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Joshua 13-22
The Voice
Joshua 13-22
The Voice
This second section of the book (chapters 13–22), which details the parceling out of the land of Canaan, makes for slower reading, but it has a distinct literary purpose. It contains some of the elements we often find in ancient epics such as the catalog of the defeated kings and towns that give the scope of the conquest. The list also orients us in the larger story of the people of God, since later books of the Bible will set their action here. That means it’s valuable for us to know where the tribes settle and what their lands are like.
13 Now the years passed and Joshua grew old; and one day the Eternal came to him.
Eternal One (to Joshua): You have grown old and there is still work to do, for part of the land I have promised has yet to be conquered. 2 This still remains: all the coastal regions inhabited by the Philistines and the Geshurites 3 (from the Shihor tributary of the Nile, east of Egypt, north to the boundary of Ekron, is Canaanite territory); the five capital cities of the Philistines are Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron, and the Avvites 4 remain in the south; all the land of the Canaanites, and Mearah (which belongs to the Sidonians), as far as Aphek, and to the boundary of the Amorites, 5 and also the land of the Gebalites, and all of Lebanon east from Baal-gad, near Mount Hermon, to Lebo-hamath.[a]
6-7 For the sake of the people of Israel, I will chase out all the inhabitants of the highlands from Lebanon to Misrephoth-maim, and all the Sidonians, but allot the land among you. Divide the land among the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh as their inheritance, as I have commanded.
The twelve tribes of Israel are spread out all across the country side. Moses has already given some of them land on the east side of the Jordan River, as we read here; but the others are awaiting their land on the west side, in the land of Canaan. Eventually every tribe will have land allotted to them because that has been God’s promise.
8 The other half-tribe of Manasseh and the tribes of Reuben and Gad received their inheritance. Moses, the Eternal’s servant, gave them land on the far side of the Jordan and toward the east, 9 from Aroer, which is on the edge of the Arnon Valley, with the town that is in the middle of the valley, and the plains from Medeba to Dibon; 10 and all the cities of Sihon, king of the Amorites, who had reigned from Heshbon, as far as the border regions of the Ammonites; 11 and the land of Gilead, and the lands of the Geshurites and Maacathites, and all of Mount Hermon, and all of Bashan as far as Salecah; 12 in Bashan, this includes all the kingdom of Og who had reigned in Ashtaroth and in Edrei (who was the last of the survivors of the giants). Moses conquered these kings and took over their lands, 13 although the Israelites did not drive out the Geshurites or the Maacathites, which is why the people of Geshur and Maacath survive among the Israelites to this day.
14 The tribe of Levi was the only tribe of Israel that was not given land then as its inheritance. To offer burnt offerings to the Eternal God of Israel was their inheritance, as He told them.
15 Moses gave an inheritance to the tribe of the Reubenites, clan by clan. 16 Their territory comprised the plateau from Aroer, which is on the edge of the Arnon Valley, including the city in the middle of the valley, and the entire plain by Medeba; 17 Heshbon, and all its cities that are in the plains: Dibon, Bamoth-baal, and Beth-baal-meon, 18 Jahaz, Kedemoth, and Mephaath; 19 Kiriathaim, Sibmah, and Zereth-shahar on the mount of the valley; 20 Beth-peor, the foothills of Mount Pisgah, and Beth-jeshimoth. 21 The tribe of Reuben received, then, all these cities of the plain and all the kingdom of Sihon, king of the Amorites who had reigned in Heshbon until Moses defeated him and the leaders of Midian (Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba) who were the princes of Sihon in the land. 22 Along with all of those they put to death, the Israelites also executed Balaam, the son of Beor, who practiced divination but blessed Israel by the command of the Eternal One. 23 The western border of the land allotted to the people of Reuben was the Jordan with its banks. This, then, was the land given to the people of Reuben, clan by clan, and all their cities and villages.
24 Moses also gave an inheritance to the tribe of the Gadites according to their clans. 25 Their territory comprised Jazer, and all the cities of the land of Gilead, and half the country of the Ammonites as far as Aroer, east of Rabbah; 26 from Heshbon to Ramath-mizpeh and Betonim, and from Mahanaim as far as the border of Debir; 27 and in the valley, Beth-haram, Beth-nimrah, Succoth, and Zaphon—all the rest of the kingdom of Sihon, king of Heshbon—the Jordan and its eastern banks, to the southern end of the Sea of Galilee. 28 This, then, was the land given to the people of Gad, clan by clan, and all their cities and villages.
29 Finally Moses gave an inheritance to the half-tribe of Manasseh, again allotted clan by clan. 30 Their territory started at Mahanaim and included all of Bashan and the whole kingdom of Og, king of Bashan, and all the settlements of Jair, which were in Bashan: 60 towns in all. 31 Half of Gilead, Ashtaroth, and Edrei (the royal cities of Og, king in Bashan) were allotted to half of the people of Machir, son of Manasseh, who would dwell east of the Jordan, according to their clans.
32 These were the inheritances Moses distributed on the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan River and east of Jericho. 33 The clans of the tribe of Levi received no inheritance from Moses since the Eternal God of Israel was their inheritance as He promised them.
14 Here is an account of the land that the other people of Israel were given as an inheritance in the land of Canaan, as the priest Eleazar, Joshua (son of Nun), and the heads of the elders of the Israelite tribes distributed it to them. 2 They determined the inheritance of the nine tribes and one half-tribe by lot, as the Eternal One had commanded them through Moses. 3 (Remember Moses had already distributed land to the two tribes and the other half-tribe who lived beyond the Jordan, and he gave no land as an inheritance to the Levites. 4 Since the descendants of Joseph consisted of two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim, no share of land was given to the Levites but only towns to live in, with pasture for their property and livestock.)
5 So the Israelites did as the Eternal commanded Moses and divided the land. 6 Some members of the tribe of Judah came to Joshua at Gilgal, including Caleb, son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite.
This story introduces us to a character who is faithful to his mission even before the events in the Book of Joshua. Caleb and Joshua were part of the group of spies who were sent into Canaan to observe the natural resources and the defenses of the people, and only they reported honestly that the land was wonderful and that it could be occupied with God’s help (Numbers 13–14). For Caleb’s faithfulness, he is promised that he will have a place and be given a portion in the promised land.
Caleb (to Joshua): Remember what the Eternal said to Moses, the man of God, about you and me in Kadesh-barnea. 7 I was 40 years old when Moses, the Eternal’s servant, sent me out from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land of Canaan. I brought back an honest report. 8 The others who were sent as spies only discouraged the people and melted their hearts, but I obeyed the Eternal One, my God, completely. 9 At that time, Moses swore an oath to me: “Someday the land on which you have walked will be given to you and your children as an inheritance forever because you have been completely faithful to the Eternal One, my God.”[b]
10 So here I am. The Eternal has spared my life these 45 years since He spoke this to Moses while Israel was in the wilderness. Here I am today, 85 years old, 11 still as strong today as I was when Moses sent me into this country, able to fight and able to work.
12 So now I ask that you give me this hill country the Eternal spoke about on that day. You heard then how the Anakim were there with great fortified cities, and so they are still. Because the Eternal goes with me, I will drive them out, just as He has said.
13 So Joshua blessed Caleb, son of Jephunneh, and gave him Hebron as an inheritance. 14 Hebron belongs to the descendants of Caleb, son of Jephunneh, the Kenizzite, even now because he obeyed the Eternal God of Israel completely. 15 (In ancient times, Hebron was called Kiriath-arba after Arba, who was the greatest of the Anakim.) So that land was peaceful.
15 The territory allotted to the tribe of the Judahites, clan by clan, reached south to the border of Edom, and even further south into the wilderness of Zin. 2 Their southern border ran from the bay at the south end of the Dead Sea (the Salt Sea), 3 and continued to the south of the ascent of Akrabbim,[c] crossed the wilderness of Zin, and went up south of Kadesh-barnea, past Hezron, on up to Addar, and then turning toward Karka, 4 on to Azmon, then out by the wadi of Egypt, and ending at the Mediterranean Sea. “This,” they were told, “will be your southern boundary.”
