Home -> Major Sections of the Bible -> Joshua 13:1 - Joshua 21:45
Israel Divides the Land among the 12 Tribes
Joshua 13:1 - Joshua 21:45
Canaan Divided among the Tribes
1
Now Joshua was old and well advanced in years. the LORD said to him, "You are old and advanced in years, and there remains yet very much land to be possessed.
2
"This is the land that still remains: all the regions of the Philistines, and all the Geshurites;
3
from the Shihor, which is before Egypt, even to the border of Ekron northward, which is counted as Canaanite; the five lords of the Philistines; the Gazites, and the Ashdodites, the Ashkelonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avvim,
4
on the south; all the land of the Canaanites, and Mearah that belongs to the Sidonians, to Aphek, to the border of the Amorites;
5
and the land of the Gebalites, and all Lebanon, toward the sunrise, from Baal Gad under Mount Hermon to the entrance of Hamath;
6
all the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim, even all the Sidonians. I will drive them out from before the children of Israel. Just allocate it to Israel for an inheritance, as I have commanded you.
7
Now therefore divide this land for an inheritance to the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh."
8
With him the Reubenites and the Gadites received their inheritance, which Moses gave them, beyond the Jordan eastward, even as Moses the servant of the LORD gave them:
9
from Aroer, that is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, and the city that is in the middle of the valley, and all the plain of Medeba to Dibon;
10
and all the cities of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, to the border of the children of Ammon;
11
and Gilead, and the border of the Geshurites and Maacathites, and all Mount Hermon, and all Bashan to Salecah;
12
all the kingdom of Og in Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth and in Edrei (the same was left of the remnant of the Rephaim); for Moses attacked these, and drove them out.
13
Nevertheless the children of Israel didn't drive out the Geshurites, nor the Maacathites: but Geshur and Maacath live within Israel to this day.
14
Only he gave no inheritance to the tribe of Levi. The offerings of The LORD, the God of Israel, made by fire are his inheritance, as he spoke to him.
15
Moses gave to the tribe of the children of Reuben according to their families.
16
Their border was from Aroer, that is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, and the city that is in the middle of the valley, and all the plain by Medeba;
17
Heshbon, and all its cities that are in the plain; Dibon, Bamoth Baal, Beth Baal Meon,
18
Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath,
19
Kiriathaim, Sibmah, Zereth Shahar in the mount of the valley,
20
Beth Peor, the slopes of Pisgah, Beth Jeshimoth,
21
all the cities of the plain, and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses struck with the chiefs of Midian, Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the princes of Sihon, who lived in the land.
22
The children of Israel also killed Balaam the son of Beor, the soothsayer, with the sword, among the rest of their slain.
23
The border of the children of Reuben was the bank of the Jordan. This was the inheritance of the children of Reuben according to their families, the cities and its villages.
24
Moses gave to the tribe of Gad, to the children of Gad, according to their families.
25
Their border was Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the children of Ammon, to Aroer that is near Rabbah;
26
and from Heshbon to Ramath Mizpeh, and Betonim; and from Mahanaim to the border of Debir;
27
and in the valley, Beth Haram, Beth Nimrah, Succoth, and Zaphon, the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon, the Jordan's bank, to the uttermost part of the sea of Chinnereth beyond the Jordan eastward.
28
This is the inheritance of the children of Gad according to their families, the cities and its villages.
29
Moses gave an inheritance to the half-tribe of Manasseh. It was for the half-tribe of the children of Manasseh according to their families.
30
Their border was from Mahanaim, all Bashan, all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, and all the villages of Jair, which are in Bashan, sixty cities.
31
Half Gilead, Ashtaroth, and Edrei, the cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan, were for the children of Machir the son of Manasseh, even for the half of the children of Machir according to their families.
32
These are the inheritances which Moses distributed in the plains of Moab, beyond the Jordan at Jericho, eastward.
33
But Moses gave no inheritance to the tribe of Levi. The LORD, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, as he spoke to them.
Land West of Jordan Divided; Caleb given Hebron
1
These are the inheritances which the children of Israel took in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers' houses of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed to them,
2
by the lot of their inheritance, as the LORD commanded by Moses, for the nine tribes, and for the half-tribe.
3
For Moses had given the inheritance of the two tribes and the half-tribe beyond the Jordan; but to the Levites he gave no inheritance among them.
4
For the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. They gave no portion to the Levites in the land, except cities to dwell in, with their suburbs for their livestock and for their property.
