Joshua 18:2-10 · Bible study
Joshua 18:2-10 Commentary: Survey and Lot at Shiloh
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why seven tribes delayed taking their inheritance and how Joshua's survey and casting of lots renewed trust in God's provision.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Joshua confronts seven tribes for failing to take possession of the land God gave, then organises a survey and lot-casting to complete the distribution.
- Key words: “Slack” (H7503 raphah, to let drop, relax); “describe” (H3789 katav, to write, record); “lot” (H1486 goral, pebbles used for divine decision).
- Main debate: Why were the seven tribes slow? Options include spiritual laziness (Clarke, Wesley), preference for nomad life (Barnes), fear of warfare (Calvin), or procedural confusion (Keil).
- Theological theme: God’s gift requires human action; divine sovereignty works through practical steps; the Lord assigns each tribe its place.
- Best use: A case study in moving from promise to possession, combining faith with planning, and submitting outcomes to God.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
2there were still seven tribes of Israel who had not yet received their inheritance.
3So Joshua said to the Israelites, “How long will you put off entering and possessing the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, has given you?
4Appoint three men from each tribe, and I will send them out to survey the land and map it out, according to the inheritance of each. Then they will return to me
5and divide the land into seven portions. Judah shall remain in their territory in the south, and the house of Joseph shall remain in their territory in the north.
6When you have mapped out the seven portions of land and brought it to me, I will cast lots for you here in the presence of the LORD our God.
7The Levites, however, have no portion among you, because their inheritance is the priesthood of the LORD. And Gad, Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh have already received the inheritance that Moses the servant of the LORD gave them beyond the Jordan to the east.”
8As the men got up to go out, Joshua commanded them to map out the land, saying, “Go and survey the land, map it out, and return to me. Then I will cast lots for you here in Shiloh in the presence of the LORD.”
9So the men departed and went throughout the land, mapping it city by city into seven portions. Then they returned with the document to Joshua at the camp in Shiloh.
10And Joshua cast lots for them in the presence of the LORD at Shiloh, where he distributed the land to the Israelites according to their divisions.
WEB World English Bible 2000
2Seven tribes remained among the children of Israel, which had not yet divided their inheritance.
3Joshua 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?
4Appoint 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; then they shall come to me.
5They 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.
6You 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.
7However, 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 east of the Jordan, which Moses the servant of Yahweh gave them.”
8The 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.”
9The 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.
10Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before Yahweh. There Joshua divided the land to the children of Israel according to their divisions.
KJV King James Version 1769
2And there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes, which had not yet received their inheritance.
3And 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?
4Give 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.
5And 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.
6Ye 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.
7But 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.
8And 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.
9And 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.
10And 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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
2And there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes, which had not yet divided their inheritance.
3And 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?
4Appoint 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.
5And 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.
6And 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.
7For 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.
8And 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.
9And 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.
10And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before Jehovah: and there Joshua divided the land unto the children of Israel according to their divisions.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
2And there are left among the sons of Israel who have not shared their inheritance, seven tribes,
3and Joshua saith unto the sons of Israel, `Till when are ye remiss to go in to possess the land which He hath given to you, Jehovah, God of your fathers?
4Give for you three men for a tribe, and I send them, and they rise and go up and down through the land, and describe it according to their inheritance, and come in unto me,
5and they have divided it into seven portions--Judah doth stay by its border on the south, and the house of Joseph do stay by their border on the north--
6and ye describe the land in seven portions, and have brought it in unto me hither, and I have cast for you a lot here before Jehovah our God;
7for there is no portion to the Levites in your midst, for the priesthood of Jehovah is their inheritance, and Gad, and Reuben, and the half of the tribe of Manasseh received their inheritance beyond the Jordan eastward, which Moses servant of Jehovah gave to them.'
8And the men rise and go; and Joshua commandeth those who are going to describe the land, saying, `Go, and walk up and down through the land, and describe it, and turn back unto me, and here I cast for you a lot before Jehovah in Shiloh.'