5 On the east the territory of Judah was bounded by the Dead Sea up to where the Jordan runs into it. Their boundary on the north began at the bay at the mouth of the Jordan, 6 went up to Beth-hoglah, passed north of Beth-arabah, and continued up to the stone of Bohan, Reuben’s descendant. 7 From there the boundary went to Debir from the valley of Achor, and then northward, turning toward Gilgal across from the ascent of Adummim, which is on the south side of the river valley. From there the boundary passed along to the waters of En-shemesh, and on to En-rogel. 8 Then the boundary went up the valley of Ben-hinnom, just at the southern slope of the Jebusite city, Jerusalem, and then up to the top of the mountain west of the Hinnom Valley at the northern end of the valley of Rephaim. 9 From the mountaintop, the boundary extended to the spring of Nephtoah, and from there to the towns of Mount Ephron. Then the boundary curved around to Baalah (that is, Kiriath-jearim); 10 and from there circled west of Baalah to Mount Seir, passed along to the northern slope of Mount Jearim (that is, Chesalon), went down to Beth-shemesh, passed through Timnah 11 to the northern flank of Ekron, then turned toward Shikkeron, past Mount Baalah, and out to Jabneel. The boundary ended at the Mediterranean Sea.
12 The western boundary, then, was the Mediterranean coast, and this recounts all the boundary of the land allotted to the people of Judah and its clans.
13 As the Eternal had commanded him, Joshua gave Caleb, son of Jephunneh, a share of land within the territory allotted to the people of Judah—Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron; Arba was the father of Anak). 14 Caleb drove from that land the three sons of Anak: Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai. 15 From there he went to battle the inhabitants of Debir (formerly Kiriath-sepher).
Caleb: 16 Whoever attacks and captures Kiriath-sepher will receive my daughter Achsah as his wife.
Kiriath-sepher had originally been conquered by Joshua, but it was retaken by the Canaanites. Now Caleb must go back and attack the city once more.
17 Othniel, son of Kenaz, Caleb’s brother, captured it, so Caleb gave Othniel his daughter Achsah in marriage. 18 One day she urged Othniel to ask her father for a field. As she dismounted her donkey, Caleb spoke to her.
Caleb: What do you wish?
Achsah: 19 Here is what I would like as a wedding gift: since you have given me the desert of the Negev, give me also some springs of water.
So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs.
20 This, then, is the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Judah, according to their clans. 21 A list of the towns belonging to the tribe of the people of Judah, beginning in the far south near the boundary of Edom: Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur, 22 Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah, 23 Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan, 24 Ziph, Telem, Bealoth, 25 Hazor-hadattah, Kerioth-hezron (that is, Hazor), 26 Amam, Shema, Moladah, 27 Hazar-gaddah, Heshmon, Beth-pelet, 28 Hazar-shual, Beersheba, Biziothiah, 29 Baalah, Iim, Ezem, 30 Eltolad, Chesil, Hormah, 31 Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah, 32 Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon—in all, 29 cities with their surrounding villages.
33 In the lowlands: Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah, 34 Zanoah, En-gannim, Tappuah, Enam, 35 Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah, 36 Shaaraim, Adithaim, Gederah, and Gederothaim—14 cities with their surrounding villages.
37 Also Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal-gad, 38 Dilean, Mizpeh, Joktheel, 39 Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon, 40 Cabbon, Lahmas, Chitlish, 41 Gederoth, Beth-dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah—16 cities with their surrounding villages.
42 Libnah, Ether, Ashan, 43 Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib, 44 Keilah, Achzib, and Mareshah—9 cities with their surrounding villages.
45 Ekron with its towns and villages, 46 from Ekron to the Mediterranean Sea, and everything near Ashdod, with its villages.
47 Also Ashdod, its towns and its villages; Gaza, its towns and its villages; on to the wadi of Egypt, and then the Mediterranean with its coast.
48 In the hill country: Shamir, Jattir, Socoh, 49 Dannah, Kiriath-sannah (that is, Debir), 50 Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim, 51 Goshen, Holon, and Giloh—11 cities with their surrounding villages.
52 Also Arab, Dumah, Eshan, 53 Janum, Beth-tappuah, Aphekah, 54 Humtah, Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), and Zior—9 cities with their surrounding villages.
55 Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah, 56 Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah, 57 Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah—10 cities with their surrounding villages.
58 Also Halhul, Beth-zur, Gedor, 59 Maarath, Beth-anoth, and Eltekon—6 cities with their surrounding villages.
60 Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim) and Rabbah—2 cities with their surrounding villages.
61 In the desert: Beth-arabah, Middin, Secacah, 62 Nibshan, the City of Salt, and Engedi—6 cities with their surrounding villages.
63 But the people of Judah could not conquer the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem, so the Jebusites still live alongside the people of Judah in Jerusalem today.
16 The inheritance of the people of Joseph was bounded on the east by the Jordan at the waters of Jericho, and into the desert, then rising from Jericho into the highlands of Bethel. 2 From there it went to Luz, and along to Ataroth, the frontier of the land of the Archites, 3 then downward and westward to the territory of the Japhletites, as far as the border of lower Beth-horon, then on to Gezer, and it ended at the sea. 4 So the people of Joseph, Manasseh, and Ephraim received their inheritance.
Joseph’s sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, only receive one land allotment between them. Later this will cause contention (17:14–18).
5 The territory of the Ephraimites, clan by clan, was as follows: the eastern border of their inheritance was Ataroth-addar to upper Beth-horon, 6 and the boundary went west at Michmethath on the north and turned east toward Taanath-shiloh, and passed along beyond it on the east to Janoah. 7 Then it went down from Janoah to Ataroth and to Naarah, touched Jericho, and ended at the Jordan. 8 From Tappuah, the boundary ran west to the wadi of Kanah and ended at the sea. This was the land allotted to the tribe of the Ephraimites, clan by clan, 9 along with the cities that were set apart for the people of Ephraim scattered within the inheritance of the people of Manasseh, all those cities and their surrounding villages. 10 But the people of Ephraim did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer, who have lived among the people of Ephraim to this day but are forced to serve them.
17 Land was allotted to the tribe of Manasseh, Joseph’s firstborn. Machir, the firstborn son of Manasseh, the father of Gilead, received Gilead and Bashan because he was a warrior. 2 Then land was allotted to the rest of the people of Manasseh by clans: Abiezerites, Helekites, Asrielites, Shechemites, Hepherites, and Shemidaites (the male descendants of Manasseh, son of Joseph, by clans).
Women don’t make many appearances in Israel’s story, mostly because women were not given a prominent role in ancient Middle Eastern cultures, but this episode is a startling example of equality and justice: although inheritance usually is passed from father to the oldest son, this family has only daughters. How will they pass down their land? Well the law of Moses, which has provided for so many things, also provides for this.
3 Now Zelophehad, son of Hepher, grandson of Gilead, great-grandson of Machir, great-great-grandson of Manasseh, had no sons to inherit, only five daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 4 These daughters came before Eleazar the priest, Joshua (son of Nun), and the leaders of the people.
Zelophehad’s Daughters: In the law, the Eternal commanded Moses to give daughters an inheritance along with male relatives.
So, as the Eternal had commanded, he gave the daughters an inheritance alongside their uncles.
5 So Manasseh was given 10 portions (in addition to the land of Gilead and Bashan on the far side of the Jordan) 6 since the daughters of Manasseh also received an inheritance among their male relatives. The land of Gilead itself was given to Manasseh’s other male descendants.
7 The territory of Manasseh reached from Asher to Michmethath, which is east of Shechem; then the boundary went southward to the inhabitants of the spring of Tappuah. 8 (The land of Tappuah belonged to the tribe of Manasseh, but the town itself on the boundary of Manasseh belonged to the people of Ephraim.) 9 From there, the boundary went south to the wadi of Kanah. The towns to the south of the river among the towns of Manasseh also belonged to Ephraim. Then the boundary of Manasseh went along the north side of the wadi and ended at the sea.
10 The south side was given to Ephraim, and the north to Manasseh with the sea forming the western boundary; the northern boundary was the land allotted to Asher, and the eastern was Issachar. 11 Within the territories of Issachar and Asher, Manasseh possessed these cities: Beth-shean and its villages, Ibleam and its villages, the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, the inhabitants of En-dor and its villages, the inhabitants of Taanach and Megiddo and their villages, the three towns of the slopes.[d]
12 But the descendants of Manasseh could not conquer those cities because the Canaanites stubbornly continued to live among them in that region. 13 At last when the Israelites grew stronger, they made the Canaanites their servants, although they did not remove them completely.
14 Then the descendants of Joseph came to Joshua and made demands of him.
Joseph’s Descendants: Why are we only receiving one share, one portion to inherit, since we are numerous and the Eternal has always generously blessed us?
Joshua (to Joseph’s descendants): 15 If there are so many of you and the hill country of Ephraim is too crowded, then why don’t you go up into the forests? Clear more land for yourselves and spread out where the Perizzites and the Rephaim live.
Joseph’s Descendants: 16 The hill country does not have enough room for us; and what’s more, all the Canaanites who inhabit the plains in Beth-shean and its villages and in the valley of Jezreel have iron chariots to use against us.
