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Joshua

Chapters 13-21

Joshua, Chapter 13

¹ When Joshua was old and well advanced in years, the LORD said to him, "You are 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 and Geshurites:

³ from the Shihor River on the east of Egypt to the territory of Ekron on the north, all of it counted as Canaanite (the territory of the five Philistine rulers in Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath and Ekron-that of the Avvites);

⁴ from the south, all the land of the Canaanites, from Arah of the Sidonians as far as Aphek, the region of the Amorites,

⁵ the area of the Gebalites¹ ; and all Lebanon to the east, from Baal Gad below Mount Hermon to Lebo² Hamath.

⁶ "As for all the inhabitants of the mountain regions from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim, that is, all the Sidonians, I myself will drive them out before the Israelites. Be sure to allocate this land to Israel for an inheritance, as I have instructed you,

⁷ and divide it as an inheritance among the nine tribes and half of the tribe of Manasseh."

⁸ The other half of Manasseh,³ 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 it to them.

⁹ It extended from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Gorge, and from the town in the middle of the gorge, and included the whole plateau of Medeba as far as Dibon,

¹⁰ and all the towns of Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon, out to the border of the Ammonites.

¹¹ It also included Gilead, the territory of the people of Geshur and Maacah, all of Mount Hermon and all Bashan as far as Salecah-

¹² that is, the whole kingdom of Og in Bashan, who had reigned in Ashtaroth and Edrei and had survived as one of the last of the Rephaites. Moses had defeated them and taken over their land.

¹³ But the Israelites did not drive out the people of Geshur and Maacah, so they continue to live among the Israelites to this day.

¹⁴ But to the tribe of Levi he gave no inheritance, since the offerings made by fire to the LORD , the God of Israel, are their inheritance, as he promised them.

¹⁵ This is what Moses had given to the tribe of Reuben, clan by clan:

¹⁶ The territory from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Gorge, and from the town in the middle of the gorge, and the whole plateau past Medeba

¹⁷ to Heshbon and all its towns on the plateau, including Dibon, Bamoth Baal, Beth Baal Meon,

¹⁸ Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath,

¹⁹ Kiriathaim, Sibmah, Zereth Shahar on the hill in the valley,

²⁰ Beth Peor, the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth Jeshimoth

²¹ -all the towns on the plateau and the entire realm of Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled at Heshbon. Moses had defeated him and the Midianite chiefs, Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur and Reba-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, who practiced divination.

²³ The boundary of the Reubenites was the bank of the Jordan. These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the Reubenites, clan by clan.

²⁴ This is what Moses had given to the tribe of Gad, clan by clan:

²⁵ The territory of Jazer, all the towns of Gilead and half the Ammonite country as far as Aroer, near Rabbah;

²⁶ and from Heshbon to Ramath Mizpah and Betonim, and from Mahanaim to the territory of Debir;

²⁷ and in the valley, Beth Haram, Beth Nimrah, Succoth and Zaphon 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 Kinnereth⁴ ).

²⁸ These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the Gadites, clan by clan.

²⁹ This is what Moses had given to the half-tribe of Manasseh, that is, to half the family of the descendants of Manasseh, clan by clan:

³⁰ The territory extending from Mahanaim and including all of Bashan, the entire realm of Og king of Bashan-all the settlements of Jair in Bashan, sixty towns,

³¹ half of Gilead, and Ashtaroth and Edrei (the royal cities of Og in Bashan). This was for the descendants of Makir son of Manasseh-for half of the sons of Makir, clan by clan.

³² This is the inheritance Moses had given when he was in the plains of Moab across the Jordan east of Jericho.

³³ But to the tribe of Levi, Moses had given no inheritance; the LORD , the God of Israel, is their inheritance, as he promised them.

Joshua, Chapter 14

¹ Now these are the areas the Israelites received as an inheritance in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun and the heads of the tribal clans of Israel allotted to them.

² Their inheritances were assigned by lot to the nine-and-a-half tribes, as the LORD had commanded through Moses.

