30 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
INTRODUCTION TO Joshua 18 This chapter informs us of the setting up of the tabernacle at Shiloh, Joshua 18:1; of the notice Joshua took, that seven tribes had not received their inheritance, Joshua 18:2; of the instructions he gave them to send three men out of each tribe, and describe the land not yet disposed of, and bring the account to him,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh,.... The whole body of the people, men, women, and children, as well as the camp, Joshua 18:9; at least all that had not received their inheritances in the land. Hither they came from Gilgal, where the camp and tabernacle had been ever since their passage over...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
In this chapter we have, I. The setting up of the tabernacle at Shiloh, ver. 1. II. The stirring up of the seven tribes that were yet unsettled to look after their lot, and the putting of them in a method for it, by Joshua, ver. 2-7. III. The distributing of the land into seven lots, by certain men employed for that purpose, ver. 8, 9. IV. The...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes,.... Which were those of Benjamin, Simeon, Zebulun, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Dan: which had not yet received their inheritance; and for which the lots were not cast.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Joshua said unto the children of Israel,.... To those of the seven tribes: how long [are] you slack to go to possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers hath given you? not that they might have taken possession of it of themselves, without having it assigned to them by lot; that they did not do this, is not what is complained of, and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Give out from among you three men for [each] tribe,.... That is, for each of the seven tribes, in all twenty one; though some think they were to be taken out of all the nine tribes and a half, and were thirty six; and so Josephus (a) seems to understand it; but then he makes but one out of each tribe to be sent, and but ten in all, which is a...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And they shall divide it into seven parts,.... According to the number of the seven tribes not yet settled; and this they were to describe and divide was all the land subdued, or not subdued, only the following excepted: Judah shall abide in their coast on the south; on the south of the land of Canaan, where their lot fell, so that needed not to...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Ye shall therefore describe the land [into] seven parts,.... Or ye shall describe the land, even the seven parts of it when divided; it seems as if they were first to describe in general all the land not disposed of, and then divide it into seven parts, and make a particular description of each part, or form a plan, or draw a map of every part:...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
But the Levites have no part among you,.... And so needed not to send any men out of their tribe to measure the land on their account, and is a reason why the remaining part of the land was to be divided into seven parts only: for the priesthood of the Lord [is] his inheritance; not only the office, but what appertained to it, all the perquisites...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the men arose, and went away,.... The seven tribes took the advice of Joshua, chose three men out of each tribe, and presented them to him, who gave them their commission and instruction to go and describe the land of Canaan, not yet disposed of, and whether subdued, or not subdued; upon which they prepared for their journey, and took it,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the men went and passed through the land,.... Undisturbed by the inhabitants that remained; the fear of the Israelites being still upon them, and the providence of God restraining them, so that the men passed through the whole country, and took a survey of it without any molestation: and described it by cities, into seven parts, in a book; or...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the Lord,.... For the seven tribes, as he had for the two tribes and a half at Gilgal; of the manner of casting lots, [See comments on Numbers 26:55]; and there Joshua divided the land unto the children of Israel according to their division: the land that was divided into seven parts, he distributed...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin came up according to their families,.... This was the first lot of the seven that came up; it was but a small lot, and therefore called "little Benjamin", Psalms 68:27; but the land was very pleasant and fruitful. Josephus (h) says, this lot was very strait, because of the goodness of the soil,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And their border on the north side was from Jordan,.... Which was the eastern boundary of the tribe, and hence proceeded from east to west, and formed its northern border, which is described in like manner as the lot of the children of Joseph, Joshua 16:1; and the border went up to the side of Jericho on the north side; from Jordan it went to the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the border went over from thence towards Luz,.... From Bethaven, where the northern border ended, the western began, and went on to Luz: to the side of Luz, which is Bethel, southward; that is, passed along, leaving that city to the south, which formerly was called Luz, but now Bethel, which though distinct places formerly, yet being very...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the border was drawn [thence],.... From Bethhoron: and compassed the corner of the sea southward; it is hard to say what sea is meant, or what by it. Fuller (k) conjectures, that as the Hebrews call any confluence of water a sea, as we call such a "mere", the great waters in Gibeon may be meant, Jeremiah 41:12; for it cannot mean the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the south quarter [was] from the end of Kirjathjearim,.... Where the western quarter ended: and the border went out on the west; not directly south, but somewhat westerly. It is, in the original, "the sea", and should be rendered, "from the sea", or "from the west" (m); and Jarchi confesses his ignorance, and says, I know not what sea it is;...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the border came down,.... In the description of the border of Judah, hereabout, it is said to go up, Joshua 15:5; because there, as Jarchi observes, the measure was from east to west, but here from west to east: to the end of the mountain that [lieth] before the valley of the son of Hinnom; this south border of Benjamin is the same with the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And was drawn from the north,.... Turning northward, and looking that way from the west to the east: and went forth to Enshemesh; or the fountain of the sun, see Joshua 15:7; and went forth toward Geliloth; called Gilgal, Joshua 15:7; which [is] over against the going up to Adummim; a place between Jerusalem and Jericho, see Joshua 15:7; and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And passed along toward the side over against Arabah northward,.... The same with Betharabah, Joshua 15:6; and so it is called here in the Greek version: and went down unto Arabah; the same as before, and included it, for it is mentioned among the cities of this tribe, Joshua 18:22.