Joshua 14:5
in Joshua 14So the Israelites did as the LORD had commanded Moses, and they divided the land.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
As Jehovah commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did; and they divided the land.
KJV
As the Lord commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did, and they divided the land.
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This verse in Joshua 14
Commentary
8 notes on this verseThey divided the land - This work was begun some time before at Gilgal, and was finished some time after at Shiloh. It must have required a very considerable time to make all the geographical arrangements that were necessary for this purpose.
This site's exposition
For Moses had given the inheritance east of the Jordan
on Joshua 14:3-5
Two arithmetic problems are answered in one breath. Levi is taken out of the count and receives cities with suburbs instead of territory, and Joseph is counted as two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim, which Jacob had arranged at Genesis 48:5 long before there was any land to divide. Nine and a half tribes are left to provide for west of Jordan because two and a half already have their ground east of it, and the twelve are still twelve.
This site's exposition
So the Israelites did as the LORD had commanded Moses
The verse sums up the division in advance. Adam Clarke notes that the work began at Gilgal and was finished at Shiloh, and Jamieson, Fausset and Brown allow for a long survey. John Gill places Caleb's request, which follows, before the lots were actually drawn.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
Just as those who submit to the law, which is the "shadow" of that true law, diligently serve a "shadow and copy" of "heavenly things," so those who divide the inheritance of the land in Judea imitate the "copy and shadow" of a heavenly division. Thus truth was in heaven, "but a shadow and copy" of truth was on earth. And as long as this shadow remained on earth, there was an earthly Jerusalem; there was a temple, an altar and a visible worship; there were priests and high priests; and there existed regions and towns of Judea and all these things that are described in this book and are now recited.
A first and a second distribution of the inheritance is reported. The first is indeed through Moses, but the second, and the more powerful, is depicted as accomplished through Jesus [Joshua]. Across the Jordan, Moses decrees property to the tribe of Reuben and the tribe of Gad and to half the tribe of Manasseh, but all the rest receive their inheritance through Jesus [Joshua]. We have already spoken first about how those who had pleased God through the law do not yet reach those things that have been perfected. They precede in time those who attain to the promises through faith in Jesus but must wait for those coming afterwards who will please God in a different time but by one faith, just as the apostle says, "They might not attain perfection without us."
The whole account of the land of Judah and of the tribes is typical of the church in heaven. Let us read Joshua, the son of Nun, or the concluding portions of Ezekiel, and we shall see that the historical division of the land as related by the one finds a counterpart in the spiritual and heavenly promises of the other. What is the meaning of the seven and eight steps in the description of the temple?
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
As the Lord commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did,.... Particularly with respect to the division of the land, and making provision for the Levites; this they did by their heads and representatives, the high priest and chief ruler, and the princes of the several tribes: and they divided the land; met about it, and began to take measures in order to do it; they prepared for it, though as yet it was not actually done, and previous to it was the following incident.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
the children of Israel . . . divided the land--that is, they made the preliminary arrangements for the work. A considerable time was requisite for the survey and measurement.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The words behind it
12 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר | kaasher | just as | H834 → | 5497 times |
| צִוָּ֤ה | tzivah | he had commanded | H6680 → | 494 times |
| יְהוָה֙ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| מֹשֶׁ֔ה | mosheh | Moses | H4872 → | 765 times |
| כֵּ֥ן | ken | so | H3651 → | 771 times |
| עָשׂ֖וּ | ʾasu | they did | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| בְּנֵ֣י | benei | [the] people of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| וַֽיַּחְלְק֖וּ | vaiyachleku | and they apportioned | H2505 → | 65 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הָאָֽרֶץ׃ פ | haaretz | the land | H776 → | 2504 times |
כַּאֲשֶׁ֨רjust as
kaasherH834 →5497 times
צִוָּ֤הhe had commanded
tzivahH6680 →494 times
יְהוָה֙Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
מֹשֶׁ֔הMoses
moshehH4872 →765 times
כֵּ֥ןso
kenH3651 →771 times
עָשׂ֖וּthey did
ʾasuH6213 →2628 times
בְּנֵ֣י[the] people of
beneiH1121 →4930 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
וַֽיַּחְלְק֖וּand they apportioned
vaiyachlekuH2505 →65 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הָאָֽרֶץ׃ פthe land
haaretzH776 →2504 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Joshua 21:2at Shiloh in the land of Canaan and said to them, “The LORD commanded through Moses that we be given cities in which to live, together with pasturelands for our livestock.”
it leads to
- Joshua 18:1
Then the whole congregation of Israel assembled at Shiloh and set up the Tent of Meeting there. And though the land was subdued before them,
- Numbers 35:2–8
“Command the Israelites to give, from the inheritance they will possess, cities for the Levites to live in and pasturelands around the cities.
- Matthew 10:10
Take no bag for the road, or second tunic, or sandals, or staff; for the worker is worthy of his provisions.
- Ezekiel 48:9–18
The special portion you set apart to the LORD shall be 25,000 cubits long and 10,000 cubits wide.
- 1 Timothy 5:17–18
Elders who lead effectively are worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.
- Joshua 18:1
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Joshua
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Against Jovinianus 2.34; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON JOSHUA 17.1 and Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON JOSHUA 17.2.