Amplified Bible (AMP)

Canaan Divided among the Tribes

1 Now Joshua wasold and advanced in years, and the Lordsaid to him, “You have grown old and advanced in years, and verysubstantial portions of the land remain to be possessed.

2 This is the land that remains: all the regions of the Philistines and all those of the Geshurites;

3 from the Shihor [waterway] which is east of Egypt [at the southern end of Canaan], northward to the border of Ekron (all of it regarded as Canaanite); the five rulers of the Philistines: the Gazite, Ashdodite, the Ashkelonite, the Gittite, the Ekronite; and theAvvite

4 in the south, all the land of the Canaanite, and Mearah that belongs to the Sidonians, as far as Aphek, to the border of the Amorite;

5 and the land of the Gebalite, and all Lebanon, towardthe east, from Baal-gad below Mount Hermon to the entrance of Hamath.

6 As for all the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephoth-maim, even all the Sidonians, I will drive them out before Israel; only allot the land to Israel as an inheritance just as I have commanded you.

7 So now, divide this land [west of the Jordan] as an inheritance for the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh.”

8 With the other half-tribe [of Manasseh], the Reubenites and the Gadites received their inheritance which Moses gave them beyond the Jordan eastward, just as Moses the servant of the Lordgave to them;

9 from Aroer on the edge of the valley of the [river] Arnon, and the city in the middle of the valley, and all the plain of Medeba, as far as Dibon;

10 and all the cities of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, as far as the border of the Ammonites;

11 and Gilead, and the territory of the Geshurites and Maacathites, and all Mount Hermon, and all Bashan as far as Salecah;

12 the entire kingdom of Og in Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth and Edrei–he alone was left of the remnant of the Rephaim [giants]–for Moses had struck them and dispossessed them.

13 But the sons of Israel did not dispossess the Geshurites or the Maacathites; for Geshur and Maacath live among Israel to this day.

14 It was only to the tribe of Levi that Moses gave no [territory as an] inheritance; the offerings by fire to the Lord, the God of Israel, are their inheritance, as He told him.

15 So Moses gavean inheritanceto the tribe of the sons of Reuben according to their families.

16 Their territory was from Aroer, which is on the edge of the valley of the [river] Arnon, and the city which is in the middle of the valley and all the plain by Medeba;

17 with Heshbon, and all its cities which are on the plain: Dibon and Bamoth-baal and Beth-baal-meon,

18 and Jahaz and Kedemoth and Mephaath,

19 and Kiriathaim and Sibmah and Zereth-shahar on the hill of the valley,

20 and Beth-peor and the slopes of Pisgah and Beth-jeshimoth,

21 even all the cities of the plain and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites who reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses struck down along with the leaders of Midian, Evi and Rekem and Zur and Hur and Reba, the princes of Sihon, who lived in the land.

22 The sons of Israel also killed Balaam the son of Beor, the diviner (soothsayer), with the sword among [the rest of] their slain.

23 The border of the sons of Reuben was the Jordan. This was the inheritance of the sons of Reuben according to their families, with their cities and villages.

24 Moses also gavean inheritanceto the tribe of Gad, to the sons of Gad, according to their families.

25 Their territory was Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the sons of Ammon, as far as Aroer east of Rabbah;

26 and from Heshbon as far as Ramath-mizpeh and Betonim, and from Mahanaim as far as the border of Debir;

27 and in the valley, Beth-haram and Beth-nimrah and Succoth and Zaphon, the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon, with the Jordan as a border, as far as thelowerend of the Sea of Chinnereth (Galilee) east of the Jordan.

28 This is the inheritance of the sons of Gad according to their families, with their cities and their villages.

29 Moses also gavean inheritanceto the half-tribe of Manasseh; and it was for the half-tribe of the sons of Manasseh according to their families.

30 Their region extended from Mahanaim, all Bashan, the entire kingdom of Og king of Bashan, and all the towns of Jair, which are in Bashan, sixty cities;

31 also half of Gilead, with Ashtaroth and Edrei, the cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan; these were for the sons of Machir the son of Manasseh, for half of the sons of Machir according to their families (clans).

32 These arethe territorieswhich Moses distributed as an inheritance in the plains of Moab, beyond the Jordan at Jericho to the east.

33 But to the tribe of Levi, Moses did not give an inheritance; the Lord, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, as He told them.

Caleb’s Request

1 Now these arethe territorieswhich the tribes of Israel inherited in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the households of the tribes of Israel apportioned to them as an inheritance,

2 by the lot of their inheritance, as the Lordhad commandedthrough Moses, for the nine tribes and the half-tribe.

3 For Moses had given an inheritance to the two tribes and the half-tribe beyond the Jordan; but he did not give [any territory as] an inheritance to the Levites among them.

