Joshua 18 · Verse 3

Joshua 18:3

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?
Joshua 18:3, King James Version

Joshua 18:3 in other translations

BSBSo Joshua said to the Israelites, “How long will you put off entering and possessing the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, has given you?
WEBJoshua said to the children of Israel, “How long will you neglect to go in to possess the land, which the LORD, the God of your fathers, has given you?
ASVAnd Joshua said unto the children of Israel, How long are ye slack to go in to possess the land, which Jehovah, the God of your fathers, hath given you?
YLTand Joshua saith unto the sons of Israel, ‘Till when are ye remiss to go in to possess the land which He hath given to you, Jehovah, God of your fathers?
DARBYAnd Joshua said to the children of Israel, How long will ye shew yourselves slack to go to take possession of the land which Jehovah the God of your fathers hath given you?
BBEThen Joshua said to the children of Israel, Why are you so slow to go in and take up your heritage in the land which the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given you?
WebsterAnd Joshua said to 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?

What does Joshua 18:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
3. How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the Lord God of your fathers hath given you--This reproof conveys an impression that the seven tribes were dilatory to a criminal extent.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 How long are ye slack to go to possess the land - We find an unaccountable backwardness in this people to enter on the inheritance which God had given them! They had so long been supported by miracle, without any exertions of their own, that they found it difficult to shake themselves from their inactivity. When it was necessary that all the people should go out to battle, they went with a measure of confidence, expecting miraculous help from God, and confiding in their numbers, but when each tribe found it necessary to fight for itself, in order to its establishment and the extension of its borders, it was discouraged, and chose rather a life of inglorious ease than the possession of an inheritance which would cost it much labor to conquer.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Joshua 18:2-10

After a year or more, Joshua blamed their slackness, and told them how 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 enter not into that rest, as we might by faith, and hope, and holy joy. How long shall it be thus with us? How long shall we thus stand in our own light, and forsake our own mercies for lying vanities? Joshua…

Read the full comment on Joshua 18:2-10 →

Joshua 18:3 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּ֥אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַye.ho.Shu.a'JoshuaH3091
אֶל\־'el-toH413
בְּנֵ֣יbe.Nei[the] people ofH1121
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
עַד\־'ad-untilH5704
אָ֙נָה֙'a.nahwhen?H575
אַתֶּ֣ם'a.Tem[will] youH859
מִתְרַפִּ֔יםmit.ra.Pim[be] showing yourself slackH7503
לָבוֹא֙la.Vo'to goH935
לָרֶ֣שֶׁתla.Re.shetto take possession ofH3423
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
הָאָ֔רֶץha.'A.retzthe landH776
אֲשֶׁר֙'a.SherwhichH834
נָתַ֣ןna.Tanhe has givenH5414
לָכֶ֔םla.Khemto <the> you
יְהוָ֖הYah.wehYahwehH3068
אֱלֹהֵ֥י'e.lo.Hei[the] God ofH430
אֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶֽם\׃'a.Vo.tei.Khemancestors yourH1

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Joshua 18:3

  • Proverbs 13:4

    The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.

  • Proverbs 15:19

    The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain.

  • Judges 18:9

    And they said, Arise, that we may go up against them: for we have seen the land, and, behold, it is very good: and are ye still? be not slothful to go, and to enter to possess the land.

  • Proverbs 10:4

    He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

  • Matthew 20:6

    And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?

  • Zephaniah 3:16

    In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack.

  • Philippians 3:13-14

    Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

  • 2 Peter 1:10-11

    Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

  • Proverbs 2:2-6

    So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. …

  • Ecclesiastes 9:10

    Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

  • John 6:27

    Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
How long are.
Jud 18:9; Pr 2:2-6; 10:4; 13:4; 15:19; Ec 9:10; Zep 3:16; Mt 20:6
Joh 6:27; Php 3:13,14; 2Pe 1:10,11

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Joshua 18:2

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

  • Joshua 18:3

    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?

  • Joshua 18:4

    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.

Read all of Joshua 18

Joshua 18:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y Josué dijo á los hijos de Israel: ¿Hasta cuándo seréis negligentes para venir á poseer la tierra que os ha dado Jehová el Dios de vuestros padres?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et Josué dit aux fils d’Israël: Jusques à quand vous porterez-vous lâchement à aller prendre possession du pays que l’ Éternel, le Dieu de vos pères, vous a donné?
German
Elberfelder 1871
Da sprach Josua zu den Kindern Israel: Wie lange werdet ihr euch lässig zeigen hinzugehen, um das Land in Besitz zu nehmen, welches Jehova, der Gott eurer Väter, euch gegeben hat?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Ad quos Josue ait: Usquequo marcetis ignavia, et non intratis ad possidendam terram, quam Dominus Deus patrum vestrorum dedit vobis?