³ Moses had granted the two-and-a-half tribes their inheritance east of the Jordan but had not granted the Levites an inheritance among the rest,

⁴ for the sons of Joseph had become two tribes-Manasseh and Ephraim. The Levites received no share of the land but only towns to live in, with pasturelands for their flocks and herds.

⁵ So the Israelites divided the land, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

⁶ Now the men of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, "You know what the LORD said to Moses the man of God at Kadesh Barnea about you and me.

⁷ I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh Barnea to explore the land. And I brought him back a report according to my convictions,

⁸ but my brothers who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt with fear. I, however, followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly.

⁹ So on that day Moses swore to me, 'The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance and that of your children forever, because you have followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly.'¹

¹⁰ "Now then, just as the LORD promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the desert. So here I am today, eighty-five years old!

¹¹ I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I'm just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then.

¹² Now give me this hill country that the LORD promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the LORD helping me, I will drive them out just as he said."

¹³ Then Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as his inheritance.

¹⁴ So Hebron has belonged to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite ever since, because he followed the LORD , the God of Israel, wholeheartedly.

¹⁵ (Hebron used to be called Kiriath Arba after Arba, who was the greatest man among the Anakites.)
Then the land had rest from war.

Joshua, Chapter 15

¹ The allotment for the tribe of Judah, clan by clan, extended down to the territory of Edom, to the Desert of Zin in the extreme south.

² Their southern boundary started from the bay at the southern end of the Salt Sea,¹

³ crossed south of Scorpion² Pass, continued on to Zin and went over to the south of Kadesh Barnea. Then it ran past Hezron up to Addar and curved around to Karka.

⁴ It then passed along to Azmon and joined the Wadi of Egypt, ending at the sea. This is their³ southern boundary.

⁵ The eastern boundary is the Salt Sea as far as the mouth of the Jordan.
The northern boundary started from the bay of the sea at the mouth of the Jordan,

⁶ went up to Beth Hoglah and continued north of Beth Arabah to the Stone of Bohan son of Reuben.

⁷ The boundary then went up to Debir from the Valley of Achor and turned north to Gilgal, which faces the Pass of Adummim south of the gorge. It continued along to the waters of En Shemesh and came out at En Rogel.

⁸ Then it ran up the Valley of Ben Hinnom along the southern slope of the Jebusite city (that is, Jerusalem). From there it climbed to the top of the hill west of the Hinnom Valley at the northern end of the Valley of Rephaim.

⁹ From the hilltop the boundary headed toward the spring of the waters of Nephtoah, came out at the towns of Mount Ephron and went down toward Baalah (that is, Kiriath Jearim).

¹⁰ Then it curved westward from Baalah to Mount Seir, ran along the northern slope of Mount Jearim (that is, Kesalon), continued down to Beth Shemesh and crossed to Timnah.

¹¹ It went to the northern slope of Ekron, turned toward Shikkeron, passed along to Mount Baalah and reached Jabneel. The boundary ended at the sea.

¹² The western boundary is the coastline of the Great Sea.⁴
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 son of Jephunneh a portion in Judah-Kiriath Arba, that is, Hebron. (Arba was the forefather of Anak.)

¹⁴ From Hebron Caleb drove out the three Anakites-Sheshai, Ahiman and Talmai-descendants of Anak.

¹⁵ From there he marched against the people living in Debir (formerly called Kiriath Sepher).

¹⁶ And Caleb said, "I will give my daughter Acsah in marriage to the man who attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher."

¹⁷ Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb's brother, took it; so Caleb gave his daughter Acsah to him in marriage.

¹⁸ One day when she came to Othniel, she urged him⁵ 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, give me also springs of water." So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs.

²⁰ This is the inheritance of the tribe of Judah, clan by clan:

²¹ The southernmost towns of the tribe of Judah in the Negev toward the boundary of Edom were:
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, Kesil, Hormah,

³¹ Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah,

³² Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain and Rimmon-a total of twenty-nine towns and their villages.