4 For the sons of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim, and no portion was given in the land to the Levites except cities in which to live, with their pasture lands for their livestock and for their property.

5 The Israelites did just as the Lordhad commanded Moses, and they divided the land.

6 Then the [tribe of the] sons of Judah approached Joshua in Gilgal, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know the word which the Lordsaid to Moses the man of God concerning me and you in Kadesh-barnea.

7 I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lordsent me from Kadesh-barnea to scout the land [of Canaan], and I brought a report back to him as it was in my heart.

8 My brothers (fellow spies) who went up with me made the heart of the people melt with fear; but I followed the Lordmy God completely.

9 So Moses swore [an oath to me] on that day, saying, ‘Be assured that the land on which your foot has walked will be an inheritance to you and to your children always, because you have followed the Lordmy God completely.’

10 And now, look, the Lordhas let me live, just as He said, these forty-five years since the Lordspoke this word to Moses, when Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now,look at me, I am eighty-five years old today.

11 I am still as strong today as I was the day Moses sent me; as my strength was then, so is my strength now, for war and for going out and coming in.

12 So now, give me this hill country about which the Lordspoke that day, for you heard on that day that the [giant-like] Anakim were there, with great fortified cities; perhaps the Lordwill be with me, and I shall drive them out just as the Lordsaid.”

13 So Joshua blessed him and gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh as an inheritance.

14 Therefore, Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he followed the Lord, the God of Israel, completely.

15 The name of Hebron was formerly Kiriath-arba [city of Arba];for Arbawas the greatest man among the [giant-like] Anakim. Then the land had rest from war.

Territory of Judah

1 Now the lot (allotment) for the tribe of the sons of Judah according to their families reached [southward to] the border of Edom, southward to the wilderness of Zin at its most southern part.

2 Their southern border was from the lower end of the Salt (Dead) Sea, from the bay that turns southward.

3 Then it proceeded southward to the ascent of Akrabbim and continued along to Zin, and then went by the south of Kadesh-barnea and continued along to Hezron, and went up to Addar and turned about to Karka.

4 It continued along to Azmon and proceeded to theBrook of Egypt (Wadi el-Arish), and the border ended at the [Mediterranean] sea. This was their southern border.

5 The eastern border was the Salt (Dead) Sea, as far as the mouth of the Jordan. The northern border was from the bay of the sea at the mouth of the Jordan.

6 Then the border went up to Beth-hoglah, and continued along north of Beth-arabah, and the border went up to the [landmark of the] stone of Bohan the son of Reuben.

7 The border went up to Debir from the Valley of Achor, and turned northward toward Gilgal which is opposite the ascent of Adummim, which is on the south side of the valley; and the border continued on to the waters of En-shemesh and ended at En-rogel.

8 Then the border went up by the Valley of Ben-hinnom (son of Hinnom) at the southern slope of the Jebusite [city] (that is, Jerusalem); and the border went up to the top of the mountain that lies before the Valley of Hinnom to the west, which is at the northern end of the Valley of Rephaim.

9 Then the border extended from the top of the mountain to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah and proceeded to the cities of Mount Ephron; then the border curved to Baalah (that is, Kiriath-jearim).

10 The border went around west from Baalah to Mount Seir, and passed along to the northern slope of Mount Jearim (that is, Chesalon), and went down to Beth-shemesh and then continued on through Timnah.

11 The border proceeded to the slope [of the hill] of Ekron northward, then curved to Shikkeron and continued to Mount Baalah and proceeded to Jabneel. Then the border ended at the [Mediterranean] sea.

12 The western border was at the Great Sea, with its coastline. This is the border around the tribe of the sons of Judah according to their families.

13 Now to Caleb the son of Jephunneh Joshua gave a portion among the sons of Judah, as the Lordcommanded him,namely,Kiriath-arba,Arba beingthe father of Anak (that is, Hebron).

14 So Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak: Sheshai and Ahiman and Talmai, the children of Anak.

15 Then he went up from there against the people of Debir; Debir was formerly named Kiriath-sepher.

16 Caleb said, “I will give Achsah my daughter as wife to the man who attacks Kiriath-sepher and captures it.”

17 And Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s brother, captured it; so he gave him Achsah his daughter as a wife.

18 Now it came about that when Achsah cameto Othniel,she persuaded him [to allow her] to ask her father for a field. Then she [rode up to Caleb and] dismounted from her donkey, and Caleb said to her, “What do you want?”

19 Achsah answered, “Give me a blessing; since you have given me the [dry] land of the Negev (South country), give me springs of water, too.” So he gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.

20 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Judah according to their families (clans).

