JOSHUA LESSON 18
We will begin this lesson in Joshua 18:1 "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."
The congregation includes all of the people. They assembled
together for some type of worship. We had not heard much in the last
few lessons about the tabernacle. This is a reminder that, their faith
in God is what has brought them this far. Their worship is very much
part of their lives. This is a statement that they had overcome their
enemies.
Joshua 18:2 "And there remained among the children of Israel
seven tribes, which had not yet received their inheritance."
We know the two and a half tribes on the eastern side of Jordan
had received their inheritance. We, also, know that Ephraim and the
other half of the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance on
the west side of Jordan, too. Judah received their inheritance, as
well. This leaves just seven tribes to still inherit their land.
Joshua 18:3 "And 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?"
Since they passed over Jordan, about 7 years have passed. It is
time to finish this up, and get control of the land God had promised
them. It is not just the Jews who have an enemy they need to fight,
and overcome. The Christians are in a spiritual warfare against the
devil and his helpers all the time. Jesus has defeated Satan, the same
as God has defeated Israel's enemy here. In both cases, they have to
fight the battle , even though it is already won. God gave them this
land, and would be with them in battle. They just have to have enough
faith to act upon it.
Joshua 18:4 "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."
There will be 21 men to go out and search the rest of the land,
to map out where the territory is. They will describe in detail all of
the land that is left for inheritance.
Joshua 18:5 "And 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."
These seven parts are to be divided into lands for everyone on
the west side of the Jordan, except Judah, and Ephraim, and Manasseh,
who have already received their inheritance. They are not to go with
the three from each of the other tribes. They are to remain in their
own inheritance.
Joshua 18:6 "Ye 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."
These 21 men, who went and described the land, were not picking
out a piece of land for themselves. They were viewing the whole parcel
of land. The seven pieces of land they mapped out, would be put into
the jug together, and they would cast lots to see what tribe got which
piece of land. The LORD, Himself, would oversee the casting of the
lots. It would be fair from every standpoint. They believed that God
caused the lots to fall a certain way, so the land would be divided
His way.
Joshua 18:7 "But 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."
The Levites inheritance is of some of the cities, and they will
live of the offerings brought to the tabernacle. Gad, Reuben, and the
half tribe of Manasseh received their inheritance on the east of the
Jordan River, and they would not be in this either. They received
their inheritance, before the death of Moses.
Joshua 18:8 "And 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."
The tabernacle is now located at Shiloh, and this is where Joshua
is sending the 21 men out from, to describe the 7 portions of land
that are left.
Joshua 18:9 "And 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."
This just shows that they carried out, in detail, the
commandments of Joshua. They even wrote all of the descriptions down
in a book. The Hebrews were very good record keepers. The location of
each plot of land was pinpointed by the towns located in them.
Joshua 18:10 "And 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."
It appears that, the actual casting of the lots was done by
Joshua, and the division of the land to the different tribes was not
questioned, but accepted.
Joshua 18:11 "And the lot of the tribe of the children of
Benjamin came up according to their families: and the coast of their
lot came forth between the children of Judah and the children of
Joseph."
The tribe of Benjamin received their parcel of land to the north
east of Judah and the southeast of Ephraim. Their land was near the
Jordan River. They were a small tribe. Benjamin and Judah will make up
the two of the twelve tribes that break away from the tribe of Israel,
at a much later time.
Joshua 18:12 "And their border on the north side was from Jordan;
and the border went up to the side of Jericho on the north side, and
went up through the mountains westward; and the goings out thereof
were at the wilderness of Beth-aven."
These show the boundaries of Benjamin.