5
The children of Israel did as the LORD commanded Moses, and they divided the land.
6
Then the children of Judah came near to Joshua in Gilgal. Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, "You know the thing that the LORD spoke to Moses the man of God concerning me and concerning you in Kadesh Barnea.
7
I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land. I brought him word again as it was in my heart.
8
Nevertheless, my brothers who went up with me made the heart of the people melt; but I wholly followed the LORD my God.
9
Moses swore on that day, saying, 'Surely the land where you walked shall be an inheritance to you and to your children forever, because you have wholly followed the LORD my God.'
10
"Now, behold, the LORD has kept me alive, as he spoke, these forty-five years, from the time that the LORD spoke this word to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness. Now, behold, I am eighty-five years old, today.
11
As yet I am as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me. As my strength was then, even so is my strength now for war, to go out and to come in.
12
Now therefore give me this hill country, of which the LORD spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and great and fortified cities. It may be that the LORD will be with me, and I shall drive them out, as the LORD said."
13
Joshua blessed him; and he gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for 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 wholeheartedly.
15
Now the name of Hebron before was Kiriath Arba, after the greatest man among the Anakim. Then the land had rest from war.
Territory of Judah Allotted
1
The lot for the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families was to the border of Edom, even to the wilderness of Zin southward, at the uttermost part of the south.
2
Their south border was from the uttermost part of the Salt Sea, from the bay that looks southward;
3
and it went out southward of the ascent of Akrabbim, and passed along to Zin, and went up by the south of Kadesh Barnea, and passed along by Hezron, went up to Addar, and turned towards Karka;
4
and it passed along to Azmon, went out at the brook of Egypt; and the border ended at the sea. This shall be your south border.
5
The east border was the Salt Sea, even to the end of the Jordan. The border of the north quarter was from the bay of the sea at the end of the Jordan.
6
The border went up to Beth Hoglah, and passed along by the north of Beth Arabah; and the border went up to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben.
7
The border went up to Debir from the valley of Achor, and so northward, looking toward Gilgal, that faces the ascent of Adummim, which is on the south side of the river. The border passed along to the waters of En Shemesh, and ended at En Rogel.
8
The border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom to the side of the Jebusite (also called Jerusalem) southward; and the border went up to the top of the mountain that lies before the valley of Hinnom westward, which is at the farthest part of the valley of Rephaim northward.
9
The border extended from the top of the mountain to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah, and went out to the cities of Mount Ephron; and the border extended to Baalah (also called Kiriath Jearim);
10
and the border turned about from Baalah westward to Mount Seir, and passed along to the side of Mount Jearim (also called Chesalon) on the north, and went down to Beth Shemesh, and passed along by Timnah;
11
and the border went out to the side of Ekron northward; and the border extended to Shikkeron, and passed along to Mount Baalah, and went out at Jabneel; and the goings out of the border were at the sea.
12
The west border was to the shore of the great sea. This is the border of the children of Judah according to their families.
13
He gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh a portion among the children of Judah, according to the commandment of the LORD to Joshua, even Kiriath Arba, named after the father of Anak (also called Hebron).
14
Caleb drove out the three sons of Anak: Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.
15
He went up against the inhabitants of Debir: now the name of Debir before was Kiriath Sepher.
16
Caleb said, "He who strikes Kiriath Sepher, and takes it, to him I will give Achsah my daughter as wife."
17
Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter as wife.
18
When she came, she had him ask her father for a field. She got off of her donkey, and Caleb said, "What do you want?"
19
She said, "Give me a blessing. Because you have set me in the land of the South, give me also springs of water."So he gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.
20
This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families.
21
The farthest cities of the tribe of the children of Judah toward the border of Edom in the South were Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur,
22
Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah,
23
Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan,
24
Ziph, Telem, Bealoth,
25
Hazor Hadattah, Kerioth Hezron (also called 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. All the cities are twenty-nine, with their villages.
33
In the lowland, Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah,
34
Zanoah, En Gannim, Tappuah, Enam,
35
Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah,
36
Shaaraim, Adithaim and Gederah (or Gederothaim); fourteen cities with their villages.
37
Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal Gad,
38
Dilean, Mizpah, Joktheel,
39
Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon,
40
Cabbon, Lahmam, Chitlish,
41
Gederoth, Beth Dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah; sixteen cities with their villages.
42
Libnah, Ether, Ashan,
43
Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib,
44
Keilah, Achzib, and Mareshah; nine cities with their villages.
