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Joshua 13-15; Luke 1:57-80 (Contemporary English Version)

Contemporary English Version (CEV)
Joshua 13-15

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Joshua 13

The Land Israel Had Not Yet Taken
 1Many years later, the LORD told Joshua:

   Now you are very old, but there is still a lot of land that Israel has not yet taken. 2-7First, there is the Canaanite territory that starts at the Shihor River just east of Egypt and goes north to Ekron. The southern part of this region belongs to the Avvites and the Geshurites, [a] and the land around Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron belongs to the five Philistine rulers. The other Canaanite territory is in the north. Its northern border starts at the town of Arah, which belongs to the Sidonians. From there, it goes to Aphek, [b] then along the Amorite border [c] to Hamath Pass. [d] The eastern border starts at Hamath Pass and goes south to Baal-Gad at the foot of Mount Hermon, and its southern boundary runs west from there to Misrephoth-Maim. [e] This northern region includes the Lebanon Mountains and the land that belongs to the Gebalites [f] and the Sidonians who live in the hill country from the Lebanon Mountains to Misrephoth-Maim. With my help, Israel will capture these Canaanite territories and force out the people who live there. But you must divide up the land from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea [g] among the nine tribes and the half of Manasseh that don't have any land yet. Then each tribe will have its own land.

The Land East of the Jordan River
 8Moses had already given land east of the Jordan River to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh. 9This region stretched north from the town in the middle of the Arnon River valley, and included the town of Aroer on the northern edge of the valley. It covered the flatlands of Medeba north of Dibon, 10and took in the towns that had belonged to Sihon, the Amorite king of Heshbon. Some of these towns were as far east as the Ammonite border.

    11-12Geshur and Maacah were part of this region, and so was the whole territory that King Og had ruled, that is, Gilead, Mount Hermon, and all of Bashan as far east as Salecah. Og had lived in Ashtaroth part of each year, and he had lived in Edrei the rest of the year. Og had been one of the last of the Rephaim, [h] but Moses had defeated Sihon and Og and their people [i] and had forced them to leave their land. 13However, the Israelites did not force the people of Geshur and Maacah to leave, and they still live there among the Israelites.

Moses Did Not Give Land to the Levi Tribe
 14Moses did not give any land to the Levi tribe, because the LORD God of Israel had told them, " Instead of land, you will receive the sacrifices offered at my altar."

   

Moses Gives Land to the Reuben Tribe
 15Moses gave land to each of the clans in the Reuben tribe. 16Their land started in the south at the town in the middle of the Arnon River valley, took in the town of Aroer on the northern edge of the valley, and went as far north as the flatlands around Medeba. 17-21The Amorite King Sihon had lived in Heshbon and had ruled the towns in the flatlands. Now Heshbon belonged to Reuben, and so did the following towns in the flatlands: Dibon, Bamoth-Baal, Beth-Baal-Meon, Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath, Kiriathaim, Sibmah, Zereth-Shahar on the hill in the valley, Beth-Peor, Slopes of Mount Pisgah, and Beth-Jeshimoth.

   Moses defeated Sihon and killed him and the Midianite chiefs who ruled parts of his kingdom for him. Their names were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba. 22The Israelites also killed Balaam the son of Beor, who had been a fortuneteller.

    23This region with its towns and villages was the land for the Reuben tribe, and the Jordan River was its western border.

   

Moses Gives Land to the Gad Tribe
 24Moses also gave land to each of the clans in the Gad tribe. 25It included the town of Jazer, and in the Gilead region their territory took in the land and towns as far east as the town of Aroer [j] just west of Rabbah. [k] This was about half of the land that had once belonged to the Ammonites. 26The land given to Gad stretched from Heshbon in the south to Ramath-Mizpeh and Betonim in the north, and even further north to Mahanaim and Lidebor. [l] 27Gad also received the eastern half of the Jordan River valley, which had been ruled by King Sihon of Heshbon. This territory stretched as far north as Lake Galilee, [m] and included the towns of Beth-Haram, Beth-Nimrah, Succoth, and Zaphon. 28These regions with their towns and villages were given to the Gad tribe.
Moses Gives Land to Half of the Manasseh Tribe
 29Moses gave land east of the Jordan River to half of the clans from the Manasseh tribe. 30-31Their land started at Mahanaim and took in the region that King Og of Bashan had ruled, including Ashtaroth and Edrei, the two towns where he had lived. The villages where the Jair clan settled were part of Manasseh's land, and so was the northern half of the region of Gilead. The clans of this half of Manasseh had sixty towns in all.

