“Holy Land” In Joshua 18:1–10

Abstract

This chapter deals with the distribution of the land, belongs to a late phase in the literary history of the Hebrew Bible. God no longer plays an active role, as he had done in larger parts of the Pentateuch. He is rather perceived to be present in the land.This implied presence of God makes the land implicitly holy. The chapter illustrates this by a closer look at the text and the history of Josh 18:1-10. Joshua 18:1-10 thus appears in the centre of the narrative about the distribution of the Cisjordanian land, distinguishing the more important tribes of Judah and Joseph from the seven less important remaining tribes. Similar to the division of tasks by lots in 1Chronicles 23-27 the land in Joshua is divided by lots. In ancient times these lots were thought to reveal the will of God. Keywords: God; Hebrew Bible; holy land; Joseph; Joshua 18:1-10; Judah