³³ In the western foothills:
Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah,

³⁴ Zanoah, En Gannim, Tappuah, Enam,

³⁵ Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah,

³⁶ Shaaraim, Adithaim and Gederah (or Gederothaim)⁶ -fourteen towns and their villages.

³⁷ Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal Gad,

³⁸ Dilean, Mizpah, Joktheel,

³⁹ Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon,

⁴⁰ Cabbon, Lahmas, Kitlish,

⁴¹ Gederoth, Beth Dagon, Naamah and Makkedah-sixteen towns and their villages.

⁴² Libnah, Ether, Ashan,

⁴³ Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib,

⁴⁴ Keilah, Aczib and Mareshah-nine towns and their villages.

⁴⁵ Ekron, with its surrounding settlements and villages;

⁴⁶ west of Ekron, all that were in the vicinity of Ashdod, together with their villages;

⁴⁷ Ashdod, its surrounding settlements and villages; and Gaza, its settlements and villages, as far as the Wadi of Egypt and the coastline of the Great Sea.

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

⁴⁹ Dannah, Kiriath Sannah (that is, Debir),

⁵⁰ Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim,

⁵¹ Goshen, Holon and Giloh-eleven towns and their villages.

⁵² Arab, Dumah, Eshan,

⁵³ Janim, Beth Tappuah, Aphekah,

⁵⁴ Humtah, Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) and Zior-nine towns and their villages.

⁵⁵ Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah,

⁵⁶ Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah,

⁵⁷ Kain, Gibeah and Timnah-ten towns and their villages.

⁵⁸ Halhul, Beth Zur, Gedor,

⁵⁹ Maarath, Beth Anoth and Eltekon-six towns and their villages.

⁶⁰ Kiriath Baal (that is, Kiriath Jearim) and Rabbah-two towns and their villages.

⁶¹ In the desert:
Beth Arabah, Middin, Secacah,

⁶² Nibshan, the City of Salt and En Gedi-six towns and their villages.

⁶³ Judah could not dislodge the Jebusites, who were living in Jerusalem; to this day the Jebusites live there with the people of Judah.

Joshua, Chapter 16

¹ The allotment for Joseph began at the Jordan of Jericho,¹ east of the waters of Jericho, and went up from there through the desert into the hill country of Bethel.

² It went on from Bethel (that is, Luz),² crossed over to the territory of the Arkites in Ataroth,

³ descended westward to the territory of the Japhletites as far as the region of Lower Beth Horon and on to Gezer, ending at the sea.

⁴ So Manasseh and Ephraim, the descendants of Joseph, received their inheritance.

⁵ This was the territory of Ephraim, clan by clan:
The boundary of their inheritance went from Ataroth Addar in the east to Upper Beth Horon

⁶ and continued to the sea. From Micmethath on the north it curved eastward to Taanath Shiloh, passing by it to Janoah on the east.

⁷ Then it went down from Janoah to Ataroth and Naarah, touched Jericho and came out at the Jordan.

⁸ From Tappuah the border went west to the Kanah Ravine and ended at the sea. This was the inheritance of the tribe of the Ephraimites, clan by clan.

⁹ It also included all the towns and their villages that were set aside for the Ephraimites within the inheritance of the Manassites.

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.

Joshua, Chapter 17

¹ This was the allotment for the tribe of Manasseh as Joseph's firstborn, that is, for Makir, Manasseh's firstborn. Makir was the ancestor of the Gileadites, who had received Gilead and Bashan because the Makirites were great soldiers.

² So this allotment was for the rest of the people of Manasseh-the clans of Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher and Shemida. These are the other male descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph by their clans.

³ Now Zelophehad son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Makir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons but only daughters, whose names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah 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 brothers." So Joshua gave them an inheritance along with the brothers of their father, according to the LORD's command.

⁵ Manasseh's share consisted of ten tracts of land besides Gilead and Bashan east of the Jordan,

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 to Micmethath east of Shechem. The boundary ran southward from there to include the people living at En Tappuah.

