Joshua 18
יהושע פרק י״ח
Section: נביאים · נביאים ראשונים | Book: Joshua | Chapter: 18 of 24 | Day: 18 of 742
Date: March 1, 2026
קלאוד על הנ״ך
Joshua chapter 18 marks a pivotal transition in the settlement narrative. The Israelites assemble at Shiloh and erect the Ohel Moed (Tent of Meeting) there, establishing a new national and religious center that will serve as Israel’s primary sanctuary until the time of Samuel (verse 1). This move from Gilgal, the initial base camp after crossing the Jordan, to Shiloh in the heart of Ephraim’s territory signals that the conquest phase has ended and the era of settlement has begun. The land is described as “under their control” — a theological assertion that God’s promise has been substantially fulfilled.
Yet seven tribes still have no territory. Joshua’s sharp rebuke in verse 3 — “How long will you be slack about going and taking possession of the land that the Eternal, the God of your ancestors, has assigned to you?” — reveals a tension at the heart of the settlement process. The momentum of conquest has stalled, and some tribes appear content to remain in a state of landlessness rather than undertake the difficult work of surveying, claiming, and settling new territory. Joshua’s solution is practical and organized: he dispatches a commission of 21 men (three per remaining tribe) to survey the unclaimed land and divide it into seven portions, which will then be distributed by lot before God at Shiloh (verses 4-10). This combination of human planning and divine allocation — rational cartography joined to sacred lottery — is characteristic of the Book of Joshua’s theology, in which God works through orderly human institutions.
The remainder of the chapter (verses 11-28) details the first lot: the territory of Benjamin. Benjamin’s placement is deeply significant. Situated between the Judahites to the south and the Josephites to the north, this small but strategically vital tribe occupies a buffer zone that includes some of the most contested real estate in Israelite history. Its territory encompasses Jericho, Bethel, Gibeon, Mizpah, and — most fatefully — Jebus, the Jebusite stronghold that would later become Jerusalem (verse 28). The 26 towns listed here read like a roster of future biblical drama: Gibeon will be the site of Solomon’s dream-vision, Mizpah will serve as Samuel’s assembly point, and Ramah will be the prophet’s home. Benjamin’s portion may be small in acreage, but it will prove outsized in historical consequence, from the reign of Saul (Israel’s first king, a Benjaminite) to the eventual location of the Temple itself.
פרק י״ח · Chapter 18
פסוק א׳ · Verse 1
Hebrew:
וַיִּקָּ֨הֲל֜וּ כׇּל־עֲדַ֤ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ שִׁלֹ֔ה וַיַּשְׁכִּ֥ינוּ שָׁ֖ם אֶת־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וְהָאָ֥רֶץ נִכְבְּשָׁ֖ה לִפְנֵיהֶֽם׃
English:
The whole community of Israelitesawhole community of Israelites Presumably the leaders, on the community’s behalf. assembled at Shiloh, and set up the Tent of Meeting there. The land was now under their control;
פסוק ב׳ · Verse 2
Hebrew:
וַיִּוָּֽתְרוּ֙ בִּבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־חָֽלְק֖וּ אֶת־נַחֲלָתָ֑ם שִׁבְעָ֖ה שְׁבָטִֽים׃
English:
but there remained seven tribes of the Israelites that had not yet received their portions.
פסוק ג׳ · Verse 3
Hebrew:
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל עַד־אָ֙נָה֙ אַתֶּ֣ם מִתְרַפִּ֔ים לָבוֹא֙ לָרֶ֣שֶׁת אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר֙ נָתַ֣ן לָכֶ֔ם יְהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י אֲבוֹתֵיכֶֽם׃
English:
So Joshua said to the Israelites, “How long will you be slack about going and taking possession of the land that the ETERNAL, the God of your ancestors, has assigned to you?
פסוק ד׳ · Verse 4
Hebrew:
הָב֥וּ לָכֶ֛ם שְׁלֹשָׁ֥ה אֲנָשִׁ֖ים לַשָּׁ֑בֶט וְאֶשְׁלָחֵ֗ם וְיָקֻ֜מוּ וְיִֽתְהַלְּכ֥וּ בָאָ֛רֶץ וְיִכְתְּב֥וּ אוֹתָ֛הּ לְפִ֥י נַחֲלָתָ֖ם וְיָבֹ֥אוּ אֵלָֽי׃
English:
Appoint three representatives from each tribe; I will send them out to go through the country and write down a description of it for purposes of apportionment, and then come back to me.