Joshua (to Ephraim and Manasseh, Joseph’s descendants): 17 All right; it’s true that there are many of you and that you are powerful. You should not have just one share. 18 The hill country will be yours, and you can clear the forests and possess the land to its farthest borders. But you will have to defeat the Canaanites even with their iron chariots and powerful warriors.
18 The whole community of Israelites assembled at Shiloh and raised the congregation tent. The region was fully under their control. 2 But there were still seven tribes who had not received their inheritance of land.
Joshua (to the remaining Israelites): 3 How much more time do you intend to waste before going to claim the land the Eternal God of your ancestors is giving to you? 4 Pick three men from every tribe, and I will send them into the land so they can survey the regions in light of your inheritances and bring me back descriptions. 5 They will divide the land into seven sections, between the people of Judah remaining in its territory in the south and the people of Joseph in their places in the north. 6 After you divide the land, return here with the seven descriptions, and I will draw lots so that the Eternal One, our True God, can choose who will inherit what part of it.
7 Remember that the Levites will not receive a share in this apportioning since their inheritance is the priesthood of the Eternal. The tribes of Gad and Reuben and the half-tribe of Manasseh have already received their inheritance east of the Jordan that Moses, the servant of the Eternal, gave them.
The tribe of Levi is the one exception to this process of allocating land because they have been set aside as priests in service to God. The other tribes will have to take care of Levi so that they may do the work God has given them to do for the entire people.
8 So the chosen men prepared to go, and Joshua repeated his instructions to them.
Joshua: Go into the land and survey it. Keep in mind that we need to divide it into seven sections. When you come back, we will draw lots before the Eternal here in Shiloh to divide the land.
9 The men went out and passed through the land, marking the cities, dividing it into seven parts and recording their findings on a scroll. Then they returned to Joshua at Shiloh, 10 and Joshua drew lots in Shiloh in the presence of the Eternal to divide the land among the remaining Israelites, each getting a share.
11 The land assigned by lot to the tribe of the Benjaminites according to their clans was between the people of Judah in the south and the people of Joseph in the north. 12 On the north side their boundary began at the Jordan: then the boundary went up to the northern side of Jericho, climbed westward through the hill country, and ended at the wilderness of Beth-aven. 13 From there, the boundary went southward in the direction of Luz; near Luz (that is, Bethel) it went down to Ataroth-addar, on the mountain to the south of lower Beth-horon. 14 From this point, the western boundary turned southward from the mountain opposite Beth-horon to Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim), a town belonging to the people of Judah. This was the western boundary of their inheritance.
15 The southern boundary began on the outskirts of Kiriath-jearim and from there went west to the springs of Nephtoah. 16 Then the boundary went along the border of the mountain overlooking the valley of Ben-hinnom, which is at the north end of the valley of Rephaim; and it then went down the valley of Hinnom, south of the slope of the Jebusites, and further to En-rogel. 17 Then it curved in a northerly direction toward En-shemesh and from there went on to Geliloth, which is opposite the ascent of Adummim; then down to the stone of Bohan, Reuben’s son, 18 and passing on to the north of the slope of Arabah, it descended down to the Arabah.[e] 19 The boundary then went north of the slope of Beth-hoglah and ended at the northern bay of the Dead Sea where the Jordan empties into the sea. This was the southern border. 20 On the eastern side, the Jordan formed its boundary.
This, then, was the inheritance of the people of Benjamin, clan by clan, boundary by boundary. 21 And the cities of the tribe of the Benjaminites allocated to the clans were: Jericho, Beth-hoglah, Emek-keziz, 22 Beth-arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel, 23 Avvim, Parah, Ophrah, 24 Chephar-ammoni, Ophni, and Geba—12 cities and their surrounding villages. 25 Also Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth, 26 Mizpeh, Chephirah, Mozah, 27 Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah, 28 Zela, Haeleph, the Jebusite city (Jerusalem), Gibeah, and Kiriath—14 cities with their surrounding villages. This was the inheritance of the people of Benjamin, clan by clan.
19 The second allotment went to the tribe of the Simeonites, clan by clan, and its inheritance lay within the lands of the people of Judah. 2 Simeon had for its inheritance Beersheba, Sheba, Moladah, 3 Hazar-shual, Balah, Ezem, 4 Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah, 5 Ziklag, Beth-marcaboth, Hazar-susah, 6 Beth-lebaoth, and Sharuhen—13 cities with their surrounding villages; 7 also Ain, Rimmon, Ether, and Ashan—four towns with their surrounding villages; 8 also all the villages surrounding these towns as far as Baalath-beer, Ramah of the Negev. This was the inheritance of the tribe of the Simeonites, clan by clan. 9 The inheritance of the people of Simeon was taken from the people of Judah because the allotment of the people of Judah was too large for them. So the tribe of Simeon received an inheritance within Judah’s inheritance.
Simeon receives no land allotment for himself. He is to be scattered within Judah’s territory.
10 The third lot fell to the people of Zebulun, clan by clan. The boundary of its inheritance stretched as far as Sarid, 11 then it climbed up westward to Maralah and brushed Dabbesheth, then on to the wadi that is east of Jokneam. 12 From Sarid it turned in the other direction eastward toward the sunrise to the frontier of Chisloth-tabor; and from there it went to Daberath, then up to Japhia. 13 From there it went eastward to Gath-hepher, then Eth-kazin, and going on to Rimmon, it curved toward Neah. 14 Then on the north, the boundary curved toward Hannathon and ended at the valley of Iphtahel 15 with Kattah, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem—12 cities with their surrounding villages. 16 This, then, was the land granted to the people of Zebulun, clan by clan: these cities with their surrounding villages.
17 The fourth lot went to the people of Issachar, clan by clan. 18 The territory that they inherited included Jezreel, Chesulloth, Shunem, 19 Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath, 20 Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez, 21 Remeth, En-gannim, En-haddah, Beth-pazzez. 22 The boundary extended up to Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth-shemesh, and ended at the Jordan—16 cities with their surrounding villages. 23 This, then, was the land granted to the tribe of the Issacharites, clan by clan: these cities with their surrounding villages.
24 The fifth lot was drawn for the tribe of the Asherites, clan by clan. 25 The boundary of its inheritance included Helkath, Hali, Beten, Achshaph, 26 Allammelech, Amad, and Mishal. It reached Carmel on the west and the brook Shihor-libnath, 27 then it turned eastward toward Beth-dagon and brushed Zebulun and the valley of Iphtahel north to Beth-emek and Neiel; then it continued on north passing by Cabul on the left, 28 to Ebron,[f] Rehob, Hammon, Kanah, as far as Sidon the Great. 29 The border turned to Ramah and the fortified city of Tyre. Then it turned to Hosah and ended at the sea near the region of Achzib; 30 also, Ummah, Aphek, and Rehob—22 cities with their surrounding villages. 31 This, then, was the land allotted to the tribe of the Asherites, clan by clan: these cities and their surrounding villages.
32 The sixth lot was drawn for the people of the Naphtalites, clan by clan; 33 and its boundary ran from Heleph and the oak in Zaanannim, with Adami-nekeb and Jabneel, as far as Lakkum; it ended at the Jordan. 34 The western boundary ran from Heleph to Aznoth-tabor and went from there to Hukkok, brushing the inheritance of Zebulun to the south, Asher on the west, and Judah on the east at the Jordan. 35 The fortified cities were Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Chinnereth, 36 Adamah, Ramah, Hazor, 37 Kedesh, Edrei, En-hazor, 38 Yiron, Migdal-el, Horem, Beth-anath, and Beth-shemesh—19 cities in all with their surrounding villages. 39 This, then, was the land granted to the tribe of the Naphtalites, clan by clan: these cities with their surrounding villages.
40 The seventh lot fell to the tribe of the Danites, clan by clan; 41 and the territory of its inheritance included Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir-shemesh, 42 Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Ithlah, 43 Elon, Timnah, Ekron, 44 Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath, 45 Jehud, Bene-berak, Gath-rimmon, 46 and Me-jarkon and Rakkon on the border opposite Joppa. 47 The people of Dan had a difficult time subduing their allotted territory so they went up and attacked Leshem, and when they had captured it and killed its inhabitants, they settled there, renaming Leshem “Dan,” after their ancestor. 48 This, then, was the land granted to the tribe of the Danites, clan by clan: these cities with their surrounding villages.
49 When at last they had finished distributing the territories of the land as inheritances, the Israelites gave Joshua, son of Nun, a special inheritance among them. 50 As the Eternal had commanded, they gave Joshua the town he had asked for, Timnath-serah in the highlands of Ephraim. So he built a city and settled there.
51 These, then, are the inheritances that the priest Eleazar, Joshua (son of Nun), and the heads of the leaders of the Israelite tribes distributed by drawing lots at Shiloh. All this was done in the presence of the Eternal at the entrance of the congregation tent. And the division of the land was complete.
