Territory of Simeon

19 Then the second lot went to Simeon, to the tribe of the sons of Simeon according to their families; and their inheritance was in the midst of the inheritance of the sons of Judah. So they had in their inheritance Beersheba or [a]Sheba and Moladah, Hazar-shual, Balah, and Ezem, Eltolad, Bethul, and Hormah, Ziklag, Beth-marcaboth, and Hazar-susah, Beth-lebaoth, and Sharuhen; thirteen cities with their villages; Ain, Rimmon, Ether, and Ashan; four cities with their villages; and all the villages which were around these cities as far as Baalath-beer, Ramah of the [b]Negev. This was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Simeon according to their families. The inheritance of the sons of Simeon was taken from the portion of the sons of Judah, because the share of the sons of Judah was too large for them; so the sons of Simeon received an inheritance in the midst of [c]Judah’s inheritance.

Territory of Zebulun

10 Now the third lot came up for the sons of Zebulun according to their families. And the territory of their inheritance was as far as Sarid. 11 Then their border went up to the west and to Maralah, and it reached Dabbesheth and reached to the [d]brook that is opposite Jokneam. 12 Then it turned from Sarid to the east toward the sunrise as far as the border of Chisloth-tabor, and it proceeded to Daberath and [e]up to Japhia. 13 From there it continued eastward toward the sunrise to Gath-hepher, to Eth-kazin, and it proceeded to Rimmon [f]which stretches to Neah. 14 Then the border circled around it on the north to Hannathon, and [g]it ended at the Valley of Iphtahel. 15 Included also were Kattah, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem; twelve cities with their villages. 16 This was the inheritance of the sons of Zebulun according to their families, these cities with their villages.

Territory of Issachar

17 The fourth lot went to Issachar, to the sons of Issachar according to their families. 18 Their territory was to Jezreel and included Chesulloth, (A)Shunem, 19 Hapharaim, Shion, and Anaharath, 20 Rabbith, Kishion, and Ebez, 21 Remeth, En-gannim, En-haddah, and Beth-pazzez. 22 The border reached to (B)Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth-shemesh, and [h]their border ended at the Jordan; sixteen cities with their villages. 23 This was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Issachar according to their families, the cities with their villages.

Territory of Asher

24 Now the fifth lot went to the tribe of the sons of Asher according to their families. 25 Their territory was Helkath, Hali, Beten, and Achshaph, 26 Allammelech, Amad, and Mishal; and it reached to Carmel on the west and Shihor-libnath. 27 It turned toward the [i]east to Beth-dagon and reached Zebulun, and to the Valley of Iphtahel northward to Beth-emek and Neiel; then it proceeded on [j]north to (C)Cabul, 28 Ebron, Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah, as far as Great (D)Sidon. 29 The border turned to Ramah and to the fortified city of Tyre; then the border turned to Hosah, and [k]it ended at the sea by the region of (E)Achzib. 30 Included also were Ummah, Aphek, and Rehob; twenty-two cities with their villages. 31 This was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Asher according to their families, these cities with their villages.

Territory of Naphtali

32 The sixth lot went to the sons of Naphtali; to the sons of Naphtali according to their families. 33 Their border was from Heleph, from the oak in Zaanannim, and Adami-nekeb and Jabneel, as far as Lakkum, and [l]it ended at the Jordan. 34 Then the border turned westward to Aznoth-tabor and proceeded from there to Hukkok; and it reached Zebulun on the south and reached Asher on the west, and Judah at the Jordan toward the [m]east. 35 The fortified cities were Ziddim, Zer, (F)Hammath, Rakkath, and (G)Chinnereth, 36 Adamah, Ramah, and Hazor, 37 Kedesh, Edrei, and En-hazor, 38 Yiron, Migdal-el, Horem, Beth-anath, and Beth-shemesh; nineteen cities with their villages. 39 This was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Naphtali according to their families, the cities with their villages.

Territory of Dan

40 The seventh lot went to the tribe of the sons of Dan according to their families. 41 The territory of their inheritance was Zorah, Eshtaol, and Ir-shemesh, 42 Shaalabbin, Aijalon, and Ithlah, 43 Elon, Timnah, and Ekron, 44 Eltekeh, Gibbethon, and Baalath, 45 Jehud, Bene-berak, and Gath-rimmon, 46 Me-jarkon, and Rakkon, with the territory opposite [n]Joppa. 47 The territory of the (H)sons of Dan proceeded [o]beyond them; for the sons of Dan went up and fought with Leshem and captured it. Then they struck it with the edge of the sword and took possession of it and [p]settled in it; and they named [q](I)Leshem Dan after the name of their father Dan. 48 This was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Dan according to their families, these cities with their villages.