פסוק ה׳ · Verse 5
Hebrew:
וְהִֽתְחַלְּק֥וּ אֹתָ֖הּ לְשִׁבְעָ֣ה חֲלָקִ֑ים יְהוּדָ֞ה יַעֲמֹ֤ד עַל־גְּבוּלוֹ֙ מִנֶּ֔גֶב וּבֵ֥ית יוֹסֵ֛ף יַעַמְד֥וּ עַל־גְּבוּלָ֖ם מִצָּפֽוֹן׃
English:
They shall divide it into seven parts—Judah shall remain by its territory in the south, and the house of Joseph shall remain by its territory in the north.—
פסוק ו׳ · Verse 6
Hebrew:
וְאַתֶּ֞ם תִּכְתְּב֤וּ אֶת־הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ שִׁבְעָ֣ה חֲלָקִ֔ים וַהֲבֵאתֶ֥ם אֵלַ֖י הֵ֑נָּה וְיָרִ֨יתִי לָכֶ֤ם גּוֹרָל֙ פֹּ֔ה לִפְנֵ֖י יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃
English:
When you have written down the description of the land in seven parts, bring it here to me. Then I will cast lots for you here before the ETERNAL our God.
פסוק ז׳ · Verse 7
Hebrew:
כִּ֠י אֵֽין־חֵ֤לֶק לַלְוִיִּם֙ בְּקִרְבְּכֶ֔ם כִּֽי־כְהֻנַּ֥ת יְהֹוָ֖ה נַחֲלָת֑וֹ וְגָ֡ד וּרְאוּבֵ֡ן וַחֲצִי֩ שֵׁ֨בֶט הַֽמְנַשֶּׁ֜ה לָקְח֣וּ נַחֲלָתָ֗ם מֵעֵ֤בֶר לַיַּרְדֵּן֙ מִזְרָ֔חָה אֲשֶׁר֙ נָתַ֣ן לָהֶ֔ם מֹשֶׁ֖ה עֶ֥בֶד יְהֹוָֽה׃
English:
For the Levites have no share among you, since GOD’s priesthood is their portion; and Gad and Reuben and the half-tribe of Manasseh have received the portions that were assigned to them by Moses the servant of GOD, on the eastern side of the Jordan.”
פסוק ח׳ · Verse 8
Hebrew:
וַיָּקֻ֥מוּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֖ים וַיֵּלֵ֑כוּ וַיְצַ֣ו יְהוֹשֻׁ֡עַ אֶת־הַהֹלְכִים֩ לִכְתֹּ֨ב אֶת־הָאָ֜רֶץ לֵאמֹ֗ר לְ֠כ֠וּ וְהִתְהַלְּכ֨וּ בָאָ֜רֶץ וְכִתְב֤וּ אוֹתָהּ֙ וְשׁ֣וּבוּ אֵלַ֔י וּ֠פֹ֠ה אַשְׁלִ֨יךְ לָכֶ֥ם גּוֹרָ֛ל לִפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה בְּשִׁלֹֽה׃
English:
The men set out on their journeys: Joshua ordered those who were leaving to write down a description of the land—“Go, traverse the country and write down a description of it. Then return to me, and I will cast lots for you here at Shiloh before GOD.”
פסוק ט׳ · Verse 9
Hebrew:
וַיֵּלְכ֤וּ הָאֲנָשִׁים֙ וַיַּעַבְר֣וּ בָאָ֔רֶץ וַיִּכְתְּב��וּהָ לֶעָרִ֛ים לְשִׁבְעָ֥ה חֲלָקִ֖ים עַל־סֵ֑פֶר וַיָּבֹ֧אוּ אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַ אֶל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֖ה שִׁלֹֽה׃
English:
So the men went and traversed the land; they described it in a document, town by town, in seven parts, and they returned to Joshua in the camp at Shiloh.
פסוק י״ · Verse 10
Hebrew:
וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ֩ לָהֶ֨ם יְהוֹשֻׁ֧עַ גּוֹרָ֛ל בְּשִׁלֹ֖ה לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיְחַלֶּק־שָׁ֨ם יְהוֹשֻׁ֧עַ אֶת־הָאָ֛רֶץ לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל כְּמַחְלְקֹתָֽם׃ {פ}
English:
Joshua cast lots for them at Shiloh before GOD, and there Joshua apportioned the land among the Israelites according to their divisions.
פסוק י״א · Verse 11
Hebrew:
וַיַּ֗עַל גּוֹרַ֛ל מַטֵּ֥ה בְנֵֽי־בִנְיָמִ֖ן לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם וַיֵּצֵא֙ גְּב֣וּל גּוֹרָלָ֔ם בֵּ֚ין בְּנֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה וּבֵ֖ין בְּנֵ֥י יוֹסֵֽף׃
English:
The lot of the tribe of the Benjaminites, by their clans, came out first. The territory that fell to their lot lay between the Judahites and the Josephites.
