Joshua 18

Joshua 18:1

Then the whole congregation of Israel assembled at Shiloh and set up the Tent of Meeting there. And though the land was subdued before them,

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Joshua 18:3

So Joshua said to the Israelites, “How long will you put off entering and possessing the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, has given you?

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Joshua 18:4

Appoint three men from each tribe, and I will send them out to survey the land and map it out, according to the inheritance of each. Then they will return to me

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Joshua 18:5

and divide the land into seven portions. Judah shall remain in their territory in the south, and the house of Joseph shall remain in their territory in the north.

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Joshua 18:6

When you have mapped out the seven portions of land and brought it to me, I will cast lots for you here in the presence of the LORD our God.

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Joshua 18:7

The Levites, however, have no portion among you, because their inheritance is the priesthood of the LORD. And Gad, Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh have already received the inheritance that Moses the servant of the LORD gave them beyond the Jordan to the east.”

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Joshua 18:8

As the men got up to go out, Joshua commanded them to map out the land, saying, “Go and survey the land, map it out, and return to me. Then I will cast lots for you here in Shiloh in the presence of the LORD.”

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Joshua 18:9

So the men departed and went throughout the land, mapping it city by city into seven portions. Then they returned with the document to Joshua at the camp in Shiloh.

Joshua 18:9 · BSB

described The surveyors seem to have formed some kind of map of the country , as well as a description of it in writing. The Egyptians , from the situation of their fields , as annually overflowed by the Nile , acquired great skill in mensuration and land surveying; and some of the Israelites had , no doubt , learned these from them , without a knowledge of which they could not properly have divided the land. This is probably the first act of surveying on record.

Joshua 18:10

And Joshua cast lots for them in the presence of the LORD at Shiloh, where he distributed the land to the Israelites according to their divisions.

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Joshua 18:11

The first lot came up for the clans of the tribe of Benjamin. Their allotted territory lay between the tribes of Judah and Joseph:

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Joshua 18:12

On the north side their border began at the Jordan, went up past the northern slope of Jericho, headed west through the hill country, and came out at the wilderness of Beth-aven.

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Joshua 18:13

From there the border crossed over to the southern slope of Luz (that is, Bethel) and went down to Ataroth-addar on the hill south of Lower Beth-horon.

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Joshua 18:14

On the west side the border curved southward from the hill facing Beth-horon on the south and came out at Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim), a city of the sons of Judah. This was the western side.

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Joshua 18:15

On the south side the border began at the outskirts of Kiriath-jearim and extended westward to the spring at the Waters of Nephtoah.

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Joshua 18:16

Then it went down to the foot of the hill that faces the Valley of Hinnom at the northern end of the Valley of Rephaim and ran down the Valley of Hinnom toward the southern slope of the Jebusites and downward to En-rogel.

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Joshua 18:17

From there it curved northward and proceeded to En-shemesh and on to Geliloth facing the Ascent of Adummim, and continued down to the Stone of Bohan son of Reuben.

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Enshemesh The fountain of the Sun; whether a town , or simply a fountain , is uncertain.

Geliloth Geliloth is probably the same as Gilgal; though as the word may signify border or limits , some think that it is probably not the proper name of a place . "And went forth towards the borders which are over against the ascent to Adummim." Others render Geliloth circuits or roundings , or the hills about Jordan , tumuli Jordanis. Vulgate . pertransit usque ad tumulos.

Joshua 18:18

Then it went on to the northern slope of Beth-arabah and went down into the valley.

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Joshua 18:19

The border continued to the northern slope of Beth-hoglah and came out at the northern bay of the Salt Sea, at the mouth of the Jordan. This was the southern border.

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Joshua 18:20

On the east side the border was the Jordan. These were the borders around the inheritance of the clans of the tribe of Benjamin.

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Joshua 18:21

These were the cities of the clans of the tribe of Benjamin: Jericho, Beth-hoglah, Emek-keziz,

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Joshua 18:22

Beth-arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel,

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Joshua 18:23

Avvim, Parah, Ophrah,

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Joshua 18:24

Chephar-ammoni, Ophni, and Geba—twelve cities, along with their villages.

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Ophni Probably the same as Gophna (ע being often pronounced as G); which , according to Josephus , was about fifteen miles from Jerusalem , towards Shechem , says Eusebius (Onom. in צבסבדמ גןפסןץע.)

Joshua 18:25

Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth,

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Beeroth Eusebius says Beeroth was seven miles from Jerusalem , towards Nicopolis or Emmaus. Jerome , however , reads Neapolis or Shechem; but Reland prefers the former.

Joshua 18:26

Mizpeh, Chephirah, Mozah,

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Joshua 18:28

Zelah, Haeleph, Jebus (that is, Jerusalem), Gibeah, and Kiriath-jearim—fourteen cities, along with their villages. This was the inheritance of the clans of the tribe of Benjamin.

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