Joshua 18:13 "And the border went over from thence toward Luz, to
the side of Luz, which [is] Beth-el, southward; and the border
descended to Ataroth-adar, near the hill that [lieth] on the south
side of the nether Beth-horon." Joshua 18:14 "And the border was drawn
[thence], and compassed the corner of the sea southward, from the hill
that [lieth] before Beth-horon southward; and the goings out thereof
were at Kirjath-baal, which [is] Kirjath-jearim, a city of the
children of Judah: this [was] the west quarter." Joshua 18:15 "And the
south quarter [was] from the end of Kirjath-jearim, and the border
went out on the west, and went out to the well of waters of Nephtoah:"
Joshua 18:16 "And the border came down to the end of the mountain that
[lieth] before the valley of the son of Hinnom, [and] which [is] in
the valley of the giants on the north, and descended to the valley of
Hinnom, to the side of Jebusi on the south, and descended to En-
rogel," Joshua 18:17 "And was drawn from the north, and went forth to
En-shemesh, and went forth toward Geliloth, which [is] over against
the going up of Adummim, and descended to the stone of Bohan the son
of Reuben," Joshua 18:18 "And passed along toward the side over
against Arabah northward, and went down unto Arabah:" Joshua 18:19
" And the border passed along to the side of Beth-hoglah northward:
and the outgoings of the border were at the north bay of the salt sea
at the south end of Jordan: this [was] the south coast." Joshua 18:20
"And Jordan was the border of it on the east side. This [was] the
inheritance of the children of Benjamin, by the coasts thereof round
about, according to their families."
Their strip of land lies just north of Jerusalem. The westerly
border ran in a southerly direction over against the Salt Sea. It
really was on the north and east of Judah.
Joshua 18:21 "Now the cities of the tribe of the children of
Benjamin according to their families were Jericho, and Beth-hoglah,
and the valley of Keziz."
We know that many of these cities, like Jericho, will have to be
rebuilt. They were destroyed in the conquest. In the case of Jericho,
it has been 7 years until this time, so it is, probably, already
rebuilt.
Joshua 18:22 "And Beth-arabah, and Zemaraim, and Beth-el,"
Joshua 18:23 "And Avim, and Parah, and Ophrah," Joshua 18:24 "And
Chephar-haammonai, and Ophni, and Gaba; twelve cities with their
villages:" Joshua 18:25 "Gibeon, and Ramah, and Beeroth," Joshua 18:26
"And Mizpeh, and Chephirah, and Mozah," Joshua 18:27 "And Rekem, and
Irpeel, and Taralah," Joshua 18:28 "And Zelah, Eleph, and Jebusi,
which [is] Jerusalem, Gibeath, [and] Kirjath; fourteen cities with
their villages. This [is] the inheritance of the children of Benjamin
according to their families."
Ramah will be the dwelling place of Samuel. Gibeah was the home
of Saul. We find in this that, Jebusi is the same city as Jerusalem.
Jerusalem will be the place of the temple of God, that Solomon builds
in his time. It will be known as the city of God. This all includes
the inheritance of Benjamin.
Joshua 18 Questions
1. Where did they set up the tabernacle of the congregation?
2. Who were the congregation?
3. They are assembled, now, for some type of __________.
4. How many tribes had not received their inheritance at this time?
5. Who received inheritance on the eastern side of the Jordan River?
6. Who had already received inheritance on the west side of Jordan?
7. What does Joshua say to them?
8. How long has passed, since they crossed over Jordan?
9. How can Christians relate to coming against their enemies?
10. Who defeated Satan?
11. What is strange about this victory?
12. How many men were to be chosen from each of the seven tribes left?
13. What were the men needed for?
14. What is meant by verse 5?
15. Who cast the lots for the division of the land?
16. Why would the casting of the lots be absolutely honest?
17. What do the Levites inherit?
18. They were to go describe the _______.
19. Where did they record the parcels of the land?
20. Where was Benjamin's land located?
21. Name some of the cities of the inheritance.
22. Ramah will be the dwelling place of ___________.
23. Gibeah was the home of _________.
24. Jebusi is the same city as ____________.
25. Where was the temple of God built by Solomon?
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