The Tribes Meet at Shiloh

18:1 The entire Israelite community assembled at Shiloh and there they set up the tent of meeting.1 Though they had subdued the land,2 18:2 seven Israelite tribes had not been assigned their allotted land.3 18:3 So Joshua said to the Israelites: “How long do you intend to put off occupying4 the land the Lord God of your ancestors5 has given you? 18:4 Pick three men from each tribe. I will send them out to walk through the land and make a map of it for me.6 18:5 Divide it into seven regions.7 Judah will stay8 in its territory in the south, and the family9 of Joseph in its territory in the north. 18:6 But as for you, map out the land into seven regions and bring it to me. I will draw lots for you here before the Lord our God. 18:7 But the Levites will not have an allotted portion among you, for their inheritance is to serve the Lord.10 Gad, Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh have already received their allotted land11 east of the Jordan which Moses the Lord’s servant assigned them.”

18:8 When the men started out, Joshua told those going to map out the land, “Go, walk through the land, map it out, and return to me. Then I will draw lots for you before the Lord here in Shiloh.” 18:9 The men journeyed12 through the land and mapped it and its cities out into seven regions on a scroll. Then they came to Joshua at the camp in Shiloh. 18:10 Joshua drew lots for them in Shiloh before the Lord and divided the land among the Israelites according to their allotted portions.