^14:1The following is a record of the territory assigned to the Israelites in the land of Canaan by Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the Israelite tribal leaders.¹^14:2The land assignments to the nine-and-a-half tribes were made by drawing lots, as the Lord had instructed Moses.²^14:3Now Moses had assigned land³ to the two-and-a-half tribes east of the Jordan, but he assigned no land⁴ to the Levites.⁵^14:4The descendants of Joseph were considered as two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. The Levites were allotted no territory, though they were assigned cities in which to live, along with the grazing areas for their cattle and possessions.⁶^14:5The Israelites followed the Lord’s instructions to Moses and divided up the land.⁷

^14:6The men of Judah approached Joshua in Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the Lord said about you and me to Moses, the man of God, at Kadesh Barnea.⁸^14:7I was forty years old when Moses, the Lord’s servant, sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy on the land and I brought back to him an honest report.⁹^14:8My countrymen¹⁰ who accompanied¹¹ me frightened the people,¹² but I remained loyal to the Lord my God.¹³^14:9That day Moses made this solemn promise:¹⁴ ‘Surely the land on which you walked¹⁵ will belong to you and your descendants permanently,¹⁶ for you remained loyal to the Lord your God.’ ^14:10So now, look, the Lord has preserved my life, just as he promised, these past forty-five years since the Lord spoke these words to Moses, during which Israel traveled through the wilderness. Now look, I am today eighty-five years old. ^14:11Today I am still as strong as when Moses sent me out. I can fight and go about my daily activities with the same energy I had then.¹⁷^14:12Now, assign me this hill country which the Lord promised me at that time! No doubt you heard at that time that the Anakites live there in large, fortified cities.¹⁸ But, assuming the Lord is with me, I will conquer¹⁹ them, as the Lord promised.” ^14:13Joshua asked God to empower Caleb son of Jephunneh and assigned him Hebron.²⁰^14:14So Hebron remains the assigned land of Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this very day²¹ because he remained loyal to the Lord God of Israel. ^14:15(Hebron used to be called Kiriath Arba. Arba was a famous Anakite.²²) Then the land was free of war.

^15:1The land allotted to the tribe of Judah by its clans reached to the border of Edom, to the Wilderness of Zin in the Negev far to the south.¹^15:2Their southern border started at the southern tip of the Salt Sea,²^15:3extended³ south of the Scorpion Ascent,⁴ crossed to Zin, went up from the south to Kadesh Barnea, crossed to Hezron, went up to Addar, and turned toward Karka. ^15:4It then crossed to Azmon, extended to the Stream of Egypt,⁵ and ended at the sea. This was their⁶ southern border.

^15:5The eastern border was the Salt Sea to the mouth⁷ of the Jordan River.⁸

The northern border started north of the Salt Sea at the mouth of the Jordan,⁹^15:6went up to Beth Hoglah, crossed north of Beth Arabah, and went up to the Stone of Bohan son of Reuben. ^15:7It then went up to Debir from the Valley of Achor, turning northward to Gilgal (which is opposite the Pass¹⁰ of Adummim south of the valley), crossed to the waters of En Shemesh and extended to En Rogel. ^15:8It then went up the Valley of Ben Hinnom to the slope of the Jebusites on the south (that is, Jerusalem),¹¹ going up to the top of the hill opposite the Valley of Ben Hinnom to the west, which is at the end of the Valley of the Rephaites to the north. ^15:9It then went from the top of the hill to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah, extended to the cities of Mount Ephron, and went to Baalah (that is, Kiriath Jearim). ^15:10It then turned from Baalah westward to Mount Seir, crossed to the slope of Mount Jearim on the north (that is Kesalon), descended to Beth Shemesh, and crossed to Timnah. ^15:11It then extended to the slope of Ekron to the north, went toward Shikkeron, crossed to Mount Baalah, extended to Jabneel, and ended at the sea.

^15:12The western border was the Mediterranean Sea.¹² These were the borders of the tribe of Judah and its clans.¹³

^15:13Caleb son of Jephunneh was assigned Kiriath Arba (that is Hebron) within the tribe of Judah, according to the Lord’s instructions to Joshua. (Arba was the father of Anak.)¹⁴^15:14Caleb drove out¹⁵ from there three Anakites—Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, descendants of Anak. ^15:15From there he attacked the people of Debir.¹⁶ (Debir used to be called Kiriath Sepher.) ^15:16Caleb said, “To the man who attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher I will give my daughter Acsah as a wife.” ^15:17When Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s brother,¹⁷ captured it, Caleb¹⁸ gave Acsah his daughter to him as a wife.

