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.
Parallel translations
- WEB Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before Yahweh. There Joshua divided the land to the children of Israel according to their divisions.
- KJV And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the LORD: and there Joshua divided the land unto the children of Israel according to their divisions.
- NKJV Then Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the Lord, and there Joshua divided the land to the children of Israel according to their divisions.
- NASB Joshua then cast lots for them in Shiloh before the Lord, and there Joshua divided the land for the sons of Israel according to their divisions.
- NLT And there at Shiloh, Joshua cast sacred lots in the presence of the Lord to determine which tribe should have each section.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
At Shiloh, Joshua cast lots before Yahweh and divided the land among the tribes according to their divisions. The remaining inheritance was finally assigned.
Overview
With the survey complete, Joshua distributed the land by lot in the presence of the LORD, completing the allotment for the seven tribes. The casting of lots before God underscored that the outcome rested in His hands, not human bargaining. This fulfillment of the long-awaited distribution displays God's faithfulness in giving His people the inheritance He had sworn, a shadow of the secure inheritance He grants in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Col 1:12giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.
- Acts 13:19And having vanquished seven nations in Canaan, He gave their land to His people as an inheritance.
- Josh 18:6When 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.
- Acts 26:18to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those sanctified by faith in Me.’
- Ezek 47:22You shall allot it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the foreigners who dwell among you and who have children. You are to treat them as native-born Israelites; along with you, they shall be allotted an inheritance among the tribes of Israel.
- Josh 18:8As 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.”
- John 17:2For You granted Him authority over all people, so that He may give eternal life to all those You have given Him.
- Ps 47:4He chooses our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom He loves. Selah
- Matt 27:35When they had crucified Him, they divided up His garments by casting lots.
- Ezek 48:29This is the land you are to allot as an inheritance to the tribes of Israel, and these will be their portions,” declares the Lord GOD.
- Josh 19:51These are the inheritances that Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the families distributed by lot to the tribes of Israel at Shiloh before the LORD at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. So they finished dividing up the land.
- Prov 18:18Casting the lot ends quarrels and separates strong opponents.
- Ps 61:5For You have heard my vows, O God; You have given me the inheritance reserved for those who fear Your name.
- Ps 16:5–6The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; You have made my lot secure.
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Christ at the center
Joshua — the same name as Jesus, 'the LORD saves' — leads God's people into their inheritance, a shadow of the greater Joshua who brings us into the true rest and the promised land that remains.
How Joshua 18:10 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.