Yehoshua - Perek 18: “The Last Seven Tribes”
Part 1: The Remaining Tribes approach Yehoshua (18:1-10)
Summary
Points to Ponder
Why did Yehoshua not divide all the land at one time all at once?
The remaining tribes came to Yehoshua and asked about their intended land. He responded to them “When are you going to stop being lazy and conquer the rest of the land?” This whole dialogue does not make sense. Surely Yehoshua should have divided the entire land between all of the nine and a half tribes on the Western side of the Jordan in one shot. Why did he only do it in sections which would beg such complaints?
Malbim cites the Mahari Kara who explains as follows. At the start, there were only two tribes who were willing to conquer their own territories by themselves. These were there tribes of Yehuda and Yosef. They went out and conquered their own territories, put their flags in the ground and took control of that area. The remaining seven tribes wanted to do it as a coalition not individually. They formed a group and came to Yehoshua, ready to fight for more territory. He responded by encouraging them to do so. As we know, they did not fully conquer the land of Israel. The parts that were not fully conquered were in the remaining seven tribes' intended area. Yehoshua says to them, “Yes, we have not fully conquered your land but in fact, the ball is in your court, go ahead and finish the jobs.”
Yehoshua himself has completed his duties. Yehoshua now pushes the responsibility of the continuing conquest onto them.
What was the significance of Shilo as the location where the lottery took place?
The chapter introduces this whole episode by noting that it took place in Shilo. In fact the chapter begins by noting that the nation of Israel established the Tent of Meeting, the mishkan, in Shilo and only then did this whole episode unfold. This is a milestone event. The mishkan had travelled forty years in the desert and it was encamped for fourteen more years at Gilgal during conquest and division of the land. Finally, for the first time, it found a resting place.
Surely, it could have been placed in its intended location earlier. Why did it wait for fourteen years? The Radak points out that the mishkan needed to have a specific place, and therefore a specific tribal territory. To understand where that place was to be, it was necessary for the whole land to be conquered.
Incidentally, the mishkan stayed in Shilo for a very long time – for three hundred and sixty-nine years. It looked a little different to the mishkan that we learn about in parshas Teruma and Tetzave. In fact, the mefarshim describe how this later mishkan had walls of stone and had its curtains going over the top. Overall, it was much more of a permanent fixture. It was not the Beis Hamikdash, but further up on the spectrum in terms of permanence and gravity.
Part 2: The Portion of Binyamin (18:11-28)
Summary
Summary
- At this point, Reuven, Yehuda, Menashe, Ephraim and Gad have received their portions of land. The remaining seven tribes approach Yehoshua and ask for their land.
- He first tells them to go and conquer the land which they are demanding for themselves.
- He then suggests that they send three representatives from each tribe, and they divide the remaining land into seven portions.
- Then they are to do a lottery as to who gets which portion of land.
- This lottery takes place in Shilo.
Points to Ponder
Why did Yehoshua not divide all the land at one time all at once?
The remaining tribes came to Yehoshua and asked about their intended land. He responded to them “When are you going to stop being lazy and conquer the rest of the land?” This whole dialogue does not make sense. Surely Yehoshua should have divided the entire land between all of the nine and a half tribes on the Western side of the Jordan in one shot. Why did he only do it in sections which would beg such complaints?
Malbim cites the Mahari Kara who explains as follows. At the start, there were only two tribes who were willing to conquer their own territories by themselves. These were there tribes of Yehuda and Yosef. They went out and conquered their own territories, put their flags in the ground and took control of that area. The remaining seven tribes wanted to do it as a coalition not individually. They formed a group and came to Yehoshua, ready to fight for more territory. He responded by encouraging them to do so. As we know, they did not fully conquer the land of Israel. The parts that were not fully conquered were in the remaining seven tribes' intended area. Yehoshua says to them, “Yes, we have not fully conquered your land but in fact, the ball is in your court, go ahead and finish the jobs.”
Yehoshua himself has completed his duties. Yehoshua now pushes the responsibility of the continuing conquest onto them.
What was the significance of Shilo as the location where the lottery took place?
The chapter introduces this whole episode by noting that it took place in Shilo. In fact the chapter begins by noting that the nation of Israel established the Tent of Meeting, the mishkan, in Shilo and only then did this whole episode unfold. This is a milestone event. The mishkan had travelled forty years in the desert and it was encamped for fourteen more years at Gilgal during conquest and division of the land. Finally, for the first time, it found a resting place.
Surely, it could have been placed in its intended location earlier. Why did it wait for fourteen years? The Radak points out that the mishkan needed to have a specific place, and therefore a specific tribal territory. To understand where that place was to be, it was necessary for the whole land to be conquered.
Incidentally, the mishkan stayed in Shilo for a very long time – for three hundred and sixty-nine years. It looked a little different to the mishkan that we learn about in parshas Teruma and Tetzave. In fact, the mefarshim describe how this later mishkan had walls of stone and had its curtains going over the top. Overall, it was much more of a permanent fixture. It was not the Beis Hamikdash, but further up on the spectrum in terms of permanence and gravity.
Part 2: The Portion of Binyamin (18:11-28)
Summary
- The lottery is used to divide the remaining territories.
- It gives the lot of Binyamin between Yehuda to the south and Menashe and Ephraim bordering him from the central area.
- Binyamin’s portion includes Yericho.
- Binyamin shares with Yehuda the land upon which the Beis Hamikdash will be built.