The Meaning of Joshua 18:7 Explained

Joshua 18:7

KJV: But the Levites have no part among you; for the priesthood of the LORD is their inheritance: and Gad, and Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh, have received their inheritance beyond Jordan on the east, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave them.

YLT: for there is no portion to the Levites in your midst, for the priesthood of Jehovah is their inheritance, and Gad, and Reuben, and the half of the tribe of Manasseh received their inheritance beyond the Jordan eastward, which Moses servant of Jehovah gave to them.'

Darby: But the Levites have no portion among you, for the priesthood of Jehovah is their inheritance. And Gad, and Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan on the east, which Moses the servant of Jehovah gave them.

ASV: For the Levites have no portion among you; for the priesthood of Jehovah is their inheritance: and Gad and Reuben and the half-tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan eastward, which Moses the servant of Jehovah gave them.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But the Levites  have no part  among  you; for the priesthood  of the LORD  [is] their inheritance:  and Gad,  and Reuben,  and half  the tribe  of Manasseh,  have received  their inheritance  beyond  Jordan  on the east,  which Moses  the servant  of the LORD  gave  them. 

What does Joshua 18:7 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 18:7 mean?

But have no part the Levites among you for the priesthood of Yahweh [is] their inheritance And Gad and Reuben and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan on the east which gave them Moses the servant of Yahweh
כִּ֠י אֵֽין־ חֵ֤לֶק לַלְוִיִּם֙ בְּקִרְבְּכֶ֔ם כִּֽי־ כְהֻנַּ֥ת יְהוָ֖ה נַחֲלָת֑וֹ וְגָ֡ד וּרְאוּבֵ֡ן וַחֲצִי֩ שֵׁ֨בֶט הַֽמְנַשֶּׁ֜ה לָקְח֣וּ נַחֲלָתָ֗ם מֵעֵ֤בֶר לַיַּרְדֵּן֙ מִזְרָ֔חָה אֲשֶׁר֙ נָתַ֣ן לָהֶ֔ם מֹשֶׁ֖ה עֶ֥בֶד יְהוָֽה

אֵֽין־  have  no 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
חֵ֤לֶק  part 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֵלֶק 
Sense: portion, share, part, territory.
לַלְוִיִּם֙  the  Levites 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: לֵוִי  
Sense: the descendants of Levi, the 3rd son of Jacob by Leah.
בְּקִרְבְּכֶ֔ם  among  you 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine plural
Root: קֶרֶב  
Sense: midst, among, inner part, middle.
כְהֻנַּ֥ת  the  priesthood 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: כְּהֻנָּה  
Sense: priesthood.
יְהוָ֖ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
נַחֲלָת֑וֹ  [is]  their  inheritance 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: נַחֲלָה  
Sense: possession, property, inheritance, heritage.
וְגָ֡ד  And  Gad 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: גָּד  
Sense: seventh son of Jacob by Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid, and full brother of Asher.
וּרְאוּבֵ֡ן  and  Reuben 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: רְאוּבֵן  
Sense: the eldest son of Jacob by Leah.
וַחֲצִי֩  and  half 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חֲצִי 
Sense: half.
שֵׁ֨בֶט  the  tribe 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שֵׁבֶט  
Sense: rod, staff, branch, offshoot, club, sceptre, tribe.
הַֽמְנַשֶּׁ֜ה  of  Manasseh 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מְנַשֶּׁה  
Sense: the eldest son of Joseph and progenitor of the tribe of Manasseh.
לָקְח֣וּ  have  received 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
נַחֲלָתָ֗ם  their  inheritance 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: נַחֲלָה  
Sense: possession, property, inheritance, heritage.
מֵעֵ֤בֶר  beyond 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: עֵבֶר  
Sense: region beyond or across, side.
לַיַּרְדֵּן֙  the  Jordan 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יַרְדֵּן  
Sense: the river of Palestine running from the roots of Anti-Lebanon to the Dead Sea a distance of approx 200 miles (320 km).
מִזְרָ֔חָה  on  the  east 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: מִזְרָח  
Sense: place of sunrise, east.
נָתַ֣ן  gave 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
מֹשֶׁ֖ה  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
עֶ֥בֶד  the  servant 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
יְהוָֽה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.