20 Then the Eternal One spoke to Joshua.
Eternal One: 2 Tell the Israelites, “You must set apart cities of refuge, as I directed you through Moses, 3 so that anyone who accidentally or unintentionally kills a person may flee there. These cities shall be set up as a refuge from anyone seeking blood revenge. 4 If the slayer flees to one of these cities, he can stand at the entrance of the gate of the city and explain the case to the elders of that city; then the fugitive will be taken into the city and given a place, and he will live among them. 5 If the person seeking to avenge in blood comes after him, the people of the city may not give up the slayer since the neighbor was killed by mistake and there was no premeditation or prior hatred. 6 The slayer may remain in that city until there is a trial before the congregation. And when the high priest who currently holds the office dies, then the slayer may return home to the town from which he fled.”
God asks the people to set aside places of sanctuary. This is a violent time, and people often take justice into their own hands. But these cities of refuge are set aside as places where those who have accidentally killed someone might be safe from avenging relatives until a determination of guilt might be made.
7 So they set apart and consecrated Kedesh in Galilee (in the hill country of Naphtali), Shechem (in the hill country of Ephraim), and Kiriath-arba (Hebron, in the hill country of Judah). 8 Beyond the Jordan, east of Jericho, they appointed Bezer (in the desert plateau from the tribe of Reuben), Ramoth in Gilead (from the tribe of Gad), and Golan in Bashan (from the tribe of Manasseh). 9 These, then, were the cities set aside to be sanctuaries for all the Israelites and for the foreigners residing among them, so that anyone who killed a person accidentally could flee there and not die at the hands of someone seeking blood revenge until there was a trial before the congregation.
21 It was at this time that the heads of the leaders of the Levites came before the priest Eleazar and Joshua, son of Nun, and the other leaders of the tribes of the Israelites 2 at Shiloh in the land of Canaan.
Levite Leaders: The Eternal gave orders through Moses that we of the tribe of Levi be given towns to live in, along with pasturelands for our livestock and cattle.
The Kohathites are given land in the areas around what will be Jerusalem, where it will be convenient for them to later serve in the temple.
3 So in obedience to the Eternal’s command, the Israelites allotted to the Levites towns with their surrounding pasturelands, from out of their inheritances, 4 and lots were drawn for the clans of the descendants of Kohath. To those Levites who were descendants of Aaron the priest went 13 towns from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin. 5 The other descendants of Kohath were given 10 towns from the clans of the tribes of Ephraim and Dan and the half-tribe of Manasseh. 6 The descendants of Gershon were allotted 13 towns from the clans of the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and the half-tribe of Manasseh that lived in Bashan. 7 The descendants of Merari and their clans were granted 12 towns from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun. 8 This, then, was the land granted by drawing lots for the Levites, by the other people of Israel as the Eternal had commanded through Moses—these towns with their surrounding pastures. 9 From the tribes of the Judahites and the Simeonites came the following towns mentioned by name, 10 which were granted to the descendants of Aaron, of the clans of the descendants of Kohath who were Levites, since they were chosen first: 11 the city of Kiriath-arba (Arba was the father of Anak), that is Hebron, in the highlands of Judah, as well as the pasturelands around it. 12 The fields and villages of the town had already been granted to Caleb, son of Jephunneh, for his inheritance.
13-16 So to the descendants of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron, the city of refuge for a slayer, and Libnah; Jattir, Eshtemoa, Holon, Debir, Ain, Juttah, and Beth-shemesh, all with their villages—9 cities with their pastures given by these two tribes.
17-19 These cities were given by the tribe of Benjamin: Gibeon, Geba, Anathoth, and Almon, all with their villages—4 cities. So the cities granted to the descendants of Aaron—the priests—totaled 13, with their pastures and their villages.
20-22 As for the remaining clans of the people of Kohath of the Levites, the cities allotted to them were given by the tribe of Ephraim: Shechem (the city of refuge in the highlands of Ephraim) Gezer, Kibzaim, and Beth-horon, all with their villages—4 cities with their pastures. 23-24 Out of the tribe of Dan they were given Elteke, Gibbethon, Aijalon, and Gath-rimmon, all with their pasturelands—4 cities. 25 And out of the half-tribe of Manasseh they received Taanach with its villages and Gath-rimmon with its villages and their pastures—2 cities. 26 So the cities given to the clans of the rest of the Kohathites totaled 10, with their pasturelands.
27 The Gershonites, another of the clans of the Levites, received from the half-tribe of Manasseh: Golan in Bashan (the city of refuge), with its villages and pastures, and Beeshterah with its villages and pastures—2 cities. 28-29 From the tribe of Issachar they received Kishion, Daberath, Jarmuth, and En-gannim, all with their villages—4 cities.
30-31 From the tribe of Asher came Mishal, Abdon, Helkath, and Rehob, all with their villages and pastures—4 cities. 32 From the tribe of Naphtali: Kedesh in Galilee (the city of refuge), Hammoth-dor, and Kartan, all with their villages and their pastures—3 cities. 33 In all, the cities granted to the clans of the Gershonites totaled 13, along with their villages and their pastures.
34-35 The rest of the Levites—the clans of the Merarites—received from the tribe of Zebulun: Jokneam, Kartah, Dimnah, and Nahalal, all with their villages and pastures—4 cities. 36-37 From the tribe of Reuben they were given Bezer, Jahzah, Kedemoth, and Mephaath, all with their villages and their pastures—4 cities. 38-39 From the tribe of Gad: Ramoth in Gilead (the city of refuge), Mahanaim, Heshbon, and Jazer, all with their villages and their pastures—4 cities in all. 40 So the cities of the Merarite clans, that is, the remaining clans of Levi, totaled 12. 41 The Levites were granted 48 cities, each with villages around them and the pasturelands, within the holdings of the Israelites. 42 So it was that they received these cities, their villages, and their pastures.
43 That is how the Eternal gave to the people of Israel all the land He had promised to their ancestors; and when they had taken possession of the land, the Israelites settled upon it. 44 So He gave them rest from war on every side as He had sworn to their ancestors; none of their enemies still stood against them, for the Eternal had delivered them all into their hands. 45 Not a single one of all the good promises that He had made to the house of Israel went unfulfilled; all of them came to pass.
22 It was time for Joshua to discharge the tribes whose land was east of the Jordan, and they came before him—the tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh.
Joshua: 2 You have done all that Moses the servant of the Eternal commanded you to do, and you have done all that I asked of you. 3 You did not abandon your people through all of the many days we struggled, down to this very day, and you have always been faithful to the charge that was laid upon you by the Eternal One, your True God.
4 The Eternal One, your True God, has given rest now to all your people as He promised them. So now it is time for you to return to your tents and your possessions in the land on the far banks of the Jordan that Moses, the Eternal’s servant, granted you. 5 Be very careful always to follow the commandments and teachings of Moses, the Eternal’s servant: love the Eternal your God; walk in His pathways, keep His commandments, be faithful to Him, and serve Him with diligence and devotion.
6 He gave them his blessing and sent them home to their tents, 7 but since Moses had given to the half-tribe of Manasseh an inheritance in Bashan, east of the Jordan, and to the other half Joshua had given an inheritance alongside the other people west of the Jordan, he blessed them and sent them away.
Joshua: 8 You will return now to your tents with great wealth, with herds of livestock and cattle, with silver and gold, bronze and iron, and piles of fine clothing. Be sure to divide these spoils of war among your relatives.
9 So the people of Reuben and Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh departed from the other Israelites at Shiloh, in the land of Canaan, and returned to their homes and families in Gilead, which Moses had given them by order of the Eternal.
10 When the people of Reuben and Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh came to the western bank of the Jordan, although still in the land of Canaan, they built an immense altar there by the river. 11 When the other people of Israel heard that the people of Reuben and Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh had built a huge altar on the frontier of Canaan on the side of the Jordan given to them, they feared the altar was going to be used to worship the gods of the land of Canaan. 12 So the Israelites all gathered at Shiloh and talked of going to war against the tribes across the Jordan. 13-14 But first they appointed the priest Phinehas, son of Eleazar, to travel with 10 chiefs, one from each Israelite tribe and each clan who were settled in the land of Canaan, to the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh in the land of Gilead.
15 When they came to the people of Reuben and Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh in the land of Gilead, Phinehas and the chiefs delivered the message.
Phinehas: 16 We bring a message from all the Eternal’s people in Canaan. How dare you! How can you commit this treachery against the True God of Israel by turning away from Him and building this altar to be used against Him? 17 Didn’t we learn our lessons about the sin of sacrificing to false gods in Peor? We have not yet cleansed ourselves of the stain or gotten over the plague that the Eternal sent among us because of it; 18 and now, already, you’re turning away from Him? Listen to me: If you rebel against Him today, He will punish the whole assembly of Israel tomorrow!