21 The cities of the tribe of the sons of Judah in the extreme south toward the border of Edom were Kabzeel and Eder and Jagur,

22 and Kinah and Dimonah and Adadah,

23 and Kedesh and Hazor and Ithnan,

24 Ziph and Telem and Bealoth,

25 and Hazor-hadattah and Kerioth-hezron (that is, Hazor),

26 Amam and Shema and Moladah,

27 and Hazar-gaddah and Heshmon and Beth-pelet,

28 and Hazar-shual and Beersheba and Biziothiah,

29 Baalah and Iim and Ezem,

30 and Eltolad and Chesil and Hormah,

31 and Ziklag and Madmannah and Sansannah,

32 and Lebaoth and Shilhim and Ain and Rimmon; in all twenty-nine cities with their villages.

33 In the lowland: Eshtaol and Zorah and Ashnah,

34 and Zanoah and En-gannim, Tappuah and Enam,

35 Jarmuth and Adullam, Socoh and Azekah,

36 and Shaaraim and Adithaim and Gederah and Gederothaim; fourteen cities with their villages.

37 Zenan and Hadashah and Migdal-gad,

38 and Dilean and Mizpeh and Joktheel,

39 Lachish and Bozkath and Eglon,

40 and Cabbon and Lahmas and Chitlish,

41 and Gederoth, Beth-dagon and Naamah and Makkedah; sixteen cities with their villages.

42 Libnah and Ether and Ashan,

43 and Iphtah and Ashnah and Nezib,

44 and Keilah and Achzib and Mareshah; nine cities with their villages.

45 Ekron, with itstowns and villages;

46 from Ekron even to the sea, all that were beside Ashdod, with their villages;

47 Ashdod, with its towns and its villages; Gaza, with its towns and its villages; as far as the Brook of Egypt (Wadi el-Arish) and the Great [Mediterranean] Sea with its coastline.

48 In the hill country: Shamir and Jattir and Socoh,

49 and Dannah and Kiriath-sannah (that is, Debir),

50 and Anab and Eshtemoh and Anim,

51 and Goshen and Holon and Giloh; eleven cities with their villages.

52 Arab and Dumah and Eshan,

53 and Janum and Beth-tappuah and Aphekah,

54 and Humtah and Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), and Zior; nine cities with their villages.

55 Maon, Carmel and Ziph and Juttah,

56 and Jezreel and Jokdeam and Zanoah,

57 Kain, Gibeah and Timnah; ten cities with their villages.

58 Halhul, Beth-zur and Gedor,

59 and Maarath and Beth-anoth and Eltekon; six cities with their villages.

60 Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim), and Rabbah; two cities with their villages.

61 In the wilderness [that slopes downward toward the Dead Sea]: Beth-arabah, Middin and Secacah,

62 and Nibshan and theCity of Salt and Engedi; six cities with their villages.

63 But as for the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the [tribe of the] sons of Judah were not able to drive them out; so the Jebusites live with the sons of Judah in Jerusalem to this day.

Territory of Ephraim

1 Then the lot (allotment) for the sons of Joseph went from the Jordan Valley at Jericho to the waters of Jericho on the east into the wilderness, going up from Jericho through the hill country to Bethel.

2 Then it went from Bethel to Luz, and continued to Ataroth, the border of the Archites.

3 It went down westward to the territory of the Japhletites, as far as the outskirts of lower Beth-horon, then to Gezer, and it ended at the sea.

4 The sons of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, received their inheritance.

5 Now this was the territory of the sons of Ephraim according to their families: on the east side the border of their inheritance was Ataroth-addar, as far as upper Beth-horon.

6 Then the border went westward at Michmethath on the north, and turned eastward to Taanath-shiloh and continued beyond it to the east of Janoah.

7 It went down from Janoah to Ataroth and to Naarah, touched Jericho and ended at the Jordan.

8 The border continued from Tappuah westward to the Brook Kanah, and it ended at the [Mediterranean] sea. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Ephraim according to their families (clans),

9 with the cities which were set apart for the sons of Ephraim within the inheritance of the sons of Manasseh, all the cities with their villages.

10 But they did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer, so the Canaanites live among Ephraim to this day, and they became forced laborers.

Territory of Manasseh

1 Now this was the lot (allotment) for the tribe of Manasseh, for he was the firstborn of Joseph. To Machir the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead, were allotted Gilead and Bashan, because he was a man of war.

2 Sothe lotwas also made for the rest of the sons of Manasseh according to their families–for the sons of Abiezer and for the sons of Helek and for the sons of Asriel and for the sons of Shechem and for the sons of Hepher and for the sons of Shemida; these were the male descendants of Manasseh the son of Joseph according to their families (clans).

3 But Zelophehad the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, only daughters; and these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah.

