Joshua 18 summary meaning ai explained commentary

Joshua 18 meaning explained in AI Summary

The Inheritance of Benjamin: Chapter 18 of the book of Joshua describes the inheritance of the tribe of Benjamin. The tribe of Benjamin receives a small portion of land in the center of Canaan. The land includes the city of Jericho. The inheritance of Benjamin is a sign of God's favor upon the tribe of Benjamin. It is also a reminder that God has a plan for his people, and that he will give them a land to live in.

Joshua chapter 18 describes the Israelites dividing up the remaining land in Canaan among the seven tribes who had not yet received their inheritance.

of the key events:

The Tabernacle is Set Up: The chapter begins with the Israelites setting up the Tabernacle at Shiloh in the territory of Ephraim, signifying a central place of worship and governance.
Seven Tribes Remain: Despite conquering the land, seven tribes (Benjamin, Simeon, Zebulun, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Dan) still haven't received their allotted territory.
Joshua's Instructions: Joshua instructs the leaders of these seven tribes to survey and divide the remaining land into seven portions. This emphasizes fairness and order in the distribution.
Surveying the Land: Men from the seven tribes are chosen to survey the land and provide a detailed description for a fair division.
Casting Lots: After the survey, the land is divided into seven portions, and lots are cast before the Lord in Shiloh to determine which tribe receives which portion. This method emphasizes God's sovereignty in the allocation.
Land Allocation: The chapter doesn't explicitly detail which tribe received which portion, but it sets the stage for the following chapters where the territories of each tribe are described.

Overall, Joshua chapter 18 highlights the importance of:

Obedience: The Israelites are following God's command to divide the land.
Fairness and Order: The process of surveying and casting lots ensures a just distribution of the land.
God's Sovereignty: The casting of lots acknowledges God's ultimate authority in determining the inheritance of each tribe.

This chapter serves as a transition, concluding the conquest narrative and setting the stage for the detailed descriptions of tribal territories in the subsequent chapters.

Joshua 18 bible study ai commentary

Joshua 18 opens with a pivotal transition for Israel. After the initial conquests and land distribution to Judah, Ephraim, and Manasseh, a period of inaction sets in. This chapter addresses this spiritual and practical lethargy by establishing a permanent center for worship at Shiloh and instituting a systematic process, combining human effort with divine direction, to allot the remaining land. The core theme is moving from complacency to possessing the promised inheritance through diligent action under God's sovereign guidance.

Joshua 18 Context

The setting shifts from the temporary military camp at Gilgal to Shiloh, located in the central hill country of Ephraim. This move is theologically monumental, as it establishes the Tabernacle (Tent of Meeting) as the national religious center, fulfilling the Deuteronomic principle of a single, chosen place for worship. This centralizes Israel's identity around the presence of Yahweh, directly countering the Canaanite practice of worshipping various Baals at multiple "high places." The chapter addresses the dangerous lull in the conquest, where seven tribes had grown complacent, failing to take possession of the land God had already given them.

Joshua 18:1

Then 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.

In-depth-analysis

The whole congregation... assembled together: The Hebrew word for "assembled" is qāhal, the root of qehillāh (assembly/congregation), which is often translated as ekklēsia (church) in the Greek Septuagint. This signifies a formal, national, covenantal gathering.
Shiloh: Its name means "place of rest." After years of war and wandering, this is a significant theological statement. God is giving His people a place of rest, with His presence at the center. It became the capital for over 300 years.
Set up the tabernacle: Hebrew ’ōhel mô‘ēḏ (Tent of Meeting). This act shifts Israel's center from a military camp (Gilgal) to a national worship site. It centralizes worship as commanded by God.
The land was subdued: This is a summary statement, not meaning every Canaanite was gone, but that organized, large-scale military resistance had been broken. The primary conquest phase was over, leaving the tribes to handle the rest.

Bible references

Deuteronomy 12:5, 11: "But you shall seek the place that the LORD your God will choose... there you shall bring all that I command you... your sacrifices..." (Fulfillment of the central sanctuary law).
Psalm 78:60: "He forsook his dwelling at Shiloh, the tent where he dwelt among mankind..." (Shows Shiloh's eventual fall due to Israel's sin, serving as a warning).
1 Samuel 1:3: "Now this man used to go up year by year from his city to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD of hosts at Shiloh..." (Confirms Shiloh's role as the central worship site during the time of the Judges).
Jeremiah 7:12: "Go now to my place that was in Shiloh, where I made my name dwell at first, and see what I did to it because of the evil of my people Israel." (God uses Shiloh's destruction as a warning to the people of Jerusalem).