9And the men go, and pass over through the land, and describe it by cities, in seven portions, on a book, and they come in unto Joshua, unto the camp, at Shiloh.
10And Joshua casteth for them a lot in Shiloh before Jehovah, and there Joshua apportioneth the land to the sons of Israel, according to their divisions.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
2And there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes whose inheritance had not been distributed to them.
3And Joshua said to the children of Israel, How long will ye shew yourselves slack to go to take possession of the land which Jehovah the God of your fathers hath given you?
4Provide you three men for a tribe; that I may send them, and they shall rise and go through the land, and describe it according to the proportion of their inheritance, and they shall come to me.
5And they shall divide it into seven portions. Judah shall remain in their border on the south, and the house of Joseph shall remain in their border on the north;
6and 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.
7But the Levites have no portion among you, for the priesthood of Jehovah is their inheritance. And Gad, and Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan on the east, which Moses the servant of Jehovah gave them.
8And 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, and I will cast lots for you here before Jehovah in Shiloh.
9And the men went and passed through the land, and described it by cities into seven portions, in a book, and they came to Joshua, to the camp at Shiloh.
10And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before Jehovah. And there Joshua divided the land to the children of Israel according to their divisions.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
2But there remained seven tribes of the children of Israel, which as yet had not received their possessions.
3And Joshua said to them: How long are you indolent and slack, and go not in to possess the land which the Lord the God of your fathers hath given you?
4Choose of every tribe three men, that I may send them, and they may go and compass the land, and mark it out according to the number of each multitude: and bring back to me what they have marked out.
5Divide to yourselves the land into seven parts: let Juda be in his bounds on the south side, and the house of Joseph on the north.
6The land in the midst between these mark ye out into seven parts; and you shall come hither to me, that I may cast lots for you before the Lord your God.
7For the Levites have no part among you, but the priesthood of the Lord is their inheritance. And Gad and Ruben, and the half tribe of Manasses have already received their possessions beyond the Jordan eastward: which Moses the servant of the Lord gave them.
8And when the men were risen up, to go to mark out the land, Joshua commanded them saying: Go round the land and mark it out, and return to me: that I may cast lots for you before the Lord in Silo.
9So they went and surveying it divided it into seven parts, writing them down in a book. And they returned to Joshua, to the camp in Silo.
10And he cast lots before the Lord in Silo, and divided the land to the children of Israel into seven parts.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Joshua 18:2
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 the seven tribes in this passage were guilty of a spiritual lethargy that kept them from claiming what God had already given. Adam Clarke describes it as “an unaccountable backwardness”, a people so used to being sustained by miracle that they found it hard to act. Barnes adds that they likely preferred the familiar nomad life and disliked the hard work of clearing Canaanite strongholds. Keil and Delitzsch stress that the verb “slack” (from raphah, to let drop) implies a deliberate relaxation of effort, not just delay.
Scholars also note the practical wisdom of Joshua’s method. He sent twenty-one surveyors (three from each of the seven tribes) to map the land by its cities and describe it in a book. This was not a formal measurement but a careful listing of towns and terrain features, so that the lots could be cast with everyone’s knowledge. The lot itself, cast “before Yahweh in Shiloh,” was understood as God’s direct decision, a way to prevent tribal jealousy and confirm that the distribution was from the Lord. As Jamieson-Fausset-Brown remark, the action at the tabernacle “associated with the lot the idea of divine sanction.”
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Spiritual apathy view: Joshua’s use of the verb ‘slack’ (raphah) suggests a letting-go of effort; Clarke and Wesley emphasise the people’s indolence.
- Fear of conflict view: Barnes notes a dislike of the exterminating warfare still needed; Calvin highlights the mortal danger the surveyors faced.
- Comfort zone view: The people may have preferred the nomad life they knew; moving into fixed cities required a difficult transition.