19 If the problem is that there is no holy site in your country, then come over to us in the country where the Eternal’s congregation tent is standing. Take an inheritance among us. Only don’t rebel against Him or rebel against us by building an altar that isn’t going to be used to sacrifice to the Eternal One, our True God. 20 Don’t you remember what happened when Achan, the son of Zerah, was unfaithful by keeping some of the spoil at Jericho and trying to deceive God and Joshua? His wrath fell upon the whole people, and he was not the only one who perished because of his sin!
21 Then the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered Phinehas and the heads of the clans of Israel:
Leaders of Reuben and Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh: 22 The Eternal One, God of gods! The Eternal One, God of gods! He knows the truth, and Israel should know, too. If it was out of rebellion against Him or faithlessness against Him, then devote us to destruction today! 23 If we have built this altar to renounce our allegiance to Him, or to present burnt offerings or grain offerings or peace offerings on it, then may the Eternal Himself take vengeance on us!
24 No, we were afraid that someday, years from now, your sons and daughters might say to our sons and daughters, “Who are you? What connection do you have with the Eternal God of Israel? 25 Didn’t He set the river Jordan between us, the Reubenites and the Gadites, as a boundary? You have no share in the Eternal One.” So your sons and daughters might prevent ours from worshiping Him. 26-28 And we thought, should that day ever come, we could point to this altar and say, “Look, this constructed altar dedicated to Him was not set up to sacrifice on, but to be a witness here at the border between us that we serve the same God so that your children will not accuse our children of following other gods.”
29 It was the farthest thing from our minds to build an altar so that we could turn away from the Eternal God or to present burnt offerings or grain offerings or peace offerings on anything but the altar that stands in front of His congregation tent, the place of revelation.
30 When the priest Phinehas, and the leaders of the congregation and the heads of the clans of Israel who accompanied him, heard the reply from the people of Reuben and Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, they were satisfied.
Phinehas (to the people of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh): 31 We know now that the Eternal is among us. Because you have not committed some treachery against Him, you have saved all of the Israelites from punishment at His hands.
32 So Phinehas, the son of Eleazar the priest, and the leaders left the people of Reuben and Gad in the land of Gilead and returned to the assembly at Shiloh to tell them what they had heard. 33 Their report pleased the Israelites, and they stopped talking about going to war or destroying the people of Reuben and Gad. 34 The people of Reuben and Gad called the altar “Witness.”
Tribes of Reuben and Gad: We have built this altar as a witness between us that the Eternal is the True God.
Joshua 13-21
New International Version
Joshua 13-21
New International Version
Land Still to Be Taken
13 When Joshua had grown old,(A) the Lord said to him, “You are now very old, and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over.
2 “This is the land that remains: all the regions of the Philistines(B) and Geshurites,(C) 3 from the Shihor River(D) on the east of Egypt to the territory of Ekron(E) on the north, all of it counted as Canaanite though held by the five Philistine rulers(F) in Gaza, Ashdod,(G) Ashkelon,(H) Gath and Ekron; the territory of the Avvites(I) 4 on the south; all the land of the Canaanites, from Arah of the Sidonians as far as Aphek(J) and the border of the Amorites;(K) 5 the area of Byblos;(L) and all Lebanon(M) to the east, from Baal Gad below Mount Hermon(N) to Lebo Hamath.(O)
6 “As for all the inhabitants of the mountain regions from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim,(P) that is, all the Sidonians, I myself will drive them out(Q) before the Israelites. Be sure to allocate this land to Israel for an inheritance, as I have instructed you,(R) 7 and divide it as an inheritance(S) among the nine tribes and half of the tribe of Manasseh.”
Division of the Land East of the Jordan
8 The other half of Manasseh,[a] the Reubenites and the Gadites had received the inheritance that Moses had given them east of the Jordan, as he, the servant of the Lord, had assigned(T) it to them.(U)
9 It extended from Aroer(V) on the rim of the Arnon Gorge, and from the town in the middle of the gorge, and included the whole plateau(W) of Medeba as far as Dibon,(X) 10 and all the towns of Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon,(Y) out to the border of the Ammonites.(Z) 11 It also included Gilead,(AA) the territory of the people of Geshur and Maakah, all of Mount Hermon and all Bashan as far as Salekah(AB)— 12 that is, the whole kingdom of Og in Bashan,(AC) who had reigned in Ashtaroth(AD) and Edrei.(AE) (He was the last of the Rephaites.(AF)) Moses had defeated them and taken over their land.(AG) 13 But the Israelites did not drive out the people of Geshur(AH) and Maakah,(AI) so they continue to live among the Israelites to this day.(AJ)
14 But to the tribe of Levi he gave no inheritance, since the food offerings presented to the Lord, the God of Israel, are their inheritance, as he promised them.(AK)
15 This is what Moses had given to the tribe of Reuben, according to its clans:
16 The territory from Aroer(AL) on the rim of the Arnon Gorge, and from the town in the middle of the gorge, and the whole plateau past Medeba(AM) 17 to Heshbon and all its towns on the plateau,(AN) including Dibon,(AO) Bamoth Baal,(AP) Beth Baal Meon,(AQ) 18 Jahaz,(AR) Kedemoth,(AS) Mephaath,(AT) 19 Kiriathaim,(AU) Sibmah,(AV) Zereth Shahar on the hill in the valley, 20 Beth Peor,(AW) the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth Jeshimoth— 21 all the towns on the plateau(AX) and the entire realm of Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled at Heshbon. Moses had defeated him and the Midianite chiefs,(AY) Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur and Reba(AZ)—princes allied with Sihon—who lived in that country. 22 In addition to those slain in battle, the Israelites had put to the sword Balaam son of Beor,(BA) who practiced divination.(BB) 23 The boundary of the Reubenites was the bank of the Jordan. These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the Reubenites, according to their clans.(BC)
24 This is what Moses had given to the tribe of Gad, according to its clans:
25 The territory of Jazer,(BD) all the towns of Gilead(BE) and half the Ammonite country as far as Aroer, near Rabbah;(BF) 26 and from Heshbon(BG) to Ramath Mizpah and Betonim, and from Mahanaim(BH) to the territory of Debir;(BI) 27 and in the valley, Beth Haram, Beth Nimrah,(BJ) Sukkoth(BK) and Zaphon(BL) with the rest of the realm of Sihon king of Heshbon (the east side of the Jordan, the territory up to the end of the Sea of Galilee[b](BM)). 28 These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the Gadites,(BN) according to their clans.
29 This is what Moses had given to the half-tribe of Manasseh, that is, to half the family of the descendants of Manasseh, according to its clans:
30 The territory extending from Mahanaim(BO) and including all of Bashan,(BP) the entire realm of Og king of Bashan(BQ)—all the settlements of Jair(BR) in Bashan, sixty towns, 31 half of Gilead, and Ashtaroth and Edrei (the royal cities of Og in Bashan).(BS) This was for the descendants of Makir(BT) son of Manasseh—for half of the sons of Makir, according to their clans.(BU)
32 This is the inheritance Moses had given when he was in the plains of Moab(BV) across the Jordan east of Jericho.(BW) 33 But to the tribe of Levi, Moses had given no inheritance;(BX) the Lord, the God of Israel, is their inheritance,(BY) as he promised them.(BZ)
Division of the Land West of the Jordan
14 Now these are the areas the Israelites received as an inheritance(CA) in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar(CB) the priest, Joshua son of Nun and the heads of the tribal clans of Israel(CC) allotted(CD) to them.(CE) 2 Their inheritances were assigned by lot(CF) to the nine and a half tribes,(CG) as the Lord had commanded through Moses. 3 Moses had granted the two and a half tribes their inheritance east of the Jordan(CH) but had not granted the Levites an inheritance among the rest,(CI) 4 for Joseph’s descendants had become two tribes—Manasseh and Ephraim.(CJ) The Levites received no share of the land but only towns to live in, with pasturelands for their flocks and herds.(CK) 5 So the Israelites divided the land, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.(CL)
Allotment for Caleb
6 Now the people of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal,(CM) and Caleb son of Jephunneh(CN) the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the Lord said to Moses the man of God(CO) at Kadesh Barnea(CP) about you and me.(CQ) 7 I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea(CR) to explore the land.(CS) And I brought him back a report according to my convictions,(CT) 8 but my fellow Israelites who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt in fear.(CU) I, however, followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.(CV) 9 So on that day Moses swore to me, ‘The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance(CW) and that of your children(CX) forever, because you have followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.’[c]
10 “Now then, just as the Lord promised,(CY) he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved(CZ) about in the wilderness. So here I am today, eighty-five years old!(DA) 11 I am still as strong(DB) today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous(DC) to go out to battle now as I was then. 12 Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day.(DD) You yourself heard then that the Anakites(DE) were there and their cities were large and fortified,(DF) but, the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.”