Cross references

Exod 25:8 (God's dwelling place); Judg 18:31 (Tabernacle at Shiloh); Josh 22:9 (Shiloh as the camp of Israel).

Polemics: Establishing one central Tent of Meeting directly combats the polytheistic and decentralized worship of Canaan, where every hill could have its own altar to a different Baal. Yahweh is One, and His place of worship is one, signifying His exclusive claim over all of Israel and all the land.

Joshua 18:2-3

And there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes, which had not yet received their inheritance. 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?

In-depth-analysis

Seven tribes: The number seven often implies completion, suggesting the task of allotment must now be finished.
Not yet received their inheritance: This was not due to God's failure to provide but their failure to act.
How long are ye slack: The Hebrew word for slack, rāpāh, means to be idle, sink, or let drop. It's a sharp rebuke against spiritual laziness, fear, or complacency. They were given the promise but were not willing to do the work required to possess it.
God... hath given you: Joshua emphasizes that the land is already a gift. Their task is to possess what is already theirs, a principle echoed in the New Testament regarding spiritual blessings.

Bible references

Judges 1:21, 27-36: "But the people of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites... Manasseh did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shean..." (Details the later failure of the tribes to fully possess their land).
Proverbs 13:4: "The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied." (The spiritual principle behind Joshua's rebuke).
Hebrews 6:12: "...so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises." (A New Testament parallel warning against spiritual lethargy in inheriting promises).

Cross references

Num 13:30-33 (previous generation's fear); Prov 24:30-34 (field of the sluggard); Eph 1:3 (already blessed with all spiritual blessings).

Polemics: Some scholars suggest the delay was rooted in fear of the remaining Canaanites in the more difficult, hilly terrain, while others suggest they had grown comfortable in the large communal camp at Gilgal/Shiloh, living off the initial spoils of war without the responsibility of governing their own territories.

Joshua 18:4-7

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. 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. 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. 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.

In-depth-analysis

Three men for each tribe: A practical, organized approach. It combines human effort and diligence with divine oversight. Twenty-one men in total are sent.
Describe it: The Hebrew kāṯaḇ means "to write." This was not just a visual survey but a formal, written documentation, possibly including geographical boundaries, city names, and topographical features—a remarkable feat of administration.
Seven parts: The land will be divided first, based on the survey, and then assigned by lot. The division itself is a human task based on reason and data.
I may cast lots for you here before the Lord: The assignment of the rationally divided portions is left entirely to God's sovereign will, preventing any accusations of favoritism by Joshua.
Levites have no part... priesthood... is their inheritance: A crucial reminder of the Levites' special status. Their inheritance is not land but God Himself and the privilege of serving Him.
Gad, Reuben, half... Manasseh: A reminder that 2.5 tribes have already received their land, framing the current task for the remaining tribes (Judah and Joseph having also been allotted land).

Bible references

Numbers 13:2: "Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel..." (Parallels the sending of spies, but this time for the purpose of administration, not reconnaissance of the enemy).
Numbers 18:20: "And the LORD said to Aaron, 'You shall have no inheritance in their land... I am your portion and your inheritance among the people of Israel.'" (The basis for Levi's landless status).
Proverbs 16:33: "The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD." (The theological principle behind the casting of lots).

Cross references

Deut 10:9 (Levi's inheritance); Gen 48:5 (Ephraim & Manasseh's double portion); Josh 13:8 (inheritance of the 2.5 tribes).

Joshua 18:8-9

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. 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.

In-depth-analysis

Walk through the land: This is an act of faith and possession, much like God told Abraham in Genesis 13:17.
Described it... in a book: The Hebrew is sepher, a scroll or official document. This is the first mention of a kind of national geographic survey in the Bible. This written record provides a legal and divine basis for the tribal allotments, making them permanent and official.
By cities into seven parts: The division was sophisticated, accounting for existing urban centers. It demonstrates that God’s guidance does not preclude careful human planning and administration.

