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.
So the men departed and went throughout the land
This phrase indicates the obedience of the men to Joshua's command to survey the land. It reflects the Israelites' commitment to fulfilling God's promise of the land. The act of departing signifies a step of faith and action, reminiscent of Abraham's journey to a land he did not know (Genesis 12:1). The land they are surveying is the Promised Land, a central theme in the Old Testament, representing God's covenant with Israel.

mapping it city by city into seven portions
The detailed mapping of the land city by city shows the importance of order and precision in the division of the land. This task was necessary to ensure each tribe received its rightful inheritance. The division into seven portions is significant, as the number seven often symbolizes completeness and divine perfection in the Bible (Genesis 2:2-3). This process also reflects the fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham regarding the land (Genesis 15:18-21).

Then they returned with the document to Joshua
The return to Joshua with the document signifies accountability and the completion of their task. Joshua, as the leader, represents a type of Christ, guiding and distributing the inheritance to God's people. The document serves as a legal and formal record, ensuring transparency and fairness in the distribution. This act of returning is akin to the faithful servant returning to the master with the talents multiplied (Matthew 25:20-21).

at the camp in Shiloh
Shiloh holds historical and spiritual significance as the first major center of Israelite worship in the land of Canaan. It was the location of the Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant, symbolizing God's presence among His people (Joshua 18:1). Shiloh is also prophetically significant, as it is mentioned in Genesis 49:10 as a reference to the coming of the Messiah. The camp at Shiloh represents a place of rest and divine guidance, where the Israelites gathered to receive their inheritance.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Joshua
The leader of Israel after Moses, responsible for leading the Israelites into the Promised Land and overseeing its division among the tribes.

2. The Men
A group of surveyors sent by Joshua to map out the land of Canaan, dividing it into seven portions for the remaining tribes of Israel.

3. The Land of Canaan
The Promised Land that God had given to the Israelites, which needed to be divided among the tribes.

4. Shiloh
The location of the Israelite camp and the place where the tabernacle was set up, serving as a central place of worship and administration.

5. The Scroll
The document created by the surveyors, detailing the division of the land by cities and portions.
Teaching Points
Faithful Stewardship
The task of mapping and dividing the land required diligence and accuracy. As believers, we are called to be faithful stewards of the responsibilities God entrusts to us.

Unity and Cooperation
The division of the land required cooperation among the tribes and leaders. In the body of Christ, unity and collaboration are essential for fulfilling God's purposes.

Obedience to God's Commands
The Israelites were following God's instructions for dividing the land. Our obedience to God's Word is crucial in our spiritual journey.

God's Provision and Promise
The division of the land was a fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham. We can trust in God's faithfulness to fulfill His promises in our lives.

The Importance of Planning
The detailed mapping of the land underscores the importance of planning and preparation in achieving God's purposes.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the task of mapping the land in Joshua 18:9 demonstrate the importance of faithful stewardship in our own lives?

2. In what ways can we promote unity and cooperation within our church or community, similar to the cooperation required among the tribes of Israel?

3. How does the division of the land in Joshua 18:9 reflect God's faithfulness to His promises, and how can this encourage us in our personal walk with God?

4. What are some areas in our lives where we need to be more obedient to God's commands, as the Israelites were in dividing the land?

5. How can we apply the principle of careful planning and preparation, as seen in the mapping of the land, to our spiritual and daily lives?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Numbers 34
This chapter outlines the boundaries of the Promised Land and the initial instructions for its division, providing context for the task Joshua and the surveyors were undertaking.

Deuteronomy 1:38
Highlights Joshua's role as the leader chosen by God to lead Israel into the Promised Land, emphasizing his responsibility in the division of the land.

Proverbs 16:9
Relates to the planning and execution of tasks, reminding us that while humans plan, it is ultimately God who directs their steps.
Joshua's RemonstranceR. P. Buddicom, M. A.Joshua 18:1-28
Religion in the New LandW. G. Blaikie, D. D.Joshua 18:1-28
Slack to PossessW. Seaton.Joshua 18:1-28
People
Addar, Ben, Benjamin, Bohan, Ephron, Gad, Gibeon, Hoglah, Israelites, Joseph, Joshua, Levites, Manasseh, Ophrah, Rekem, Reuben
Places
Adummim, Arabah, Ataroth-addar, Avvim, Beeroth, Beth-arabah, Beth-aven, Bethel, Beth-hoglah, Beth-horon, Emek-keziz, En-rogel, En-shemesh, Ephron, Geba, Geliloth, Gibeah, Gibeon, Haeleph, Irpeel, Jebus, Jericho, Jerusalem, Jordan River, Kiriath-baal, Kiriath-jearim, Luz, Mizpeh, Mozah, Nephtoah, Ophni, Ophrah, Parah, Ramah, Rekem, Salt Sea, Shiloh, Taralah, Valley of Hinnom, Valley of Rephaim, Zela, Zemaraim
Topics
Book, Camp, Cities, Describe, Described, Description, Divisions, Host, Joshua, Pass, Passed, Portions, Record, Returned, Scroll, Seven, Shiloh, Surveyed, Tent-circle, Town, Towns, Travelling
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Joshua 18:9

