^18:1The entire Israelite community assembled at Shiloh and there they set up the tent of meeting.¹ Though they had subdued the land,²^18:2seven Israelite tribes had not been assigned their allotted land.³^18:3So Joshua said to the Israelites: “How long do you intend to put off occupying⁴ the land the Lord God of your ancestors⁵ has given you? ^18:4Pick three men from each tribe. I will send them out to walk through the land and make a map of it for me.⁶^18:5Divide it into seven regions.⁷ Judah will stay⁸ in its territory in the south, and the family⁹ of Joseph in its territory in the north. ^18:6But 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. ^18:7But the Levites will not have an allotted portion among you, for their inheritance is to serve the Lord.¹⁰ Gad, Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh have already received their allotted land¹¹ east of the Jordan which Moses the Lord’s servant assigned them.”

^18:8When 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.” ^18:9The men journeyed¹² 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. ^18:10Joshua 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

^18:11The first lot belonged to the tribe of Benjamin¹³ by its clans. Their allotted territory was between Judah and Joseph.¹⁴^18:12Their northern border started at the Jordan, went up to the slope of Jericho¹⁵ on the north, ascended westward to the hill country, and extended to the desert of Beth Aven. ^18:13It then crossed from there to Luz, to the slope of Luz to the south (that is, Bethel),¹⁶ and descended to Ataroth Addar located on the hill that is south of lower Beth Horon. ^18:14It 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 tribe¹⁷ of Judah. This is the western border.¹⁸^18:15The southern side started on the edge of Kiriath Jearim and extended westward to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah. ^18:16The 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. ^18:17It went northward, extending to En Shemesh and Geliloth opposite the Pass¹⁹ of Adummim, and descended to the Stone of Bohan son of Reuben. ^18:18It crossed to the slope in front of the Arabah to the north and descended into the Arabah. ^18:19It then crossed to the slope of Beth Hoglah to the north and ended at the northern tip of the Salt Sea²⁰ at the mouth of the Jordan River.²¹ This was the southern border. ^18:20The Jordan River borders it on the east. These were the borders of the land assigned to the tribe of Benjamin by its clans.²²

^18:21These cities belonged to the tribe²³ of Benjamin by its clans: Jericho,²⁴ Beth Hoglah, Emek Keziz, ^18:22Beth Arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel,²⁵^18:23Avvim, Parah, Ophrah, ^18:24Kephar Ammoni, Ophni, and Geba—a total of twelve cities and their towns.

^18:25Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth, ^18:26Mizpah, Kephirah, Mozah, ^18:27Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah, ^18:28Zelah, Haeleph, the Jebusite city²⁶ (that is, Jerusalem),²⁷ Gibeah, and Kiriath—a total of fourteen cities and their towns.²⁸ This was the land assigned to the tribe of Benjamin²⁹ by its clans.

Simeon’s Tribal Lands

^19:1The second lot belonged to the tribe of Simeon by its clans.¹^19:2Their assigned land included² Beer Sheba,³ Moladah, ^19:3Hazar Shual, Balah, Ezem, ^19:4Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah, ^19:5Ziklag, Beth Marcaboth, Hazar Susah, ^19:6Beth Lebaoth, and Sharuhen—a total of thirteen cities and their towns, ^19:7Ain, Rimmon, Ether, and Ashan—a total of four cities and their towns, ^19:8as 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.⁴^19:9Simeon’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.⁵

Zebulun’s Tribal Lands

^19:10The third lot belonged to the tribe of Zebulun⁶ by its clans. The border of their territory⁷ extended to Sarid. ^19:11Their border went up westward to Maralah and touched Dabbesheth and the valley near⁸ Jokneam. ^19:12From Sarid it turned eastward⁹ to the territory of Kisloth Tabor, extended to Daberath, and went up to Japhia. ^19:13From there it crossed eastward to Gath Hepher and Eth Kazin and extended to Rimmon, turning toward Neah. ^19:14It then turned on the north to Hannathon and ended at the Valley of Iphtah El. ^19:15Their territory included Kattah, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem;¹⁰ in all they had twelve cities and their towns.¹¹^19:16This was the land assigned to the tribe of Zebulun¹² by its clans, including these cities and their towns.

