill great purposes.
- How do we know the lot was guided by God? The New Testament affirms that the lot is cast into the lap but its every decision is from the Lord (Proverbs 16:33).
Leading a Discussion
This passage may seem like a list of ancient place-names, but it reveals God's detailed care for each tribe, even the smallest. Benjamin's inheritance was not random; it was a fulfillment of prophecy and a strategic placement for Israel's future.
Discussion Questions
- Observation: What do we learn about the size and location of Benjamin's territory from verses 11-20? How does it compare to Judah's (Joshua 15) or Joseph's (Joshua 16)?
- Observation: The border descriptions mention several springs, mountains, and valleys. What do these natural features tell us about the land?
- Interpretation: Joshua cast lots "before Yahweh in Shiloh" (Joshua 18:10). What does this method of decision-making say about God's sovereignty over the land?
- Interpretation: Wesley noted that this placement was "the only place in which that prophecy, Deut 33:12, could have been accomplished." How does geography fulfill prophecy?
- Interpretation: Several place-names were changed (Kiriath-baal to Kiriath-jearim, Beth-aven originally Bethel). Why was renaming important for Israel?
- Application: Benjamin was the smallest tribe yet received a strategic inheritance. What does this teach us about God's view of size or status?
- Application: How does knowing that God assigns our "lot", our place, gifts, and circumstances, change how we view our own life and calling?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Deuteronomy 10:1 | At that time Yahweh said to me, “Cut two stone tablets like the first, and come up to me onto the mountain, and make an ark of wood. |
| Deuteronomy 10:22 | Your fathers went down into Egypt with seventy persons; and now Yahweh your God has made you as the stars of the sky for multitude. |
| Deuteronomy 13:12 | If you hear about one of your cities, which Yahweh your God gives you to dwell there, that |
| Joshua 15:1 | The lot for the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families was to the border of Edom, even to the wilderness of Zin southward, at the uttermost part of the south. |
| Joshua 15:8 | The border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom to the side of the Jebusite (also called Jerusalem) southward; and the border went up to the top of the mountain that lies before the valley of Hinnom westward, which is at the farthest part of the valley of Rephaim northward. |
| Joshua 16:1 | The lot came out for the children of Joseph from the Jordan at Jericho, at the waters of Jericho on the east, even the wilderness, going up from Jericho through the hill country to Bethel. |
| Joshua 16:10 | They didn’t drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwell in the territory of Ephraim to this day, and have become servants to do forced labor. |
| Joshua 2:1 | Joshua the son of Nun secretly sent two men out of Shittim as spies, saying, “Go, view the land, including Jericho.” They went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab, and slept there. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that Bethel originally meant "house of God" but became "house of iniquity" after Jeroboam placed a golden calf there. He also observes that the place name En-shemesh ("fountain of the sun") reveals the idolatrous worship of the region's earlier inhabitants, while Geliloth is likely a descriptive word for borders rather than a specific location.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that the text of this chapter shows signs of great disorder, with many locations still unknown today. He then works through each town name, offering conjectural identifications based on modern ruins and careful distinctions between similar names like Gaba, Geba, and Gibeah.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin focuses on the surprising honor given to Benjamin: though a small tribe with limited territory, it received its inheritance before more distinguished tribes. This placement also bound them closely to Joseph's children and gave them Jerusalem, even if they later yielded it to Judah for a royal seat.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible observes that the tribe of Benjamin was wedged between Judah on the south and Joseph’s sons on the north. The northern boundary ran from the Jordan through Beth-aven and Bethel to Beth-horon, matching Ephraim’s southern border exactly, while the southern border coincided with Judah’s northern boundary.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes present the biblical text itself as the commentary, letting the precise geographic boundaries and place names speak directly. Their point is that Benjamin's inheritance is a carefully defined territory, bordered by Judah and Joseph, with every landmark from Jordan to the Salt Sea recorded in detail.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights the providential placement of Benjamin's territory between Judah and Joseph, the two sons of Rachel, Jacob's beloved wife. He notes that this arrangement fulfilled Moses' blessing and united the tribes in religious and civil affairs, with Jerusalem shared between Judah and Benjamin as a lasting bond.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB suggests the lots were drawn from two vessels simultaneously, one containing tribe names and the other the seven remaining portions. The lot for Benjamin fell between Judah and Joseph, which they view as a precise fulfillment of Moses' prophecy regarding Benjamin's inheritance.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch carefully map Benjamin's assigned territory by tracing every boundary and listing each town with its modern location and biblical connections. They show that Benjamin's inheritance was squeezed between Judah and Joseph, and they identify many towns such as Gibeon and Bethel with known archaeological sites.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange observes that Joshua's reproof of the seven tribes for their lingering targets their reluctance to leave nomadic life. The survey of the land was a practical measure to ensure an impartial distribution, with twenty-one men describing it by cities into seven parts.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley sees divine providence in the arrangement of tribal boundaries: Benjamin was placed next to Joseph as his only full brother, and next to Judah, so that this tribe would later unite with Judah in supporting David's throne and the Jerusalem temple.