Category: Joshua

[16:5] This was the territory of the Ephraimite families: their border ran from Ataroth Addar eastward to Upper Beth Horon,

[16:6] and from there to the Mediterranean Sea. Michmethath was on their north. East of there the border bent toward Taanath Shiloh and went past it on the east to Janoah.

[16:7] Then it went down from Janoah to Ataroth and Naarah, reaching Jericho and ending at the Jordan.

[16:8] The border went west from Tappuah to the stream Kanah and ended at the Mediterranean Sea. This was the land given to the families of the tribe of Ephraim as their possession,

[16:9] along with some towns and villages that were within the borders of Manasseh, but given to the Ephraimites.

[16:10] But they did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer, so the Canaanites have lived among the Ephraimites to this day, but they have been forced to work as slaves.

[17:1] A part of the land west of the Jordan was assigned to some of the families descended from Joseph's older son Manasseh. Machir, the father of Gilead, was Manasseh's oldest son and a military hero, so Gilead and Bashan, east of the Jordan, were assigned to him.

[17:2] Land west of the Jordan was assigned to the rest of the families of Manasseh: Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida. These were male descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph, and they were heads of families.

[17:3] Zelophehad, son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, did not have any sons, but only daughters. Their names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.

[17:4] They went to Eleazar the priest and to Joshua son of Nun and to the leaders, and said, “The Lord commanded Moses to give us, as well as our male relatives, a part of the land to possess.” So, as the Lord had commanded, they were given land along with their male relatives.

[17:5] This is why Manasseh received ten shares in addition to Gilead and Bashan on the east side of the Jordan,

[17:6] since his female descendants as well as his male descendants were assigned land. The land of Gilead was assigned to the rest of the descendants of Manasseh.

[17:7] The territory of Manasseh reached from Asher to Michmethath, east of Shechem. The border then went south to include the people of Entappuah.

[17:8] The land around Tappuah belonged to Manasseh, but the town of Tappuah, on the border, belonged to the descendants of Ephraim.

[17:9] The border then went down to the stream Kanah. The cities south of the stream belonged to Ephraim, even though they were in the territory of Manasseh. The border of Manasseh proceeded along the north side of the stream and ended at the Mediterranean Sea.

[17:10] Ephraim was to the south, and Manasseh was to the north, with the Mediterranean Sea as their western border. Asher was to the northwest, and Issachar to the northeast.

[17:11] Within the territories of Issachar and Asher, Manasseh possessed Beth Shan and Ibleam, along with their surrounding towns, as well as Dor (the one on the coast), Endor, Taanach, Megiddo, and their surrounding towns.

[17:12] The people of Manasseh, however, were not able to drive out the people living in those cities, so the Canaanites continued to live there.

[17:13] Even when the Israelites became stronger, they did not drive out all the Canaanites, but they did force them to work for them.

[17:14] The descendants of Joseph said to Joshua, “Why have you given us only one part of the land to possess as our own? There are very many of us because the Lord has blessed us.”

[17:15] Joshua answered, “If there are so many of you and the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you, then go into the forests and clear ground for yourselves in the land of the Perizzites and the Rephaim.”

[17:16] They replied, “The hill country is not big enough for us, but the Canaanites in the plains have iron chariots, both those who live in Beth Shan and its surrounding towns and those who live in Jezreel Valley.”

[17:17] Joshua said to the tribes of Ephraim and West Manasseh, “There are indeed many of you, and you are very powerful. You shall have more than one share.

[17:18] The hill country will be yours. Even though it is a forest, you will clear it and take possession of it from one end to the other. As for the Canaanites, you will drive them out, even though they do have iron chariots and are a strong people.”

[18:1] After they had conquered the land, the entire community of Israel assembled at Shiloh and set up the Tent of the Lord's presence.

[18:2] There were still seven tribes of the people of Israel who had not yet been assigned their share of the land.

[18:3] So Joshua said to the people of Israel, “How long are you going to wait before you go in and take the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has given you?

[18:4] Let me have three men from each tribe. I will send them out over the whole country to map out the territory that they would like to have as their possession. Then they are to come back to me.

[18:5] The land will be divided among them in seven parts; Judah will stay in its territory in the south, and Joseph in its territory in the north.

[18:6] Write down a description of these seven divisions and bring it to me. Then I will draw lots to consult the Lord our God for you.

[18:7] The Levites, however, will not receive a share of the land with the rest of you, because their share is to serve as the Lord's priests. And of course, the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and East Manasseh have already received their land east of the Jordan, which Moses, the Lord's servant, gave to them.”

[18:8] The men went on their way to map out the land after Joshua had given them these instructions: “Go all over the land and map it out, and come back to me. And then here in Shiloh I will consult the Lord for you by drawing lots.”

[18:9] So the men went all over the land and set down in writing how they divided it into seven parts, making a list of the towns. Then they went back to Joshua in the camp at Shiloh.

[18:10] Joshua drew lots to consult the Lord for them, and assigned each of the remaining tribes of Israel a certain part of the land.

[18:11] The territory belonging to the families of the tribe of Benjamin was the first to be assigned. Their land lay between the tribes of Judah and Joseph.

[18:12] On the north their border began at the Jordan and then went up the slope north of Jericho and westward through the hill country as far as the desert of Bethaven.

