Josué 18
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
Josué 18:1-7
18:1 "Shiloh" This city is in the tribal allocation of Ephraim, north of Bethel. The tabernacle resided here from Joshua's time to Samuel's time (cf. Jdg. 18:31) because this city was centrally located. ▣ "the tent of meeting" This is the first time this tent is mentioned specifically in Joshua, although its presence is assumed in Jos. 3:3 and 8:33. This refers to the special sacrificial place set up by YHWH (cf. Exodus 25-40), where He and His covenant people could ritually meet. In design it was not radically different from other portable Near Eastern worship centers (which is also true of Solomon's temple, which is similar to Phoenician temples). This was the home for the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies, where YHWH symbolically dwelt between the wings of the cherubim (the place where heaven and earth met). SPECIAL TOPIC: TABERNACLE OF THE WILDERNESS SPECIAL TOPIC: ARK OF THE COVENANT SPECIAL TOPIC: CHERUBIM ▣ "the land was subdued before them" The VERB (BDB 461, KB 460, Niphal PERFECT) does not seem to truly describe the situation. See note at Jos. 16:10. 18:2-3 Apparently several tribes were not willing to take on the responsibility of capturing their own tribal allocations. The PARTICIPLE "put off" (BDB 951, KB 1276, Hithpael PARTICIPLE) means "to show oneself lazy" (lit. to relax or loosen which, using imagery, means to be slack, idle, or disheartened, cf. Prov. 18:9; 24:10). 18:3 "which the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given you" For the Hebrew significance of "Lord" (YHWH) and "God" (Elohim) see SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY, D. YHWH had clearly stated His intentions to Abraham (cf. Gen. 15:7,16; 13:15,17; 17:8) and reaffirmed them to Isaac (cf. Gen. 26:4) and Jacob (cf. Gen. 28:13-14). Moses had clearly stated YHWH's intentions toward Israel (cf. Exod. 13:5,11; 32:13; 33:1; Deut. 1:7-8; 4:38,40; 5:31; 7:13; 8:1; 9:6; 11:9,17; 26:1,9; 32:52; 34:4; Jos. 1:2,3,6,11,13,15; 2:9,24; 18:3; 21:43; 23:13; 24:13). Many of these promises are linked to covenant obedience. SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT PROMISES TO THE PATRIARCHS 18:4 This verse has several commands from Joshua to the seven tribes who had not yet been allotted land. "provide for yourselves three men from each tribe," BDB 396, KB 393, Qal IMPERATIVE "that I may send," BDB 1018, KB 1511, Qal IMPERFECT, but in a COHORTATIVE sense (OTPG, p. 181) "that they may arise," BDB 877, KB 1086, Qal IMPERFECT, but in a JUSSIVE sense (OTPG, p. 181) "walk through the land," BDB 229, KB 246, Hithpael IMPERFECT, but in a JUSSIVE sense (OTPG, p. 181) "write a description of it," BDB 507, KB 503, Qal IMPERFECT, but in a JUSSIVE sense (OTPG, p. 181) "then they shall return to me," BDB 97, KB 112, Qal IMPERFECT, but in a JUSSIVE sense (OTPG, p. 181) The command sense of these VERBS is confirmed by the series of IMPERATIVES, which reflect this verse in Jos. 18:8. 18:6 "I will cast lots for you here before the Lord our God" The VERB (BDB 434, KB 436, Qal PERFECT with waw) is related to "teach" (Hiphil). These lots were cast by Joshua, not the High Priest, so perhaps they were not the Urim and Thummim. Whatever they were and however they worked, they represented the expressed will of Israel's God. This was a covenant act, both in method (lots) and result (land inheritance). 8:7 The Levites as a tribe took the place of the firstborn (cf. Exodus 13) in serving YHWH at the altar (cf. Jos. 13:14; Num. 18:1-32 and note at Jos. 13:33). SPECIAL TOPIC: LEVITICAL PRIESTS
Josué 18:8-10
18:8 These four IMPERATIVES relate to Jos. 18:4. "go," BDB 229, KB 246, Qal IMPERATIVE "walk," BDB 229, KB 246, Hithpael IMPERATIVE "describe it," BDB 507, KB 503, Qal IMPERATIVE "return to me," BDB 996, KB 1427, Qal IMPERATIVE Joshua wants these remaining tribes to act on YHWH's promises and possess their inheritance! The very act of these tribal representatives walking on the land was a symbol of possession (cf. Gen. 13:17; Num. 13:17-24). 18:9 It is obvious that the Israelites were literate. They must have had some schooling in Egypt or at least by their parents during the wilderness wandering period. 18:10 "Joshua cast lots for them" See Num. 34:16-29. For "lots" see note at Jos. 14:2.
Josué 18:11-20
18:11 "Benjamin" This means "son of the right hand" (BDB 122). This is the tribe (the smallest tribe) of the first king, Saul, and the Apostle Paul (cf. Rom. 11:1; Phil. 3:5). Its land was between the powerful tribes of Judah to the south and Ephraim to the north. 18:12 "Beth-aven" This is a wordplay on a place name ("house of wealth," BDB 20; "house of sorrow," BDB 19; or "house of iniquity," BDB 110), which came to be used of Bethel by Hosea (cf. Hosea 4:15; 5:8; 10:5). The place name occurs seven times in Joshua and refers to a place near the city of Bethel. 18:15 "the border went westward and went to the fountain of" "the border extended on the west and went out to the spring" "the boundary goes from there to Ephron, to the springs of" "and went to the Springs of" "the boundaries went to Gasin and came out near the spring of" This same boundary is described in Jos. 15:9. The Hebrew text has "and went westward" (cf. JPSOA) but the UBS Text Project, pp. 47-48, is uncertain of the original text. 18:17 "Geliloth" The Semitic root gl (i.e., Gilgal or Galilee) seems to refer to a cultic or sacred site formed by a circle of stones or a circular pile of stones (cf. Gen. 31:46; Jos. 7:26; 8:29; 18:17; 2 Sam. 18:17). The VERB gll (BDB 165,166) means "to roll" (Jos. 10:18). This specific term (BDB 165), found only here in the OT, can mean a region ‒ Jos. 13:2; Ezek. 47:8; Joel 3:4 a city ‒ Jos. 18:17; 22:10-11 ▣ "the stone of Bohan" See note at Jos. 15:6. 18:19 "Beth-hoglah" This city is first mentioned in Jos. 15:6. The name means "place of the partridge" (BDB 111).
Josué 18:21-28
18:23 "Avvim" This PLURAL term (BDB 732) may refer to the people of the southwestern coastal region (cf. Jos. 13:3; Deut. 2:23). 18:24 "Chephar-ammoni" This place name means "village of the Ammonites" (BDB 499 and BDB 770). 18:27 "Irpeel" This place name means "God heals" (BDB 951), but its location is unknown. It is in the tribal allocation of Benjamin. 18:28 "Kiriath" This is the Hebrew term for "city" (BDB 900). The UBS Text Project, p. 49, suggests an emendation to "Kiriath-jearim," which is mentioned in the JPSOA footnote (Peshitta, REB).