Joshua 18-19

New English Translation

The Tribes Meet at Shiloh

18 The entire Israelite community assembled at Shiloh and there they set up the tent of meeting.^[a] Though they had subdued the land,^{[b] 2} seven Israelite tribes had not been assigned their allotted land.^{[c] 3} So Joshua said to the Israelites: “How long do you intend to put off occupying^[d] the land the Lord God of your ancestors^[e] has given you? ⁴ Pick three men from each tribe. I will send them out to walk through the land and make a map of it for me.^{[f] 5} Divide it into seven regions.^[g] Judah will stay^[h] in its territory in the south, and the family^[i] of Joseph in its territory in the north. ⁶ But as for you, map out the land into seven regions and bring it to me. I will draw lots for you here before the Lord our God. ⁷ But the Levites will not have an allotted portion among you, for their inheritance is to serve the Lord.^[j] Gad, Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh have already received their allotted land^[k] east of the Jordan, which Moses the Lord’s servant assigned them.”

⁸ When the men started out, Joshua told those going to map out the land, “Go, walk through the land, map it out, and return to me. Then I will draw lots for you before the Lord here in Shiloh.” ⁹ The men journeyed^[l] through the land and mapped it and its cities out into seven regions on a scroll. Then they came to Joshua at the camp in Shiloh. ¹⁰ Joshua drew lots for them in Shiloh before the Lord and divided the land among the Israelites according to their allotted portions.

Benjamin’s Tribal Lands

¹¹ The first lot belonged to the tribe of Benjamin^[m] by its clans. Their allotted territory was between Judah and Joseph.^{[n] 12} Their northern border started at the Jordan, went up to the slope of Jericho on the north, ascended westward to the hill country, and extended to the wilderness of Beth Aven. ¹³ It then crossed from there to Luz, to the slope of Luz to the south (that is, Bethel), and descended to Ataroth Addar located on the hill that is south of lower Beth Horon. ¹⁴ It then turned on the west side southward from the hill near Beth Horon on the south and extended to Kiriath Baal (that is, Kiriath Jearim), a city belonging to the tribe^[o] of Judah. This is the western border.^{[p] 15} The southern side started on the edge of Kiriath Jearim and extended westward to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah. ¹⁶ The border then descended to the edge of the hill country near the Valley of Ben Hinnom located in the Valley of the Rephaites to the north. It descended through the Valley of Hinnom to the slope of the Jebusites to the south and then down to En Rogel. ¹⁷ It went northward, extending to En Shemesh and Geliloth opposite the Pass^[q] of Adummim, and descended to the Stone of Bohan son of Reuben. ¹⁸ It crossed to the slope in front of the rift valley to the north and descended into the rift valley.^{[r] 19} It then crossed to the slope of Beth Hoglah to the north and ended at the northern tip of the Salt Sea^[s] at the mouth of the Jordan River.^[t] This was the southern border. ²⁰ The Jordan River bordered it on the east. These were the borders of the land assigned to the tribe of Benjamin by its clans.^[u]

²¹ These cities belonged to the tribe^[v] of Benjamin by its clans: Jericho, Beth Hoglah, Emek Keziz, ²² Beth Arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel, ²³ Avvim, Parah, Ophrah, ²⁴ Kephar Ammoni, Ophni, and Geba—a total of twelve cities and their towns.

²⁵ Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth, ²⁶ Mizpah, Kephirah, Mozah, ²⁷ Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah, ²⁸ Zelah, Haeleph, the Jebusite city^[w] (that is, Jerusalem), Gibeah, and Kiriath—a total of fourteen cities and their towns.^[x] This was the land assigned to the tribe of Benjamin^[y] by its clans.

Simeon’s Tribal Lands

19 The second lot belonged to the tribe of Simeon by its clans.^[z] Their assigned land was in the middle of Judah’s assigned land. ² Their assigned land included^[aa] Beer Sheba,^[ab] Moladah, ³ Hazar Shual, Balah, Ezem, ⁴ Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah, ⁵ Ziklag, Beth Marcaboth, Hazar Susah, ⁶ Beth Lebaoth, and Sharuhen—a total of thirteen cities and their towns, ⁷ Ain, Rimmon, Ether, and Ashan—a total of four cities and their towns, ⁸ as well as all the towns around these cities as far as Baalath Beer (Ramah of the Negev). This was the land assigned to the tribe of Simeon by its clans.^{[ac] 9} Simeon’s assigned land was taken from Judah’s allotted portion, for Judah’s territory was too large for them; so Simeon was assigned land within Judah.^[ad]