49 When they finished apportioning the land for inheritance by its borders, the sons of Israel gave an inheritance among them to Joshua the son of Nun. 50 In accordance with the [r]command of the Lord, they gave him the city for which he asked, (J)Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim. So he built the city and [s]settled in it.

51 (K)These are the inheritances which Eleazar the priest, Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers’ households of the tribes of the sons of Israel apportioned by lot in Shiloh before the Lord at the doorway of the tent of meeting. So they finished dividing the land.

Six Cities of Refuge

20 Then the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘[t]Designate (L)the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you [u]through Moses, so that one who commits manslaughter by [v]killing a person unintentionally, without premeditation, may flee there, and they shall become your refuge from the avenger of blood. Then he shall flee to one of these cities, and shall stand at the entrance of the (M)gate of the city, and state his case in the [w]presence of the elders of that city; and they shall [x]receive him into the city to them and give him a place, so that he may remain among them. Now (N)if the avenger of blood pursues him, then they are not to hand the one who committed manslaughter over to him, since he struck his neighbor without premeditation and did not hate him previously. And he shall remain in that city (O)until he stands before the congregation for judgment, until the death of the one who is high priest in those days. Then [y]he shall [z]return to his own city and to his own house, to the city from which he fled.’”

So they [aa]set apart (P)Kedesh in [ab]Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, and Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in (Q)the hill country of Judah. And beyond the Jordan east of Jericho, they [ac]designated Bezer in the wilderness on the plain from the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan from the tribe of Manasseh. (R)These were the designated cities for all the sons of Israel and for the stranger who resides among them, so that whoever [ad]kills a person unintentionally may flee there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood until he stands before the congregation.

Forty-eight Cities of the Levites

21 Then the heads of fathers’ households of (S)the Levites approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of fathers’ households of the tribes of the sons of Israel. And they spoke to them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, “(T)The Lord commanded [ae]through Moses to give us cities to live in, with their pasture lands for our cattle.” So the sons of Israel gave the Levites from their inheritance these cities with their pasture lands, in accordance with the [af]command of the Lord. Then the lot came out for the families of the Kohathites. And to the sons of Aaron the priest, who were of the Levites, thirteen cities were given by lot from the tribe of Judah, from the tribe of the Simeonites, and from the tribe of Benjamin.

And to the rest of the sons of Kohath ten cities were given by lot from the families of the tribe of Ephraim, from the tribe of Dan, and from the half-tribe of Manasseh.

And to the sons of Gershon thirteen cities were given 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.

To the sons of Merari according to their families twelve cities were given from the tribe of Reuben, from the tribe of Gad, and from the tribe of Zebulun.

Now the (U)sons of Israel gave by lot to the Levites these cities with their pasture lands, as the Lord had commanded [ag]through Moses.

They gave these cities which are mentioned here by name from the tribe of the sons of Judah and from the tribe of the sons of Simeon; 10 and they were for the sons of Aaron, one of the families of the Kohathites, of the sons of Levi, because the lot was theirs first. 11 So (V)they gave them Kiriath-arba (Arba being the (W)father of Anak), that is, Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, with its surrounding pasture lands. 12 But the fields of the city and its villages they gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh as his possession.

13 So (X)to the sons of Aaron the priest they gave (Y)Hebron, the city of refuge for the one who commits manslaughter, with its pasture lands, (Z)Libnah with its pasture lands, 14 (AA)Jattir with its pasture lands, (AB)Eshtemoa with its pasture lands, 15 [ah]Holon with its pasture lands, (AC)Debir with its pasture lands, 16 [ai]Ain with its pasture lands, (AD)Juttah with its pasture lands, and (AE)Beth-shemesh with its pasture lands; nine cities from these two tribes. 17 From the tribe of Benjamin, (AF)Gibeon with its pasture lands, (AG)Geba with its pasture lands, 18 Anathoth with its pasture lands, and [aj]Almon with its pasture lands; four cities. 19 All the cities of the sons of Aaron, the priests, were thirteen cities with their pasture lands.

20 Then the cities from the tribe of Ephraim were allotted to the (AH)families of the sons of Kohath, the Levites, that is, to the rest of the sons of Kohath. 21 They gave them (AI)Shechem, the city of refuge for the one who commits manslaughter, with its pasture lands, in the hill country of Ephraim, and Gezer with its pasture lands, 22 and Kibzaim with its pasture lands, and Beth-horon with its pasture lands; four cities. 23 And from the tribe of Dan, Elteke with its pasture lands, Gibbethon with its pasture lands, 24 Aijalon with its pasture lands, Gath-rimmon with its pasture lands; four cities. 25 From the half-tribe of Manasseh, they allotted Taanach with its pasture lands and Gath-rimmon with its pasture lands; two cities. 26 All the cities with their pasture lands for the families of the rest of the sons of Kohath were ten.