45
Ekron, with its towns and its villages;
46
from Ekron even to the sea, all that were by the side of Ashdod, with their villages.
47
Ashdod, its towns and its villages; Gaza, its towns and its villages; to the brook of Egypt, and the great sea with its coastline.
48
In the hill country, Shamir, Jattir, Socoh,
49
Dannah, Kiriath Sannah (which is Debir),
50
Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim,
51
Goshen, Holon, and Giloh; eleven cities with their villages.
52
Arab, Dumah, Eshan,
53
Janim, Beth Tappuah, Aphekah,
54
Humtah, Kiriath Arba (also called Hebron), and Zior; nine cities with their villages.
55
Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Jutah,
56
Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah,
57
Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah; ten cities with their villages.
58
Halhul, Beth Zur, Gedor,
59
Maarath, Beth Anoth, and Eltekon; six cities with their villages.
60
Kiriath Baal (also called Kiriath Jearim), and Rabbah; two cities with their villages.
61
In the wilderness, Beth Arabah, Middin, Secacah,
62
Nibshan, the City of Salt, and En Gedi; six cities with their villages.
63
As for the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah couldn't drive them out; but the Jebusites live with the children of Judah at Jerusalem to this day.
Territory of Ephraim Allotted
1
The lot came out for the children of Joseph from the Jordan at Jericho, at the waters of Jericho on the east, even the wilderness, going up from Jericho through the hill country to Bethel.
2
It went out from Bethel to Luz, and passed along to the border of the Archites to Ataroth;
3
and it went down westward to the border of the Japhletites, to the border of Beth Horon the lower, and on to Gezer; and ended at the sea.
4
The children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, took their inheritance.
5
This was the border of the children of Ephraim according to their families. The border of their inheritance eastward was Ataroth Addar, to Beth Horon the upper.
6
The border went out westward at Michmethath on the north. The border turned about eastward to Taanath Shiloh, and passed along it on the east of Janoah.
7
It went down from Janoah to Ataroth, to Naarah, reached to Jericho, and went out at the Jordan.
8
From Tappuah the border went along westward to the brook of Kanah; and ended at the sea. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Ephraim according to their families;
9
together with the cities which were set apart for the children of Ephraim in the middle of the inheritance of the children of Manasseh, all the cities with their villages.
10
They didn't drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwell in the territory of Ephraim to this day, and have become servants to do forced labor.
Territory of Manasseh Allotted
1
This was the lot for the tribe of Manasseh, for he was the firstborn of Joseph. As for Machir the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead, because he was a man of war, therefore he had Gilead and Bashan.
2
So this was for the rest of the children of Manasseh according to their families: for the children of Abiezer, for the children of Helek, for the children of Asriel, for the children of Shechem, for the children of Hepher, and for the children of Shemida. These were the male children of Manasseh the son of Joseph according to their families.
3
But Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, but daughters. These are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
4
They came to Eleazar the priest, and to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the princes, saying, "The LORD commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brothers." Therefore according to the commandment of the LORD he gave them an inheritance among the brothers of their father.
5
Ten parts fell to Manasseh, besides the land of Gilead and Bashan, which is beyond the Jordan;
6
because the daughters of Manasseh had an inheritance among his sons. The land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the sons of Manasseh.
7
The border of Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethath, which is before Shechem. The border went along to the right hand, to the inhabitants of En Tappuah.
8
The land of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh; but Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the children of Ephraim.
9
The border went down to the brook of Kanah, southward of the brook. These cities belonged to Ephraim among the cities of Manasseh. The border of Manasseh was on the north side of the brook, and ended at the sea.
10
Southward it was Ephraim's, and northward it was Manasseh's, and the sea was his border. They reached to Asher on the north, and to Issachar on the east.
11
Manasseh had three heights in Issachar, in Asher Beth Shean and its towns, and Ibleam and its towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and its towns, and the inhabitants of Endor and its towns, and the inhabitants of Taanach and its towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns.
12
Yet the children of Manasseh couldn't drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.
13
When the children of Israel had grown strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, and didn't utterly drive them out.
14
The children of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, "Why have you given me just one lot and one part for an inheritance, since we are a numerous people, because the LORD has blessed us so far?"
15
Joshua said to them, "If you are a numerous people, go up to the forest, and clear land for yourself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the Rephaim; since the hill country of Ephraim is too narrow for you."
16
The children of Joseph said, "The hill country is not enough for us. All the Canaanites who dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both those who are in Beth Shean and its towns, and those who are in the valley of Jezreel."