4 They came before Eleazar the priest and before Joshua the son of Nun and before the leaders and said, “The Lordcommanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brothers.” So according to the command of the LordJoshua gave them an inheritance among their father’s brothers.

5 So ten portions fell to Manasseh, besides the land of Gilead and Bashan, which is beyond the Jordan [on the east side of the river],

6 because the daughters of [Zelophehad, a descendant of] Manasseh had received an inheritance among his [other] sons [whose inheritance went to their male descendants]. The land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the sons of Manasseh.

7 The territory of Manasseh reached from Asher to Michmethath which was east of Shechem; then the border went southward to the inhabitants of En-tappuah.

8 The land of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh, but [the city of] Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the sons of Ephraim.

9 Then the border went down to the brook of Kanah, south of the brook (these citiesbelongedto Ephraim, among the cities of Manasseh), and Manasseh’s border was on the north side of the brook and it ended at the sea.

10 The land on the south sidebelongedto Ephraim and that on the north side was Manasseh’s, and the sea was their border; they reached to [the territory of] Asher on the north and to [the territory of] Issachar on the east.

11 Also, in Issachar and in Asher, Manasseh had Beth-shean and its towns and Ibleam and its towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and its towns, and the inhabitants of En-dor and its towns, and the inhabitants of Taanach and its towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns; the third is Napheth.

12 But the sons of Manasseh were not able to [drive out the inhabitants and] take possession of these cities, because the Canaanites persisted in living in that land.

13 When the Israelites became strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but they did not drive them out completely.

14 The sons of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, “Why have you given us only one lot and one portion as an inheritance, when we are a numerous people whom the Lordhas so far blessed?”

15 Then Joshua replied, “If you are a numerous people, go up to the forest and clear ground for yourselves there in the land of the Perizzites and the Rephaim, since the hill country of Ephraim is too narrow for you.”

16 The sons of Joseph said, “The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who live in the valley have iron chariots, both those who are in Beth-shean and its towns and those in the Valley of Jezreel.”

17 Joshua said to the house of Joseph, to Ephraim and to Manasseh, “You are a numerous people and have great power; you shall not haveonlyone lot,

18 but the hill country shall be yours. For though it is a forest, you shall clear it and possess it to its farthest borders; for you shall drive out the Canaanites, even though they have iron chariots and though they are strong.”

Rest of the Land Divided

1 Then the whole congregation of the Israelites assembled at Shiloh [in the tribal territory of Ephraim], and set up the Tent of Meeting there; and the land was subdued before them.

2 There remained among the Israelitesseven tribes who had not yet divided their inheritance.

3 So Joshua asked them, “How long will you put off entering to take possession of the land which the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given you?

4 Provide for yourselves three men from each tribe so that I may send them, and that they may go through the land and write a description of it with regard to their [tribal] inheritance; then they shall return to me.

5 They shall divide it into seven parts; [the tribe of] Judah shall remain in its territory on the south, and thehouse of Joseph shall remain in its territory on the north.

6 You shall describe the land in seven divisions, and bringthe descriptionhere to me. I will cast lots for you herebefore the Lordour God.

7 But the Levites have no portion among you, because the priesthood of the Lordistheir inheritance. Gad and Reuben and half the tribe of Manasseh also have received their inheritance eastward beyond the Jordan, which Moses the servant of the Lordgave them.”

8 So the men arose and went [on their way], and Joshua commanded those who went to describe the land, saying, “Go and walk throughout the land and describe it, and return to me; and I will cast lots for you here before the Lordin Shiloh.”

9 So the men set out and passed through the land, and described it by cities in seven divisions in a book; and they came back to Joshua to the camp at Shiloh.

10 Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the Lord, and there Joshua divided the land to the sons of Israel, [to each tribe] according to their portions.

The Territory of Benjamin

11 Now the lot (allotment) of the tribe of the sons of Benjamin came up according to their families, and the territory of their lot fell between [the tribes of] the sons of Judah and the sons of Joseph.

12 On the north side their border began at the Jordan, then it went up the slope of Jericho on the north, and up through the hill country westward, and it ended at the Beth-aven wilderness.

13 Then the border continued southward toward Luz, to the slope of Luz (that is, Bethel); then the border went down to Ataroth-addar, by the hill that lies south of lower Beth-horon.

14 The border changed course [from there] and turned around on the western side southward, from the hill that lies to the south opposite Beth-horon; it ended at Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim), a city of [the tribe of] the sons of Judah. Thisformedthe western side [of Benjamin’s territory].

15 The southern side was from the edge of Kiriath-jearim, and the border went on westward and went to the source of the waters of Nephtoah.