27 And (AJ)to the sons of Gershon, one of the families of the Levites, from the half-tribe of Manasseh, they gave Golan in Bashan, the city of refuge for the one who commits manslaughter, with its pasture lands, and Be-eshterah with its pasture lands; two cities. 28 And from the tribe of Issachar they gave Kishion with its pasture lands, Daberath with its pasture lands, 29 Jarmuth with its pasture lands, and En-gannim with its pasture lands; four cities. 30 From the tribe of Asher, they gave Mishal with its pasture lands, Abdon with its pasture lands, 31 Helkath with its pasture lands, and Rehob with its pasture lands; four cities. 32 And from the tribe of Naphtali, they gave (AK)Kedesh in Galilee, the city of refuge for the one who commits manslaughter, with its pasture lands, Hammoth-dor with its pasture lands, and Kartan with its pasture lands; three cities. 33 All the cities of the Gershonites according to their families were thirteen cities with their pasture lands.

34 And to the families of (AL)the sons of Merari, the rest of the Levites, they gave from the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam with its pasture lands, Kartah with its pasture lands, 35 Dimnah with its pasture lands, and Nahalal with its pasture lands; four cities. 36 From the tribe of Reuben they gave (AM)Bezer with its pasture lands, Jahaz with its pasture lands, 37 Kedemoth with its pasture lands, and Mephaath with its pasture lands; four cities. 38 And from the tribe of Gad, they gave (AN)Ramoth in Gilead, the city of refuge for the one who commits manslaughter, with its pasture lands, (AO)Mahanaim with its pasture lands, 39 Heshbon with its pasture lands, and Jazer with its pasture lands; four cities in all. 40 All these were the cities of the sons of Merari according to their families, the rest of the families of the Levites; and their lot was twelve cities.

41 (AP)All the cities of the Levites in the midst of the possession of the sons of Israel were forty-eight cities with their pasture lands. 42 These cities individually had [ak]their surrounding pasture lands; this is how it was with all these cities.

43 (AQ)So the Lord gave Israel all the land which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and (AR)they took possession of it and lived in it. 44 And the Lord (AS)gave them rest on every side, in accordance with everything that He had sworn to their fathers, and (AT)no one of all their enemies stood before them; (AU)the Lord handed all their enemies over to them. 45 (AV)Not [al]one of the good promises which the Lord had [am]made to the house of Israel failed; everything came to pass.

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 19:2 In Josh 15:26, Shema
  2. Joshua 19:8 I.e., South country
  3. Joshua 19:9 Lit their
  4. Joshua 19:11 Or wadi
  5. Joshua 19:12 Lit went up
  6. Joshua 19:13 Or and is marked off
  7. Joshua 19:14 Lit the goings out of it were
  8. Joshua 19:22 Lit the goings out of their border were
  9. Joshua 19:27 Lit sunrise
  10. Joshua 19:27 Lit from the left hand
  11. Joshua 19:29 Lit the goings out of it were
  12. Joshua 19:33 Lit the goings out of it were
  13. Joshua 19:34 Lit sunrise
  14. Joshua 19:46 Heb Japho
  15. Joshua 19:47 Lit from
  16. Joshua 19:47 Lit dwelt
  17. Joshua 19:47 In Judg 18:7 Laish
  18. Joshua 19:50 Lit mouth
  19. Joshua 19:50 Lit dwelt
  20. Joshua 20:2 Lit Give for yourselves
  21. Joshua 20:2 Lit by the hand of
  22. Joshua 20:3 Lit striking
  23. Joshua 20:4 Lit ears of
  24. Joshua 20:4 Lit gather
  25. Joshua 20:6 Lit the one who committed manslaughter
  26. Joshua 20:6 Lit return and come
  27. Joshua 20:7 Lit sanctified
  28. Joshua 20:7 Heb Galil
  29. Joshua 20:8 Lit gave
  30. Joshua 20:9 Lit strikes
  31. Joshua 21:2 Lit by the hand of
  32. Joshua 21:3 Lit mouth
  33. Joshua 21:8 Lit by the hand of
  34. Joshua 21:15 In 1 Chr 6:58, Hilen
  35. Joshua 21:16 In 1 Chr 6:59, Ashan
  36. Joshua 21:18 In 1 Chr 6:60, Allemeth
  37. Joshua 21:42 Lit its
  38. Joshua 21:45 Lit a word from every good word
  39. Joshua 21:45 Lit spoken

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