Chapter commentary
Joshua Chapter 18
1
Jos 18:1.
English original
Jos 18:1.
THE TABERNACLE SET UP AT SHILOH.
1. the whole congregation . . . assembled together at Shiloh--The main body of the Israelites had been diminished by the separation of the three tribes, Judah, Ephraim, and Manasseh into their respective allotments; and the country having been in a great measure subdued, the camp was removed to Shiloh (now Seilun). It was twenty or twenty-five miles north of Jerusalem, twelve north of Beth-el, and ten south of Shechem, and embosomed in a rugged and romantic glen. This sequestered spot in the heart of the country might have been recommended by the dictates of convenience. There the allotment of the territory could be most conveniently made, north, south, east, and west, to the different tribes. But "the tabernacle of the congregation was also set up there," and its removal therefore must have been made or sanctioned by divine intimation
(De 12:11).
It remained in Shiloh for more than three hundred years
(1Sa 4:1-11).
2
Jos 18:2-9.
约书亚记 18:2-9。
余下之地概述
2. 还剩下……七个支派没有分给他们地业——选定示罗为敬拜之所，并随之将军营迁到那里，必然中断了拈阄分地的工作；先前分地是为犹大和约瑟的支派划定地方。多种原因导致恢复分地一事长期耽搁。百姓对迁到如此宜人肥沃之地感到满足、他们偏爱游牧生活、贪图安逸、不愿重开战端，这些似乎都使他们冷淡于拥有固定的产业。但约书亚深感主所交付的责任，不愿任由局面如此下去；既然那地已被大致征服，他决意立即推进拈阄，相信每个支派一旦得到自己的产业，就会产生新的动力，激励他们竭力夺取完全的占有。
English original
Jos 18:2-9.
THE REMAINDER OF THE LAND DESCRIBED.
2. there remained . . . seven tribes, which had not yet received their inheritance--The selection of Shiloh for the seat of worship, together with the consequent removal of the camp thither, had necessarily interrupted the casting of lots, which was commenced by fixing localities for the tribes of Judah and Joseph. Various causes led to a long delay in resuming it. The satisfaction of the people with their change to so pleasant and fertile a district, their preference of a nomad life, a love of ease, and reluctance to renew the war, seem to have made them indifferent to the possession of a settled inheritance. But Joshua was too much alive to the duty laid on him by the Lord to let matters continue in that state; and accordingly, since a general conquest of the land had been made, he resolved to proceed immediately with the lot, believing that when each tribe should receive its inheritance, a new motive would arise to lead them to exert themselves in securing the full possession.
3
Untitled
3. 你们耽延不去得耶和华你们列祖的神所赐你们为业之地，要到几时呢——这番责备给人的印象是：那七个支派怠延不行，已经到了近乎犯罪的地步。
English original
3. How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the Lord God of your fathers hath given you--This reproof conveys an impression that the seven tribes were dilatory to a criminal extent.
4
Untitled
4-9. 你们每支派当拣选三个人——拈阄虽能决定各支派当得之地所在，却不能决定其所需地业的广狭；约瑟的子孙既因所得的产业嫌小而心生不满，便有理由担心若不预先设法公平分配全地，别处也会生出怨言。为此便委派了一个二十一人组成的委员会——从尚未得地为业的七个支派中各选三人，去详细勘测那地。
English original
4-9. Give out from among you three men for each tribe--Though the lot determined the part of the country where each tribe was to be located, it could not determine the extent of territory which might be required; and the dissatisfaction of the children of Joseph with the alleged smallness of their possession gave reason to fear that complaints might arise from other quarters, unless precautions were taken to make a proper distribution of the land. For this purpose a commission was given to twenty-one persons--three chosen from each of the seven tribes which had not yet received their inheritance, to make an accurate survey of the country.
9
Untitled
9. 那些人就去了，走遍那地，按着城邑分作七分，写在册子上——即按着地的价值，以及其中城邑的贵贱，将全地分为七等份。这绝非轻省之事。它所需要的学问与才智，他们或其师长大概是出埃及时随身带来的。因此约瑟夫说，勘测之事是由精通几何之人完成的。事实上，对各支派境界与位置所记载的那样详尽，足以证明这绝非平庸之辈或外行之人所能为。
English original
9. The men went and passed through the land, and described it by cities into seven parts in a book--dividing the land according to its value, and the worth of the cities which it contained, into seven equal portions. This was no light task to undertake. It required learning and intelligence which they or their instructors had, in all probability, brought with them out of Egypt. Accordingly, JOSEPHUS says that the survey was performed by men expert in geometry. And, in fact, the circumstantial account which is given of the boundaries of each tribe and its situation, well proves it to have been the work of no mean or incompetent hands.
10
Jos 18:10.
书 18:10。
拈阄分地
10. 约书亚就在示罗耶和华面前为他们拈阄——即在会幕之前，那是神同在显现之处，如此便使拈阄与神圣认可的意念相连。
English original
Jos 18:10.
DIVIDED BY LOT.
10. Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the Lord--before the tabernacle, where the divine presence was manifested, and which associated with the lot the idea of divine sanction.
11
Untitled
11. 便雅悯的阄……拈出来了——有人推测，拈阄时所用的瓮或器皿有两个：一个装着各支派的名字，另一个装着那七份地的名字；二者同时抽出。
他们的地业在犹大人 和约瑟子孙中间出来——如此，摩西论便雅悯得业的预言便奇妙地应验了。
(参
申 33:12)。
English original
11. the lot of . . . Benjamin came up--It has been supposed that there were two urns or vessels, from which the lots were drawn: one containing the names of the tribes, the other containing those of the seven portions; and that the two were drawn out simultaneously.
the coast of their lot came forth between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph--Thus the prophecy of Moses respecting the inheritance of Benjamin was remarkably accomplished. (See on
De 33:12).
约书亚记 18:1。
会幕设立在示罗
1. 以色列的全会众……都聚集在示罗——以色列人的主力因犹大、以法莲、玛拿西三个支派分别迁入各自的产业而减少；那地既已大致平定，营寨便迁到示罗（即今塞伦）。该地在耶路撒冷以北约二十或二十五英里、伯特利以北约十二英里、示剑以南约十英里处，环抱于崎岖而幽美的山谷之中。这个位于全国腹地的僻静之所，也许正是出于便利的考虑而被选中。在那里，分地给南北东西各支派最为方便。但"会幕也设在那里"，因此它的迁移必定是出于神的指示或蒙神许可
(申 12:11)。
会幕在示罗存留了三百多年
(撒上 4:1-11)。