16 Then the border went down to the edge of the hill overlooking the Valley of Ben-hinnom (son of Hinnom), which is at the north end of the Valley of Rephaim; and it descended to the Valley of Hinnom, south to the slope of the Jebusite, and went on down to En-rogel.

17 Then it turned toward the north and went on to En-shemesh and on to Geliloth, which is opposite the ascent of Adummim, and it went down to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben.

18 It continued to the north to the side opposite [Beth-] Arabah and went down to the Arabah.

19 The border continued along to the north of the slope of Beth-hoglah; and the border ended at the northern bay of the Salt (Dead) Sea, at the south end of the Jordan. This was the southern border.

20 And the Jordan River was its border on the east side. This was the inheritance of the sons of Benjamin, according to their families and according to its borders all around.

21 Now the cities of the tribe of the sons of Benjamin according to their families were Jericho and Beth-hoglah and Emek-keziz,

22 and Beth-arabah and Zemaraim and Bethel,

23 and Avvim and Parah and Ophrah,

24 and Chephar-ammoni and Ophni and Geba; twelve cities with their villages;

25 Gibeon and Ramah and Beeroth,

26 and Mizpeh and Chephirah and Mozah,

27 and Rekem and Irpeel and Taralah,

28 and Zelah, Haeleph and the Jebusite (that is, Jerusalem), Gibeah, Kiriath; fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of [the tribe of] the sons of Benjamin according to their families (clans).

Territory of Simeon

1 Then the second lot fell to Simeon, to the tribe of the sons of Simeon according to their families (clans), and their inheritance was within the inheritance of the sons of Judah.

2 So they had as their inheritance Beersheba or Sheba and Moladah,

3 and Hazar-shual and Balah and Ezem,

4 and Eltolad and Bethul and Hormah,

5 and Ziklag and Beth-marcaboth and Hazar-susah,

6 and Beth-lebaoth and Sharuhen; thirteen cities with their villages;

7 Ain, Rimmon and Ether and Ashan; four cities with their villages;

8 and all the villages which were around these cities as far as Baalath-beer, Ramah of the Negev (South country). This was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Simeon according to their families.

9 The inheritance of the sons of Simeonwas takenfrom the portion of the sons of Judah, for the share of the sons of Judah was too large for them; so the sons of Simeon received an inheritance within Judah’s inheritance.

Territory of Zebulun

10 The third lot came up for [the tribe of] the sons of Zebulun according to their families. The territory of their inheritance extended to Sarid.

11 Then its border went up westward and on to Maralah, and reached to Dabbesheth and reached to the brook east of Jokneam.

12 Then it turned from Sarid east toward the sunrise as far as the border of Chisloth-tabor, and it proceeded to Daberath and on up to Japhia.

13 From there it continued east toward the sunrise toGath-hepher and to Eth-kazin, and proceeded to Rimmon which turns toward Neah.

14 The border circled it on the north to Hannathon, ending at the Valley of Iphtahel.

15 Included were Kattah and Nahalal and Shimron and Idalah and Bethlehem; twelve cities with their villages.

16 This was the inheritance of the sons of Zebulun according to their families, these cities with their villages.

Territory of Issachar

17 The fourth lot fell to [the tribe of] Issachar, to the sons of Issachar according to their families.

18 Their territory included: Jezreel and Chesulloth and Shunem,

19 and Hapharaim and Shion and Anaharath,

20 and Rabbith and Kishion and Ebez,

21 and Remeth and En-gannim and En-haddah and Beth-pazzez.

22 The border reached to Tabor and Shahazumah and Beth-shemesh, and their border ended at the Jordan; sixteen cities with their villages.

23 This was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Issachar according to their families, the cities and their villages.

Territory of Asher

24 The fifth lot fell to the tribe of the sons of Asher according to their families.

25 Their territory was Helkath and Hali and Beten and Achshaph,

26 and Allammelech and Amad and Mishal; and on the west it reached to Carmel and to Shihor-libnath.

27 Then it turned eastward to Beth-dagon and reached Zebulun and the Valley of Iphtahel northward to Beth-emek and Neiel, and continued in the north to Cabul,

28 and Ebron and Rehob and Hammon and Kanah, as far as Great Sidon.

29 Then the border turned to Ramah, [reaching] to the fortified city of Tyre; and it turned to Hosah, and it ended at the [Mediterranean] sea at the region of Achzib.

30 Included were Ummah, and Aphek and Rehob; twenty-two cities with their villages.

31 This was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Asher according to their families, these cities with their villages.

Territory of Naphtali

32 The sixth lot fell to [the tribe of] the sons of Naphtali according to their families.

33 Their border ran from Heleph, from the oak in Zaanannim and Adami-nekeb and Jabneel, as far as Lakkum, and it ended at the Jordan.

