Albert Barnes Commentary Joshua 18

After all overt resistance was overcome, the tabernacle with its sacred contents was removed from its place of safety at Gilgal, in a corner of the land near the Jordan, to a central place, Shiloh, the modern Scilun, which is two or three miles east of the main road, and a little more than halfway between Jerusalem and Nablus.

Its choice as the national sanctuary may indeed have been determined by Joshua, no doubt under divine direction (Deuteronomy 12:11), because of its insignificance, in order to avoid local jealousies, as well as because of its position in the very center of the whole land, and perhaps also because of its seclusion.

Its very name (“rest”) was probably bestowed at this time, when God had given the people rest from their enemies.

The tabernacle with its contents continued at Shiloh during the whole period of the Judges, until its capture by the Philistines. Shiloh (1 Samuel 4:3–4) seems to have fallen into desolation at an early date (Jeremiah 7:12; Jeremiah 26:6).

Two tribes and a half had already received their portions on the east of Jordan; Judah, Ephraim, and the remaining half of Manasseh had also been provided for (Joshua 15-17). Thus, there remained still seven tribes out of the twelve to be settled in their homes.

This backwardness probably arose from the people's unwillingness to abandon the nomadic life in which they had been born and raised, and to settle in permanent homes, and perhaps also from a dislike of the exterminating warfare that came with completely dispossessing the Canaanites.

Three men for each tribe - that is, 21 in all. Their duty would be to describe the land, especially with reference to the cities it contained (Joshua 18:9), that Joshua might have the means of making a first apportionment among the tribes according to their varying numbers.

Cast lots - See the Joshua 14:2 note.