17
Joshua spoke to the house of Joseph, that is, to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying, "You are a numerous people, and have great power. You shall not have one lot only;
18
but the hill country shall be yours. Although it is a forest, you shall cut it down, and it's farthest extent shall be yours; for you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have chariots of iron, and though they are strong."
Remainder Divided; The Territory of Benjamin Allotted
1
The whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled themselves together at Shiloh, and set up the Tent of Meeting there. The land was subdued before them.
2
Seven tribes remained among the children of Israel, which had not yet divided their inheritance.
3
Joshua said to the children of Israel, "How long will you neglect to go in to possess the land, which The LORD, the God of your fathers, has given you?
4
Appoint for yourselves three men from each tribe. I will send them, and they shall arise, walk through the land, and describe it according to their inheritance; and they shall come to me.
5
They shall divide it into seven portions. Judah shall live in his borders on the south, and the house of Joseph shall live in their borders on the north.
6
You shall survey the land into seven parts, and bring the description here to me; and I will cast lots for you here before the LORD our God.
7
However, the Levites have no portion among you; for the priesthood of the LORD is their inheritance. Gad, Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance east of the Jordan, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave them."
8
The men arose and went. Joshua commanded those who went to survey the land, saying, "Go walk through the land, survey it, and come again to me. I will cast lots for you here before the LORD in Shiloh."
9
The men went and passed through the land, and surveyed it by cities into seven portions in a book. They came to Joshua to the camp at Shiloh.
10
Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before The LORD. There Joshua divided the land to the children of Israel according to their divisions.
11
The lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin came up according to their families. The border of their lot went out between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph.
12
Their border on the north quarter was from the Jordan. The border went up to the side of Jericho on the north, and went up through the hill country westward. It ended at the wilderness of Beth Aven.
13
The border passed along from there to Luz, to the side of Luz (also called Bethel), southward. The border went down to Ataroth Addar, by the mountain that lies on the south of Beth Horon the lower.
14
The border extended, and turned around on the west quarter southward, from the mountain that lies before Beth Horon southward; and ended at Kiriath Baal (also called Kiriath Jearim), a city of the children of Judah. This was the west quarter.
15
The south quarter was from the farthest part of Kiriath Jearim. The border went out westward, and went out to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah.
16
The border went down to the farthest part of the mountain that lies before the valley of the son of Hinnom, which is in the valley of Rephaim northward. It went down to the valley of Hinnom, to the side of the Jebusite southward, and went down to En Rogel.
17
It extended northward, went out at En Shemesh, and went out to Geliloth, which is over against the ascent of Adummim. It went down to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben.
18
It passed along to the side over against the Arabah northward, and went down to the Arabah.
19
The border passed along to the side of Beth Hoglah northward; and the border ended at the north bay of the Salt Sea, at the south end of the Jordan. This was the south border.
20
The Jordan was its border on the east quarter. This was the inheritance of the children of Benjamin, by the borders around it, according to their families.
21
Now the cities of the tribe of the children of Benjamin according to their families were Jericho, Beth Hoglah, Emek Keziz,
22
Beth Arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel,
23
Avvim, Parah, Ophrah,
24
Chephar Ammoni, Ophni, and Geba; twelve cities with their villages.
25
Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth,
26
Mizpeh, Chephirah, Mozah,
27
Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah,
28
Zelah, Eleph, the Jebusite (also called Jerusalem), Gibeath, and Kiriath; fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the children of Benjamin according to their families.
Allotments for Simeon, Zebulun, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, Dan, Joshua
1
The second lot came out for Simeon, even for the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families. Their inheritance was in the middle of the inheritance of the children of Judah.
2
They had for their inheritance Beersheba (or Sheba), Moladah,
3
Hazar Shual, Balah, Ezem,
4
Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah,
5
Ziklag, Beth Marcaboth, Hazar Susah,
6
Beth Lebaoth, and Sharuhen; thirteen cities with their villages;
7
Ain, Rimmon, Ether, and Ashan; four cities with their villages;
8
and all the villages that were around these cities to Baalath Beer, Ramah of the South. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families.
9
Out of the part of the children of Judah was the inheritance of the children of Simeon; for the portion of the children of Judah was too much for them. Therefore the children of Simeon had inheritance in the middle of their inheritance.
10
The third lot came up for the children of Zebulun according to their families. The border of their inheritance was to Sarid.
11
Their border went up westward, even to Maralah, and reached to Dabbesheth. It reached to the brook that is before Jokneam.