     5393   literacy

Joshua 18:6-10

     1403   God, revelation

Library
The Northern Coast of Judea. Beth-Horon.
This coast is marked out Joshua 18:12; where, at verse 14, are very many versions to be corrected, which render the sea; such are, the Syriac, the Seventy, the Vulgar, the Italian, ours, &c.: whence ariseth a sense of insuperable difficulty to a chorographical eye: when it should, indeed, be rendered of the west, as the Chaldee, Arabic, R. Solomon, &c. rightly do. We read of a double Beth-horon in the Old Testament, but one only under the second Temple... At that place that great Canaanitish army
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

Ramah. Ramathaim Zophim. Gibeah.
There was a certain Ramah, in the tribe of Benjamin, Joshua 18:25, and that within sight of Jerusalem, as it seems, Judges 19:13; where it is named with Gibeah:--and elsewhere, Hosea 5:8; which towns were not much distant. See 1 Samuel 22:6; "Saul sat in Gibeah, under a grove in Ramah." Here the Gemarists trifle: "Whence is it (say they) that Ramah is placed near Gibea? To hint to you, that the speech of Samuel of Ramah was the cause, why Saul remained two years and a half in Gibeah." They blindly
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

Beth-El. Beth-Aven.
Josephus thus describes the land of Benjamin; "The Benjamites' portion of land was from the river Jordan to the sea, in length: in breadth, it was bounded by Jerusalem and Beth-el." Let these last words be marked, "The breadth of the land of Benjamin was bounded by Jerusalem and Beth-el." May we not justly conclude, from these words, that Jerusalem and Beth-el were opposite, as it were, in a right line? But if you look upon the maps, there are some that separate these by a very large tract of land,
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

Retiring Before the Sanhedrin's Decree.
(Jerusalem and Ephraim in Judæa.) ^D John XI. 47-54. ^d 47 The chief priests therefore and the Pharisees gathered a council [called a meeting of the Sanhedrin], and said, What do we? [Thus they reproach one another for having done nothing in a present and urgent crisis. As two of their number (Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathæa) were afterwards in communications with Christians, it was easy for the disciples to find out what occurred on this notable occasion.] for this man doeth many signs.
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Flight into Egypt and Slaughter of the Bethlehem Children.
(Bethlehem and Road Thence to Egypt, b.c. 4.) ^A Matt. II. 13-18. ^a 13 Now when they were departed [The text favors the idea that the arrival and departure of the magi and the departure of Joseph for Egypt, all occurred in one night. If so, the people of Bethlehem knew nothing of these matters], behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise [this command calls for immediate departure] and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt [This land was ever the
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Subjects of Study. Home Education in Israel; Female Education. Elementary Schools, Schoolmasters, and School Arrangements.
If a faithful picture of society in ancient Greece or Rome were to be presented to view, it is not easy to believe that even they who now most oppose the Bible could wish their aims success. For this, at any rate, may be asserted, without fear of gainsaying, that no other religion than that of the Bible has proved competent to control an advanced, or even an advancing, state of civilisation. Every other bound has been successively passed and submerged by the rising tide; how deep only the student
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life

Joshua
The book of Joshua is the natural complement of the Pentateuch. Moses is dead, but the people are on the verge of the promised land, and the story of early Israel would be incomplete, did it not record the conquest of that land and her establishment upon it. The divine purpose moves restlessly on, until it is accomplished; so "after the death of Moses, Jehovah spake to Joshua," i. 1. The book falls naturally into three divisions: (a) the conquest of Canaan (i.-xii.), (b) the settlement of the
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

Links
Joshua 18:9 NIV
Joshua 18:9 NLT
Joshua 18:9 ESV
Joshua 18:9 NASB
Joshua 18:9 KJV

Joshua 18:9 Commentaries

Bible Hub
Joshua 18:8
Top of Page
Top of Page