What is clear: God had given the land, and the tribes were responsible for taking active steps to possess it, which they had not yet done.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Reason for the delay | The seven tribes were slow to act, and Joshua rebuked them for it. | Some commentators attribute the delay to spiritual laziness or fear of the Canaanites; others point to a preference for the temporary life of nomads rather than settling. |
| Purpose of the survey | The survey was meant to create a written record of the land to aid in fair division. | Clarke and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown see it as a formal measurement akin to geometry; Keil and Delitzsch argue it was merely a list of towns and terrain descriptions, not precise measurement. |
| The function of the lot | Casting lots before Yahweh declared that God assigned the territories, preventing tribal disputes. | Traditions vary on whether the lots were understood as a random process that God then overruled (common Protestant view) or as a sacred oracle that directly revealed God’s will (some early Jewish and Catholic readings). |
| The danger to the surveyors | The surveyors had to pass through hostile, unconquered areas. | Calvin emphasises the miraculous protection of the surveyors; others assume that the Canaanites were sufficiently subdued or that the surveyors travelled with armed guards (Clarke). |
Historical & Cultural Context
By Joshua 18, the land west of the Jordan had been conquered in a series of campaigns, and the text says it was “subdued before them” (18:1). Yet only two and a half tribes (Reuben, Gad, and half-Manasseh) had received their inheritance east of the Jordan; Judah and Joseph (Ephraim and the other half of Manasseh) had been assigned territory in the south and north respectively. Seven tribes, Benjamin, Simeon, Zebulun, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Dan, remained without any settled portion.
The congregation had now moved from Gilgal to Shiloh, located in the hill country of Ephraim. There they set up the Tent of Meeting, making Shiloh the new religious and administrative centre. But even with the sanctuary established, the seven tribes showed no urgency. Joshua’s rebuke (“How long will you neglect to go in to possess the land?”) exposes a deeper problem: the people had grown comfortable with the status quo.
Joshua’s solution was a survey. He ordered each of the seven tribes to appoint three men, twenty-one in all, to walk through the remaining territory and describe it in writing. The Hebrew verb katav (to write, describe) suggests they produced a document listing cities and possibly noting the quality of the land. Clarke calls this “the first act of surveying on record.” Calvin marvels that these men passed safely through a still-hostile country, taking notes of cities and fields, and returned without incident, a sign of God’s special protection. The survey completed, Joshua cast lots at Shiloh before Yahweh, and the land was divided. This process combined human initiative (mapping, organising) with divine sovereignty (the lot), creating a framework for peaceful settlement.
Textual Notes
Reception History
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God gives, but we must take. The land was given, yet the tribes had to go in and possess it. Grace and effort work together.
- Slackness is a spiritual danger. Joshua’s sharp question, “How long will you neglect?”, confronts the tendency to let good gifts sit unclaimed.
- Order and submission bring peace. Surveying the land and casting lots before God prevented conflict and honoured God’s sovereignty.
Five-point outline
- The land is subdued, but possession is incomplete (vv.2-3).
- Joshua confronts the tribes with their delay (v.3).
- Practical action: survey and map the land (vv.4-6, 8-9).
- Divine decision: lots cast before Yahweh in Shiloh (vv.6, 10).
- The Levites’ inheritance, the priesthood, redefines what it means to receive from God (v.7).
Illustration hooks
- A team project deadline. Everyone has a task but keeps putting it off. Only when someone draws up a clear plan and assigns roles does the work get done. Joshua’s survey is that plan.
- A family divided. When siblings argue over an inheritance, a neutral third party and a fair procedure can restore peace. The lot before God was that neutral arbiter.
Questions your congregation is asking
- “I know God has promised things to me, but I feel stuck. How do I start moving?”
- “Why does the Bible say the land was ‘subdued’ but the tribes had yet to possess it? Isn’t that a contradiction?”
- “What role should prayer play when we need to make practical decisions?”
Leading a Discussion
This passage shows a people who received a promise but stalled in taking hold of it. Joshua’s response is not merely to scold but to give them a practical next step: survey the land, write it down, and let God decide the boundaries. As you discuss, notice both the human planning and the reliance on God’s guidance through the lot.