34 Then the border turned westward to Aznoth-tabor and went from there to Hukkok; and it reached Zebulun on the south and reached Asher on the west, and to Judah toward the east at the Jordan.

35 The fortified cities were Ziddim, Zer, and Hammath, Rakkath and Chinnereth,

36 and Adamah and Ramah and Hazor,

37 and Kedesh and Edrei and En-hazor,

38 and Yiron and Migdal-el, Horem and Beth-anath and Beth-shemesh; nineteen cities with their villages.

39 This was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Naphtali according to their families, the cities and their villages.

Territory of Dan

40 The seventh lot fell to the tribe of the sons of Dan according to their families.

41 The territory of their inheritance included Zorah and Eshtaol and Ir-shemesh,

42 and Shaalabbin and Aijalon and Ithlah,

43 and Elon and Timnah and Ekron,

44 and Eltekeh and Gibbethon and Baalath,

45 and Jehud and Bene-berak and Gath-rimmon,

46 and Me-jarkon and Rakkon, with the territory opposite Joppa.

47 The territory of the sons of Danwent beyond these; so the sons of Dan went up to fight against Leshem (Laish) and captured it. Then they struck it with the edge of the sword and took possession of it and settled there [between the tribes of Naphtali and Manasseh]; theyrenamed Leshem, Dan, after the name of their father (ancestor) Dan.

48 This was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Dan according to their families (clans), these cities with their villages.

49 When they had finished dividing the land for inheritance by its borders, the Israelites gave an inheritance among them to Joshua the son of Nun.

50 According to the command of the Lordthey gave him the city for which he asked–Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim. So he built the city and settled in it.

51 These are the inheritances which Eleazar the priest, Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the households of the tribes of the sons of Israel distributed by lot in Shiloh before the Lordat the doorway of the Tent of Meeting. So they finished dividing the land.

Six Cities of Refuge

1 The Lordspoke to Joshua, saying,

2 “Speak to the Israelites, saying, ‘Designate the cities of refuge (asylum), of which I spoke to you through Moses,

3 so that the person (manslayer) who kills any person unintentionally,without premeditation, may flee there, and they shall be your refuge from theblood avenger.

4 ~‘He shall flee to one of these cities, and shall stand at the entrance of the gate of the city andexplain his case to the elders of that city; and they shall take him into [the protection of] the city and give him a place [to stay], so that he may live among them.

5 ~‘If the blood avenger pursues him, they shall not hand the offender (manslayer) over to him, because he killed his neighborunintentionallyandwithout premeditation and did not hate him beforehand.

6 ~‘He shall live in that city until he has stood before the congregation for judgment [andif acquitted of murder he must stay there], until the death of the one who is the high priest in those days. Then the offender (manslayer) shall return to his own city and his own house from which he fled.’”

7 So they set apartandconsecrated Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, and Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah.

8 Beyond the Jordan east of Jericho, they designated Bezer in the wilderness on the plain from the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan from the tribe of Manasseh.

9 These were the appointed cities for all the Israelites and for the stranger sojourning (living temporarily) among them, so that whoever killed any person unintentionally may flee there, and not die by the hand of the blood avenger until he had stood before the congregation [for judgment].

Forty-eight Cities of the Levites

1 Then the heads of thehouseholds of the Levites came to Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the households of the tribes of the sons of Israel.

2 They spoke to them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, “The Lordcommanded Moses to give us cities to live in, with their pasture lands for our cattle.”

3 So the sons of Israel gave the Levites from their inheritance these [forty-eight] cities and their pasture lands, in accordance with the command of the Lord.

4 The [first] lot (allotment) came out for the families of the Kohathites. So thoseLevites who were sons (descendants) of Aaron the priest received thirteen cities by lot from the tribe of Judah and from the tribe of Simeon and from the tribe of Benjamin.

5 The rest of the sons of Kohath received ten cities by lot from the families of the tribe of Ephraim and from the tribe of Dan and from the half-tribe of Manasseh.

6 The sons of Gershon received thirteen cities by lot from the families of the tribe of Issachar and from the tribe of Asher and from the tribe of Naphtali and from the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.

7 The sons of Merari according to their families received twelve cities from the tribe of Reuben and from the tribe of Gad and from the tribe of Zebulun.

8 The sons of Israel gave by lot to the Levites these cities with their pasture lands, as the Lordhad commanded through Moses.

9 They gave these cities which are mentioned here by name from the tribe of the sons of Judah and from the tribe of the sons of Simeon;

10 and they were for the sons of Aaron, one of the families of the Kohathites, of the sons of Levi, because the lot fell to them first.

11 They gave them [the city of] Kiriath-arba,Arba beingthe father of Anak (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah, with its surrounding pasture lands.