⁸ (Manasseh had the land of Tappuah, but Tappuah itself, on the boundary of Manasseh, belonged to the Ephraimites.)

⁹ Then the boundary continued south to the Kanah Ravine. 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 sea.

¹⁰ On the south the land belonged to Ephraim, on the north to Manasseh. The territory of Manasseh reached the sea and bordered Asher on the north and Issachar on the east.

¹¹ Within Issachar and Asher, Manasseh also had Beth Shan, Ibleam and the people of Dor, Endor, Taanach and Megiddo, together with their surrounding settlements (the third in the list is Naphoth¹ ).

¹² Yet the Manassites were not able 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.

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."

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 and clear land for yourselves there in the land of the Perizzites and Rephaites."

¹⁶ The people of Joseph replied, "The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who live in the plain have iron chariots, both those in Beth Shan and its settlements and those in the Valley of Jezreel."

¹⁷ But Joshua said to the house of Joseph-to Ephraim and Manasseh-"You are numerous and very powerful. You will have not only one allotment

¹⁸ but the forested hill country as well. Clear it, and its farthest limits will be yours; though the Canaanites have iron chariots and though they are strong, you can drive them out."

Joshua, Chapter 18

¹ The whole assembly of the Israelites gathered at Shiloh and set up the Tent of Meeting 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 fathers, 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, according to the inheritance of each. 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 and the house of Joseph in its territory on the north.

⁶ After you have written descriptions of the seven parts of the land, bring them here to me and I will cast lots 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. 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."

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. Then return to me, and I will cast lots for you here at Shiloh 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 for them in Shiloh in the presence of the LORD , and there he distributed the land to the Israelites according to their tribal divisions.

¹¹ The lot came up for the tribe of Benjamin, clan by clan. 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 desert of Beth Aven.

¹³ From there it crossed to the south slope of Luz (that is, Bethel) and went down to Ataroth Addar on the hill south of Lower Beth Horon.

¹⁴ From the hill facing Beth Horon on the south the boundary turned south along the western side and came out at Kiriath Baal (that is, Kiriath Jearim), 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.

¹⁶ The boundary went down to the foot of the hill facing the Valley of Ben Hinnom, north of the Valley of Rephaim. It continued down the Hinnom Valley along the southern slope of the Jebusite city and so to En Rogel.

¹⁷ It then curved north, went to En Shemesh, continued to Geliloth, which faces the Pass of Adummim, and ran down to the Stone of Bohan son of Reuben.

¹⁸ It continued to the northern slope of Beth Arabah¹ and on down into the Arabah.

¹⁹ It then went to the northern slope of Beth Hoglah and came out at the northern bay of the Salt Sea,² 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.

²¹ The tribe of Benjamin, clan by clan, had the following cities:
Jericho, Beth Hoglah, Emek Keziz,

²² Beth Arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel,

²³ Avvim, Parah, Ophrah,

²⁴ Kephar Ammoni, Ophni and Geba-twelve towns and their villages.

²⁵ Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth,

²⁶ Mizpah, Kephirah, Mozah,

²⁷ Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah,

²⁸ Zelah, Haeleph, the Jebusite city (that is, Jerusalem), Gibeah and Kiriath-fourteen towns and their villages.
This was the inheritance of Benjamin for its clans.

Joshua, Chapter 19

¹ The second lot came out for the tribe of Simeon, clan by clan. Their inheritance lay within the territory of Judah.

² It included:
Beersheba (or Sheba),¹ Moladah,

³ Hazar Shual, Balah, Ezem,

⁴ Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah,

⁵ Ziklag, Beth Marcaboth, Hazar Susah,

⁶ Beth Lebaoth and Sharuhen-thirteen towns and their villages;

⁷ Ain, Rimmon, Ether and Ashan-four towns and their villages-

⁸ and all the villages around these towns as far as Baalath Beer (Ramah in the Negev).
This was the inheritance of the tribe of the Simeonites, clan by clan.