13 Then Joshua blessed(DG) Caleb son of Jephunneh(DH) and gave him Hebron(DI) as his inheritance.(DJ) 14 So Hebron has belonged to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite ever since, because he followed the Lord, the God of Israel, wholeheartedly.(DK) 15 (Hebron used to be called Kiriath Arba(DL) after Arba,(DM) who was the greatest man among the Anakites.)
Then the land had rest(DN) from war.
Allotment for Judah(DO)
15 The allotment for the tribe of Judah, according to its clans, extended down to the territory of Edom,(DP) to the Desert of Zin(DQ) in the extreme south.(DR)
2 Their southern boundary started from the bay at the southern end of the Dead Sea,(DS) 3 crossed south of Scorpion Pass,(DT) continued on to Zin and went over to the south of Kadesh Barnea.(DU) Then it ran past Hezron up to Addar and curved around to Karka. 4 It then passed along to Azmon(DV) and joined the Wadi of Egypt,(DW) ending at the Mediterranean Sea. This is their[d] southern boundary.
5 The eastern boundary(DX) is the Dead Sea(DY) as far as the mouth of the Jordan.
The northern boundary(DZ) started from the bay of the sea at the mouth of the Jordan, 6 went up to Beth Hoglah(EA) and continued north of Beth Arabah(EB) to the Stone of Bohan(EC) son of Reuben. 7 The boundary then went up to Debir(ED) from the Valley of Achor(EE) and turned north to Gilgal,(EF) which faces the Pass of Adummim south of the gorge. It continued along to the waters of En Shemesh(EG) and came out at En Rogel.(EH) 8 Then it ran up the Valley of Ben Hinnom(EI) along the southern slope of the Jebusite(EJ) city (that is, Jerusalem(EK)). From there it climbed to the top of the hill west of the Hinnom Valley(EL) at the northern end of the Valley of Rephaim.(EM) 9 From the hilltop the boundary headed toward the spring of the waters of Nephtoah,(EN) came out at the towns of Mount Ephron and went down toward Baalah(EO) (that is, Kiriath Jearim).(EP) 10 Then it curved westward from Baalah(EQ) to Mount Seir,(ER) ran along the northern slope of Mount Jearim (that is, Kesalon), continued down to Beth Shemesh(ES) and crossed to Timnah.(ET) 11 It went to the northern slope of Ekron,(EU) turned toward Shikkeron, passed along to Mount Baalah(EV) and reached Jabneel.(EW) The boundary ended at the sea.
12 The western boundary is the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea.(EX)
These are the boundaries around the people of Judah by their clans.
13 In accordance with the Lord’s command to him, Joshua gave to Caleb(EY) son of Jephunneh a portion in Judah—Kiriath Arba(EZ), that is, Hebron.(FA) (Arba was the forefather of Anak.)(FB) 14 From Hebron Caleb drove out the three Anakites(FC)—Sheshai, Ahiman and Talmai,(FD) the sons of Anak.(FE) 15 From there he marched against the people living in Debir (formerly called Kiriath Sepher). 16 And Caleb said, “I will give my daughter Aksah(FF) in marriage to the man who attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher.” 17 Othniel(FG) son of Kenaz, Caleb’s brother, took it; so Caleb gave his daughter Aksah to him in marriage.
18 One day when she came to Othniel, she urged him[e] to ask her father for a field. When she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What can I do for you?”
19 She replied, “Do me a special favor. Since you have given me land in the Negev,(FH) give me also springs of water.” So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs.(FI)
20 This is the inheritance of the tribe of Judah, according to its clans:
21 The southernmost towns of the tribe of Judah in the Negev(FJ) toward the boundary of Edom were:
Kabzeel,(FK) Eder,(FL) Jagur, 22 Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah, 23 Kedesh,(FM) Hazor,(FN) Ithnan, 24 Ziph,(FO) Telem, Bealoth, 25 Hazor Hadattah, Kerioth Hezron (that is, Hazor),(FP) 26 Amam, Shema, Moladah,(FQ) 27 Hazar Gaddah, Heshmon, Beth Pelet, 28 Hazar Shual,(FR) Beersheba,(FS) Biziothiah, 29 Baalah,(FT) Iyim, Ezem,(FU) 30 Eltolad,(FV) Kesil, Hormah,(FW) 31 Ziklag,(FX) Madmannah,(FY) Sansannah, 32 Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain(FZ) and Rimmon(GA)—a total of twenty-nine towns and their villages.
33 In the western foothills:
Eshtaol,(GB) Zorah,(GC) Ashnah,(GD) 34 Zanoah,(GE) En Gannim,(GF) Tappuah,(GG) Enam, 35 Jarmuth,(GH) Adullam,(GI) Sokoh,(GJ) Azekah,(GK) 36 Shaaraim,(GL) Adithaim and Gederah(GM) (or Gederothaim)[f]—fourteen towns and their villages.
37 Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal Gad, 38 Dilean, Mizpah,(GN) Joktheel,(GO) 39 Lachish,(GP) Bozkath,(GQ) Eglon,(GR) 40 Kabbon, Lahmas, Kitlish, 41 Gederoth,(GS) Beth Dagon,(GT) Naamah and Makkedah(GU)—sixteen towns and their villages.
42 Libnah,(GV) Ether, Ashan,(GW) 43 Iphtah, Ashnah,(GX) Nezib, 44 Keilah,(GY) Akzib(GZ) and Mareshah(HA)—nine towns and their villages.
45 Ekron,(HB) with its surrounding settlements and villages; 46 west of Ekron, all that were in the vicinity of Ashdod,(HC) together with their villages; 47 Ashdod,(HD) its surrounding settlements and villages; and Gaza, its settlements and villages, as far as the Wadi of Egypt(HE) and the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea.(HF)
48 In the hill country:
Shamir,(HG) Jattir,(HH) Sokoh,(HI) 49 Dannah, Kiriath Sannah (that is, Debir(HJ)), 50 Anab,(HK) Eshtemoh,(HL) Anim, 51 Goshen,(HM) Holon(HN) and Giloh(HO)—eleven towns and their villages.
52 Arab, Dumah,(HP) Eshan, 53 Janim, Beth Tappuah, Aphekah, 54 Humtah, Kiriath Arba(HQ) (that is, Hebron) and Zior—nine towns and their villages.
55 Maon,(HR) Carmel,(HS) Ziph,(HT) Juttah,(HU) 56 Jezreel,(HV) Jokdeam, Zanoah,(HW) 57 Kain, Gibeah(HX) and Timnah(HY)—ten towns and their villages.
58 Halhul, Beth Zur,(HZ) Gedor,(IA) 59 Maarath, Beth Anoth and Eltekon—six towns and their villages.[g]
60 Kiriath Baal(IB) (that is, Kiriath Jearim(IC)) and Rabbah(ID)—two towns and their villages.
61 In the wilderness:(IE)
Beth Arabah,(IF) Middin, Sekakah, 62 Nibshan, the City of Salt and En Gedi(IG)—six towns and their villages.
63 Judah could not(IH) dislodge the Jebusites(II), who were living in Jerusalem;(IJ) to this day the Jebusites live there with the people of Judah.(IK)
Allotment for Ephraim and Manasseh
16 The allotment for Joseph began at the Jordan, east of the springs of Jericho, and went up from there through the desert(IL) into the hill country of Bethel.(IM) 2 It went on from Bethel (that is, Luz(IN)),[h] crossed over to the territory of the Arkites(IO) in Ataroth,(IP) 3 descended westward to the territory of the Japhletites as far as the region of Lower Beth Horon(IQ) and on to Gezer,(IR) ending at the Mediterranean Sea.
4 So Manasseh and Ephraim, the descendants of Joseph, received their inheritance.(IS)
5 This was the territory of Ephraim, according to its clans:
The boundary of their inheritance went from Ataroth Addar(IT) in the east to Upper Beth Horon(IU) 6 and continued to the Mediterranean Sea. From Mikmethath(IV) on the north it curved eastward to Taanath Shiloh, passing by it to Janoah(IW) on the east. 7 Then it went down from Janoah(IX) to Ataroth(IY) and Naarah, touched Jericho and came out at the Jordan. 8 From Tappuah(IZ) the border went west to the Kanah Ravine(JA) and ended at the Mediterranean Sea. This was the inheritance of the tribe of the Ephraimites, according to its clans. 9 It also included all the towns and their villages that were set aside for the Ephraimites within the inheritance of the Manassites.(JB)
10 They did not dislodge the Canaanites living in Gezer; to this day the Canaanites live among the people of Ephraim but are required to do forced labor.(JC)
17 This was the allotment for the tribe of Manasseh(JD) as Joseph’s firstborn,(JE) that is, for Makir,(JF) Manasseh’s firstborn. Makir was the ancestor of the Gileadites, who had received Gilead(JG) and Bashan(JH) because the Makirites were great soldiers. 2 So this allotment was for the rest of the people of Manasseh(JI)—the clans of Abiezer,(JJ) Helek, Asriel,(JK) Shechem, Hepher(JL) and Shemida.(JM) These are the other male descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph by their clans.
