John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 8. And the men arose, and went away , etc.] The seven tribes took the advice of Joshua, chose three men out of each tribe, and presented them to him, who gave them their commission and instruction to go and describe the land of Canaan, not yet disposed of, and whether subdued, or not subdued; upon which they prepared for their journey, and took it, after he had given them the following charge: and Joshua charged them that went to describe the land ; before they departed from him: saying, go and walk through the land ; and take particular notice, and an exact survey of it, both of the quality and the quantity of it: and describe it ; its cities and towns, hills and dales, the goodness and badness of the soil, and put it down in a book, or lay it out in a map, that it may be discerned by the eye what number of cities, and what space of ground it contains, and what parts are hilly and woody, and what otherwise: and come again to me ; to make a report of it: that I may cast lots for you before the Lord in Shiloh ; that is, for the several tribes which they belonged to, and by whom they were chosen for this purpose.
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 ויקמו6965 האנשׁים582 וילכו1980 ויצו6680 יהושׁע3091 את853 ההלכים1980 לכתב3789 את853 הארץ776 לאמר559 לכו1980 והתהלכו1980 בארץ776 וכתבו3789 אותה853 ושׁובו7725 אלי413 ופה6311 אשׁליך7993 לכם גורל1486 לפני6440 יהוה3068 בשׁלה׃7887