Bible references

Genesis 13:17: "Arise, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you." (Echoes God's command to Abraham, linking possession to faithful action).
Revelation 20:12: "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened... and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books..." (The earthly record of land prefigures the heavenly books of record).

Cross references

Eze 47:13-48:29 (future, detailed division of land); Jer 32:10-12 (legal deed for land purchase).

Polemics: The creation of a formal sepher (book/scroll) of the land divisions counters the idea that ancient peoples were unsophisticated. This was a complex administrative and cartographic task, demonstrating a high level of civilization and governance in Israel, directed by God.

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.

In-depth-analysis

Joshua cast lots: The Hebrew for lot is gôrāl. This act surrendered the final choice to God, thus eliminating human disputes over who got which piece of land. The survey provided the "what" (the seven equal portions), but the lot decided the "who" (which tribe got which portion).
Before the LORD: This action was done in the sacred space before the Tabernacle, signifying it was a holy, binding, and divinely sanctioned decision.
According to their divisions: The allotments corresponded to the pre-prepared seven portions.

Bible references

Leviticus 16:8: "And Aaron shall cast lots over the two goats, one lot for the LORD and the other lot for Azazel." (Demonstrates the lot being used in a sacred, solemn context).
Acts 1:26: "And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles." (The last significant use of casting lots in the Bible to determine God's will before the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost).
1 Chronicles 24:5: "They were divided by lot, for there were officers of the sanctuary and officers of God..." (Lot used to organize the priestly duties, another instance of divine ordering for service).

Cross references

Neh 11:1 (lots for residing in Jerusalem); Jon 1:7 (lots to identify the guilty party).

Joshua 18:11-20

This section details the precise boundaries for the tribe of Benjamin. The lot "came up" for Benjamin, situated in a strategic and precarious position.

In-depth-analysis

The lot... of Benjamin came up: Benjamin, Rachel's youngest son, is allotted land right after the descendants of her elder son, Joseph (Ephraim).
Between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph: This geographic position between the two most powerful tribes (Judah in the south, Ephraim/Joseph in the north) defined Benjamin’s history. They served as a buffer state but were also caught in the middle of conflicts, especially after the kingdom split.
The boundaries: The extremely detailed list of towns, mountains, springs, and valleys emphasizes the real, tangible nature of God's promise. This is not mythical territory but actual, surveyed land, grounding the covenant in history and geography.

Bible references

Deuteronomy 33:12: "Of Benjamin he said, 'The beloved of the LORD dwells in safety by Him; He covers him all the day long, and he dwells between His shoulders.'" (A prophecy suggesting divine protection and the future site of the temple ("His shoulders") being within Benjamin's territory, specifically Jerusalem).
Judges 19-21: This narrative shows the fierce, warlike nature of Benjamin but also their near-annihilation, highlighting the precariousness of their position and character.

Joshua 18:21-28

Now the cities of the tribe of the children of Benjamin according to their families were Jericho, and Bethhoglah... Bethel... Gibeon... Jerusalem... twenty and six cities with their villages.

In-depth-analysis

City list: The list includes many famous and infamous cities from Israel's history.
Jericho: The first city conquered, a symbol of God's power.
Bethel: "House of God," a place of patriarchal encounters (Jacob's ladder) but later a center for idol worship under Jeroboam I.
Gibeon: The city of the clever Gibeonites who tricked Israel into a treaty.
Jerusalem (Jebus): The most significant city. Though listed here under Benjamin, it sat on the border with Judah. David (from Judah) would later conquer it from the Jebusites and make it the capital of all Israel, uniting the powerful tribes through a shared capital.

Bible references

Genesis 49:27: "Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the morning he devours the prey, and at evening he divides the spoil." (Jacob's prophecy highlights their fierce, martial character).
2 Samuel 5:6-7: "And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites... Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David." (Fulfillment of David, from Judah, capturing the city).
Philippians 3:5: "circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin..." (The Apostle Paul's proud identification with this small but significant tribe).

Cross references

Gen 35:16-18 (Benjamin's birth); Rom 11:1 (Paul from Benjamin); Judg 1:21 (Benjamin's failure to drive out Jebusites).