   The Manasseh tribe is sometimes called the Machir tribe, after Manasseh's son Machir.

    32That was how Moses divided up the Moab Plains to the east of Jericho on the other side of the Jordan River, so these two and a half tribes would have land of their own. 33But Moses did not give any land to the Levi tribe, because the LORD had promised that he would always provide for them.

   

Joshua 14

The Land West of the Jordan River
 1-5Nine and a half tribes still did not have any land, although two and a half tribes had already received land east of the Jordan River. Moses had divided that land among them, and he had also said that the Levi tribe would not receive a large region like the other tribes. Instead, the people of Levi would receive towns and the nearby pastures for their sheep, goats, and cattle. And since the descendants of Joseph had become the two tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, there were still nine and a half tribes that needed land. The LORD had told Moses that he would show those tribes [n] how to divide up the land of Canaan. When the priest Eleazar, Joshua, and the leaders of the families and tribes of Israel met to divide up the land of Canaan, the LORD showed them how to do it.

   

Joshua Gives Hebron to Caleb
 6One day while the Israelites were still camped at Gilgal, Caleb the son of Jephunneh went to talk with Joshua. Caleb belonged to the Kenaz clan, and many other people from the Judah tribe went with Caleb. He told Joshua:

   You know that back in Kadesh-Barnea the LORD talked to his prophet Moses about you and me. 7I was forty years old at the time Moses sent me from Kadesh-Barnea into Canaan as a spy. When I came back and told him about the land, everything I said was true. 8The other spies said things that made our people afraid, but I completely trusted the LORD God. 9The same day I came back, Moses told me, " Since you were faithful to the LORD God, I promise that the places where you went as a spy will belong to you and your descendants forever."

    10Joshua, it was forty-five years ago that the LORD told Moses to make that promise, and now I am eighty-five. Even though Israel has moved from place to place in the desert, the LORD has kept me alive all this time as he said he would. 11I'm just as strong today as I was then, and I can still fight as well in battle.

    12So I'm asking you for the hill country that the LORD promised me that day. You were there. You heard the other spies talk about that part of the hill country and the large, walled towns where the Anakim [o] live. But maybe the LORD will help me take their land, just as he promised. 13Joshua prayed that God would help Caleb, then he gave Hebron to Caleb and his descendants. 14And Hebron still belongs to Caleb's descendants, because he was faithful to the LORD God of Israel.

    15Hebron used to be called Arba's Town, [p] because Arba had been one of the greatest [q] of the Anakim. There was peace in the land.

   

Joshua 15

Judah's Land
 1The clans of the Judah tribe were given land that went south along the border of Edom, and at its farthest point south it even reached the Zin Desert. 2Judah's southern border started at the south end of the Dead Sea. 3As it went west from there, it ran south of Scorpion Pass [r] to Zin, and then came up from the south to Kadesh-Barnea. It continued past Hezron up to Addar, turned toward Karka, 4and ran along to Azmon. After that, it followed the Egyptian Gorge and ended at the Mediterranean Sea. This was also Israel's southern border. 5Judah's eastern border ran the full length of the Dead Sea.