Zebulun’s Tribal Lands

¹⁰ The third lot belonged to the tribe of Zebulun^[ae] by its clans. The border of their territory^[af] extended to Sarid. ¹¹ Their border went up westward to Maralah and touched Dabbesheth and the valley near^[ag] Jokneam. ¹² From Sarid it turned eastward^[ah] to the territory of Kisloth Tabor, extended to Daberath, and went up to Japhia. ¹³ From there it crossed eastward to Gath Hepher and Eth Kazin and extended to Rimmon, turning toward Neah. ¹⁴ It then turned on the north to Hannathon and ended at the Valley of Iphtah El. ¹⁵ Their territory included Kattah, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem; in all they had twelve cities and their towns.^{[ai] 16} This was the land assigned to the tribe of Zebulun^[aj] by its clans, including these cities and their towns.

Issachar’s Tribal Lands

¹⁷ The fourth lot belonged to the tribe of Issachar^[ak] by its clans. ¹⁸ Their assigned land^[al] included Jezreel, Kesulloth, Shunem, ¹⁹ Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath, ²⁰ Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez, ²¹ Remeth, En Gannim, En Haddah and Beth Pazzez. ²² Their border touched Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth Shemesh, and ended at the Jordan. They had sixteen cities and their towns. ²³ This was the land assigned to the tribe of Issachar^[am] by its clans, including these cities and their towns.

Asher’s Tribal Lands

²⁴ The fifth lot belonged to the tribe of Asher^[an] by its clans. ²⁵ Their territory included Helkath, Hali, Beten, Acshaph, ²⁶ Alammelech, Amad, and Mishal. Their border touched Carmel to the west and Shihor Libnath. ²⁷ It turned eastward toward Beth Dagon, touched Zebulun and the Valley of Iphtah El to the north, as well as Beth Emek and Neiel, and extended to Cabul on the north^{[ao] 28} and on to Ebron,^[ap] Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah, as far as Greater Sidon. ²⁹ It then turned toward Ramah as far as the fortified city of Tyre, turned to Hosah, and ended at the sea near Hebel, Achzib, ³⁰ Umah, Aphek, and Rehob. In all they had^[aq] twenty-two cities and their towns. ³¹ This was the land assigned to the tribe of Asher^[ar] by its clans, including these cities and their towns.

Naphtali’s Tribal Lands

³² The sixth lot belonged to the tribe of Naphtali^[as] by its clans. ³³ Their border started at Heleph and the oak of Zaanannim, went to Adami Nekeb, Jabneel and on to Lakkum,^[at] and ended at the Jordan River.^{[au] 34} It turned westward to Aznoth Tabor, extended from there to Hukok, touched Zebulun on the south, Asher on the west, and the Jordan^[av] on the east. ³⁵ The fortified cities included Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Kinnereth, ³⁶ Adamah, Ramah, Hazor, ³⁷ Kedesh, Edrei, En Hazor, ³⁸ Yiron,^[aw] Migdal El, Horem, Beth Anath, and Beth Shemesh. In all they had^[ax] nineteen cities and their towns. ³⁹ This was the land assigned to the tribe of Naphtali^[ay] by its clans, including these cities and their towns.

Dan’s Tribal Lands

⁴⁰ The seventh lot belonged to the tribe of Dan^[az] by its clans. ⁴¹ Their assigned land included Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir Shemesh, ⁴² Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Ithlah, ⁴³ Elon, Timnah, Ekron, ⁴⁴ Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath, ⁴⁵ Jehud, Bene Berak, Gath Rimmon, ⁴⁶ the waters of Jarkon, and Rakkon, including the territory in front of Joppa. ⁴⁷ (The Danites failed to conquer their territory,^[ba] so they went up and fought with Leshem and captured it. They put the sword to it, took possession of it, and lived in it. They renamed it^[bb] Dan after their ancestor.^[bc]) ⁴⁸ This was the land assigned to the tribe of Dan^[bd] by its clans, including these cities and their towns.

Joshua Receives Land

⁴⁹ When they finished dividing the land into its regions, the Israelites gave Joshua son of Nun some land.^{[be] 50} As the Lord had instructed, they gave him the city he requested—Timnath Serah in the Ephraimite hill country. He built up the city and lived in it.

⁵¹ These are the land assignments that Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the Israelite tribal leaders^[bf] made by drawing lots in Shiloh before the Lord at the entrance of the tent of meeting.^[bg] So they finished dividing up the land.