Joshua chapter 18 analysis

Theology of Place: The chapter demonstrates God's sovereignty over geography. The move to Shiloh ("rest") centralizes worship, and the precise allotment of land to Benjamin, "between the shoulders" of God (Deut 33:12), is foundational for the future location of Jerusalem as the capital.
Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility: The chapter is a masterclass in this theological tension. The tribes are rebuked for their human failure to act (slackness). They are then commanded to perform a highly detailed human task (surveying and writing a book). But the final, critical decision is left to God alone (casting lots). Possession of God's promises requires both our diligent work and absolute trust in His sovereign decision.
The Sin of Complacency: The rebuke in verse 3 is a timeless warning against spiritual lethargy. The danger for Israel was not external enemies but internal apathy. Having experienced great victories, they stalled, failing to press on to receive the full inheritance. This serves as a potent metaphor for believers who are saved but fail to pursue the fullness of the sanctified life and spiritual blessings available to them.
The Sepher (Book) as a Model of Order: The detailed written survey highlights a God of order, not chaos. This sepher is a physical testament to the specific and legally binding nature of God’s covenant promises. Just as Israel’s earthly inheritance was written in a book, the believer's eternal inheritance is secured and recorded (Luke 10:20, Rev 21:27).

Joshua 18 summary

The whole congregation of Israel gathers at Shiloh to set up the Tabernacle, establishing a central place of worship and rest. Joshua confronts the seven tribes that had grown lazy and failed to claim their territory, commanding them to survey and document the remaining land into seven portions. The meticulous survey is completed, and Joshua casts lots before God to distribute the inheritance. The first lot falls to the tribe of Benjamin, whose territory, including the future site of Jerusalem, is strategically located between the powerful tribes of Judah and Ephraim.

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Joshua 18 AI Image Audio and Video

Joshua chapter 18 kjv

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.
² And there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes, which had not yet received their inheritance.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 Bethaven.
¹³ And the border went over from thence toward Luz, to the side of Luz, which is Bethel, southward; and the border descended to Atarothadar, near the hill that lieth on the south side of the nether Bethhoron.
¹⁴ And the border was drawn thence, and compassed the corner of the sea southward, from the hill that lieth before Bethhoron southward; and the goings out thereof were at Kirjathbaal, which is Kirjathjearim, a city of the children of Judah: this was the west quarter.
¹⁵ And the south quarter was from the end of Kirjathjearim, and the border went out on the west, and went out to the well of waters of Nephtoah:
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 Enrogel,
¹⁷ And was drawn from the north, and went forth to Enshemesh, 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,
¹⁸ And passed along toward the side over against Arabah northward, and went down unto Arabah:
¹⁹ And the border passed along to the side of Bethhoglah 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.
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.
²¹ Now the cities of the tribe of the children of Benjamin according to their families were Jericho, and Bethhoglah, and the valley of Keziz,
²² And Betharabah, and Zemaraim, and Bethel,
²³ And Avim, and Pharah, and Ophrah,
²⁴ And Chepharhaammonai, and Ophni, and Gaba; twelve cities with their villages:
²⁵ Gibeon, and Ramah, and Beeroth,
²⁶ And Mizpeh, and Chephirah, and Mozah,
²⁷ And Rekem, and Irpeel, and Taralah,
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.

