New King James Version (NKJV)

Remaining Land to Be Conquered

1 Now Joshuawas old, advanced in years. And theLordsaid to him: “You are old, advanced in years, and there remains very much land yet to be possessed.

2 This is the land that yet remains:all the territory of the Philistines and allthatofthe Geshurites,

3 from Sihor, whichiseast of Egypt, as far as the border of Ekron northward (whichis counted as Canaanite); thefive lords of the Philistines—the Gazites, the Ashdodites, the Ashkelonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; alsothe Avites;

4 from the south, all the land of the Canaanites, and Mearah that belongs to the Sidoniansas far as Aphek, to the border ofthe Amorites;

5 the land ofthe Gebalites, and all Lebanon, toward the sunrise,from Baal Gad below Mount Hermon as far as the entrance to Hamath;

6 all the inhabitants of the mountains from Lebanon as far asthe Brook Misrephoth,andall the Sidonians—themI will drive out from before the children of Israel; onlydivide it by lot to Israel as an inheritance, as I have commanded you.

7 Now therefore, divide this land as an inheritance to the nine tribes and half the tribe of Manasseh.”

The Land Divided East of the Jordan

8 With the other half-tribe the Reubenites and the Gadites received their inheritance,which Moses had given them,beyond the Jordan eastward, as Moses the servant of theLordhad given them:

9 from Aroer whichison the bank of the River Arnon, and the town thatisin the midst of the ravine,and all the plain of Medeba as far as Dibon;

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

11 Gilead, and the border of the Geshurites and Maachathites, all Mount Hermon, and all Bashan as far as Salcah;

12 all the kingdom of Og in Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth and Edrei, who remained ofthe remnant of the giants;for Moses had defeated and cast out these.

13 Nevertheless the children of Israeldid not drive out the Geshurites or the Maachathites, but the Geshurites and the Maachathites dwell among the Israelites until this day.

14 Only to the tribe of Levi he had given no inheritance; the sacrifices of theLordGod of Israel made by firearetheir inheritance,as He said to them.

The Land of Reuben

15 And Moses had given to the tribe of the children of Reubenaninheritanceaccording to their families.

16 Their territory wasfrom Aroer, whichison the bank of the River Arnon,and the city thatisin the midst of the ravine,and all the plain by Medeba;

17 Heshbon and all its cities thatarein the plain: Dibon, Bamoth Baal, Beth Baal Meon,

18 Jahaza, Kedemoth, Mephaath,

19 Kirjathaim,Sibmah, Zereth Shahar on the mountain of the valley,

20 Beth Peor,the slopes of Pisgah, and 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 had struckwith the princes of Midian: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, whowereprinces of Sihon dwelling in the country.

22 The children of Israel also killed with the swordBalaam the son of Beor, the soothsayer, among those who were killed by them.

23 And the border of the children of Reuben was the bank of the Jordan. Thiswasthe inheritance of the children of Reuben according to their families, the cities and their villages.

The Land of Gad

24 Moses also had givenaninheritanceto the tribe of Gad, to the children of Gad according to their families.

25 Their territory was Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead,and half the land of the Ammonites as far as Aroer, whichisbeforeRabbah,

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

27 and in the valleyBeth Haram, Beth Nimrah,Succoth, and Zaphon, the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon, with the Jordan asitsborder, as far as the edgeof the Sea of Chinnereth, on the other side of the Jordan eastward.

28 Thisisthe inheritance of the children of Gad according to their families, the cities and their villages.

Half the Tribe of Manasseh (East)

29 Moses also had givenaninheritanceto half the tribe of Manasseh; it was for half the tribe of the children of Manasseh according to their families:

30 Their territory was from Mahanaim, all Bashan, all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, andall the towns of Jair which are in Bashan, sixty cities;

31 half of Gilead, andAshtaroth and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan,werefor thechildren of Machir the son of Manasseh, for half of the children of Machir according to their families.

32 Thesearetheareaswhich Moses had distributed as an inheritance in the plains of Moab on the other side of the Jordan, by Jericho eastward.

33 But to the tribe of Levi Moses had given no inheritance; theLordGod of Israelwastheir inheritance,as He had said to them.

The Land Divided West of the Jordan

1 Thesearetheareaswhich the children of Israel inherited in the land of Canaan,which Eleazar the priest, Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel distributed as an inheritance to them.

