[18:1] After they had conquered the land, the entire community of Israel assembled at Shiloh and set up the Tent of the Lord's presence.
[18:2] There were still seven tribes of the people of Israel who had not yet been assigned their share of the land.
[18:3] So Joshua said to the people of Israel, “How long are you going to wait before you go in and take the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has given you?
[18:4] Let me have three men from each tribe. I will send them out over the whole country to map out the territory that they would like to have as their possession. Then they are to come back to me.
[18:5] The land will be divided among them in seven parts; Judah will stay in its territory in the south, and Joseph in its territory in the north.
[18:6] Write down a description of these seven divisions and bring it to me. Then I will draw lots to consult the Lord our God for you.
[18:7] The Levites, however, will not receive a share of the land with the rest of you, because their share is to serve as the Lord's priests. And of course, the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and East Manasseh have already received their land east of the Jordan, which Moses, the Lord's servant, gave to them.”
[18:8] The men went on their way to map out the land after Joshua had given them these instructions: “Go all over the land and map it out, and come back to me. And then here in Shiloh I will consult the Lord for you by drawing lots.”
[18:9] So the men went all over the land and set down in writing how they divided it into seven parts, making a list of the towns. Then they went back to Joshua in the camp at Shiloh.
[18:10] Joshua drew lots to consult the Lord for them, and assigned each of the remaining tribes of Israel a certain part of the land.