John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 5. And they shall divide it into seven parts , etc.] According to the number of the seven tribes not yet settled; and this they were to describe and divide was all the land subdued, or not subdued, only the following excepted: Judah shall abide in their coast on the south ; on the south of the land of Canaan, where their lot fell, so that needed not to be measured and described; and this tribe was to retain what they were possessed of, unless it should appear they had too much, and others wanted, and they willing to part with some of it to their brethren, as they afterwards did to the tribes of Simeon and Dan: and the house of Joseph shall abide in their coast on the north ; on the north of the tribe of Judah; not of the land of Canaan, for some other tribes lay more northerly.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 2-10 - After a year or more, Joshua blamed their slackness, and told them ho to proceed. God, by his grace, has given us a title to a good land, the heavenly Canaan, but we are slack to take possession of it; we ente not into that rest, as we might by faith, and hope, and holy joy. Ho long shall it be thus with us? How long shall we thus stand in our ow light, and forsake our own mercies for lying vanities? Joshua stirs the Israelites up to take possession of their lots. He is ready to do his part, if they will do theirs.
Original Hebrew והתחלקו2505 אתה853 לשׁבעה7651 חלקים2506 יהודה3063 יעמד5975 על5921 גבולו1366 מנגב5045 ובית1004 יוסף3130 יעמדו5975 על5921 גבולם1366 מצפון׃6828