2 Their inheritancewasby lot, as theLordhad commanded by the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes and the half-tribe.

3 For Moses had given the inheritance of the two tribes and the half-tribe on the other side of the Jordan; but to the Levites he had given no inheritance among them.

4 Forthe children of Joseph were two tribes: Manasseh and Ephraim. And they gave no part to the Levites in the land, exceptcities to dwellin,with their common-lands for their livestock and their property.

5 As theLordhad commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did; and they divided the land.

Caleb Inherits Hebron

6 Then the children of Judah came to Joshua in Gilgal. And Caleb the son of Jephunneh theKenizzite said to him: “You knowthe word which theLordsaid to Moses the man of God concerningyou and me in Kadesh Barnea.

7 Iwasforty years old when Moses the servant of theLordsent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land, and I brought back word to him asitwasin my heart.

8 Neverthelessmy brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I whollyfollowed theLordmy God.

9 So Moses swore on that day, saying,‘Surely the landwhere your foot has trodden shall be your inheritance and your children’s forever, because you have wholly followed theLordmy God.’

10 And now, behold, theLordhas kept mealive,as He said, these forty-five years, ever since theLordspoke this word to Moses while Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now, here I am this day, eighty-five years old.

11 As yet Iamasstrong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strengthwasthen, so nowismy strength for war, bothfor going out and for coming in.

12 Now therefore, give me this mountain of which theLordspoke in that day; for you heard in that day howthe Anakimwerethere, andthatthe citiesweregreatandfortified.It may be that theLordwillbewith me, andI shall be able to drive them out as theLordsaid.”

13 And Joshuablessed him,and gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh as an inheritance.

14 Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because hewholly followed theLordGod of Israel.

15 Andthe name of Hebron formerly was Kirjath Arba (Arbawasthe greatest man among the Anakim).

# Then the land had rest from war.

The Land of Judah

1 Sothiswas the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families:

# The border of Edom at theWilderness of Zin southwardwasthe extreme southern boundary.

2 And theirsouthern border began at the shore of the Salt Sea, from the bay that faces southward.

3 Then it went out to the southern side ofthe Ascent of Akrabbim, passed along to Zin, ascended on the south side of Kadesh Barnea, passed along to Hezron, went up to Adar, and went around to Karkaa.

4 Fromthereit passedtoward Azmon and went out to the Brook of Egypt; and the border ended at the sea. This shall be your southern border.

5 The east borderwasthe Salt Sea as far as the mouth of the Jordan.

# And theborder on the northern quarterbeganat the bay of the sea at the mouth of the Jordan.

6 The border went up toBeth Hoglah and passed north of Beth Arabah; and the border went upto the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben.

7 Then the border went up towardDebir fromthe Valley of Achor, and it turned northward toward Gilgal, whichisbefore the Ascent of Adummim, whichison the south side of the valley. The border continued toward the waters of En Shemesh and ended atEn Rogel.

8 And the border went upby the Valley of the Son of Hinnom to the southern slope of theJebusitecity(whichisJerusalem). The border went up to the top of the mountain thatliesbefore the Valley of Hinnom westward, whichisat the end of the Valleyof Rephaim northward.

9 Then the border went around from the top of the hill tothe fountain of the water of Nephtoah, and extended to the cities of Mount Ephron. And the border went aroundto Baalah (whichisKirjath Jearim).

10 Then the border turned westward from Baalah to Mount Seir, passed along to the side of Mount Jearim on the north (whichisChesalon), went down to Beth Shemesh, and passed on toTimnah.

11 And the border went out to the side ofEkron northward. Then the border went around to Shicron, passed along to Mount Baalah, and extended to Jabneel; and the border ended at the sea.

12 The west borderwasthe coastline of the Great Sea. Thisisthe boundary of the children of Judah all around according to their families.

Caleb Occupies Hebron and Debir

13 Now to Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a share among the children ofJudah, according to the commandment of theLordto Joshua,namely,Kirjath Arba, whichisHebron (Arbawasthe father of Anak).

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

15 Thenhe went up from there to the inhabitants of Debir (formerly the name of DebirwasKirjath Sepher).

16 And Caleb said, “He who attacks Kirjath Sepher and takes it, to him I will give Achsah my daughter as wife.”

17 SoOthniel theson of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it; and he gave himAchsah his daughter as wife.