3 Now Zelophehad son of Hepher,(JN) the son of Gilead, the son of Makir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons but only daughters,(JO) whose names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah and Tirzah. 4 They went to Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders and said, “The Lord commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our relatives.” So Joshua gave them an inheritance along with the brothers of their father, according to the Lord’s command.(JP) 5 Manasseh’s share consisted of ten tracts of land besides Gilead and Bashan east of the Jordan,(JQ) 6 because the daughters of the tribe of Manasseh received an inheritance among the sons. The land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the descendants of Manasseh.
7 The territory of Manasseh extended from Asher(JR) to Mikmethath(JS) east of Shechem.(JT) The boundary ran southward from there to include the people living at En Tappuah. 8 (Manasseh had the land of Tappuah, but Tappuah(JU) itself, on the boundary of Manasseh, belonged to the Ephraimites.) 9 Then the boundary continued south to the Kanah Ravine.(JV) There were towns belonging to Ephraim lying among the towns of Manasseh, but the boundary of Manasseh was the northern side of the ravine and ended at the Mediterranean Sea. 10 On the south the land belonged to Ephraim, on the north to Manasseh. The territory of Manasseh reached the Mediterranean Sea and bordered Asher(JW) on the north and Issachar(JX) on the east.(JY)
11 Within Issachar(JZ) and Asher, Manasseh also had Beth Shan,(KA) Ibleam(KB) and the people of Dor,(KC) Endor,(KD) Taanach(KE) and Megiddo,(KF) together with their surrounding settlements (the third in the list is Naphoth[i]).(KG)
12 Yet the Manassites were not able(KH) to occupy these towns, for the Canaanites were determined to live in that region. 13 However, when the Israelites grew stronger, they subjected the Canaanites to forced labor but did not drive them out completely.(KI)
14 The people of Joseph said to Joshua, “Why have you given us only one allotment and one portion for an inheritance? We are a numerous people, and the Lord has blessed us abundantly.”(KJ)
15 “If you are so numerous,” Joshua answered, “and if the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you, go up into the forest(KK) and clear land for yourselves there in the land of the Perizzites(KL) and Rephaites.(KM)”
16 The people of Joseph replied, “The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who live in the plain have chariots fitted with iron,(KN) both those in Beth Shan(KO) and its settlements and those in the Valley of Jezreel.”(KP)
17 But Joshua said to the tribes of Joseph—to Ephraim and Manasseh—“You are numerous and very powerful. You will have not only one allotment(KQ) 18 but the forested hill country(KR) as well. Clear it, and its farthest limits will be yours; though the Canaanites have chariots fitted with iron(KS) and though they are strong, you can drive them out.”
Division of the Rest of the Land
18 The whole assembly of the Israelites gathered at Shiloh(KT) and set up the tent of meeting(KU) there. The country was brought under their control, 2 but there were still seven Israelite tribes who had not yet received their inheritance.
3 So Joshua said to the Israelites: “How long will you wait before you begin to take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has given you? 4 Appoint three men from each tribe. I will send them out to make a survey of the land and to write a description of it,(KV) according to the inheritance of each.(KW) Then they will return to me. 5 You are to divide the land into seven parts. Judah is to remain in its territory on the south(KX) and the tribes of Joseph in their territory on the north.(KY) 6 After you have written descriptions of the seven parts of the land, bring them here to me and I will cast lots(KZ) for you in the presence of the Lord our God. 7 The Levites, however, do not get a portion among you, because the priestly service of the Lord is their inheritance.(LA) And Gad, Reuben and the half-tribe of Manasseh have already received their inheritance on the east side of the Jordan. Moses the servant of the Lord gave it to them.(LB)”
8 As the men started on their way to map out the land, Joshua instructed them, “Go and make a survey of the land and write a description of it.(LC) Then return to me, and I will cast lots for you here at Shiloh(LD) in the presence of the Lord.” 9 So the men left and went through the land. They wrote its description on a scroll, town by town, in seven parts, and returned to Joshua in the camp at Shiloh. 10 Joshua then cast lots(LE) for them in Shiloh in the presence(LF) of the Lord, and there he distributed the land to the Israelites according to their tribal divisions.(LG)
Allotment for Benjamin
11 The first lot came up for the tribe of Benjamin according to its clans. Their allotted territory lay between the tribes of Judah and Joseph:
12 On the north side their boundary began at the Jordan, passed the northern slope of Jericho and headed west into the hill country, coming out at the wilderness(LH) of Beth Aven.(LI) 13 From there it crossed to the south slope of Luz(LJ) (that is, Bethel(LK)) and went down to Ataroth Addar(LL) on the hill south of Lower Beth Horon.
14 From the hill facing Beth Horon(LM) on the south the boundary turned south along the western side and came out at Kiriath Baal (that is, Kiriath Jearim),(LN) a town of the people of Judah. This was the western side.
15 The southern side began at the outskirts of Kiriath Jearim on the west, and the boundary came out at the spring of the waters of Nephtoah.(LO) 16 The boundary went down to the foot of the hill facing the Valley of Ben Hinnom, north of the Valley of Rephaim.(LP) It continued down the Hinnom Valley(LQ) along the southern slope of the Jebusite city and so to En Rogel.(LR) 17 It then curved north, went to En Shemesh, continued to Geliloth,(LS) which faces the Pass of Adummim,(LT) and ran down to the Stone of Bohan(LU) son of Reuben. 18 It continued to the northern slope of Beth Arabah[j](LV) and on down into the Arabah.(LW) 19 It then went to the northern slope of Beth Hoglah(LX) and came out at the northern bay of the Dead Sea,(LY) at the mouth of the Jordan in the south. This was the southern boundary.
20 The Jordan formed the boundary on the eastern side.
These were the boundaries that marked out the inheritance of the clans of Benjamin on all sides.(LZ)
21 The tribe of Benjamin, according to its clans, had the following towns:
Jericho, Beth Hoglah,(MA) Emek Keziz, 22 Beth Arabah,(MB) Zemaraim,(MC) Bethel,(MD) 23 Avvim,(ME) Parah, Ophrah,(MF) 24 Kephar Ammoni, Ophni and Geba(MG)—twelve towns and their villages.
25 Gibeon,(MH) Ramah,(MI) Beeroth,(MJ) 26 Mizpah,(MK) Kephirah,(ML) Mozah, 27 Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah, 28 Zelah,(MM) Haeleph, the Jebusite city(MN) (that is, Jerusalem(MO)), Gibeah(MP) and Kiriath—fourteen towns and their villages.(MQ)
This was the inheritance of Benjamin for its clans.(MR)
Allotment for Simeon(MS)
19 The second lot came out for the tribe of Simeon according to its clans. Their inheritance lay within the territory of Judah.(MT) 2 It included:
Beersheba(MU) (or Sheba),[k] Moladah,(MV) 3 Hazar Shual,(MW) Balah, Ezem,(MX) 4 Eltolad,(MY) Bethul, Hormah,(MZ) 5 Ziklag,(NA) Beth Markaboth, Hazar Susah, 6 Beth Lebaoth and Sharuhen—thirteen towns and their villages;
7 Ain, Rimmon,(NB) Ether and Ashan(NC)—four towns and their villages— 8 and all the villages around these towns as far as Baalath Beer (Ramah in the Negev).(ND)
This was the inheritance of the tribe of the Simeonites, according to its clans. 9 The inheritance of the Simeonites was taken from the share of Judah,(NE) because Judah’s portion was more than they needed. So the Simeonites received their inheritance within the territory of Judah.(NF)
Allotment for Zebulun
10 The third lot came up for Zebulun(NG) according to its clans:
The boundary of their inheritance went as far as Sarid.(NH) 11 Going west it ran to Maralah, touched Dabbesheth, and extended to the ravine near Jokneam.(NI) 12 It turned east from Sarid(NJ) toward the sunrise to the territory of Kisloth Tabor and went on to Daberath(NK) and up to Japhia. 13 Then it continued eastward to Gath Hepher(NL) and Eth Kazin; it came out at Rimmon(NM) and turned toward Neah. 14 There the boundary went around on the north to Hannathon and ended at the Valley of Iphtah El.(NN) 15 Included were Kattath, Nahalal,(NO) Shimron,(NP) Idalah and Bethlehem.(NQ) There were twelve towns and their villages.
