The Meaning of Joshua 18:3 Explained

Joshua 18:3

KJV: And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the LORD God of your fathers hath given you?

YLT: and Joshua saith unto the sons of Israel, 'Till when are ye remiss to go in to possess the land which He hath given to you, Jehovah, God of your fathers?

Darby: And Joshua said to the children of Israel, How long will ye shew yourselves slack to go to take possession of the land which Jehovah the God of your fathers hath given you?

ASV: And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, How long are ye slack to go in to possess the land, which Jehovah, the God of your fathers, hath given you?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Joshua  said  unto the children  of Israel,  How long [are] ye slack  to go  to possess  the land,  which the LORD  God  of your fathers  hath given  you? 

What does Joshua 18:3 Mean?

Context Summary

Joshua 18:1-10 - Dividing The Remaining Territory
The Tabernacle had remained in Gilgal. It must now be removed to Shiloh, a site selected by God himself, Deuteronomy 12:11; Psalms 78:60. Shiloh means rest, and it commemorated the ending of the war. The honor of having God's dwelling-place within its border was probably given to Ephraim as the tribe to which Joshua belonged.
As an inducement to occupy the land, this further commission was sent forth. How many of us are equally slack to appropriate the blessings stored up in the Savior! Well is it that God, through the ages, has sent pioneers to tell us what we are missing and to stimulate our zeal.
The veteran leader had earned a good reward. His portion was called "the portion of the sun," probably because of its aspect. Let us live and walk in the light. [source]

Chapter Summary: Joshua 18

1  The tabernacle is set up at Shiloh
2  The remainder of the land is described, and divided into seven parts
10  Joshua distributes it by lot
11  The lot and border of Benjamin
21  Their cities

What do the individual words in Joshua 18:3 mean?

and said Joshua to the sons of Israel how long you will neglect to go and possess - the land which has given you Yahweh God of your fathers
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ אֶל־ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל עַד־ אָ֙נָה֙ אַתֶּ֣ם מִתְרַפִּ֔ים לָבוֹא֙ לָרֶ֣שֶׁת אֶת־ הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר֙ נָתַ֣ן לָכֶ֔ם יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י אֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶֽם

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ  Joshua 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהֹושֻׁעַ  
Sense: son of Nun of the tribe of Ephraim and successor to Moses as the leader of the children of Israel; led the conquest of Canaan.
בְּנֵ֣י  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
עַד־  how 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
אָ֙נָה֙  long 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אָן  
Sense: where?, whither? (of place).
מִתְרַפִּ֔ים  will  neglect 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Participle, masculine plural
Root: רָפָה  
Sense: to sink, relax, sink down, let drop, be disheartened.
לָבוֹא֙  to  go 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
לָרֶ֣שֶׁת  and  possess 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: יָרַשׁ  
Sense: to seize, dispossess, take possession off, inherit, disinherit, occupy, impoverish, be an heir.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָאָ֔רֶץ  the  land 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
נָתַ֣ן  has  given 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
יְהוָ֖ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֵ֥י  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
אֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶֽם  of  your  fathers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.