18 Now it was so, when she cametohim,that she persuaded him to ask her father for a field. Soshe dismounted fromherdonkey, and Caleb said to her, “What do you wish?”

19 She answered, “Give me ablessing; since you have given me land in the South, give me also springs of water.” So he gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.

The Cities of Judah

20 Thiswasthe inheritance of the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families:

21 The cities at the limits 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 (whichisHazor),

26 Amam, Shema, Moladah,

27 Hazar Gaddah, Heshmon, Beth Pelet,

28 Hazar Shual,Beersheba, Bizjothjah,

29 Baalah, Ijim, Ezem,

30 Eltolad, Chesil,Hormah,

31 Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah,

32 Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, andRimmon: all the citiesaretwenty-nine, with their villages.

33 In the lowland:Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah,

34 Zanoah, En Gannim, Tappuah, Enam,

35 Jarmuth,Adullam, Socoh, Azekah,

36 Sharaim, Adithaim, Gederah, and Gederothaim: fourteen cities with their villages;

37 Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal Gad,

38 Dilean, Mizpah,Joktheel,

39 Lachish, Bozkath,Eglon,

40 Cabbon, Lahmas, Kithlish,

41 Gederoth, Beth Dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah: sixteen cities with their villages;

42 Libnah, Ether, Ashan,

43 Jiphtah, Ashnah, Nezib,

44 Keilah, Achzib, and Mareshah: nine cities with their villages;

45 Ekron, with its towns and villages;

46 from Ekron to the sea, all thatlaynearAshdod, with their villages;

47 Ashdod with its towns and villages, Gaza with its towns and villages—as far asthe Brook of Egypt andthe Great Sea withitscoastline.

48 And in the mountain country: Shamir, Jattir, Sochoh,

49 Dannah, Kirjath Sannah (whichisDebir),

50 Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim,

51 Goshen, Holon, and Giloh: eleven cities with their villages;

52 Arab, Dumah, Eshean,

53 Janum, Beth Tappuah, Aphekah,

54 Humtah,Kirjath Arba (whichisHebron), and Zior: nine cities with their villages;

55 Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah,

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 Kirjath Baal (whichisKirjath Jearim) and Rabbah: two cities with their villages.

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

62 Nibshan, the City of Salt, andEn Gedi: six cities with their villages.

63 As for the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem,the children of Judah could not drive them out;but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem to this day.

Ephraim and West Manasseh

1 The lot fell to the children of Joseph from the Jordan, by Jericho, to the waters of Jericho on the east, to thewilderness that goes up from Jericho through the mountains to Bethel,

2 then went out fromBethel to Luz, passed along to the border of the Archites at Ataroth,

3 and went down westward to the boundary of the Japhletites,as far as the boundary of Lower Beth Horon toGezer; and it ended at the sea.

4 So the children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, took their inheritance.

The Land of Ephraim

5 The border of the children of Ephraim, according to their families, wasthus:The border of their inheritance on the east side wasAtaroth Addaras far as Upper Beth Horon.

6 And the border went out toward the sea on the north side ofMichmethath; then the border went around eastward to Taanath Shiloh, and passed by it on the east of Janohah.

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

8 The border went out fromTappuah westward to theBrook Kanah, and it ended at the sea. Thiswasthe inheritance of the tribe of the children of Ephraim according to their families.

9 The separate cities for the children of Ephraimwereamong the inheritance of the children of Manasseh, all the cities with their villages.

10 And they did not drive out the Canaanites who dwelt in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites to this day and have become forced laborers.

The Other Half-Tribe of Manasseh (West)

1 There was also a lot for the tribe of Manasseh, for hewasthefirstborn of Joseph:namelyforMachir the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead, because he was a man of war; therefore he was givenGilead and Bashan.

2 And there wasalotforthe rest of the children of Manasseh according to their families:for the children of Abiezer, the children of Helek,the children of Asriel, the children of Shechem,the children of Hepher, and the children of Shemida; thesewerethe male children of Manasseh the son of Joseph according to their families.

3 ButZelophehad the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, but only daughters. And thesearethe names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.

4 And they came near beforeEleazar the priest, before Joshua the son of Nun, and before the rulers, saying,“TheLordcommanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brothers.” Therefore, according to the commandment of theLord, he gave them an inheritance among their father’s brothers.

