Discovery BoxJoshua 18:1-10 
Context18:1 The entire Israelite community assembled at Shiloh and there they set up the tent of meeting. 1 Though they had subdued the land, 2 18:2 seven Israelite tribes had not been assigned their allotted land. 3 18:3 So Joshua said to the Israelites: “How long do you intend to put off occupying 4 the land the Lord God of your ancestors 5 has given you? 18:4 Pick three men from each tribe. I will send them out to walk through the land and make a map of it for me. 6 18:5 Divide it into seven regions. 7 Judah will stay 8 in its territory in the south, and the family 9 of Joseph in its territory in the north. 18:6 But as for you, map out the land into seven regions and bring it to me. I will draw lots for you here before the Lord our God. 18:7 But the Levites will not have an allotted portion among you, for their inheritance is to serve the Lord. 10 Gad, Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh have already received their allotted land 11 east of the Jordan which Moses the Lord’s servant assigned them.”
18:8 When the men started out, Joshua told those going to map out the land, “Go, walk through the land, map it out, and return to me. Then I will draw lots for you before the Lord here in Shiloh.” 18:9 The men journeyed 12 through the land and mapped it and its cities out into seven regions on a scroll. Then they came to Joshua at the camp in Shiloh. 18:10 Joshua drew lots for them in Shiloh before the Lord and divided the land among the Israelites according to their allotted portions.
1 tn Heb “the tent of assembly.”
sn On the tent of meeting see Exod 33:7-11.
2 tn Heb “and the land was subdued before them.”
3 tn Heb “there were left among the sons of Israel who had not divided up their inheritance seven tribes.”
4 tn Heb “How long are you putting off entering and possessing.”
5 tn Or “fathers.”
6 tn Heb “I will send them so they may arise and walk about in the land and describe it in writing according to their inheritance and come to me.”
7 tn Heb “portions.”
8 tn Heb “stand.”
9 tn Heb “the house.”
10 tn Or “the priesthood of the
11 tn Or “inheritance.”
12 tn Heb “went and passed through.”