[18:13] The border then went to the slope on the south side of Luz (also called Bethel), then down to Ataroth Addar, on the mountain south of Lower Beth Horon.

[18:14] The border then went in another direction, turning south from the western side of this mountain and going to Kiriath Baal (or Kiriath Jearim), which belongs to the tribe of Judah. This was the western border.

[18:15] The southern border started on the edge of Kiriath Jearim and went to the Springs of Nephtoah.

[18:16] It then went down to the foot of the mountain that overlooks Hinnom Valley, at the north end of Rephaim Valley. It then went south through Hinnom Valley, south of the Jebusite ridge, toward Enrogel.

[18:17] It then turned north to Enshemesh and then on to Geliloth, opposite Adummim Pass. The border then went down to the Stone of Bohan (Bohan was a son of Reuben)

[18:18] and passed north of the ridge overlooking the Jordan Valley. It then went down into the valley,

[18:19] passing north of the ridge of Beth Hoglah, and ended at the northern inlet on the Dead Sea, where the Jordan River empties into it. This was the southern border.

[18:20] The Jordan was the eastern border. These were the borders of the land which the families of the tribe of Benjamin received as their possession.

[18:21] The cities belonging to the families of the tribe of Benjamin were Jericho, Beth Hoglah, Emek Keziz,

[18:22] Beth Arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel,

[18:23] Avvim, Parah, Ophrah,

[18:24] Chepharammoni, Ophni, and Geba: twelve cities, along with the towns around them.

[18:25] There were also Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth,

[18:26] Mizpah, Chephirah, Mozah,

[18:27] Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah,

[18:28] Zela, Haeleph, Jebus (or Jerusalem), Gibeah, and Kiriath Jearim: fourteen cities, along with the towns around them. This is the land which the families of the tribe of Benjamin received as their possession.

[19:1] The second assignment made was for the families of the tribe of Simeon. Its territory extended into the land assigned to the tribe of Judah.

[19:2] It included Beersheba, Sheba, Moladah,

[19:3] Hazar Shual, Balah, Ezem,

[19:4] Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah,

[19:5] Ziklag, Beth Marcaboth, Hazar Susah,

[19:6] Beth Lebaoth, and Sharuhen: thirteen cities, along with the towns around them.

[19:7] There were also Ain, Rimmon, Ether, and Ashan: four cities, along with the towns around them.

[19:8] This included all the towns around these cities as far as Baalath Beer (or Ramah), in the south. This was the land which the families of the tribe of Simeon received as their possession.

[19:9] Since Judah's assignment was larger than was needed, part of its territory was given to the tribe of Simeon.

[19:10] The third assignment made was for the families of the tribe of Zebulun. The land which they received reached as far as Sarid.

[19:11] From there the border went west to Mareal, touching Dabbesheth and the stream east of Jokneam.

[19:12] On the other side of Sarid it went east to the border of Chisloth Tabor, then to Daberath and up to Japhia.

[19:13] It continued east from there to Gath Hepher and Ethkazin, turning in the direction of Neah on the way to Rimmon.

[19:14] On the north the border turned toward Hannathon, ending at Iphtahel Valley.

[19:15] It included Kattath, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem: twelve cities, along with the towns around them.

[19:16] These cities and their towns were in the land which the families of the tribe of Zebulun received as their possession.

[19:17] The fourth assignment made was for the families of the tribe of Issachar.

[19:18] Its area included Jezreel, Chesulloth, Shunem,

[19:19] Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath,

[19:20] Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez,

[19:21] Remeth, Engannim, Enhaddah, and Bethpazzez.

[19:22] The border also touched Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth Shemesh, ending at the Jordan. It included sixteen cities along with the towns around them.

[19:23] These cities and their towns were in the land which the families of the tribe of Issachar received as their possession.

[19:24] The fifth assignment made was for the families of the tribe of Asher.

[19:25] Its area included Helkath, Hali, Beten, Achshaph,

[19:26] Allam Melech, Amad, and Mishal. On the west it touched Carmel and Shihor Libnath.

[19:27] As it turned east, the border went to Bethdagon, touching Zebulun and Iphtahel Valley on the way north to Bethemek and Neiel. It continued north to Cabul,

[19:28] Ebron, Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah, as far as Sidon.

[19:29] The border then turned to Ramah, reaching the fortified city of Tyre; then it turned to Hosah and ended at the Mediterranean Sea. It included Mahalab, Achzib,

[19:30] Ummah, Aphek, and Rehob: twenty-two cities, along with the towns around them.

[19:31] These cities and their towns were in the land which the families of the tribe of Asher received as their possession.

[19:32] The sixth assignment made was for the families of the tribe of Naphtali.

[19:33] Its border went from Heleph to the oak in Zaanannim, on to Adaminekeb and to Jamnia, as far as Lakkum, and ended at the Jordan.

[19:34] There the border turned west to Aznoth Tabor, from there to Hukkok, touching Zebulun on the south, Asher on the west, and the Jordan on the east.

[19:35] The fortified cities were Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Chinnereth,

[19:36] Adamah, Ramah, Hazor,

[19:37] Kedesh, Edrei, Enhazor,

[19:38] Yiron, Migdalel, Horem, Bethanath, and Beth Shemesh: nineteen cities, along with the towns around them.

[19:39] These cities and their towns were in the land which the families of the tribe of Naphtali received as their possession.