Joshua chapter 18 nkjv

¹ Now the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of meeting there. And the land was subdued before them.
² But there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes which had not yet received their inheritance.
³ Then Joshua said to the children of Israel: "How long will you neglect to go and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers has given you?
⁴ Pick out from among you three men for each tribe, and I will send them; they shall rise and go through the land, survey it according to their inheritance, and come back to me.
⁵ And they shall divide it into seven parts. Judah shall remain in their territory on the south, and the house of Joseph shall remain in their territory on the north.
⁶ You shall therefore survey the land in seven parts and bring the survey here to me, that I may cast lots for you here before the LORD our God.
⁷ But the Levites have no part among you, for the priesthood of the LORD is their inheritance. And Gad, Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan on the east, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave them."
⁸ Then the men arose to go away; and Joshua charged those who went to survey the land, saying, "Go, walk through the land, survey it, and come back to me, that I may cast lots for you here before the LORD in Shiloh."
⁹ So the men went, passed through the land, and wrote the survey in a book in seven parts by cities; and they came to Joshua at the camp in Shiloh.
¹⁰ Then Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the LORD, and there Joshua divided the land to the children of Israel according to their divisions.
¹¹ Now the lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin came up according to their families, and the territory of their lot came out between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph.
¹² Their border on the north side began at the Jordan, and the border went up to the side of Jericho on the north, and went up through the mountains westward; it ended at the Wilderness of Beth Aven.
¹³ The border went over from there toward Luz, to the side of Luz (which is Bethel) southward; and the border descended to Ataroth Addar, near the hill that lies on the south side of Lower Beth Horon.
¹⁴ Then the border extended around the west side to the south, from the hill that lies before Beth Horon southward; and it ended at Kirjath Baal (which is Kirjath Jearim), a city of the children of Judah. This was the west side.
¹⁵ The south side began at the end of Kirjath Jearim, and the border extended on the west and went out to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah.
¹⁶ Then the border came down to the end of the mountain that lies before the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, which is in the Valley of the Rephaim on the north, descended to the Valley of Hinnom, to the side of the Jebusite city on the south, and descended to En Rogel.
¹⁷ And it went around from the north, went out to En Shemesh, and extended toward Geliloth, which is before the Ascent of Adummim, and descended to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben.
¹⁸ Then it passed along toward the north side of Arabah, and went down to Arabah.
¹⁹ And the border passed along to the north side of Beth Hoglah; then the border ended at the north bay at the Salt Sea, at the south end of the Jordan. This was the southern boundary.
²⁰ The Jordan was its border on the east side. This was the inheritance of the children of Benjamin, according to its boundaries all around, according to their families.
²¹ Now the cities of the tribe of the children of Benjamin, according to their families, were Jericho, Beth Hoglah, Emek Keziz,
²² Beth Arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel,
²³ Avim, Parah, Ophrah,
²⁴ Chephar Haammoni, Ophni, and Gaba: twelve cities with their villages;
²⁵ Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth,
²⁶ Mizpah, Chephirah, Mozah,
²⁷ Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah,
²⁸ Zelah, Eleph, Jebus (which is Jerusalem), Gibeath, and Kirjath: fourteen cities with their villages. This was the inheritance of the children of Benjamin according to their families.

Joshua chapter 18 niv

¹ The whole assembly of the Israelites gathered at Shiloh and set up the tent of meeting there. The country was brought under their control,
² but there were still seven Israelite tribes who had not yet received their inheritance.
³ So Joshua said to the Israelites: "How long will you wait before you begin to take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your ancestors, has given you?
⁴ Appoint three men from each tribe. I will send them out to make a survey of the land and to write a description of it, according to the inheritance of each. Then they will return to me.
⁵ You are to divide the land into seven parts. Judah is to remain in its territory on the south and the tribes of Joseph in their territory on the north.
⁶ After you have written descriptions of the seven parts of the land, bring them here to me and I will cast lots for you in the presence of the LORD our God.
⁷ The Levites, however, do not get a portion among you, because the priestly service of the LORD is their inheritance. And Gad, Reuben and the half-tribe of Manasseh have already received their inheritance on the east side of the Jordan. Moses the servant of the LORD gave it to them."
⁸ As the men started on their way to map out the land, Joshua instructed them, "Go and make a survey of the land and write a description of it. Then return to me, and I will cast lots for you here at Shiloh in the presence of the LORD."
⁹ So the men left and went through the land. They wrote its description on a scroll, town by town, in seven parts, and returned to Joshua in the camp at Shiloh.
¹⁰ Joshua then cast lots for them in Shiloh in the presence of the LORD, and there he distributed the land to the Israelites according to their tribal divisions.
¹¹ The first lot came up for the tribe of Benjamin according to its clans. Their allotted territory lay between the tribes of Judah and Joseph:
¹² On the north side their boundary began at the Jordan, passed the northern slope of Jericho and headed west into the hill country, coming out at the wilderness of Beth Aven.
¹³ From there it crossed to the south slope of Luz (that is, Bethel) and went down to Ataroth Addar on the hill south of Lower Beth Horon.
¹⁴ From the hill facing Beth Horon on the south the boundary turned south along the western side and came out at Kiriath Baal (that is, Kiriath Jearim), a town of the people of Judah. This was the western side.
¹⁵ The southern side began at the outskirts of Kiriath Jearim on the west, and the boundary came out at the spring of the waters of Nephtoah.
¹⁶ The boundary went down to the foot of the hill facing the Valley of Ben Hinnom, north of the Valley of Rephaim. It continued down the Hinnom Valley along the southern slope of the Jebusite city and so to En Rogel.
¹⁷ It then curved north, went to En Shemesh, continued to Geliloth, which faces the Pass of Adummim, and ran down to the Stone of Bohan son of Reuben.
¹⁸ It continued to the northern slope of Beth Arabah and on down into the Arabah.
¹⁹ It then went to the northern slope of Beth Hoglah and came out at the northern bay of the Dead Sea, at the mouth of the Jordan in the south. This was the southern boundary.
²⁰ The Jordan formed the boundary on the eastern side. These were the boundaries that marked out the inheritance of the clans of Benjamin on all sides.
²¹ The tribe of Benjamin, according to its clans, had the following towns: Jericho, Beth Hoglah, Emek Keziz,
²² Beth Arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel,
²³ Avvim, Parah, Ophrah,
²⁴ Kephar Ammoni, Ophni and Geba?twelve towns and their villages.
²⁵ Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth,
²⁶ Mizpah, Kephirah, Mozah,
²⁷ Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah,
²⁸ Zelah, Haeleph, the Jebusite city (that is, Jerusalem), Gibeah and Kiriath?fourteen towns and their villages. This was the inheritance of Benjamin for its clans.