12 But the fields of the city and its villages they had given to Caleb the son of Jephunneh as his property.

13 So to the sons of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron, the city of refuge for anyone who committed manslaughter, with its pasture lands, and Libnah with its pasture lands,

14 and Jattir with its pasture lands and Eshtemoa with its pasture lands,

15 and Holon with its pasture lands and Debir with its pasture lands,

16 and Ain with its pasture lands and Juttah with its pasture landsandBeth-shemesh with its pasture lands; nine cities from these two tribes (Judah and Simeon).

17 From the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with its pasture lands, and Geba with its pasture lands,

18 Anathoth with its pasture lands and Almon with its pasture lands; four cities.

19 All the cities of the sons of Aaron, the priests, were thirteen cities with their pasture lands.

20 Then the cities from the tribe of Ephraim were allotted to the families of the sons of Kohath, the Levites,even tothe rest of the sons of Kohath.

21 They gave them Shechem, the city of refuge for anyone who committed manslaughter, with its pasture lands, in the hill country of Ephraim, and Gezer with its pasture lands,

22 and Kibzaim with its pasture lands and Beth-horon with its pasture lands; four cities.

23 From the tribe of Dan, Eltekeh with its pasture lands, Gibbethon with its pasture lands,

24 Aijalon with its pasture lands, Gath-rimmon with its pasture lands; four cities.

25 From the half-tribe of Manasseh,they allottedTaanach with its pasture lands and Gath-rimmon with its pasture lands; two cities.

26 All the cities with their pasture lands for the families of the rest of the sons of Kohathtotaledten.

27 To the sons of Gershon, one of the families of the Levites,they gavefrom the other half-tribe of Manasseh, [the city of] Golan in Bashan, the city of refuge for anyone who committed manslaughter, with its pasture lands, and Be-eshterah with its pasture lands; two cities.

28 From the tribe of Issachar,they gaveKishion with its pasture lands, Daberath with its pasture lands,

29 Jarmuth with its pasture lands, and En-gannim with its pasture lands; four cities.

30 From the tribe of Asher,they gaveMishal with its pasture lands, Abdon with its pasture lands,

31 Helkath with its pasture lands and Rehob with its pasture lands; four cities.

32 From the tribe of Naphtali,they gaveKedesh in Galilee, the city of refuge for anyone who committed manslaughter, with its pasture lands and Hammoth-dor with its pasture lands and Kartan with its pasture lands; three cities.

33 All the cities of the Gershonites according to their families were thirteen cities with their pasture lands.

34 To the families of the sons of Merari, the rest of the Levites,they gavefrom the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam with its pasture lands and Kartah with its pasture lands,

35 Dimnah with its pasture lands and Nahalal with its pasture lands; four cities.

36 From the tribe of Reuben,they gaveBezer with its pasture lands and Jahaz with its pasture lands,

37 Kedemoth with its pasture lands and Mephaath with its pasture lands; four cities.

38 From the tribe of Gad,they gaveRamoth in Gilead, the city of refuge for anyone who committed manslaughter, with its pasture lands and Mahanaim with its pasture lands,

39 Heshbon with its pasture lands and Jazer with its pasture lands; four cities in all.

40 All [these were] the cities of the sons of Merari according to their families, the rest of the families of the Levites; and their lot was twelve cities.

41 All the cities of the Levites in the midst of the property of the sons of Israel were forty-eight cities with their pasture lands.

42 These cities each had its surrounding pasture lands; so it was with all these cities.

43 So the Lordgave Israel all the land which He had sworn to give to their fathers (ancestors), and they took possession of it and lived in it.

44 The Lordgave them rest [from conflict] on every side, in accordance with everything that He had sworn to their fathers, and not one of all their enemies stood before them [in battle]; the Lordhanded over all their enemies to them.

45 Not one of the good promises which the Lordhad spoken to the house of Israel failed; all had come to pass.

Tribes beyond Jordan Return

1 Then Joshua called the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh,

2 and said to them, “You have kept all that Moses the servant of the Lordcommanded you, and have listened toandobeyed my voice in everything that I commanded you.

3 You have not deserted your brothers these many days to this day, but have [carefully] kept the obligation of the commandment of the Lordyour God.

4 And now the Lordyour God has given rest to your brothers, as He has promised them; so turn now and go to your tents, to the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the Lordgave you beyond the [east side of the] Jordan.

5 Only be very carefulanddiligently observe the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the Lordhas commanded you to love the Lordyour God and walk in all His ways and keep His commandments and hold fast to Him and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul [your very life].”