⁹ The inheritance of the Simeonites was taken from the share of Judah, because Judah's portion was more than they needed. So the Simeonites received their inheritance within the territory of Judah.

¹⁰ The third lot came up for Zebulun, clan by clan:
The boundary of their inheritance went as far as Sarid.

¹¹ Going west it ran to Maralah, touched Dabbesheth, and extended to the ravine near Jokneam.

¹² It turned east from Sarid toward the sunrise to the territory of Kisloth Tabor and went on to Daberath and up to Japhia.

¹³ Then it continued eastward to Gath Hepher and Eth Kazin; it came out at Rimmon and turned toward Neah.

¹⁴ There the boundary went around on the north to Hannathon and ended at the Valley of Iphtah El.

¹⁵ Included were Kattath, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah and Bethlehem. There were twelve towns and their villages.

¹⁶ These towns and their villages were the inheritance of Zebulun, clan by clan.

¹⁷ The fourth lot came out for Issachar, clan by clan.

¹⁸ Their territory included:
Jezreel, Kesulloth, Shunem,

¹⁹ Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath,

²⁰ Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez,

²¹ Remeth, En Gannim, En Haddah and Beth Pazzez.

²² The boundary touched Tabor, Shahazumah and Beth Shemesh, 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, clan by clan.

²⁴ The fifth lot came out for the tribe of Asher, clan by clan.

²⁵ Their territory included:
Helkath, Hali, Beten, Acshaph,

²⁶ Allammelech, Amad and Mishal. On the west the boundary touched Carmel and Shihor Libnath.

²⁷ It then turned east toward Beth Dagon, touched Zebulun and the Valley of Iphtah El, and went north to Beth Emek and Neiel, passing Cabul on the left.

²⁸ It went to Abdon,² Rehob, Hammon and Kanah, as far as Greater Sidon.

²⁹ The boundary then turned back toward Ramah and went to the fortified city of Tyre, turned toward Hosah and came out at the sea in the region of Aczib,

³⁰ Ummah, Aphek and Rehob. There were twenty-two towns and their villages.

³¹ These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Asher, clan by clan.

³² The sixth lot came out for Naphtali, clan by clan:

³³ Their boundary went from Heleph and the large tree in Zaanannim, passing Adami Nekeb and Jabneel to Lakkum and ending at the Jordan.

³⁴ The boundary ran west through Aznoth Tabor and came out at Hukkok. It touched Zebulun on the south, Asher on the west and the Jordan³ on the east.

³⁵ The fortified cities were Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Kinnereth,

³⁶ Adamah, Ramah, Hazor,

³⁷ Kedesh, Edrei, En Hazor,

³⁸ Iron, Migdal El, Horem, Beth Anath and Beth Shemesh. There were nineteen towns and their villages.

³⁹ These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Naphtali, clan by clan.

⁴⁰ The seventh lot came out for the tribe of Dan, clan by clan.

⁴¹ The territory of their 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 Me Jarkon and Rakkon, with the area facing Joppa.

⁴⁷ (But the Danites had difficulty taking possession of their territory, so they went up and attacked Leshem, took it, put it to the sword and occupied it. They settled in Leshem and named it Dan after their forefather.)

⁴⁸ These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Dan, clan by clan.

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 Serah⁴ 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 the land.

Joshua, Chapter 20

¹ 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 may flee there and find protection from the avenger of blood.

⁴ "When he flees to one of these cities, he is to stand in the entrance of the city gate and state his case before the elders of that city. Then they are to admit him into their city and give him a place to live with them.

⁵ If the avenger of blood pursues him, they must not surrender the one accused, because he killed his neighbor unintentionally and without malice aforethought.

⁶ He is to stay in that city until he has stood trial before the assembly and until the death of the high priest who is serving at that time. Then he may go back to his own home in the town from which he fled."