Issachar’s Tribal Lands

^19:17The fourth lot belonged to the tribe of Issachar¹³ by its clans. ^19:18Their assigned land¹⁴ included Jezreel, Kesulloth, Shunem, ^19:19Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath, ^19:20Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez, ^19:21Remeth, En Gannim, En Haddah and Beth Pazzez. ^19:22Their border touched Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth Shemesh, and ended at the Jordan. They had sixteen cities and their towns. ^19:23This was the land assigned to the tribe of Issachar¹⁵ by its clans, including the cities and their towns.

Asher’s Tribal Lands

^19:24The fifth lot belonged to the tribe of Asher¹⁶ by its clans. ^19:25Their territory included Helkath, Hali, Beten, Acshaph, ^19:26Alammelech, Amad, and Mishal. Their border touched Carmel to the west and Shihor Libnath. ^19:27It turned eastward toward Beth Dagon, touched Zebulun and the Valley of Iphtah El to the north, as well as the Valley of Emek and Neiel, and extended to Cabul on the north¹⁷^19:28and on to Ebron,¹⁸ Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah, as far as Greater Sidon.¹⁹^19:29It then turned toward Ramah as far as the fortified city of Tyre,²⁰ turned to Hosah, and ended at the sea near Hebel, Aczib, ^19:30Umah, Aphek, and Rehob. In all they had²¹ twenty-two cities and their towns. ^19:31This was the land assigned to the tribe of Asher²² by its clans, including these cities and their towns.

Naphtali’s Tribal Lands

^19:32The sixth lot belonged to the tribe of Naphtali²³ by its clans. ^19:33Their border started at Heleph and the oak of Zaanannim, went to Adami Nekeb, Jabneel and on to Lakkum,²⁴ and ended at the Jordan River.²⁵^19:34It turned westward to Aznoth Tabor, extended from there to Hukok, touched Zebulun on the south, Asher on the west, and the Jordan²⁶ on the east. ^19:35The fortified cities included Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Kinnereth, ^19:36Adamah, Ramah, Hazor,²⁷^19:37Kedesh, Edrei, En Hazor, ^19:38Yiron,²⁸ Migdal El, Horem, Beth Anath, and Beth Shemesh. In all they had²⁹ nineteen cities and their towns. ^19:39This was the land assigned to the tribe of Naphtali³⁰ by its clans, including the cities and their towns.

Dan’s Tribal Lands

^19:40The seventh lot belonged to the tribe of Dan³¹ by its clans. ^19:41Their assigned land included Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir Shemesh, ^19:42Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Ithlah, ^19:43Elon, Timnah, Ekron, ^19:44Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath, ^19:45Jehud, Bene Berak, Gath Rimmon, ^19:46the waters of Jarkon, and Rakkon, including the territory in front of Joppa. ^19:47(The Danites failed to conquer their territory,³² 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 it³³ Dan after their ancestor.³⁴) ^19:48This was the land assigned to the tribe of Dan³⁵ by its clans, including these cities and their towns.

Joshua Receives Land

^19:49When they finished dividing the land into its regions, the Israelites gave Joshua son of Nun some land.³⁶^19:50As 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.

^19:51These are the land assignments which Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the Israelite tribal leaders³⁷ made by drawing lots in Shiloh before the Lord at the entrance of the tent of meeting.³⁸ So they finished dividing up the land.

