יהושע, פרק י״ח, פסוק ח׳

The time to map the land finally arrives, and the chosen delegates prepare to embark on their journey. This pivotal moment beautifully blends necessary human effort with the ultimate direction of God. Just as the selected men rise to leave [מצודת דוד], Joshua halts them. He uses this brief pause before their departure to issue final warnings and precise directions on how to carry out their task [רד״ק]. It is also an opportunity for him to urge them forward and offer essential encouragement for the mission ahead [מצודת דוד].

Joshua's final orders reveal a complex dynamic between human initiative and Divine providence. Previously, Joshua had informed the Israelites that the division of the land and the results of the lottery would be entirely directed by God. Yet, when speaking directly to the delegates, he instructs them to operate strictly within the natural order. He tells them to walk through the territory, survey it, and divide it based purely on their own human judgment and rational choice [מלבי״ם].

Furthermore, when Joshua mentions the casting of lots, he refrains from telling the delegates that the process will be miraculously guided. Outwardly, he presents it to them as a standard human lottery where the outcomes are entirely unknown [מלבי״ם]. He maintains this natural framework for their specific mission, even though the lottery will ultimately be conducted before God and decided by Him, exactly as Joshua had explained to the wider nation beforehand [ביאור שטיינזלץ].