^15:18One time Acsah¹⁹ came and charmed her father²⁰ so that she could ask him for some land. When she got down from her donkey, Caleb said to her, “What would you like?” ^15:19She answered, “Please give me a special present.²¹ Since you have given me land in the Negev, now give me springs of water. So he gave her both upper and lower springs.

^15:20This is the land assigned to the tribe of Judah by its clans:²²^15:21These cities were located at the southern extremity of Judah’s tribal land near the border of Edom:²³ Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur, ^15:22Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah, ^15:23Kedesh, Hazor,²⁴ Ithnan, ^15:24Ziph, Telem, Bealoth, ^15:25Hazor Hadattah, Kerioth Hezron (that is, Hazor), ^15:26Amam, Shema, Moladah, ^15:27Hazar Gaddah, Heshbon, Beth Pelet, ^15:28Hazar Shual, Beer Sheba, Biziothiah, ^15:29Baalah, Iim, Ezem, ^15:30Eltolad, Kesil, Hormah, ^15:31Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah, ^15:32Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon—a total of twenty-nine cities and their towns.²⁵

^15:33These cities were²⁶ in the lowlands:²⁷ Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah, ^15:34Zanoah, En Gannim, Tappuah, Enam, ^15:35Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah, ^15:36Shaaraim, Adithaim, and Gederah (or Gederothaim)—a total of fourteen cities and their towns.

^15:37Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal Gad, ^15:38Dilean, Mizpah, Joktheel, ^15:39Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon, ^15:40Cabbon, Lahmas, Kitlish, ^15:41Gederoth, Beth Dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah—a total of sixteen cities and their towns.

^15:42Libnah, Ether, Ashan, ^15:43Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib, ^15:44Keilah, Aczib, and Mareshah—a total of nine cities and their towns.

^15:45Ekron and its surrounding towns²⁸ and settlements; ^15:46from Ekron westward, all those in the vicinity of Ashdod and their towns; ^15:47Ashdod with its surrounding towns and settlements, and Gaza with its surrounding towns and settlements, as far as the Stream of Egypt²⁹ and the border at the Mediterranean Sea.³⁰

^15:48These cities were³¹ in the hill country: Shamir, Jattir, Socoh, ^15:49Dannah, Kiriath Sannah (that is, Debir), ^15:50Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim, ^15:51Goshen, Holon, and Giloh—a total of eleven cities and their towns.

^15:52Arab, Dumah,³² Eshan, ^15:53Janim, Beth Tappuah, Aphekah, ^15:54Humtah, Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron), and Zior—a total of nine cities and their towns.

^15:55Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah, ^15:56Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah, ^15:57Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah—a total of ten cities and their towns.

^15:58Halhul, Beth Zur, Gedor, ^15:59Maarath, Beth Anoth, and Eltekon—a total of six cities and their towns.

^15:60Kiriath Baal (that is, Kiriath Jearim) and Rabbah—a total of two cities and their towns.

^15:61These cities were³³ in the desert: Beth Arabah, Middin, Secacah, ^15:62Nibshan, the city of Salt, and En Gedi—a total of six cities and their towns.

^15:63The men of Judah were unable to conquer the Jebusites living in Jerusalem.³⁴ The Jebusites live with the people of Judah in Jerusalem to this very day.³⁵

Joseph’s Tribal Lands

^16:1The land allotted to Joseph’s descendants extended from the Jordan at Jericho¹ to the waters of Jericho to the east, through the desert and on up from Jericho into the hill country of Bethel.²^16:2The southern border³ extended from Bethel to Luz,⁴ and crossed to Arkite territory at Ataroth. ^16:3It then descended westward to Japhletite territory, as far as the territory of lower Beth Horon and Gezer, and ended at the sea.