Discussion questions
- Read verses 2-3. Joshua says the land “has given you.” Why do you think the seven tribes were slow to act? What might have been holding them back?
- What does Joshua’s question, “How long will you neglect?”, tell us about God’s view of passive faith?
- Joshua sends surveyors to map the land (vv.4-6). Why was this written record important? How does careful planning fit with trusting God?
- Verse 7 mentions that the Levites “have no portion” because the priesthood is their inheritance. How does this redefine what it means to receive from God?
- The lots were cast “before Yahweh” (vv.6, 10). What does that phrase imply about who truly assigned the territories? How does that affect how we make decisions today?
- The surveyors returned safely despite a hostile country (v.9). Calvin called this a “wonderful exertion of divine power.” When have you seen God protect you in a risky but necessary step of obedience?
- This passage ends with division of the land “according to their divisions.” How does knowing that God has assigned your “portion” change the way you view your current circumstances?
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)
| Judges 18:9 | They said, “Arise, and let’s go up against them; for we have seen the land, and behold, it is very good. Do you stand still? Don’t be slothful to go and to enter in to possess the land. |
| Proverbs 2:2 | so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; |
| Proverbs 2:6 | For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. |
| Proverbs 10:4 | He becomes poor who works with a lazy hand, but the hand of the diligent brings wealth. |
| Proverbs 13:4 | The soul of the sluggard desires, and has nothing, but the desire of the diligent shall be fully satisfied. |
| Proverbs 15:19 | The way of the sluggard is like a thorn patch, but the path of the upright is a highway. |
| Ecclesiastes 9:10 | Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor plan, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, where you are going. |
| Zephaniah 3:16 | In that day, it will be said to Jerusalem, “Don’t be afraid, Zion. Don’t let your hands be weak.” |
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
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke observes that the survey of the remaining land represents the first recorded act of geographical surveying. These men, unlike the spies who scouted Canaan under Moses, made a precise map and written description to enable a fair division among the remaining seven tribes.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes suggests the seven tribes delayed because they were reluctant to abandon their nomadic upbringing and perhaps disliked the warfare needed to fully dispossess the Canaanites. He notes that the 21 men sent to describe the land gave Joshua a basis for dividing it by lot according to each tribe's size.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin emphasizes the extraordinary danger the twenty-one surveyors faced, passing through hostile territory to map every corner. Their safe return was no natural accident but a clear miracle of divine protection, which proved God's favor and made the people willing to accept their inheritance by lot.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The move from Gilgal to Shiloh was both practical and symbolic. This central, secluded location was chosen for convenience in distributing the land, not for old associations. Its name, meaning rest, pointed to the promised Rest-giver, making it fitting for the Tabernacle where God met His people.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Bible notes rebuke the seven tribes for their sluggishness in claiming the land God had already given them, treating delay as a failure of faith. Joshua forces action by sending surveyors to map the territory, then casts lots to assign each tribe its portion fairly.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill identifies several reasons the seven tribes delayed claiming their inheritance: comfort from enemy spoils made them indifferent, weariness from war made them reluctant to fight for new territory, and they saw other tribes dissatisfied with their allotted land. Their hesitation was not rebellion but a lack of eagerness to settle.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB argues that the seven tribes' failure to claim their inheritance was not a logistical delay but a guilty neglect born of comfort, ease, and a preference for nomadic life. Joshua's reproof and immediate action with the lot were necessary to stir them from their indifference and fulfill God's command.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch observes that the seven tribes were slack not only in conquering the land but also in having it formally divided by lot and taking possession. The "description" Joshua ordered was not a measured survey but a written account of towns and soil conditions, since the actual boundaries could not be fixed until the lots were cast.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that the tabernacle had stood at the center of Israel's camp in the wilderness, but with three tribal squadrons now scattered to their inheritances, the time came to settle it permanently. Shiloh was chosen for its central location, making it convenient for all Israel to assemble there.