Joshua 19:1–20:9
19 The second lot came out for the tribe of Simeon according to its clans. Their inheritance lay within the territory of Judah.v 2 It included:
Beershebaw (or Sheba),a Moladah,x 3 Hazar Shual,y Balah, Ezem,z 4 Eltolad,a Bethul, Hormah,b 5 Ziklag,c Beth Markaboth, Hazar Susah, 6 Beth Lebaoth and Sharuhen—thirteen towns and their villages;
7 Ain, Rimmon,d Ether and Ashane—four towns and their villages—8 and all the villages around these towns as far as Baalath Beer (Ramah in the Negev).f
This was the inheritance of the tribe of the Simeonites, according to its clans. 9 The inheritance of the Simeonites was taken from the share of Judah,g because Judah’s portion was more than they needed. So the Simeonites received their inheritance within the territory of Judah.h
10 The third lot came up for Zebuluni according to its clans:
The boundary of their inheritance went as far as Sarid.j 11 Going west it ran to Maralah, touched Dabbesheth, and extended to the ravine near Jokneam.k 12 It turned east from Saridl toward the sunrise to the territory of Kisloth Tabor and went on to Daberathm and up to Japhia. 13 Then it continued eastward to Gath Hephern and Eth Kazin; it came out at Rimmono and turned toward Neah. 14 There the boundary went around on the north to Hannathon and ended at the Valley of Iphtah El.p 15 Included were Kattath, Nahalal,q Shimron,r Idalah and Bethlehem.s There were twelve towns and their villages.
16 These towns and their villages were the inheritance of Zebulun,t according to its clans.u
17 The fourth lot came out for Issacharv according to its clans. 18 Their territory included:
Jezreel,w Kesulloth, Shunem,x 19 Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath, 20 Rabbith, Kishion,y Ebez, 21 Remeth, En Gannim,z En Haddah and Beth Pazzez. 22 The boundary touched Tabor,a Shahazumah and Beth Shemesh,b and ended at the Jordan. There were sixteen towns and their villages.
23 These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Issachar,c according to its clans.d
24 The fifth lot came out for the tribe of Ashere according to its clans. 25 Their territory included:
Helkath, Hali, Beten, Akshaph,f 26 Allammelek, Amad and Mishal.g On the west the boundary touched Carmelh and Shihor Libnath. 27 It then turned east toward Beth Dagon,i touched Zebulunj and the Valley of Iphtah El,k and went north to Beth Emek and Neiel, passing Kabull on the left. 28 It went to Abdon,b m Rehob,n Hammono and Kanah,p as far as Greater Sidon.q 29 The boundary then turned back toward Ramahr and went to the fortified city of Tyre,s turned toward Hosah and came out at the Mediterranean Seat in the region of Akzib,u 30 Ummah, Aphekv and Rehob.w There were twenty-two towns and their villages.
31 These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Asher,x according to its clans.
32 The sixth lot came out for Naphtali according to its clans:
33 Their boundary went from Heleph and the large tree in Zaanannim,y passing Adami Nekeb and Jabneelz to Lakkum and ending at the Jordan. 34 The boundary ran west through Aznoth Tabor and came out at Hukkok.a It touched Zebulunb on the south, Asher on the west and the Jordanc on the east. 35 The fortified towns were Ziddim, Zer, Hammath,c Rakkath, Kinnereth,d 36 Adamah, Ramah,e Hazor,f 37 Kedesh,g Edrei,h En Hazor, 38 Iron, Migdal El, Horem, Beth Anathi and Beth Shemesh.j There were nineteen towns and their villages.
39 These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Naphtali, according to its clans.k
40 The seventh lot came out for the tribe of Dan according to its clans. 41 The territory of their inheritance included:
Zorah, Eshtaol,l Ir Shemesh, 42 Shaalabbin, Aijalon,m Ithlah, 43 Elon, Timnah,n Ekron,o 44 Eltekeh, Gibbethon,p Baalath,q 45 Jehud, Bene Berak, Gath Rimmon,r 46 Me Jarkon and Rakkon, with the area facing Joppa.s
47 (When the territory of the Danites was lost to them,t they went up and attacked Leshemu, took it, put it to the sword and occupied it. They settled in Leshem and namedv it Dan after their ancestor.)w
48 These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Dan,x according to its clans.
49 When they had finished dividing the land into its allotted portions, the Israelites gave Joshua son of Nun an inheritance among them, 50 as the Lord had commanded. They gave him the town he asked for—Timnath Serahd y in the hill country of Ephraim. And he built up the town and settled there.
51 These are the territories that Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun and the heads of the tribal clans of Israel assigned by lot at Shiloh in the presence of the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting. And so they finished dividingz the land.a
20:1–9Ref—Nu 35:9–34; Dt 4:41–43; 19:1–14
20 Then the Lord said to Joshua: 2 “Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses, 3 so that anyone who kills a person accidentally and unintentionallyb may flee there and find protection from the avenger of blood.c 4 When they flee to one of these cities, they are to stand in the entrance of the city gated and state their case before the elderse of that city. Then the elders are to admit the fugitive into their city and provide a place to live among them. 5 If the avenger of blood comes in pursuit, the elders must not surrender the fugitive, because the fugitive killed their neighbor unintentionally and without malice aforethought. 6 They are to stay in that city until they have stood trial before the assemblyf and until the death of the high priest who is serving at that time. Then they may go back to their own home in the town from which they fled.”
7 So they set apart Kedeshg in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechemh in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath Arbai (that is, Hebronj) in the hill country of Judah.k 8 East of the Jordan (on the other side from Jericho) they designated Bezerl in the wilderness on the plateau in the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gileadm in the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashann in the tribe of Manasseh. 9 Any of the Israelites or any foreigner residing among them who killed someone accidentallyo could flee to these designated cities and not be killed by the avenger of blood prior to standing trial before the assembly.p