12
It turned from Sarid eastward toward the sunrise to the border of Chisloth Tabor. It went out to Daberath, and went up to Japhia.
13
From there it passed along eastward to Gath Hepher, to Ethkazin; and it went out at Rimmon which stretches to Neah.
14
The border turned around it on the north to Hannathon; and it ended at the valley of Iphtah El;
15
Kattath, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem: twelve cities with their villages.
16
This is the inheritance of the children of Zebulun according to their families, these cities with their villages.
17
The fourth lot came out for Issachar, even for the children of Issachar according to their families.
18
Their border was to Jezreel, Chesulloth, Shunem,
19
Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath,
20
Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez,
21
Remeth, Engannim, En Haddah, and Beth Pazzez.
22
The border reached to Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth Shemesh. Their border ended at the Jordan: sixteen cities with their villages.
23
This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Issachar according to their families, the cities with their villages.
24
The fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families.
25
Their border was Helkath, Hali, Beten, Achshaph,
26
Allammelech, Amad, Mishal. It reached to Carmel westward, and to Shihorlibnath.
27
It turned toward the sunrise to Beth Dagon, and reached to Zebulun, and to the valley of Iphtah El northward to Beth Emek and Neiel. It went out to Cabul on the left hand,
28
and Ebron, Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah, even to great Sidon.
29
The border turned to Ramah, to the fortified city of Tyre; and the border turned to Hosah. It ended at the sea by the region of Achzib;
30
Ummah also, and Aphek, and Rehob: twenty-two cities with their villages.
31
This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families, these cities with their villages.
32
The sixth lot came out for the children of Naphtali, even for the children of Naphtali according to their families.
33
Their border was from Heleph, from the oak in Zaanannim, Adami-nekeb, and Jabneel, to Lakkum. It ended at the Jordan.
34
The border turned westward to Aznoth Tabor, and went out from there to Hukkok. It reached to Zebulun on the south, and reached to Asher on the west, and to Judah at the Jordan toward the sunrise.
35
The fortified cities were Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Chinnereth,
36
Adamah, Ramah, Hazor,
37
Kedesh, Edrei, En Hazor,
38
Iron, Migdal El, Horem, Beth Anath, and Beth Shemesh; nineteen cities with their villages.
39
This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Naphtali according to their families, the cities with their villages.
40
The seventh lot came out for the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families.
41
The border of their inheritance was Zorah, Eshtaol, Irshemesh,
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 border over against Joppa.
47
The border of the children of Dan went out beyond them; for the children of Dan went up and fought against Leshem, and took it, and struck it with the edge of the sword, and possessed it, and lived therein, and called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their forefather.
48
This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families, these cities with their villages.
49
So they finished distributing the land for inheritance by its borders. The children of Israel gave an inheritance to Joshua the son of Nun among them.
50
According to The LORD's commandment, they gave him the city which he asked, even Timnathserah in the hill country of Ephraim; and he built the city, and lived there.
51
These are the inheritances, which Eleazar the priest, Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers' houses of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed for inheritance by lot in Shiloh before The LORD, at the door of the Tent of Meeting. So they finished dividing the land.
Six Cities of Refuge Designated
1
The LORD spoke to Joshua, saying,
2
"Speak to the children of Israel, saying, 'Assign the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you by Moses,
3
that the man slayer who kills any person accidentally or unintentionally may flee there. They shall be to you for a refuge from the avenger of blood.
4
He shall flee to one of those cities, and shall stand at the entrance of the gate of the city, and declare his case in the ears of the elders of that city. They shall take him into the city with them, and give him a place, that he may live among them.
5
If the avenger of blood pursues him, then they shall not deliver up the man slayer into his hand; because he struck his neighbor unintentionally, and didn't hate him before.
6
He shall dwell in that city until he stands before the congregation for judgment, until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days. Then the man slayer shall return, and come to his own city, and to his own house, to the city he fled from.'"
7
They set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath Arba (also called Hebron) in the hill country of Judah.
8
Beyond the Jordan at Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness in the plain out of the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan out of the tribe of Manasseh.
9
These were the appointed cities for all the children of Israel, and for the alien who lives among them, that whoever kills any person unintentionally might flee there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stands trial before the congregation.
Forty-eight Cities Designated for the Levites
1
Then the heads of fathers' houses of the Levites came near to Eleazar the priest, and to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the heads of fathers' houses of the tribes of the children of Israel.