5 Ten shares fell toManasseh, besides the land of Gilead and Bashan, whichwereon the other side of the Jordan,

6 because the daughters of Manasseh received an inheritance among his sons; and the rest of Manasseh’s sons had the land of Gilead.

7 And the territory of Manasseh was from Asher toMichmethath, thatlieseast of Shechem; and the border went along south to the inhabitants of En Tappuah.

8 Manasseh had the land of Tappuah, butTappuah on the border of Manassehbelongedto the children of Ephraim.

9 And the border descended to the Brook Kanah, southward to the brook.These cities of Ephraimareamong the cities of Manasseh. The border of Manassehwason the north side of the brook; and it ended at the sea.

10 SouthwarditwasEphraim’s, northwarditwasManasseh’s, and the sea was its border. Manasseh’s territory was adjoining Asher on the north and Issachar on the east.

11 And in Issachar and in Asher,Manasseh hadBeth Shean and its towns, Ibleam and its towns, the inhabitants of Dor and its towns, the inhabitants of En Dor and its towns, the inhabitants of Taanach and its towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns—three hilly regions.

12 Yetthe children of Manasseh could not drive outtheinhabitantsofthose cities, but the Canaanites were determined to dwell in that land.

13 And it happened, when the children of Israel grew strong, that they put the Canaanites toforced labor, but did not utterly drive them out.

More Land for Ephraim and Manasseh

14 Then the children of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, “Why have you given usonlyone lot and one share to inherit, since wearea great people, inasmuch as theLordhas blessed us until now?”

15 So Joshua answered them, “If youarea great people,thengo up to the forestcountryand clear a place for yourself there in the land of the Perizzites and the giants, since the mountains of Ephraim are too confined for you.”

16 But the children of Joseph said, “The mountain country is not enough for us; and all the Canaanites who dwell in the land of the valley havechariots of iron,boththosewhoareof Beth Shean and its towns andthosewhoareof the Valley of Jezreel.”

17 And Joshua spoke to the house of Joseph—to Ephraim and Manasseh—saying, “Youarea great people and have great power; you shall not haveonlyone lot,

18 but the mountain country shall be yours. Although itiswooded, you shall cut it down, and its farthest extent shall be yours; for you shall drive out the Canaanites,though they have iron chariotsandare strong.”

The Remainder of the Land Divided

1 Now the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled togetherat Shiloh, andset up the tabernacle of meeting there. And the land was subdued before them.

2 But there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes which had not yet received their inheritance.

3 Then Joshua said to the children of Israel:“How long will you neglect to go and possess the land which theLordGod of your fathers has given you?

4 Pick out from among you three men foreachtribe, and I will send them; they shall rise and go through the land, survey it according to their inheritance, and comebackto me.

5 And they shall divide it into seven parts.Judah shall remain in their territory on the south, and thehouse of Joseph shall remain in their territory on the north.

6 You shall therefore survey the land in seven parts and bringthesurveyhere to me,that I may cast lots for you here before theLordour God.

7 But the Levites have no part among you, for the priesthood of theLordistheir inheritance.And Gad, Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan on the east, which Moses the servant of theLordgave them.”

8 Then the men arose to go away; and Joshua charged those who went to survey the land, saying, “Go, walkthrough the land, survey it, and come back to me, that I may cast lots for you here before theLordin Shiloh.”

9 So the men went, passed through the land, and wrote the survey in a book in seven parts by cities; and they came to Joshua at the camp in Shiloh.

10 Then Joshua castlots for them in Shiloh before theLord, and thereJoshua divided the land to the children of Israel according to their divisions.

The Land of Benjamin

11 Now the lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin came up according to their families, and the territory of their lot came out between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph.

12 Their border on the north side began at the Jordan, and the border went up to the side of Jericho on the north, and went up through the mountains westward; it ended at the Wilderness of Beth Aven.

13 The border went over from there toward Luz, to the side of Luz(whichisBethel) southward; and the border descended to Ataroth Addar, near the hill thatlieson the south sideof Lower Beth Horon.

14 Then the border extended around the west side to the south, from the hill thatliesbefore Beth Horon southward; and it ended atKirjath Baal (whichisKirjath Jearim), a city of the children of Judah. Thiswasthe west side.