^16:4Joseph’s descendants, Manasseh and Ephraim, were assigned their land.⁵^16:5The territory of the tribe of Ephraim by its clans included the following:⁶ The border of their assigned land to the east was Ataroth Addar as far as upper Beth Horon. ^16:6It then extended on to the sea, with Micmethath on the north. It turned eastward to Taanath Shiloh and crossed it on the east to Janoah. ^16:7It then descended from Janoah to Ataroth and Naarah, touched Jericho,⁷ and extended to the Jordan River.⁸^16:8From Tappuah it went westward to the Valley of Kanah and ended at the sea. This is the land assigned to the tribe of Ephraim⁹ by its clans. ^16:9Also included were the cities set apart for the tribe of Ephraim within Manasseh’s territory, along with their towns.¹⁰

^16:10The Ephraimites¹¹ did not conquer the Canaanites living in Gezer. The Canaanites live among the Ephraimites to this very day and do hard labor as their servants.

^17:1The tribe of Manasseh, Joseph’s firstborn son, was also allotted land.¹ The descendants of Makir, Manasseh’s firstborn and the father of Gilead, received land, for they were warriors.² They were assigned Gilead and Bashan.³^17:2The rest of Manasseh’s descendants were also assigned land⁴ by their clans, including the descendants of Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida. These are the male descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph by their clans.

^17:3Now Zelophehad son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Makir, son of Manasseh, had no sons, only daughters. These are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. ^17:4They went before Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders and said, “The Lord told Moses to assign us land among our relatives.”⁵ So Joshua⁶ assigned them land among their uncles, as…