2
They spoke to them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, "The LORD commanded through Moses to give us cities to dwell in, with their suburbs for our livestock."
3
The children of Israel gave to the Levites out of their inheritance, according to the commandment of The LORD, these cities with their suburbs.
4
The lot came out for the families of the Kohathites. The children of Aaron the priest, who were of the Levites, had thirteen cities by lot out of the tribe of Judah, out of the tribe of the Simeonites, and out of the tribe of Benjamin.
5
The rest of the children of Kohath had ten cities by lot out of the families of the tribe of Ephraim, out of the tribe of Dan, and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh.
6
The children of Gershon had thirteen cities by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, out of the tribe of Asher, out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.
7
The children of Merari according to their families had twelve cities out of the tribe of Reuben, out of the tribe of Gad, and out of the tribe of Zebulun.
8
The children of Israel gave these cities with their suburbs by lot to the Levites, as the LORD commanded by Moses.
9
They gave out of the tribe of the children of Judah, and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, these cities which are mentioned by name:
10
and they were for the children of Aaron, of the families of the Kohathites, who were of the children of Levi; for theirs was the first lot.
11
They gave them Kiriath Arba, named after the father of Anak (also called Hebron), in the hill country of Judah, with its suburbs around it.
12
But they gave the fields of the city and its villages to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for his possession.
13
To the children of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron with its suburbs, the city of refuge for the man slayer, Libnah with its suburbs,
14
Jattir with its suburbs, Eshtemoa with its suburbs,
15
Holon with its suburbs, Debir with its suburbs,
16
Ain with its suburbs, Juttah with its suburbs, and Beth Shemesh with its suburbs: nine cities out of those two tribes.
17
Out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with its suburbs, Geba with its suburbs,
18
Anathoth with its suburbs, and Almon with its suburbs: four cities.
19
All the cities of the children of Aaron, the priests, were thirteen cities with their suburbs.
20
The families of the children of Kohath, the Levites, even the rest of the children of Kohath, had the cities of their lot out of the tribe of Ephraim.
21
They gave them Shechem with its suburbs in the hill country of Ephraim, the city of refuge for the man slayer, and Gezer with its suburbs,
22
Kibzaim with its suburbs, and Beth Horon with its suburbs: four cities.
23
Out of the tribe of Dan, Elteke with its suburbs, Gibbethon with its suburbs,
24
Aijalon with its suburbs, Gath Rimmon with its suburbs: four cities.
25
Out of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Taanach with its suburbs, and Gath Rimmon with its suburbs: two cities.
26
All the cities of the families of the rest of the children of Kohath were ten with their suburbs.
27
They gave to the children of Gershon, of the families of the Levites, out of the half-tribe of Manasseh Golan in Bashan with its suburbs, the city of refuge for the man slayer, and Be Eshterah with its suburbs: two cities.
28
Out of the tribe of Issachar, Kishion with its suburbs, Daberath with its suburbs,
29
Jarmuth with its suburbs, En Gannim with its suburbs: four cities.
30
Out of the tribe of Asher, Mishal with its suburbs, Abdon with its suburbs,
31
Helkath with its suburbs, and Rehob with its suburbs: four cities.
32
Out of the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee with its suburbs, the city of refuge for the man slayer, Hammothdor with its suburbs, and Kartan with its suburbs: three cities.
33
All the cities of the Gershonites according to their families were thirteen cities with their suburbs.
34
To the families of the children of Merari, the rest of the Levites, out of the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam with its suburbs, Kartah with its suburbs,
35
Dimnah with its suburbs, and Nahalal with its suburbs: four cities.
36
Out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer with its suburbs, Jahaz with its suburbs,
37
Kedemoth with its suburbs, and Mephaath with its suburbs: four cities.
38
Out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with its suburbs, the city of refuge for the man slayer, and Mahanaim with its suburbs,
39
Heshbon with its suburbs, Jazer with its suburbs: four cities in all.
40
All these were the cities of the children of Merari according to their families, even the rest of the families of the Levites. Their lot was twelve cities.
41
All the cities of the Levites among the possessions of the children of Israel were forty-eight cities with their suburbs.
42
Each of these cities included their suburbs around them. It was this way with all these cities.
43
So the LORD gave to Israel all the land which he swore to give to their fathers. They possessed it, and lived in it.
44
The LORD gave them rest all around, according to all that he swore to their fathers. Not a man of all their enemies stood before them. the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand.
45
Nothing failed of any good thing which the LORD had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass.