15 The south sidebeganat the end of Kirjath Jearim, and the border extended on the west and went out tothe spring of the waters of Nephtoah.

16 Then the border came down to the end of the mountain thatliesbeforethe Valley of the Son of Hinnom, whichisin the Valley of the Rephaim on the north, descended to the Valley of Hinnom, to the side of the Jebusitecityon the south, and descended toEn Rogel.

17 And it went around from the north, went out to En Shemesh, and extended toward Geliloth, which is before the Ascent of Adummim, and descended tothe stone of Bohan the son of Reuben.

18 Then it passed along toward the north side of Arabah, and went down to Arabah.

19 And the border passed along to the north side of Beth Hoglah; then the border ended at the north bay at theSalt Sea, at the south end of the Jordan. Thiswasthe southern boundary.

20 The Jordan was its border on the east side. Thiswasthe inheritance of the children of Benjamin, according to its boundaries all around, 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 Avim, Parah, Ophrah,

24 Chephar Haammoni, Ophni, and Gaba: twelve cities with their villages;

25 Gibeon,Ramah, Beeroth,

26 Mizpah, Chephirah, Mozah,

27 Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah,

28 Zelah, Eleph,Jebus (whichisJerusalem), Gibeath,andKirjath: fourteen cities with their villages. This was the inheritance of the children of Benjamin according to their families.

Simeon’s Inheritance with Judah

1 Thesecond lot came out for Simeon, for the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families.And their inheritance was within the inheritance of the children of Judah.

2 They had in their inheritance Beersheba (Sheba), Moladah,

3 Hazar Shual, Balah, Ezem,

4 Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah,

5 Ziklag, Beth Marcaboth, Hazar Susah,

6 Beth Lebaoth, and Sharuhen: thirteen cities and their villages;

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

8 and all the villages thatwereall around these cities as far as Baalath Beer,Ramah of the South. Thiswasthe inheritance of the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families.

9 The inheritance of the children of Simeonwasincludedin the share of the children of Judah, for the share of the children of Judah was too much for them.Therefore the children of Simeon hadtheirinheritance within the inheritance of that people.

The Land of Zebulun

10 The third lot came out for the children of Zebulun according to their families, and the border of their inheritance was as far as Sarid.

11 Their border went toward the west and to Maralah, went to Dabbasheth, and extended along the brook that iseast of Jokneam.

12 Then from Sarid it went eastward toward the sunrise along the border of Chisloth Tabor, and went out towardDaberath, bypassing Japhia.

13 And from there it passed along on the east ofGath Hepher, toward Eth Kazin, and extended to Rimmon, which borders on Neah.

14 Then the border went around it on the north side of Hannathon, and it ended in the Valley of Jiphthah El.

15 Included were Kattath, Nahallal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem: twelve cities with their villages.

16 Thiswasthe inheritance of the children of Zebulun according to their families, these cities with their villages.

The Land of Issachar

17 The fourth lot came out to Issachar, for the children of Issachar according to their families.

18 And their territory went to Jezreel, andincludedChesulloth, Shunem,

19 Haphraim, Shion, Anaharath,

20 Rabbith, Kishion, Abez,

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

22 And the border reached to Tabor, Shahazimah, andBeth Shemesh; their border ended at the Jordan: sixteen cities with their villages.

23 Thiswasthe inheritance of the tribe of the children of Issachar according to their families, the cities and their villages.

The Land of Asher

24 The fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families.

25 And their territory included Helkath, Hali, Beten, Achshaph,

26 Alammelech, Amad, and Mishal; it reached toMount Carmel westward, alongtheBrookShihor Libnath.

27 It turned toward the sunrise to Beth Dagon; and it reached to Zebulun and to the Valley of Jiphthah El, then northward beyond Beth Emek and Neiel, bypassingCabulwhichwason the left,

28 including Ebron, Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah,as far as Greater Sidon.

29 And the border turned to Ramah and to the fortified city of Tyre; then the border turned to Hosah, and ended at the sea by the region ofAchzib.

30 Also Ummah, Aphek, and Rehobwereincluded:twenty-two cities with their villages.

31 Thiswasthe inheritance of the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families, these cities with their villages.