פסוק י״ב · Verse 12
Hebrew:
וַיְהִ֨י לָהֶ֧ם הַגְּב֛וּל לִפְאַ֥ת צָפ֖וֹנָה מִן־הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן וְעָלָ֣ה הַגְּבוּל֩ אֶל־כֶּ֨תֶף יְרִיח֜וֹ מִצָּפ֗וֹן וְעָלָ֤ה בָהָר֙ יָ֔מָּה (והיה) [וְהָיוּ֙] תֹּֽצְאֹתָ֔יו מִדְבַּ֖רָה בֵּ֥ית אָֽוֶן׃
English:
The boundary on their northern rim began at the Jordan; the boundary ascended to the northern flank of Jericho, ascended westward into the hill country and ran on to the Wilderness of Beth-aven.
פסוק י״ג · Verse 13
Hebrew:
וְעָבַר֩ מִשָּׁ֨ם הַגְּב֜וּל ל֗וּזָה אֶל־כֶּ֤תֶף ל֙וּזָה֙ נֶ֔גְבָּה הִ֖יא בֵּֽית־אֵ֑ל וְיָרַ֤ד הַגְּבוּל֙ עַטְר֣וֹת אַדָּ֔ר עַל־הָהָ֕ר אֲשֶׁ֛ר מִנֶּ֥גֶב לְבֵית־חֹר֖וֹן תַּחְתּֽוֹן׃
English:
From there the boundary passed on southward to Luz, to the flank of Luz—that is, Bethel; then the boundary descended to Atroth-addar [and] to the hill south of Lower Beth-horon.
פסוק י״ד · Verse 14
Hebrew:
וְתָאַ֣ר הַגְּבוּל֩ וְנָסַ֨ב לִפְאַת־יָ֜ם נֶ֗גְבָּה מִן־הָהָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר עַל־פְּנֵ֥י בֵית־חֹרוֹן֮ נֶ֒גְבָּה֒ (והיה) [וְהָי֣וּ] תֹצְאֹתָ֗יו אֶל־קִרְיַת־בַּ֙עַל֙ הִ֚יא קִרְיַ֣ת יְעָרִ֔ים עִ֖יר בְּנֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֑ה זֹ֖את פְּאַת־יָֽם׃
English:
The boundary now turned and curved onto the western rim; and the boundary ran southward from the hill on the south side of Beth-horon till it ended at Kiriath-baal—that is, Kiriath-jearim—a town of the Judahites. That was the western rim.
פסוק ט״ו · Verse 15
Hebrew:
וּפְאַת־נֶ֕גְבָּה מִקְצֵ֖ה קִרְיַ֣ת יְעָרִ֑ים וְיָצָ֤א הַגְּבוּל֙ יָ֔מָּה וְיָצָ֕א אֶל־מַעְיַ֖ן מֵ֥י נֶפְתּֽוֹחַ׃
English:
The southern rim: From the outskirts of Kiriath-jearim, the boundary passed westwardbwestward Emendation yields “eastward.” and ran on to the fountain of the Waters of Nephtoah.
פסוק ט״ז · Verse 16
Hebrew:
וְיָרַ֨ד הַגְּב֜וּל אֶל־קְצֵ֣ה הָהָ֗ר אֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־פְּנֵי֙ גֵּ֣י בֶן־הִנֹּ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֛ר בְּעֵ֥מֶק רְפָאִ֖ים צָפ֑וֹנָה וְיָרַד֩ גֵּ֨י הִנֹּ֜ם אֶל־כֶּ֤תֶף הַיְבוּסִי֙ נֶ֔גְבָּה וְיָרַ֖ד עֵ֥ין רֹגֵֽל��
English:
Then the boundary descended to the foot of the hill by the Valley of Ben-hinnom at the northern end of the Valley of Rephaim; then it ran down the Valley of Hinnom along the southern flank of the Jebusites to En-rogel.
פסוק י״ז · Verse 17
Hebrew:
וְתָאַ֣ר מִצָּפ֗וֹן וְיָצָא֙ עֵ֣ין שֶׁ֔מֶשׁ וְיָצָא֙ אֶל־גְּלִיל֔וֹת אֲשֶׁר־נֹ֖כַח מַעֲלֵ֣ה אֲדֻמִּ֑ים וְיָרַ֕ד אֶ֥בֶן בֹּ֖הַן בֶּן־רְאוּבֵֽן׃
English:
Curving northward, it ran on to En-shemesh and ran on to Geliloth, facing the Ascent of Adummim, and descended to the Stone of Bohan son of Reuben.