Joshua chapter 18 esv

¹ Then the whole congregation of the people of Israel assembled at Shiloh and set up the tent of meeting there. The land lay subdued before them.
² There remained among the people of Israel seven tribes whose inheritance had not yet been apportioned.
³ So Joshua said to the people of Israel, "How long will you put off going in to take possession of the land, which the LORD, the God of your fathers, has given you?
⁴ Provide three men from each tribe, and I will send them out that they may set out and go up and down the land. They shall write a description of it with a view to their inheritances, and then come to me.
⁵ They shall divide it into seven portions. Judah shall continue in his territory on the south, and the house of Joseph shall continue in their territory on the north.
⁶ And you shall describe the land in seven divisions and bring the description here to me. And I will cast lots for you here before the LORD our God.
⁷ The Levites have no portion among you, for the priesthood of the LORD is their heritage. And Gad and Reuben and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan eastward, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave them."
⁸ So the men arose and went, and Joshua charged those who went to write the description of the land, saying, "Go up and down in the land and write a description and return to me. And I will cast lots for you here before the LORD in Shiloh."
⁹ So the men went and passed up and down in the land and wrote in a book a description of it by towns in seven divisions. Then they came to Joshua to the camp at Shiloh,
¹⁰ and Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the LORD. And there Joshua apportioned the land to the people of Israel, to each his portion.
¹¹ The lot of the tribe of the people of Benjamin according to its clans came up, and the territory allotted to it fell between the people of Judah and the people of Joseph.
¹² On the north side their boundary began at the Jordan. Then the boundary goes up to the shoulder north of Jericho, then up through the hill country westward, and it ends at the wilderness of Beth-aven.
¹³ From there the boundary passes along southward in the direction of Luz, to the shoulder of Luz (that is, Bethel), then the boundary goes down to Ataroth-addar, on the mountain that lies south of Lower Beth-horon.
¹⁴ Then the boundary goes in another direction, turning on the western side southward from the mountain that lies to the south, opposite Beth-horon, and it ends at Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim), a city belonging to the people of Judah. This forms the western side.
¹⁵ And the southern side begins at the outskirts of Kiriath-jearim. And the boundary goes from there to Ephron, to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah.
¹⁶ Then the boundary goes down to the border of the mountain that overlooks the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, which is at the north end of the Valley of Rephaim. And it then goes down the Valley of Hinnom, south of the shoulder of the Jebusites, and downward to En-rogel.
¹⁷ Then it bends in a northerly direction going on to En-shemesh, and from there goes to Geliloth, which is opposite the ascent of Adummim. Then it goes down to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben,
¹⁸ and passing on to the north of the shoulder of Beth-arabah it goes down to the Arabah.
¹⁹ Then the boundary passes on to the north of the shoulder of Beth-hoglah. And the boundary ends at the northern bay of the Salt Sea, at the south end of the Jordan: this is the southern border.
²⁰ The Jordan forms its boundary on the eastern side. This is the inheritance of the people of Benjamin, according to their clans, boundary by boundary all around.
²¹ Now the cities of the tribe of the people of Benjamin according to their clans were Jericho, Beth-hoglah, Emek-keziz,
²² Beth-arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel,
²³ Avvim, Parah, Ophrah,
²⁴ Chephar-ammoni, Ophni, Geba ? twelve cities with their villages:
²⁵ Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth,
²⁶ Mizpeh, Chephirah, Mozah,
²⁷ Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah,
²⁸ Zela, Haeleph, Jebus (that is, Jerusalem), Gibeah and Kiriath-jearim ? fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the people of Benjamin according to its clans.