The Land of Naphtali

32 The sixth lot came out to the children of Naphtali, for the children of Naphtali according to their families.

33 And their border began at Heleph, enclosing the territory from the terebinth tree in Zaanannim, Adami Nekeb, and Jabneel, as far as Lakkum; it ended at the Jordan.

34 From Heleph the border extended westward to Aznoth Tabor, and went out from there toward Hukkok; it adjoined Zebulun on the south side and Asher on the west side, and ended at Judah by the Jordan toward the sunrise.

35 And the fortified citiesareZiddim, 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 Thiswasthe inheritance of the tribe of the children of Naphtali according to their families, the cities and their villages.

The Land of Dan

40 The seventh lot came out for the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families.

41 And the territory of their inheritance was Zorah,Eshtaol, Ir Shemesh,

42 Shaalabbin,Aijalon, Jethlah,

43 Elon, Timnah,Ekron,

44 Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath,

45 Jehud, Bene Berak, Gath Rimmon,

46 Me Jarkon, and Rakkon, with the region near Joppa.

47 And theborder of the children of Dan went beyond these, because the children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem and took it; and they struck it with the edge of the sword, took possession of it, and dwelt in it. They called Leshem,Dan, after the name of Dan their father.

48 Thisisthe inheritance of the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families, these cities with their villages.

Joshua’s Inheritance

49 When they had made an end of dividing the land as an inheritance according to their borders, the children of Israel gave an inheritance among them to Joshua the son of Nun.

50 According to the word of theLordthey gave him the city which he asked for,TimnathSerah in the mountains of Ephraim; and he built the city and dwelt in it.

51 Thesewerethe inheritances which Eleazar the priest, Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel divided as an inheritance by lotin Shiloh before theLord, at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. So they made an end of dividing the country.

The Cities of Refuge

1 TheLordalso spoke to Joshua, saying,

2 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying:‘Appoint for yourselves cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses,

3 that the slayer who kills a person accidentallyorunintentionally may flee there; and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood.

4 And when he flees to one of those cities, and stands at the entrance of the gate of the city, and declares his case in the hearing of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city as one of them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them.

5 Then if the avenger of blood pursues him, they shall not deliver the slayer into his hand, because he struck his neighbor unintentionally, but did not hate him beforehand.

6 And he shall dwell in that cityuntil he stands before the congregation for judgment,anduntil the death of the one who is high priest in those days. Then the slayer may return and come to his own city and his own house, to the city from which he fled.’ ”

7 So they appointedKedesh in Galilee, in the mountains of Naphtali,Shechem in the mountains of Ephraim, andKirjath Arba (whichisHebron) inthe mountains of Judah.

8 And on the other side of the Jordan, by Jericho eastward, they assignedBezer in the wilderness on the plain, from the tribe of Reuben,Ramoth in Gilead, from the tribe of Gad, andGolan in Bashan, from the tribe of Manasseh.

9 These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel and for the stranger who dwelt among them, that whoever killed a person accidentally might flee there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blooduntil he stood before the congregation.

Cities of the Levites

1 Then the heads of the fathers’housesof theLevites came near toEleazar the priest, to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the heads of the fathers’housesof the tribes of the children of Israel.

2 And they spoke to them atShiloh in the land of Canaan, saying,“TheLordcommanded through Moses to give us cities to dwell in, with their common-lands for our livestock.”

3 So the children of Israel gave to the Levites from their inheritance, at the commandment of theLord, these cities and their common-lands:

4 Now the lot came out for the families of the Kohathites. Andthe children of Aaron the priest,whowereof the Levites,had thirteen cities by lot from the tribe of Judah, from the tribe of Simeon, and from the tribe of Benjamin.

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

6 Andthe children of Gershon had thirteen cities by lot from the families of the tribe of Issachar, from the tribe of Asher, from the tribe of Naphtali, and from the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.

7 The children of Merari according to their families had twelve cities from the tribe of Reuben, from the tribe of Gad, and from the tribe of Zebulun.

8 And the children of Israel gave these cities with their common-lands by lot to the Levites,as theLordhad commanded by the hand of Moses.

9 So they gave from the tribe of the children of Judah and from the tribe of the children of Simeon these cities which are designated by name,

10 which were for the children of Aaron, one of the families of the Kohathites,whowereof the children of Levi; for the lot was theirs first.

11 And they gave them Kirjath Arba (Arbawasthe father ofAnak),whichisHebron, in the mountains of Judah, with the common-land surrounding it.