פסוק י״ח · Verse 18
Hebrew:
וְעָבַ֛ר אֶל־כֶּ֥תֶף מוּל־הָעֲרָבָ֖ה צָפ֑וֹנָה וְיָרַ֖ד הָעֲרָבָֽתָה׃
English:
It continued northward to the edge of the Arabah and descended into the Arabah.
פסוק י״ט · Verse 19
Hebrew:
וְעָבַ֨ר הַגְּב֜וּל אֶל־כֶּ֣תֶף בֵּית־חׇגְלָה֮ צָפ֒וֹנָה֒ (והיה) [וְהָי֣וּ ׀] (תצאותיו) [תֹּצְא֣וֹת] הַגְּב֗וּל אֶל־לְשׁ֤וֹן יָם־הַמֶּ֙לַח֙ צָפ֔וֹנָה אֶל־קְצֵ֥ה הַיַּרְדֵּ֖ן נֶ֑גְבָּה זֶ֖ה גְּב֥וּל נֶֽגֶב׃
English:
The boundary passed on to the northern flank of Beth-hoglah, and the boundary ended at the northern tongue of the Dead Sea, at the southern end of the Jordan. That was the southern boundary.
פסוק כ׳ · Verse 20
Hebrew:
וְהַיַּרְדֵּ֥ן יִגְבֹּל־אֹת֖וֹ לִפְאַת־קֵ֑דְמָה זֹ֡את נַחֲלַת֩ בְּנֵ֨י בִנְיָמִ֧ן לִגְבֽוּלֹתֶ֛יהָ סָבִ֖יב לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָֽם׃ {פ}
English:
On their eastern rim, finally, the Jordan was their boundary. That was the portion of the Benjaminites, by their clans, according to its boundaries on all sides.
פסוק כ״א · Verse 21
Hebrew:
וְהָי֣וּ הֶֽעָרִ֗ים לְמַטֵּ֛ה בְּנֵ֥י בִנְיָמִ֖ן לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹתֵיהֶ֑ם יְרִיח֥וֹ וּבֵית־חׇגְלָ֖ה וְעֵ֥מֶק קְצִֽיץ׃
English:
And the towns of the tribe of the Benjaminites, by its clans, were: Jericho, Beth-hoglah, Emek-keziz,
פסוק כ״ב · Verse 22
Hebrew:
וּבֵ֧ית הָעֲרָבָ֛ה וּצְמָרַ֖יִם וּבֵֽית־אֵֽל׃
English:
Beth-arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel,
פסוק כ״ג · Verse 23
Hebrew:
וְהָעַוִּ֥ים וְהַפָּרָ֖ה וְעׇפְרָֽה׃
English:
Avvim, Parah, Ophrah,
פסוק כ״ד · Verse 24
Hebrew:
וּכְפַ֧ר (העמני) [הָעַמֹּנָ֛ה] וְהָעׇפְנִ֖י וָגָ֑בַע עָרִ֥ים שְׁתֵּים־עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽן׃
English:
Chephar-ammonah, Ophni, and Geba—12 towns, with their villages.
פסוק כ״ה · Verse 25
Hebrew:
גִּבְע֥וֹן וְהָרָמָ֖ה וּבְאֵרֽוֹת׃
English:
Also Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth,
פסוק כ״ו · Verse 26
Hebrew:
וְהַמִּצְפֶּ֥ה וְהַכְּפִירָ֖ה וְהַמֹּצָֽה׃
English:
Mizpeh, Chephirah, Mozah,
פסוק כ״ז · Verse 27
Hebrew:
וְרֶ֥קֶם וְיִרְפְּאֵ֖ל וְתַרְאֲלָֽה׃
English:
Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah,
פסוק כ״ח · Verse 28
Hebrew:
וְצֵלַ֡ע הָאֶ֜לֶף וְהַיְבוּסִ֨י הִ֤יא יְרוּשָׁלַ֙͏ִם֙ גִּבְעַ֣ת קִרְיַ֔ת עָרִ֥ים אַרְבַּֽע־עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה וְחַצְרֵיהֶ֑ן זֹ֛את נַחֲלַ֥ת בְּנֵֽי־בִנְיָמִ֖ן לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָֽם׃ {פ}
English:
Zela, Eleph, and JebuscJebus Heb. “the Jebusite.”—that is, Jerusalem—Gibeath [and] Kiriath:dKiriath Emendation yields “and Kiriath-jearim.” 14 towns, with their villages. That was the portion of the Benjaminites, by their clans.