16 These towns and their villages were the inheritance of Zebulun,(NR) according to its clans.(NS)
Allotment for Issachar
17 The fourth lot came out for Issachar(NT) according to its clans. 18 Their territory included:
Jezreel,(NU) Kesulloth, Shunem,(NV) 19 Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath, 20 Rabbith, Kishion,(NW) Ebez, 21 Remeth, En Gannim,(NX) En Haddah and Beth Pazzez. 22 The boundary touched Tabor,(NY) Shahazumah and Beth Shemesh,(NZ) and ended at the Jordan. There were sixteen towns and their villages.
23 These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Issachar,(OA) according to its clans.(OB)
Allotment for Asher
24 The fifth lot came out for the tribe of Asher(OC) according to its clans. 25 Their territory included:
Helkath, Hali, Beten, Akshaph,(OD) 26 Allammelek, Amad and Mishal.(OE) On the west the boundary touched Carmel(OF) and Shihor Libnath. 27 It then turned east toward Beth Dagon,(OG) touched Zebulun(OH) and the Valley of Iphtah El,(OI) and went north to Beth Emek and Neiel, passing Kabul(OJ) on the left. 28 It went to Abdon,[l](OK) Rehob,(OL) Hammon(OM) and Kanah,(ON) as far as Greater Sidon.(OO) 29 The boundary then turned back toward Ramah(OP) and went to the fortified city of Tyre,(OQ) turned toward Hosah and came out at the Mediterranean Sea(OR) in the region of Akzib,(OS) 30 Ummah, Aphek(OT) and Rehob.(OU) There were twenty-two towns and their villages.
31 These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Asher,(OV) according to its clans.
Allotment for Naphtali
32 The sixth lot came out for Naphtali according to its clans:
33 Their boundary went from Heleph and the large tree in Zaanannim,(OW) passing Adami Nekeb and Jabneel(OX) to Lakkum and ending at the Jordan. 34 The boundary ran west through Aznoth Tabor and came out at Hukkok.(OY) It touched Zebulun(OZ) on the south, Asher on the west and the Jordan[m] on the east. 35 The fortified towns were Ziddim, Zer, Hammath,(PA) Rakkath, Kinnereth,(PB) 36 Adamah, Ramah,(PC) Hazor,(PD) 37 Kedesh,(PE) Edrei,(PF) En Hazor, 38 Iron, Migdal El, Horem, Beth Anath(PG) and Beth Shemesh.(PH) There were nineteen towns and their villages.
39 These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Naphtali, according to its clans.(PI)
Allotment for Dan
40 The seventh lot came out for the tribe of Dan according to its clans. 41 The territory of their inheritance included:
Zorah, Eshtaol,(PJ) Ir Shemesh, 42 Shaalabbin, Aijalon,(PK) Ithlah, 43 Elon, Timnah,(PL) Ekron,(PM) 44 Eltekeh, Gibbethon,(PN) Baalath,(PO) 45 Jehud, Bene Berak, Gath Rimmon,(PP) 46 Me Jarkon and Rakkon, with the area facing Joppa.(PQ)
47 (When the territory of the Danites was lost to them,(PR) they went up and attacked Leshem(PS), took it, put it to the sword and occupied it. They settled in Leshem and named(PT) it Dan after their ancestor.)(PU)
48 These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Dan,(PV) according to its clans.
Allotment for Joshua
49 When they had finished dividing the land into its allotted portions, the Israelites gave Joshua son of Nun an inheritance among them, 50 as the Lord had commanded. They gave him the town he asked for—Timnath Serah[n](PW) in the hill country of Ephraim. And he built up the town and settled there.
51 These are the territories that Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun and the heads of the tribal clans of Israel assigned by lot at Shiloh in the presence of the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting. And so they finished dividing(PX) the land.(PY)
Cities of Refuge(PZ)
20 Then the Lord said to Joshua: 2 “Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses, 3 so that anyone who kills a person accidentally and unintentionally(QA) may flee there and find protection from the avenger of blood.(QB) 4 When they flee to one of these cities, they are to stand in the entrance of the city gate(QC) and state their case before the elders(QD) of that city. Then the elders are to admit the fugitive into their city and provide a place to live among them. 5 If the avenger of blood comes in pursuit, the elders must not surrender the fugitive, because the fugitive killed their neighbor unintentionally and without malice aforethought. 6 They are to stay in that city until they have stood trial before the assembly(QE) and until the death of the high priest who is serving at that time. Then they may go back to their own home in the town from which they fled.”
7 So they set apart Kedesh(QF) in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem(QG) in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath Arba(QH) (that is, Hebron(QI)) in the hill country of Judah.(QJ) 8 East of the Jordan (on the other side from Jericho) they designated Bezer(QK) in the wilderness on the plateau in the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead(QL) in the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan(QM) in the tribe of Manasseh. 9 Any of the Israelites or any foreigner residing among them who killed someone accidentally(QN) could flee to these designated cities and not be killed by the avenger of blood prior to standing trial before the assembly.(QO)
Towns for the Levites(QP)
21 Now the family heads of the Levites approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the other tribal families of Israel(QQ) 2 at Shiloh(QR) in Canaan and said to them, “The Lord commanded through Moses that you give us towns(QS) to live in, with pasturelands for our livestock.”(QT) 3 So, as the Lord had commanded, the Israelites gave the Levites the following towns and pasturelands out of their own inheritance:
4 The first lot came out for the Kohathites,(QU) according to their clans. The Levites who were descendants of Aaron the priest were allotted thirteen towns from the tribes of Judah, Simeon and Benjamin.(QV) 5 The rest of Kohath’s descendants were allotted ten towns from the clans of the tribes of Ephraim, Dan and half of Manasseh.(QW)
6 The descendants of Gershon(QX) were allotted thirteen towns from the clans of the tribes of Issachar,(QY) Asher,(QZ) Naphtali and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.
7 The descendants of Merari,(RA) according to their clans, received twelve(RB) towns from the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Zebulun.(RC)
8 So the Israelites allotted to the Levites these towns and their pasturelands, as the Lord had commanded through Moses.
9 From the tribes of Judah and Simeon they allotted the following towns by name 10 (these towns were assigned to the descendants of Aaron who were from the Kohathite clans of the Levites, because the first lot fell to them):
11 They gave them Kiriath Arba(RD) (that is, Hebron(RE)), with its surrounding pastureland, in the hill country of Judah. (Arba was the forefather of Anak.) 12 But the fields and villages around the city they had given to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his possession.(RF)
13 So to the descendants of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron (a city of refuge(RG) for one accused of murder), Libnah,(RH) 14 Jattir,(RI) Eshtemoa,(RJ) 15 Holon,(RK) Debir,(RL) 16 Ain,(RM) Juttah(RN) and Beth Shemesh,(RO) together with their pasturelands—nine towns from these two tribes.
17 And from the tribe of Benjamin they gave them Gibeon,(RP) Geba,(RQ) 18 Anathoth(RR) and Almon, together with their pasturelands—four towns.
19 The total number of towns(RS) for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, came to thirteen, together with their pasturelands.(RT)
20 The rest of the Kohathite clans of the Levites were allotted towns from the tribe of Ephraim:
Footnotes
- Joshua 13:8 Hebrew With it (that is, with the other half of Manasseh)
- Joshua 13:27 Hebrew Kinnereth
- Joshua 14:9 Deut. 1:36
- Joshua 15:4 Septuagint; Hebrew your
- Joshua 15:18 Hebrew and some Septuagint manuscripts; other Septuagint manuscripts (see also note at Judges 1:14) Othniel, he urged her
- Joshua 15:36 Or Gederah and Gederothaim
- Joshua 15:59 The Septuagint adds another district of eleven towns, including Tekoa and Ephrathah (Bethlehem).
- Joshua 16:2 Septuagint; Hebrew Bethel to Luz
- Joshua 17:11 That is, Naphoth Dor
- Joshua 18:18 Septuagint; Hebrew slope facing the Arabah
- Joshua 19:2 Or Beersheba, Sheba; 1 Chron. 4:28 does not have Sheba.
- Joshua 19:28 Some Hebrew manuscripts (see also 21:30); most Hebrew manuscripts Ebron
- Joshua 19:34 Septuagint; Hebrew west, and Judah, the Jordan,
- Joshua 19:50 Also known as Timnath Heres (see Judges 2:9)
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