12 Butthe fields of the city and its villages they gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh as his possession.

13 Thusto the children of Aaron the priest they gaveHebron with its common-land (a city of refuge for the slayer),Libnah with its common-land,

14 Jattir with its common-land,Eshtemoa with its common-land,

15 Holon with its common-land,Debir with its common-land,

16 Ain with its common-land,Juttah with its common-land, andBeth Shemesh with its common-land: nine cities from those two tribes;

17 and from the tribe of Benjamin,Gibeon with its common-land,Geba with its common-land,

18 Anathoth with its common-land, andAlmon with its common-land: four cities.

19 All the cities of the children of Aaron, the priests,werethirteen cities with their common-lands.

20 And the families of the children of Kohath, the Levites, the rest of the children of Kohath, even they had the cities of their lot from the tribe of Ephraim.

21 For they gave themShechem with its common-land in the mountains of Ephraim (a city of refuge for the slayer),Gezer with its common-land,

22 Kibzaim with its common-land, and Beth Horon with its common-land: four cities;

23 and from the tribe of Dan, Eltekeh with its common-land, Gibbethon with its common-land,

24 Aijalon with its common-land,andGath Rimmon with its common-land: four cities;

25 and from the half-tribe of Manasseh, Tanach with its common-land and Gath Rimmon with its common-land: two cities.

26 All the ten cities with their common-lands were for the rest of the families of the children of Kohath.

27 Also to the children of Gershon, of the families of the Levites, from theotherhalf-tribe of Manasseh,theygaveGolan in Bashan with its common-land (a city of refuge for the slayer), and Be Eshterah with its common-land: two cities;

28 and from the tribe of Issachar, Kishion with its common-land, Daberath with its common-land,

29 Jarmuth with its common-land,andEn Gannim with its common-land: four cities;

30 and from the tribe of Asher, Mishal with its common-land, Abdon with its common-land,

31 Helkath with its common-land, and Rehob with its common-land: four cities;

32 and from the tribe of Naphtali,Kedesh in Galilee with its common-land (a city of refuge for the slayer), Hammoth Dor with its common-land, and Kartan with its common-land: three cities.

33 All the cities of the Gershonites according to their familieswerethirteen cities with their common-lands.

34 And to the families of the children of Merari, the rest of the Levites, from the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam with its common-land, Kartah with its common-land,

35 Dimnah with its common-land,andNahalal with its common-land: four cities;

36 and from the tribe of Reuben,Bezer with its common-land, Jahaz with its common-land,

37 Kedemoth with its common-land, and Mephaath with its common-land: four cities;

38 and from the tribe of Gad,Ramoth in Gilead with its common-land (a city of refuge for the slayer), Mahanaim with its common-land,

39 Heshbon with its common-land,andJazer with its common-land: four cities in all.

40 So all the cities for the children of Merari according to their families, the rest of the families of the Levites, werebytheir lot twelve cities.

41 All the cities of the Levites within the possession of the children of Israelwereforty-eight cities with their common-lands.

42 Every one of these cities had its common-land surrounding it; thuswereall these cities.

The Promise Fulfilled

43 So theLordgave to Israelall the land of which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and theytook possession of it and dwelt in it.

44 TheLordgave themrest all around, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers. Andnot a man of all their enemies stood against them; theLorddelivered all their enemies into their hand.

45 Not a word failed of any good thing which theLordhad spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass.

Eastern Tribes Return to Their Lands

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

2 and said to them: “You have keptall that Moses the servant of theLordcommanded you,and have obeyed my voice in all that I commanded you.

3 You have not left your brethren these many days, up to this day, but have kept the charge of the commandment of theLordyour God.

4 And now theLordyour God has givenrest to your brethren, as He promised them; now therefore, return and go to your tentsandto the land of your possession,which Moses the servant of theLordgave you on the other side of the Jordan.

5 Buttake careful heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of theLordcommanded you,to love theLordyour God, to walk in all His ways, to keep His commandments, to hold fast to Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

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

7 Now to half the tribe of Manasseh Moses had given a possession in Bashan,but to theotherhalf of it Joshua gaveapossessionamong their brethren on this side of the Jordan, westward. And indeed, when Joshua sent them away to their tents, he blessed them,

8 and spoke to them, saying, “Return with much riches to your tents, with very much livestock, with silver, with gold, with bronze, with iron, and with very much clothing.Divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren.”