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

⁸ On the east side of the Jordan of Jericho¹ they designated Bezer in the desert on the plateau in the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead in the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan in the tribe of Manasseh.

⁹ Any of the Israelites or any alien living among them who killed someone accidentally could flee to these designated cities and not be killed by the avenger of blood prior to standing trial before the assembly.

Joshua, Chapter 21

¹ 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

² at Shiloh in Canaan and said to them, "The LORD commanded through Moses that you give us towns to live in, with pasturelands for our livestock."

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, clan by clan. The Levites who were descendants of Aaron the priest were allotted thirteen towns from the tribes of Judah, Simeon and Benjamin.

⁵ The rest of Kohath's descendants were allotted ten towns from the clans of the tribes of Ephraim, Dan and half of Manasseh.

⁶ The descendants of Gershon were allotted thirteen towns from the clans of the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.

⁷ The descendants of Merari, clan by clan, received twelve towns from the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Zebulun.

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 (that is, Hebron), 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.

¹³ So to the descendants of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron (a city of refuge for one accused of murder), Libnah,

¹⁴ Jattir, Eshtemoa,

¹⁵ Holon, Debir,

¹⁶ Ain, Juttah and Beth Shemesh, together with their pasturelands-nine towns from these two tribes.

¹⁷ And from the tribe of Benjamin they gave them Gibeon, Geba,

¹⁸ Anathoth and Almon, together with their pasturelands-four towns.

¹⁹ All the towns for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, were thirteen, together with their pasturelands.

²⁰ The rest of the Kohathite clans of the Levites were allotted towns from the tribe of Ephraim:

²¹ In the hill country of Ephraim they were given Shechem (a city of refuge for one accused of murder) and Gezer,

²² Kibzaim and Beth Horon, together with their pasturelands-four towns.

²³ Also from the tribe of Dan they received Eltekeh, Gibbethon,

²⁴ Aijalon and Gath Rimmon, together with their pasturelands-four towns.

²⁵ From half the tribe of Manasseh they received Taanach and Gath Rimmon, together with their pasturelands-two towns.

²⁶ All these ten towns and their pasturelands were given to the rest of the Kohathite clans.

²⁷ The Levite clans of the Gershonites were given:
from the half-tribe of Manasseh,
Golan in Bashan (a city of refuge for one accused of murder) and Be Eshtarah, together with their pasturelands-two towns;

²⁸ from the tribe of Issachar,
Kishion, Daberath,

²⁹ Jarmuth and En Gannim, together with their pasturelands-four towns;

³⁰ from the tribe of Asher,
Mishal, Abdon,

³¹ Helkath and Rehob, together with their pasturelands-four towns;

³² from the tribe of Naphtali,
Kedesh in Galilee (a city of refuge for one accused of murder), Hammoth Dor and Kartan, together with their pasturelands-three towns.

³³ All the towns of the Gershonite clans were thirteen, together with their pasturelands.

³⁴ The Merarite clans (the rest of the Levites) were given:
from the tribe of Zebulun,
Jokneam, Kartah,

³⁵ Dimnah and Nahalal, together with their pasturelands-four towns;

³⁶ from the tribe of Reuben,
Bezer, Jahaz,

³⁷ Kedemoth and Mephaath, together with their pasturelands-four towns;

³⁸ from the tribe of Gad,
Ramoth in Gilead (a city of refuge for one accused of murder), Mahanaim,

³⁹ Heshbon and Jazer, together with their pasturelands-four towns in all.

⁴⁰ All the towns allotted to the Merarite clans, who were the rest of the Levites, were twelve.

⁴¹ The towns of the Levites in the territory held by the Israelites were forty-eight in all, together with their pasturelands.

⁴² Each of these towns had pasturelands surrounding it; this was true for all these towns.

⁴³ So the LORD gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their forefathers, and they took possession of it and settled there.

⁴⁴ The LORD gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their forefathers. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the LORD handed all their enemies over to them.

⁴⁵ Not one of all the LORD's good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.


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