Joshua chapter 18 nlt

¹ Now that the land was under Israelite control, the entire community of Israel gathered at Shiloh and set up the Tabernacle.
² But there remained seven tribes who had not yet been allotted their grants of land.
³ Then Joshua asked them, "How long are you going to wait before taking possession of the remaining land the LORD, the God of your ancestors, has given to you?
⁴ Select three men from each tribe, and I will send them out to explore the land and map it out. They will then return to me with a written report of their proposed divisions of their new homeland.
⁵ Let them divide the land into seven sections, excluding Judah's territory in the south and Joseph's territory in the north.
⁶ And when you record the seven divisions of the land and bring them to me, I will cast sacred lots in the presence of the LORD our God to assign land to each tribe.
⁷ "The Levites, however, will not receive any allotment of land. Their role as priests of the LORD is their allotment. And the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh won't receive any more land, for they have already received their grant of land, which Moses, the servant of the LORD, gave them on the east side of the Jordan River."
⁸ As the men started on their way to map out the land, Joshua commanded them, "Go and explore the land and write a description of it. Then return to me, and I will assign the land to the tribes by casting sacred lots here in the presence of the LORD at Shiloh."
⁹ The men did as they were told and mapped the entire territory into seven sections, listing the towns in each section. They made a written record and then returned to Joshua in the camp at Shiloh.
¹⁰ And there at Shiloh, Joshua cast sacred lots in the presence of the LORD to determine which tribe should have each section.
¹¹ The first allotment of land went to the clans of the tribe of Benjamin. It lay between the territory assigned to the tribes of Judah and Joseph.
¹² The northern boundary of Benjamin's land began at the Jordan River, went north of the slope of Jericho, then west through the hill country and the wilderness of Beth-aven.
¹³ From there the boundary went south to Luz (that is, Bethel) and proceeded down to Ataroth-addar on the hill that lies south of Lower Beth-horon.
¹⁴ The boundary then made a turn and swung south along the western edge of the hill facing Beth-horon, ending at the village of Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim), a town belonging to the tribe of Judah. This was the western boundary.
¹⁵ The southern boundary began at the outskirts of Kiriath-jearim. From that western point it ran to the spring at the waters of Nephtoah,
¹⁶ and down to the base of the mountain beside the valley of Ben-Hinnom, at the northern end of the valley of Rephaim. From there it went down the valley of Hinnom, crossing south of the slope where the Jebusites lived, and continued down to En-rogel.
¹⁷ From En-rogel the boundary proceeded in a northerly direction and came to En-shemesh and on to Geliloth (which is across from the slopes of Adummim). Then it went down to the Stone of Bohan. (Bohan was Reuben's son.)
¹⁸ From there it passed along the north side of the slope overlooking the Jordan Valley. The border then went down into the valley,
¹⁹ ran past the north slope of Beth-hoglah, and ended at the north bay of the Dead Sea, which is the southern end of the Jordan River. This was the southern boundary.
²⁰ The eastern boundary was the Jordan River.
These were the boundaries of the homeland allocated to the clans of the tribe of Benjamin.
²¹ These were the towns given to the clans of the tribe of Benjamin. Jericho, Beth-hoglah, Emek-keziz,
²² Beth-arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel,
²³ Avvim, Parah, Ophrah,
²⁴ Kephar-ammoni, Ophni, and Geba ? twelve towns with their surrounding villages.
²⁵ Also Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth,
²⁶ Mizpah, Kephirah, Mozah,
²⁷ Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah,
²⁸ Zela, Haeleph, the Jebusite town (that is, Jerusalem), Gibeah, and Kiriath-jearim ? fourteen towns with their surrounding villages.
This was the homeland allocated to the clans of the tribe of Benjamin.