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Footnotes

1 Heb “These are [the lands] which the sons of Israel received as an inheritance in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes assigned as an inheritance to the sons of Israel.”
2 Heb “By lot was their inheritance, as the Lord had commanded by Moses, to the nine tribes and the half-tribe.”
3 Or “assigned an inheritance.”
4 Or “no inheritance.”
5 The Hebrew text adds, “in their midst.”
6 Heb “and they did not assign a portion to the Levites in the land, except cities [in which] to live and their pastures for their cattle and property.”
7 Heb “Just as the Lord had commanded Moses, so the sons of Israel did, and they divided up the land.”
8 Heb “You know the word which the Lord spoke to Moses, the man of God, because of me and because of you in Kadesh Barnea.” On this incident at Kadesh Barnea see Num 14:30.
9 Heb “and I brought back to him a word just as [was] in my heart.”
10 Heb “brothers.”
11 Heb “went up with.”
12 Heb “made the heart[s] of the people melt.”
13 Heb “I filled up after the Lord my God,” an idiomatic statement meaning that Caleb remained loyal to the Lord.
14 Heb “swore an oath.”
15 Heb “on which your foot has walked.”
16 Heb “will belong to you for an inheritance, and to your sons forever.”
17 Heb “like my strength then, like my strength now, for battle and for going out and coming in.”
18 Heb “are there and large, fortified cities.”
19 Or “will dispossess.”
20 Heb “Joshua blessed him and gave Hebron to Caleb son of Jephunneh as an inheritance.”
21 Heb “Therefore Hebron belongs to Caleb son of Jephunneh for an inheritance to this day.”
22 Heb “And he was the great man among the Anakites.”
1 Heb “The lot was to the tribe of the sons of Judah by their clans to the border of Edom, the wilderness of Zin toward the south, southward.”
2 Heb “Their southern border was from the end of the Salt Sea, from the tongue that faces to the south.” The Salt Sea is another name for the Dead Sea (also in v. 5).
3 Heb “went out.”
4 Or “the Ascent of Scorpions” (עַקְרַבִּים [’aqrabbim] means “scorpions” in Hebrew).
5 Traditionally “the Brook of Egypt,” although a number of recent translations have “the Wadi of Egypt” (cf. , , ).
6 The translation follows the at this point. The reads, “This will be your southern border.”
7 Heb “end.”
8 The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied for clarity.
9 Heb “the border on the northern side was from the tongue of the sea, from the end of the Jordan.”
10 Or “ascent.”
11 For location see ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; .
12 Heb “the Great Sea,” the typical designation for the Mediterranean Sea.
13 Heb “this was the border of the sons of Judah round about, by their clans.”
14 Heb “To Caleb son of Jephunneh he gave a portion in the midst of the sons of Judah according to the mouth [i.e., command] of the Lord to Joshua, Kiriath Arba (the father of Anak), it is Hebron.”
15 Or “dispossessed.”
16 Heb “he went up against the inhabitants of Debir.”
17 “Caleb’s brother” may refer either to Othniel or to Kenaz. If Kenaz was the brother of Caleb, Othniel is Caleb’s nephew.
18 Heb “he”; the referent (Caleb) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
19 Heb “she”; the referent (Acsah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
20 Heb “him.” The referent of the pronoun could be Othniel, in which case the translation would be, “she incited him [Othniel] to ask her father for a field.” This is problematic, however, for Acsah, not Othniel, makes the request in v. 19. The has “he [Othniel] urged her to ask her father for a field.” This appears to be an attempt to reconcile the apparent inconsistency and probably does not reflect the original text. If Caleb is understood as the referent of the pronoun, the problem disappears. For a fuller discussion of the issue, see P. G. Mosca, “Who Seduced Whom? A Note on Joshua 15:18//Judges 1:14,” 46 (1984): 18–22. This incident is also recorded in Judg 1:14.
21 Elsewhere this Hebrew word (בְּרָכָה, bérakhah) is often translated “blessing,” but here it refers to a gift (as in Gen 33:11; 1 Sam 25:27; 30:26; and 2 Kgs 5:15).
22 Heb “This is the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Judah by their clans.”
23 Heb “and the cities were at the end of the tribe of the sons of Judah, at the border of Edom, to the south.”
24 For location see ; ; ; .
25 The total number of names in the list is thirty-six, not twenty-nine. Perhaps (1) some of the names are alternatives (though the text appears to delineate clearly such alternative names here and elsewhere, see vv. 8, 9, 10, 13, 25b) or (2), more likely, later scribes added to a list originally numbering twenty-nine and failed to harmonize the concluding summary statement with the expanded list.
26 The words “these cities were” have been supplied for English stylistic reasons.
27 Or “the foothills”; Heb “the Shephelah.”
28 Heb “daughters.”
29 See the note on this place name in .
30 Heb “the Great Sea,” the typical designation for the Mediterranean Sea.
31 The words “These cities were” have been supplied in the translation for English stylistic reasons.
32 Some Hebrew and some of the read “Rumah” in place of “Dumah.”
33 The words “These cities were” have been supplied for English stylistic reasons.
34 For location see ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; .
35 The statement to this very day reflects the perspective of the author, who must have written prior to David’s conquest of the Jebusites (see 2 Sam 5:6–7).
1 For location see ; ; ; ; ; .
2 Heb “The lot went out to the sons of Joseph from the Jordan [at] Jericho to the waters of Jericho to the east, the desert going up from Jericho into the hill country of Bethel.” For location see ; ; ; ; .
3 Heb “it”; the referent (the southern border) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
4 In the Hebrew text the place name “Luz” has the directive ending, indicating that the border went from Bethel to Luz. Elsewhere Luz and Bethel appear to be names for the same site (cf. Judg 1:23), but here they appear to be distinct. Note that the translates “from Bethel (that is, Luz)” here, following the reading of the , εἰς Βαιθηλ Λουζα (eis Baithēl Louza, “from Bethel [Luz]”).
5 Or “received their inheritance.”
6 Heb “The territory of the sons of Ephraim was for their clans.”
7 For location see ; ; ; ; ; .
8 The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
9 Heb “This is the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Ephraim.”
10 Heb “and the cities set apart for the sons of Ephraim in the midst of the inheritance of the sons of Manasseh, all the cities and their towns.”
11 Heb “they”; the referent (the Ephraimites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
1 Heb “and the lot belonged to the tribe of Manasseh, for he was the firstborn of Joseph.”
2 Heb “to Makir, the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead, for he was a man of war.”
3 Heb “Gilead and Bashan belonged to him.” On the assignment of Manasseh’s territory in Gilead and Bashan, see Josh 13:31.
4 Heb “and it belonged to the sons of Manasseh who remained.”
5 Heb “The Lord commanded Moses to assign to us an inheritance in the midst of our brothers.” Since Zelophehad had no sons, “brothers” must refer to their uncles, as the next sentence makes clear.
6 Heb “he.” The referent is probably Joshua, although Eleazar is mentioned first in the preceding list.