Joshua 18:3 kjv
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?
Joshua 18:3 nkjv
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?
Joshua 18:3 niv
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?
Joshua 18:3 esv
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?
Joshua 18:3 nlt
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?
Joshua 18 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference (Short Note) |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:7 | "To your offspring I will give this land." | God's initial promise of land to Abram |
| Exod 3:8 | "to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey" | God's intention to bring Israel into the land |
| Num 14:1-4 | "Why is the LORD bringing us to this land...Let's choose a leader and go back to Egypt." | Israel's initial refusal to enter the promised land due to fear |
| Num 33:53 | "You shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land and dwell in it, for I have given you the land..." | Explicit command to possess the land |
| Deut 1:8 | "See, I have set the land before you; go in and possess the land which the LORD swore to your fathers..." | Command to take possession after wandering |
| Deut 1:21 | "See, the LORD your God has set the land before you. Go up and take possession!" | Encouragement to go in and take what God has given |
| Deut 9:4-5 | "Not because of your righteousness...but because of the wickedness of these nations the LORD your God is driving them out..." | Land is a gift, not based on Israel's merit |
| Josh 1:3 | "Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses." | Reiterated promise and command to Joshua |
| Josh 1:6 | "Only be strong and very courageous, to observe to do according to all the law..." | Courage needed for obedience and possession |
| Judg 1:21 | "The people of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem." | Example of a tribe failing to fully possess |
| Judg 2:2-3 | "Therefore I also said, 'I will not drive them out before you; but they will become thorns in your sides..." | Consequences of failing to fully dispossess |
| Prov 6:9-11 | "How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep?" | Warning against procrastination and laziness |
| Prov 24:30-34 | "A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—then your poverty will come..." | Consequences of idleness leading to lack |
| Heb 3:12 | "See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God." | Warning against unbelief and turning away (parallel to Kadesh) |
| Heb 4:1 | "Let us therefore be careful that, while a promise remains of entering His rest, none of you may seem to have come short of it." | Urging diligence to enter God's spiritual rest |
| Heb 4:11 | "Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience." | Active pursuit of promised spiritual inheritance |
| Phil 2:12-13 | "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you..." | Human effort in conjunction with God's enabling grace |
| Col 3:23-24 | "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord...knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance." | Diligence in work brings spiritual inheritance |
| Jas 4:17 | "So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin." | Failure to act on what is known as good is sin |
| Rev 2:4-5 | "But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen..." | Warning against spiritual complacency and losing diligence |
Joshua 18 verses
Joshua 18 3 Meaning
Joshua 18:3 encapsulates Joshua's earnest exhortation to the remaining Israelite tribes who had not yet settled in their inheritance. He confronts their complacency and procrastination, challenging them on "how long" they would delay possessing the land that the Lord, the God of their fathers, had already graciously given them. The verse highlights the tension between God's sovereign gift and humanity's responsibility to act in faith and obedience to appropriate that gift.
Joshua 18 3 Context
Joshua 18:3 appears after the initial major military campaigns of conquest are largely complete, and the tabernacle has been set up at Shiloh, signaling a degree of stability and semi-permanence. However, only three of the twelve tribes (Reuben, Gad, and half-Manasseh on the east bank, and Judah and Ephraim on the west bank) have fully received or actively possessed their territorial inheritance. The remaining seven tribes appear to be waiting or procrastinating. Joshua, observing this inaction, expresses frustration at their delay. The verse marks a shift in focus from broad conquest to the detailed, organized process of land distribution and the individual tribal responsibility to occupy and subdue their specific territories.
Joshua 18 3 Word analysis
- And Joshua said: The narrative proceeds with direct speech from leadership, highlighting the importance of the command.
- unto the children of Israel: This address is to the collective community, indicating a widespread issue among the un-settled tribes.
- How long (עַד־מָתַי - Ad-matay): This phrase expresses exasperation, impatience, and rhetorical challenge. It implies that the delay has been significant and is now unacceptable, highlighting a period of lost opportunity.
- are ye slack (מִתְרַפִּים - mitrapim): From the root raphah, meaning "to relax," "to be slack," "to drop the hands." In its Hithpael form, it means "to show oneself slack," "to be irresolute," "to procrastinate," or "to hang back." It points to a conscious, internal hesitancy or idleness rather than an external obstacle. It signifies a lack of moral and spiritual resolve, a letting go of diligence.
- to go to possess (לָבוֹא לָרֶשֶׁת - lavo lareshet): This double infinitive emphasizes the two-fold action required: 'going in' (into the territory) and 'possessing' (claiming and clearing it). Yarash (possess/inherit) carries the nuance of legally claiming and taking ownership of something promised, often through active effort.
- the land: Referring to the promised territory of Canaan.
- which the LORD God of your fathers hath given you: This crucial phrase reminds them of the divine nature of their inheritance. The land is a gift, already granted by God's promise and power (natan - "has given," perfect tense implies completed action). This fact underscores their culpability; they are being slack concerning a sure thing that is already rightfully theirs by divine decree. "LORD God of your fathers" connects the current generation to the ancient covenant promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Words-group analysis
- "How long are ye slack?": This is a direct challenge to their procrastination and apathy. It questions their diligence and commitment to God's stated will, implying a spiritual laziness in appropriating divine blessing.
- "to go to possess the land": This phrase emphasizes the necessity of human action, exertion, and initiative in receiving God's promises. It is not passive reception but active appropriation that is required.
- "which the LORD God of your fathers hath given you": This powerfully contrasts the divine reality (the land is already given) with the human failure (they are slack to take it). It highlights that God has fulfilled His part, and now Israel must fulfill theirs, grounded in the covenant faithfulness of Yahweh. The term "God of your fathers" emphasizes the continuity of the covenant and the trustworthiness of God's character through generations.
Joshua 18 3 Bonus section
The concept of "slackness" in Joshua 18:3 is more than mere idleness; it suggests a failure of spiritual nerve or commitment. The Israelites' prior generations experienced divine judgment (the wilderness wandering) for a similar failure of nerve (Num 14). Joshua’s question serves as a rhetorical call to self-reflection and accountability, aiming to re-ignite their sense of divine purpose and individual tribal responsibility. It also subtly prepares the way for the organized plan of surveying the land detailed in the following verses, demonstrating that taking possession involves strategic planning and action, not just waiting for God to miraculously complete everything. The delay was an affront to the divine gift and threatened to leave unfinished the very purpose for which they had been led out of Egypt.
Joshua 18 3 Commentary
Joshua's challenging question in verse 3 reveals a significant moment of human complacency despite divine favor. The Israelites had seen miraculous victories and the physical removal of formidable enemies, yet seven tribes remained hesitant to fully enter and settle their God-given inheritance. Their "slackness" was not due to an inability to conquer, but a spiritual laziness, a lack of will to exert the necessary effort. This reluctance to act on God's clear instruction for what was already theirs by covenant promise is a striking lesson. It underscores that while God gives freely, believers must actively "possess" the spiritual blessings and callings He has provided through diligent effort and faith. This applies to individual spiritual growth, overcoming sin, pursuing purpose, and fulfilling Christ's commission—all of which require intentional effort and not passive waiting.