Read in Logos

Footnotes

1 Heb “the tent of assembly.” On the tent of meeting see Exod 33:7–11.
2 Heb “and the land was subdued before them.”
3 Heb “there were left among the sons of Israel who had not divided up their inheritance seven tribes.”
4 Heb “How long are you putting off entering and possessing.”
5 Or “fathers.”
6 Heb “I will send them so they may arise and walk about in the land and describe it in writing according to their inheritance and come to me.”
7 Heb “portions.”
8 Heb “stand.”
9 Heb “the house.”
10 Or “the priesthood of the Lord.”
11 Or “inheritance.”
12 Heb “went and passed through.”
13 Heb “and the lot came up for the tribe of the sons of Benjamin.”
14 Heb “and the territory of their allotment went out between the sons of Judah and the sons of Joseph.”
15 For location see ; ; ; ; ; .
16 For location see ; ; ; ; .
17 Heb “sons,” here referring to the tribe.
18 Or “side.”
19 Or “ascent.”
20 The Salt Sea is another name for the Dead Sea.
21 Heb “to the tongue of the Salt Sea to the north, to the end of the Jordan to the south.” The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity (also in the following verse).
22 Heb “This was the inheritance of the sons of Benjamin by its borders round about, by their clans.”
23 Heb “the sons,” here referring to the tribe.
24 For location see ; ; ; ; ; .
25 For location see ; ; ; ; .
26 The word “city” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
27 For location see ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; .
28 The structure of this list presents problems. In v. 28 no conjunction appears before “Haeleph” or “Kiriath” in the Hebrew text. This suggests they should be compounded with the preceding names, yielding “Zelah Haeleph” and “Gibeah Kiriath” respectively. This results in a list of only twelve cities, however, while the summary statement (v. 28) gives the number fourteen. One should note, however, that the city lists in chap. 15 do not consistently use the conjunction before the name of each city. See also Josh 19:7, where no conjunction appears before “Rimmon,” but the summary assumes that Ain and Rimmon are distinct.
29 Heb “This is the inheritance of the sons of Benjamin.”
1 Heb “and the second lot came out for Simeon, for the tribe of the sons of Simeon by their clans.”
2 Heb “and they had in their inheritance.”
3 The has “and Sheba” listed after “Beer Sheba.” The suggests “Shema.” The Hebrew text appears to be corrupt, since the form “Sheba” duplicates the latter part of the preceding name. If Sheba (or Shema) is retained, the list numbers fourteen, one more than the number given in the concluding summary (v. 6).
4 Heb “this was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Simeon.”
5 Heb “from the portion of the sons of Judah was the inheritance of the sons of Simeon for the portion of the sons of Judah was too large for them, and the sons of Simeon received an inheritance in the midst of their inheritance.”
6 Heb “and the third lot came up for the sons of Zebulun.”
7 Or “inheritance.”
8 Heb “in front of”; perhaps “east of.”
9 Heb “eastward toward the rising of the sun.”
10 For location see ; ; ; .
11 Heb “Kattah, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem, twelve cities and their towns.” The words “their territory included” and “in all they had” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
12 Heb “this is the inheritance of the sons of Zebulun.”
13 Heb “the fourth lot came out for the sons of Issachar.”
14 Or “their inheritance.”
15 Heb “this was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Issachar.”
16 Heb “and the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the sons of Asher.”
17 Heb “left.”
18 Some Hebrew read “Abdon.”
19 For location see ; ; .
20 For location see ; ; ; ; .
21 The words “in all they had” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
22 Heb “this was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Asher.”
23 Heb “the sixth lot came out for the sons of Naphtali, for the sons of Naphtali.”
24 Heb “and their border was from Heleph, from the oak of Zaanannim, and Adami Nekeb, and Jabneel to Lakkum.”
25 The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied for clarity.
26 The reads “Judah, the Jordan”; the omits “Judah.” Perhaps there was a town named Judah, distinct from the tribe of Judah, located near the northern end of the Jordan.
27 For location see ; ; ; .
28 Instead of Yiron some English translations read Iron.
29 The words “in all they had” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
30 Heb “this was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Naphtali.”
31 Heb “the seventh lot came out for the sons of Dan.”
32 Heb “the territory of the sons of Dan went out from them.”
33 Heb “Leshem.” The pronoun (“it”) has replaced the name “Leshem” in the translation for stylistic reasons.
34 Heb “according to the name of their father.”
35 Heb “this was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Dan.”
36 Heb “an inheritance in their midst.”
37 Heb “the leaders of the fathers of the tribes.”
38 Heb “at the entrance of the tent of assembly.” On the tent of meeting see Exod 33:7–11.