Definition: And the men arose, and went away: and Joshua charged them that went to describe the land, saying, Go and walk through the land, and describe it, and come again to me, that I may here cast lots for you before the LORD in Shiloh.

Explanation: Okay, let’s break down this verse from Joshua 18:8. It's a pretty important passage about leadership and God’s plan! Here’s what it means in simpler terms: Basically, Joshua is telling his men to go out and explore the land he’s leading them through. Let’s unpack it piece by piece: “And the men arose, and went away…” – This means Joshua's soldiers were leaving to investigate and map the area. “…and Joshua charged them that went to describe the land, saying, Go and walk through the land, and describe it, and come again to me, that I may here cast lots for you before the LORD in Shiloh.” – This is the core of the verse. Joshua gives his men a specific task: "Go and walk through the land..." - They need to thoroughly examine every part of the territory they're overseeing. "...and describe it..." - They have to meticulously document what they see – the landscape, its features, and anything important. "...come again to me, that I may here cast lots for you before the LORD in Shiloh." - This is a really significant part. Joshua wants to make a decision about how to divide the land among his people. “Cast lots” means to choose who gets what portion of the territory – it’s a way of distributing resources and ownership. He wants to do this before God in Shiloh, which was a special place for worship and judgment. What's the bigger picture? This verse speaks to God's plan for the Israelites after their time wandering in the wilderness. It’s about: God’s Sovereignty: He is actively involved in shaping the land and distributing its resources. Leadership & Responsibility: Joshua is assigning a task to his men, emphasizing that they are responsible for understanding and documenting the land God has given them. Divine Judgment & Distribution: The “casting of lots” suggests a process of judgment – God will decide how to distribute the land fairly and justly among his people. In essence, Joshua is commissioning his men to be careful observers and documenters, with the ultimate goal of God’s plan for the future. --- Do you want me to: Explain this verse further? Give you a more detailed explanation of any specific part?