King James Version

What Does Joshua 18:3 Mean?

Joshua 18:3 in the King James Version says “And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the LORD God of your...” — study this verse from Joshua chapter 18 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the LORD God of your fathers hath given you?”

Joshua 18:3 · KJV

Context

1

And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of the congregation there. And the land was subdued before them.

2

And there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes, which had not yet received their inheritance.

3

And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the LORD God of your fathers hath given you?

4

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.

5

And they shall divide it into seven parts: Judah shall abide in their coast on the south, and the house of Joseph shall abide in their coasts on the north.

Read Joshua 18 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
Joshua's rebuke addresses Israel's procrastination in possessing their inheritance. The question 'How long are ye slack' (ad-anah atem mitrapim, עַד־אָנָה אַתֶּם מִתְרַפִּים) uses a Hebrew verb meaning to be loose, remiss, or negligent. The phrase conveys exasperation—why delay when God has already given the land? The infinitive 'to go to possess' (lalechet lareshet, לָלֶכֶת לָרֶשֶׁת) emphasizes action required; possession demands going and taking, not merely waiting passively. The phrase 'which the LORD God of your fathers hath given you' (asher natan lakhem Yahweh Elohei avoteikhem) uses perfect tense—the gift is already accomplished from God's perspective, yet Israel hesitates to appropriate it. This reveals a recurring biblical tension: God's promises are certain and accomplished in divine decree, yet require human faith-filled action to experience. Seven tribes had not yet received territorial allocations, showing widespread passivity. Their slackness stemmed from various causes: fear of remaining enemies, satisfaction with current situation, or lack of vision for inherited promise. Joshua's rebuke echoes Moses' earlier frustration when Israel refused to enter Canaan (Numbers 13-14). Each generation must actively appropriate God's promises rather than assuming automatic fulfillment.

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Historical & Cultural Context

By this point in Joshua's campaigns, major Canaanite military power was broken, yet significant land remained unconquered and unallocated. Seven tribes—Benjamin, Simeon, Zebulun, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Dan—had not yet surveyed or received their inheritances. The setting was Shiloh, where the tabernacle had been established (18:1), providing religious centrality for the tribal confederation. Ancient land allocation required careful surveying, boundary establishment, and formal distribution—tasks requiring initiative and organization. Israel's hesitancy may have stemmed from fear of remaining Canaanites, comfort with the status quo after years of warfare, or uncertainty about tribal boundaries and inheritances. Joshua, now elderly, recognized that land distribution must occur before his death to prevent future disputes and maintain tribal structure. The rebuke demonstrates godly leadership confronting passivity and calling God's people to faith-filled action. This incident parallels later moments when Israel needed prophetic confrontation to overcome inertia—Deborah rousing Barak (Judges 4-5), Samuel challenging Saul's disobedience (1 Samuel 15), Nathan confronting David's sin (2 Samuel 12). God's people repeatedly need exhortation to move from promise to possession.

Reflection Questions

  1. What inheritance or calling has God given you that you're 'slack' to possess due to fear, comfort, or procrastination?
  2. How does God's perfect-tense gift ('hath given') challenge you to act in faith before seeing complete fulfillment?
  3. What would it look like practically to move from passivity to active appropriation of God's promises in your life?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 19 words
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר1 of 19

“said”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ2 of 19

“And Joshua”

H3091

jehoshua (i.e., joshua), the jewish leader

אֶל3 of 19
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

בְּנֵ֣י4 of 19

“unto the children”

H1121

a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or

יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל5 of 19

“of Israel”

H3478

he will rule as god; jisral, a symbolical name of jacob; also (typically) of his posterity

עַד6 of 19
H5704

as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with)

אָ֙נָה֙7 of 19
H575

where?; hence, whither?, when?; also hither and thither

אַתֶּ֣ם8 of 19
H859

thou and thee, or (plural) ye and you

מִתְרַפִּ֔ים9 of 19

“How long are ye slack”

H7503

to slacken (in many applications, literal or figurative)

לָבוֹא֙10 of 19

“to go”

H935

to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)

לָרֶ֣שֶׁת11 of 19

“to possess”

H3423

to occupy (by driving out previous tenants, and possessing in their place); by implication, to seize, to rob, to inherit; also to expel, to impoverish

אֶת12 of 19
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

הָאָ֔רֶץ13 of 19

“the land”

H776

the earth (at large, or partitively a land)

אֲשֶׁר֙14 of 19
H834

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc

נָתַ֣ן15 of 19

“hath given”

H5414

to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)

לָכֶ֔ם16 of 19
H0
יְהוָ֖ה17 of 19

“which the LORD”

H3068

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god

אֱלֹהֵ֥י18 of 19

“God”

H430

gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme god; occasionally applied by way of

אֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶֽם׃19 of 19

“of your fathers”

H1

father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Joshua. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Joshua 18:3 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Joshua 18:3 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Proverbs 13:4Judges 18:9Proverbs 15:19Matthew 20:6Proverbs 10:4Zephaniah 3:16

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