---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Joshua 18"
description: "CHAPTER 18   :-. THE TABERNACLE
SET UP
AT SHILOH. 1. the whole congregation . . .
assembled together at Shiloh—The main body of the Israelites
had been di"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/joshua/18"
---

CHAPTER 18

. THE TABERNACLE
SET UP
AT SHILOH.

**1. the whole congregation . . .
assembled together at Shiloh**—The main body of the Israelites
had been diminished by the separation of the three tribes, Judah,
Ephraim, and Manasseh into their respective allotments; and the
country having been in a great measure subdued, the camp was removed
to Shiloh (now Seilun). It was twenty or twenty-five miles north of
Jerusalem, twelve north of Beth-el, and ten south of Shechem, and
embosomed in a rugged and romantic glen. This sequestered spot in the
heart of the country might have been recommended by the dictates of
convenience. There the allotment of the territory could be most
conveniently made, north, south, east, and west, to the different
tribes. But "the tabernacle of the congregation was also set up
there," and its removal therefore must have been made or
sanctioned by divine intimation (). It remained in Shiloh for more than three hundred years
([1 Samuel 4:1-11](../../../kjv/1-samuel/4/1-11)).
[1 Samuel 4:1-9](../../../kjv/1-samuel/4/1-9). THE REMAINDER
OF THE LAND
DESCRIBED.

**2. there remained . . . seven
tribes, which had not yet received their inheritance**—The
selection of Shiloh for the seat of worship, together with the
consequent removal of the camp thither, had necessarily interrupted
the casting of lots, which was commenced by fixing localities for the
tribes of Judah and Joseph. Various causes led to a long delay in
resuming it. The satisfaction of the people with their change to so
pleasant and fertile a district, their preference of a nomad life, a
love of ease, and reluctance to renew the war, seem to have made them
indifferent to the possession of a settled inheritance. But Joshua
was too much alive to the duty laid on him by the Lord to let matters
continue in that state; and accordingly, since a general conquest of
the land had been made, he resolved to proceed immediately with the
lot, believing that when each tribe should receive its inheritance, a
new motive would arise to lead them to exert themselves in securing
the full possession.

**3. How long are ye slack to go to
possess the land, which the Lord God of your fathers hath given
you**—This reproof conveys an impression that the seven tribes
were dilatory to a criminal extent.

**4-9. Give out from among you three
men for each tribe**—Though the lot determined the part of the
country where each tribe was to be located, it could not determine
the extent of territory which might be required; and the
dissatisfaction of the children of Joseph with the alleged smallness
of their possession gave reason to fear that complaints might arise
from other quarters, unless precautions were taken to make a proper
distribution of the land. For this purpose a commission was given to
twenty-one persons—three chosen from each of the seven tribes which
had not yet received their inheritance, to make an accurate survey of
the country.

**9. The men went and passed through
the land, and described it by cities into seven parts in a
book**—dividing the land according to its value, and the worth of
the cities which it contained, into seven equal portions. This was no
light task to undertake. It required learning and intelligence which
they or their instructors had, in all probability, brought with them
out of Egypt. Accordingly, JOSEPHUS
says that the survey was performed by men expert in geometry. And, in
fact, the circumstantial account which is given of the boundaries of
each tribe and its situation, well proves it to have been the work of
no mean or incompetent hands.
. DIVIDED BY LOT.

**10. Joshua cast lots for them in
Shiloh before the Lord**—before the tabernacle, where the divine
presence was manifested, and which associated with the lot the idea
of divine sanction.

**11. the lot of . . . Benjamin came
up**—It has been supposed that there were two urns or vessels,
from which the lots were drawn: one containing the names of the
tribes, the other containing those of the seven portions; and that
the two were drawn out simultaneously.
**the coast of their lot came
forth between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph**—Thus
the prophecy of Moses respecting the inheritance of Benjamin was
remarkably accomplished. (See on ).

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