There remained among the people of Israel seven tribes whose inheritance had not yet been apportioned.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The fact that seven tribes hadn't received their inheritance wasn't just a logistical hiccup; it reveals a subtle human tendency to delay obedience and settling into God's promises, especially when comfortable or perhaps a bit lazy. Joshua has to stir them up to action, highlighting that even after conquest, taking hold of God's gifts requires active participation and faith.
There remained among the people of Israel seven tribes whose inheritance had not yet been apportioned.
English Standard Version (ESV)
After the initial portions were granted to Judah and the house of Joseph, seven tribes were still waiting for their allotted land. Joshua reconvened the people at Shiloh, chiding them for their delay in taking possession of the promised inheritance and initiating a survey to prepare for casting lots for the remaining tribes. This chapter sets the stage for the meticulous division of the rest of the land, highlighting the people's lingering reluctance to fully occupy what God had given them.
Why would an entire group of people delay taking possession of the land God promised them? Sometimes, the comfort of what we know can hold us back.
Joshua 18:2 highlights a significant pause in the Israelites' settlement process. Seven tribes had not yet received their inheritance, even though the land was subdued and initial portions were distributed.
Hesitation and Habit
When people get comfortable or complacent, a leader needs to step in. Joshua wasn't content to let things slide.
Joshua recognized the Israelites' lethargy concerning their inheritance. Even though the land was largely conquered and the Ark was set up at Shiloh, a sense of comfortable stagnation had set in for seven tribes.
Stirring the People
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The distribution of land wasn't just about real estate; it was a tangible sign of God's promises fulfilled.
The process of surveying and casting lots for the land was more than an administrative task. It was a divine confirmation.
Divine Assurance
Understand the original words
nachalah · Hebrew Noun
Refers to the portion or possession allocated to a person or group, particularly as a divine gift or promise. In Israel, it specifically relates to the land promised to the patriarchs and distributed to the tribes.
The delay in dividing the land for seven tribes highlights how even after military victory, spiritual laziness or a love for ease can hinder God's people from fully possessing the blessings He has provided.
c. 1400 BC
Conquest of Canaan Completed
Following years of warfare, the major military opposition to Israel's settlement in the land is overcome, allowing for the division of land to begin.
c. 1400 BC
Land Divided for Judah and Joseph
The tribes of Judah and Joseph (Ephraim and half of Manasseh) receive their inheritances, marking the start of the land division process.
c. 1400 BC
Tabernacle Moved to Shiloh
The Tabernacle is set up at Shiloh, establishing it as the central place of worship for all Israel. This move also occasions a pause in the land distribution.
c. 1400 BC— this verse
Surveyors Sent to Map Remaining Land
Joshua commissions men from each of the remaining seven tribes to map the land that has yet to be divided, preparing for the casting of lots.
c. 1400 BC
Lots Cast for Seven Tribes
After the land is surveyed and described, Joshua casts lots for the remaining seven tribes in Shiloh, formally assigning them their inheritances.
c. 1390 BC
Cities Assigned to Levites
The Levites, who received no tribal inheritance, are assigned 48 cities throughout the land from the inheritances of the other tribes.
This passage immediately follows Joshua's death and highlights the ongoing need for Israel to fully possess the land, showing that the initial apportionment wasn't the end of the task.
Hebrews 4:1-11This New Testament passage uses the Israelites' failure to enter their promised rest in Canaan as a spiritual warning, illustrating the potential consequences of delay and unbelief when facing God's provisions.
Numbers 34:1-15This chapter details the God-ordained boundaries of the Promised Land, serving as the foundational blueprint for the land division described in Joshua, including the areas yet to be apportioned.
Jeremiah 7:12-15This prophetic passage directly references the judgment that fell upon Shiloh, the very place where the land was being divided, serving as a solemn reminder of God's displeasure with His people's unfaithfulness.
calvinJoshua 18:1-10: "And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of the congregation there. And the land was subdued before them."
Give 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.
Tradite ex vobis tres viros per tribum, quos mittam: surgentque et ambulabunt per terram, descr…
gillJoshua 18:2: "And there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes, which had not yet received their inheritance."
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.
The fact that seven tribes hadn't received their inheritance wasn't just a logistical hiccup; it reveals a subtle human tendency to delay obedience and settling into God's promises, especially when comfortable or perhaps a bit lazy. Joshua has to stir them up to action, highlighting that even after conquest, taking hold of God's gifts requires active participation and faith.
After the initial portions were granted to Judah and the house of Joseph, seven tribes were still waiting for their allotted land. Joshua reconvened the people at Shiloh, chiding them for their delay in taking possession of the promised inheritance and initiating a survey to prepare for casting lots for the remaining tribes. This chapter sets the stage for the meticulous division of the rest of the land, highlighting the people's lingering reluctance to fully occupy what God had given them.
After the initial portions were granted to Judah and the house of Joseph, seven tribes were still waiting for their allotted land. Joshua reconvened the people at Shiloh, chiding them for their delay in taking possession of the promised inheritance and initiating a survey to prepare for casting lots for the remaining tribes. This chapter sets the stage for the meticulous division of the rest of the land, highlighting the people's lingering reluctance to fully occupy what God had given them.
"There remained among the people of Israel seven tribes whose inheritance had not yet been apportioned." — The fact that seven tribes hadn't received their inheritance wasn't just a logistical hiccup; it reveals a subtle human tendency to delay obedience and settling into God's promises, especially when c…
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Last reviewed October 2026