6 So Joshua blessed them and sent them away, and they went to their tents.

7 Now to the one-half of the tribe of Manasseh Moses had givena possessionin Bashan, but to the other half Joshua gavea possessionon the west side of the Jordan among their brothers. So when Joshua sent them away to their tents, he blessed them,

8 and he said to them, “Return to your tents with great riches and with very much livestock, with silver, gold, bronze, iron, and with very many clothes; divide the spoil of your enemies with your brothers (fellow tribesmen).”

9 So the sons (descendants) of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh returnedhomeand departed from the [other] sons (western tribes) of Israel at Shiloh which is in the land of Canaan, to go to the land of Gilead, to the land of their own which they had possessed, in accordance with the command of the Lordthrough Moses.

The Offensive Altar

10 When they came to the region of the Jordan which is in the land of Canaan, the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh built an altar there by the Jordan, an altar that was great to behold.

11 And the [other] sons of Israel heard it said, “Look, the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh have built analtar at the edge of the land of Canaan, in the region [west] of the Jordan, on the sidebelonging tothe sons of Israel.”

12 When the sons of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the Israelites gathered at Shiloh to make war against them.

13 Then the sons of Israel sent Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest to the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, in the land of Gilead,

14 and with him ten leaders, one leader from each father’s household from each of the tribes of Israel; and each one was the head of his father’s household among the thousands of Israel.

15 They came to the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, in the land of Gilead, and they said to them,

16 “This is what the entire congregation of the Lordsays, ‘What is this disloyalandunfaithful act which you have committed against the God of Israel, so as to turn away from following the Lordthis day, by building yourselves an altar, to rebel against the Lordthis day?

17 ~‘Is the wrongdoing (idolatry) of Peor not enough for us, from which we have not cleansed ourselves to this day, even though the affliction [in which twenty-four thousand died] came on the congregation of the Lord,

18 that you would turn away this day from following the Lord? If you rebel against the Lordtoday, He will be angry with the entire congregation of Israel tomorrow.

19 ~‘If, however, the land of your possession is unclean, then cross into the land of the possession of the Lord, where the Lord’stabernacle is situated, and settle down among us. But do not rebel against the Lord, or rebel against us by building an altar for yourselves, besides the altar of the Lordour God [at Shiloh].

20 ~‘Did not Achan the son of Zerah act unfaithfully in the things under the ban, and [as a result God’s] wrath came on the entire congregation of Israel? And that man did not perish alone in his wrongdoing.’”

21 Then the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered and said to the heads of the families of Israel,

22 “The Mighty One, God, the Lord, the Mighty One, God, the Lord! He knows, and may Israel itself know. If it was in rebellion, or if in an unfaithful act against the Lord, do not save us this day!

23 If we have built an altar for ourselves to turn away from following the Lord, or if [we did so] to offer a burnt offering or grain offering on it, or if to offer sacrifices of peace offerings on it, may the LordHimself require it [of us and hold us responsible].

24 But in truth we have done this out of concern, for a reason, saying, ‘In time to come your sons (descendants) may say to our sons, “Whatclaim do you have to the Lord, the God of Israel?

25 For the Lordhas made the Jordan a border between us and you, you sons of Reuben and sons of Gad; you have no part in the Lord.” So your sons (descendants) may cause our sons to stop fearing the Lord.’

26 “So we said, ‘Let us prepareandbuild an altar, not for burnt offering or for sacrifice,

27 but to be a witness between us and you and between the generations after us, that we are to perform the service of the Lordbefore Him with our burnt offerings, and with our sacrifices and with our peace offerings, so that your sons (descendants) will not say to our sons in time to come, “You have no part in the Lord.”’

28 So we said, ‘If your descendants should say this to us or to our descendants in time to come, then we can reply, “See the copy of the altar of the Lordwhich our fathers made, not for burnt offering or for sacrifice, but rather it is a witness between us and you.”’

29 Far be it from us that we should rebel against the Lordand turn away from following the Lordthis day, by building an altar for burnt offering, for grain offering or for sacrifice, besides the altar of the Lordour God which is before Histabernacle [in Shiloh].”

30 So when Phinehas the priest and the leaders of the congregation and heads of the families of Israel who were with him, heard the words which the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the sons of Manasseh spoke, itpleased them.

31 Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said to the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the sons of Manasseh, “Today we know that the Lordis among us, because you have not committed this unfaithful act against the Lord; indeed you have saved Israel from the hand of the Lord.”

32 Then Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest and the leaders returned from the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad, from the land of Gilead to the land of Canaan, to the sons of Israel, and brought back word to them.

33 The reportpleased the sons of Israel, and the sons of Israel blessed God; and they said no more about going to battle against them to destroy the land in which the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad were living.

34 The sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad called the altarWitness;“For it is a witness between us that the Lordis God.”