Joshua 18:4 — English Passion Translation Bible 2020
The tribes of Gad, Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh have already received their allotted land east of the Jordan which Moses, Yahweh ’s servant, assigned them. The tribe of Judah already has its territory in the south, and the descendants of Joseph have their territory in the north. So let each of the seven remaining tribes select three men and send them to me. I will send them out to survey and make a map of the entire land. Divide the territory into seven districts and bring the description of each district to me. Then I will draw lots before Yahweh our God to determine which section he has chosen for each tribe to receive. But the Levites will not have an allotted portion among you, for their inheritance is to serve as Yahweh ’s priests.”
What Does This Mean?
Joshua is telling the leaders of the tribes to send three men from each tribe to survey the land. The men will map out the land and return to Joshua with the information. This helps Joshua to distribute the land fairly among the tribes.
Explained for Children
Imagine you have a big playground, and you need to divide it fairly among your friends. Joshua is like the playground leader, and he’s asking each group of friends to pick three members to walk around the playground and draw a map. Once they’re done, they’ll come back and share the map so Joshua can divide the playground fairly.
Historical Background
Joshua 18:4 is part of the Book of Joshua, written by Joshua or someone close to him around 1350 BC. This book details the conquest and division of the Promised Land among the Israelites. The audience is the Israelites who had recently entered Canaan after the death of Moses.
Living It Out Today
Today, this verse can remind us of the importance of teamwork and thoroughness in planning. For instance, a community project like a neighborhood cleanup might benefit from assigning teams to survey different areas and report back with specific needs and plans.
Joshua likely chose three men to ensure a fair and thorough survey of the land. Having multiple representatives from each tribe ensures diverse perspectives and reduces the risk of errors.
What was the purpose of surveying the land?
The purpose was to create an accurate map of the land so that Joshua could distribute it fairly among the tribes based on their needs and population sizes.
How does this verse reflect the leadership style of Joshua?
This verse shows that Joshua was a collaborative leader who valued the input of others and relied on teamwork to achieve his goals, such as the fair division of land among the tribes.
What can we learn about teamwork from Joshua 18:4?
We can learn that successful teamwork requires selecting competent individuals, giving them a clear task, and trusting them to complete the assignment accurately and fairly.
