Bible Strands

Joshua 18:4

Appoint three men from each tribe, and I will send them out to survey the land and map it out, according to the inheritance of each. Then they will return to me

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Joshua addresses the Israelites, urging them to cease delaying possession of the land God gave them, and instructs them to appoint three men from each tribe to survey the territory.

The words — הָב֥וּ (havū) commands the assembly to "provide" or "appoint" representatives, while וְ/אֶשְׁלָחֵ֗/ם (ve-'eshlaḥēm) states God's response to "send them out" for the mapping task.

The thread — This administrative command parallels the tribal representation required in Numbers 1:4, the earlier survey mandate in Numbers 13:2, and the twelve-man selection in Joshua 3:12.

Why it lands — The passage requires the community to execute a concrete administrative step for land distribution rather than waiting passively for divine action.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

הָב֥וּha.Vuprovideלָכֶ֛םla./Khemfor <the>/ yourselvesשְׁלֹשָׁ֥הshe.lo.Shahthreeאֲנָשִׁ֖ים'a.na.Shimmenלַשָּׁ֑בֶטla./Sha.vetto the/ tribeוְאֶשְׁלָחֵ֗םve./'esh.la.Che/mso/ I may send/ themוְיָקֻ֜מוּve./ya.Ku.muand/ they may ariseוְיִֽתְהַלְּכ֥וּve./yit.ha.le.Khuso/ they may walkבָאָ֛רֶץva./'A.retzin the/ landוְיִכְתְּב֥וּve./yikh.te.Vuso/ they may describe in writingאוֹתָ֛הּ'o.Ta/h<obj.>/ itלְפִ֥יle./Fito/ [the] mouth ofנַֽחֲלָתָ֖םna.cha.la.Ta/minheritance/ theirוְיָבֹ֥אוּve./ya.Vo.'uso/ they may comeאֵלָֽי׃'e.La/ito/ me

King James Version

Give out from among you three men for each tribe: and I will send them, and they shall rise, and go through the land, and describe it according to the inheritance of them; and they shall come again to me.

Cross-references