Joshua 18:5

5 And they came to him: and he divided to them seven portions, , Juda shall stand to them a border southward, and the sons of Joseph shall stand to them northward.

Joshua 18:5 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 18:5

And they shall divide it into seven parts
According to the number of the seven tribes not yet settled; and this they were to describe and divide was all the land subdued, or not subdued, only the following excepted:

Judah shall abide in their coast on the south;
on the south of the land of Canaan, where their lot fell, so that needed not to be measured and described; and this tribe was to retain what they were possessed of, unless it should appear they had too much, and others wanted, and they willing to part with some of it to their brethren, as they afterwards did to the tribes of Simeon and Dan:

and the house of Joseph shall abide in their coast on the north;
on the north of the tribe of Judah; not of the land of Canaan, for some other tribes lay more northerly.

Joshua 18:5 In-Context

3 And Joshua said to the sons of Israel, How long will ye be slack to inherit the land, which the Lord our God has given you?

4 Appoint of yourselves three men of each tribe, and let them rise up and go through the land, and let them describe it before me, as it will be proper to divide it.

5 And they came to him: and he divided to them seven portions, , Juda shall stand to them a border southward, and the sons of Joseph shall stand to them northward.

6 And do ye divide the land into seven parts, and bring the description hither to me, and I will give you a lot before the Lord our God.

7 For the sons of Levi have no part among you; for the priesthood of the Lord his portion; and Gad, and Ruben, and the half tribe of Manasse, have received their inheritance beyond Jordan eastward, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave to them.

Footnotes

• [a]. went through.