Joshua 18 Allotment for Benjamin

Division of the Rest of the Land




Allotment for Benjamin





20 The Jordan formed the boundary on the eastern side.





This was the inheritance of Benjamin for its clans.


A map of the approximate land each tribe was allotted:


Five of the tribes of Israel have received their allotted inheritance, and now seven remain.  They are all gathered together for the next instruction from Joshua.  In these first passages we get a glimpse of how all of us sometimes respond when given a task.  For example, let’s say you are at work and your boss makes you head over accounts.  He tells you to follow up on the first account of record.  Once you are finished, you sit at your desk wondering what to do next.  This irritates the boss and he asks why you haven’t just gone down the list, on to the next account.

We have all had moments like these, where we know there is something to do, and yet we are hesitant.  Maybe we wait because we are unsure if what we think we should do is what we are supposed to do.  Or maybe we just really have no clue what is next.  In the case of the Israelites, it seems that they are so used to taking orders from Joshua that they are just standing around, waiting for him to tell them what is next, instead of going up to him in anticipation.  Through Moses, and then again through Joshua, the Lord tells the Israelites to go and inherit the land.  God has set the appointed leaders, and given a direct order in how to carry this out:

13 Moses commanded the Israelites: “Assign this land by lot as an inheritance. The Lord has ordered that it be given to the nine and a half tribes, 14 because the families of the tribe of Reuben, the tribe of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance. 15 These two and a half tribes have received their inheritance east of the Jordan across from Jericho, toward the sunrise.” 16 The Lord said to Moses, 17 “These are the names of the men who are to assign the land for you as an inheritance: Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun. 18 And appoint one leader from each tribe to help assign the land.” – Numbers 34

Once the instruction is given, the men go out to map the land, and then lots are drawn in the presence of the Lord to see what tribe gets what.  The drawing of lots was a custom back then to know what the will of God was for the situation.  Though it is a lot like what we call gambling today, this was explicit instruction from the Lord because none of these people was endowed with that internal compass we take for granted: the Holy Spirit.  There are several instances in the old testament of God telling the people to draw lots, so that they would know what He wanted them to do.  Take note that even though they were ‘gambling’, the Lord decided the outcome (there are no coincidences).  Benjamin is drawn first, and the preceding verses layout the land they are allotted.

  • Is there a promise or principle to remember?

God wants us to take possession of our inheritance.  Being a child of God, He calls you to certain activities.  There are the obvious such as sharing the Gospel, baptism, and communion, but there is also a command given over and over throughout the Bible: make your calling sure.  God wants us to make sure we are His, and He wants us to grow.





In these passages we see that the command was to go out and take charge of what was already given.  The Israelites were told to take possession of the land that was already considered theirs.  God wants us to dive into Scripture, and to pray without ceasing so we can become more and more like Christ.


What is it that defines you?  What would your family or friends call you for advice on?  Are you constantly talking about celebrities, gossip, exercise,  food?  If God tells us in His word to seek Him at every opportunity, then shouldn’t He be on our minds 24/7 and not the rest of this world?  God tells us to seek first His kingdom.  “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” – Proverbs 1:7

  • Is there a sin being revealed?

If we are not seeking & following God, we are seeking & following idols.  Each of us has something in our lives that we place before God.  For some, it is ourselves.. for others, our husbands, wives, or children.  That is a sin.  Nothing should come before the one who created you.  It is time to repent, believe the Gospel, and move forward.


O Lord, forgive me for placing my silly desires of wanting to be popular before wanting to know you more.  I pray that this lesson, and the knowledge of what you desire of my life will resonate with me always, and that you will continue to work on me and where I place my allegiances.  Help me, Lord, to take a hold of what you have done in my life and push forward to creating a deeper understanding of who you are, what you have done, and what you will do.  I am ready to move into my inheritance.

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