1. Josué 18:3 (NEG79)
  2. Explication du texte

Why did Joshua ask the people of Israel how long they will put off taking possession of the land?

Josué 18:3 (NEG79)

3 Josué dit aux enfants d'Israël: Jusqu'à quand négligerez-vous de prendre possession du pays que l'Eternel, le Dieu de vos pères, vous a donné?

It is not entirely clear if Joshua is rebuking the tribes, though this is the most common interpretation.1 Possibly he is simply asking a rhetorical question2 in light of the fact that some time has passed since the allotments of Judah and Joseph.3 In that sense he is trying to encourage the remaining tribes to focus on exploring and then taking their allotment.4