9 So the children of Reuben, the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh returned, and departed from the children of Israel at Shiloh, whichisin the land of Canaan, to go tothe country of Gilead, to the land of their possession, which they had obtained according to the word of theLordby the hand of Moses.

An Altar by the Jordan

10 And when they came to the region of the Jordan whichisin the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben, the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh built an altar there by the Jordan—a great, impressive altar.

11 Now the children of Israelheardsomeonesay, “Behold, the children of Reuben, the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh have built an altar on the frontier of the land of Canaan, in the region of the Jordan—on the children of Israel’s side.”

12 And when the children of Israel heardofit,the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered together at Shiloh to go to war against them.

13 Then the children of IsraelsentPhinehas the son of Eleazar the priest to the children of Reuben, to the children of Gad, and to half the tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead,

14 and with him ten rulers, one ruler each from the chief house of every tribe of Israel; andeach onewasthe head of the house of his father among the divisions of Israel.

15 Then they came to the children of Reuben, to the children of Gad, and to half the tribe of Manasseh, to the land of Gilead, and they spoke with them, saying,

16 “Thus says the whole congregation of theLord: ‘Whattreacheryisthis that you have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following theLord, in that you have built for yourselves an altar,that you might rebel this day against theLord?

17 Isthe iniquityof Peor not enough for us, from which we are not cleansed till this day, although there was a plague in the congregation of theLord,

18 but that you must turn away this day from following theLord? And it shall be, if you rebel today against theLord, that tomorrowHe will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel.

19 Nevertheless, if the land of your possessionisunclean,thencross over to the land of the possession of theLord,where theLord’s tabernacle stands, and take possession among us; but do not rebel against theLord, nor rebel against us, by building yourselves an altar besides the altar of theLordour God.

20 Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the accursed thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel? And that man did not perish alone in his iniquity.’ ”

21 Then the children of Reuben, the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh answered and said to the heads of the divisions of Israel:

22 “TheLordGod of gods, theLordGod of gods, Heknows, and let Israel itself know—ifitisin rebellion, or if in treachery against theLord, do not save us this day.

23 If we have built ourselves an altar to turn from following theLord, or if to offer on it burnt offerings or grain offerings, or if to offer peace offerings on it, let theLordHimselfrequireanaccount.

24 But in fact we have done it for fear, for a reason, saying, ‘In time to come your descendants may speak to our descendants, saying, “What have you to do with theLordGod of Israel?

25 For theLordhas made the Jordan a border between you and us,youchildren of Reuben and children of Gad. You have no part in theLord.” So your descendants would make our descendants cease fearing theLord.’

26 Therefore we said, ‘Let us now prepare to build ourselves an altar, not for burnt offering nor for sacrifice,

27 butthatitmaybea witness between you and us and our generations after us, that we mayperform the service of theLordbefore Him with our burnt offerings, with our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings; that your descendants may not say to our descendants in time to come, “You have no part in theLord.” ’

28 Therefore we said that it will be, when they saythisto us or to our generations in time to come, that we may say, ‘Here is the replica of the altar of theLordwhich our fathers made, though not for burnt offerings nor for sacrifices; but itisa witness between you and us.’

29 Far be it from us that we should rebel against theLord, and turn from following theLordthis day,to build an altar for burnt offerings, for grain offerings, or for sacrifices, besides the altar of theLordour God whichisbefore His tabernacle.”

30 Now when Phinehas the priest and the rulers of the congregation, the heads of the divisions of Israel whowerewith him, heard the words that the children of Reuben, the children of Gad, and the children of Manasseh spoke, it pleased them.

31 Then Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said to the children of Reuben, the children of Gad, and the children of Manasseh, “This day we perceive that theLordisamong us, because you have not committed this treachery against theLord. Now you have delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of theLord.”

32 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the rulers, returned from the children of Reuben and the children of Gad, from the land of Gilead to the land of Canaan, to the children of Israel, and brought back word to them.

33 So the thing pleased the children of Israel, and the children of Israelblessed God; they spoke no more of going against them in battle, to destroy the land where the children of Reuben and Gad dwelt.

34 The children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar,Witness,“Foritisa witness between us that theLordisGod.”