   The northern border started at the northern end of the Dead Sea. [s] 6From there it went west up to Beth-Hoglah, continued north of Beth-Arabah, and went up to the Monument of Bohan, [t] who belonged to the Reuben tribe. 7From there, it went to Trouble Valley [u] and Debir, [v] then turned north and went to Gilgal, [w] which is on the north side of the valley across from Adummim Pass. It continued on to Enshemesh, Enrogel, 8and up through Hinnom Valley on the land sloping south from Jerusalem. The city of Jerusalem itself belonged to the Jebusites. Next, the border went up to the top of the mountain on the west side of Hinnom Valley and at the north end of Rephaim Valley. 9At the top of the mountain it turned and went to Nephtoah Spring and then to the ruins [x] on Mount Ephron. From there, it went to Baalah, which is now called Kiriath-Jearim. 10From Baalah the northern border curved west to Mount Seir and then ran along the northern ridge of Mount Jearim, where Chesalon is located. Then it went down to Beth-Shemesh [y] and over to Timnah. 11It continued along to the hillside north of Ekron, curved around to Shikkeron, and then went to Mount Baalah. After going to Jabneel, the border finally ended at the Mediterranean Sea, 12which was Judah's western border. The clans of Judah lived within these borders.

   

Caleb's Land
(Judges 1.12-15)
 13Joshua gave Caleb some land among the people of Judah, as God had told him to do. Caleb's share was Hebron, which at that time was known as Arba's Town, [z] because Arba was the famous ancestor of the Anakim. [aa] 14Caleb attacked Hebron and forced the three Anakim clans of [ab] Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai to leave. 15Next, Caleb started a war with the town of Debir, which at that time was called Kiriath-Sepher. 16He told his men, " The man who captures Kiriath-Sepher can marry my daughter Achsah." 17Caleb's nephew Othniel [ac] captured Kiriath-Sepher, and Caleb let him marry Achsah. 18Right after the wedding, Achsah started telling Othniel that he [ad] ought to ask her father for a field. She went to see her father, and while she was getting down from [ae] her donkey, Caleb asked her, " What's bothering you?" 19She answered, " I need your help. The land you gave me is in the Southern Desert, so I really need some spring-fed ponds [af] for a water supply." Caleb gave her a couple of small ponds, named Higher Pond and Lower Pond. [ag]
Towns in Judah's Land
 20The following is a list of the towns in each region given to the Judah clans:

    21-32The first region was located in the Southern Desert along the border with Edom, and it had the following twenty-nine towns with their surrounding villages:

   Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur, Kinah, Dimonah, Aradah, [ah] Kedesh, Hazor of Ithnan, [ai] Ziph, Telem, Bealoth, Hazor-Hadattah, Kerioth-Hezron, which is also called Hazor, Amam, Shema, Moladah, Hazar-Gaddah, Heshmon, Beth-Pelet, Hazar-Shual, Beersheba and its surrounding villages, [aj] Baalah, Iim, Ezem, Eltolad, Chesil, Hormah, Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah, Lebaoth, Shilhim, and Enrimmon. [ak] 33-36The second region was located in the northern part of the lower foothills, and it had the following fourteen towns with their surrounding villages:

   Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah, Zanoah, En-Gannim, Tappuah, Enam, Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah, Shaaraim, Adithaim, Gederah, and Gederothaim.

    37-41The third region was located in the southern part of the lower foothills, and it had the following sixteen towns with their surrounding villages:

   Zenan, Hadashah, Migdalgad, Dilan, Mizpeh, Joktheel, Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon, Cabbon, Lahmas, [al] Chitlish, Gederoth, Beth-Dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah. 42-44The fourth region was located in the central part of the lower foothills, and it had the following nine towns with their surrounding villages:

   Libnah, Ether, Ashan, Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib, Keilah, Achzib, and Mareshah.

    45-47The fifth region was located along the Mediterranean seacoast, and it had the following towns with their surrounding settlements and villages:

   Ekron and the towns between there and the coast, Ashdod and the larger towns nearby, Gaza, the towns from Gaza to the Egyptian Gorge, and the towns along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.

    48-51The sixth region was in the southwestern part of the hill country, and it had the following eleven towns with their surrounding villages:

   Shamir, Jattir, Socoh, Dannah, Kiriath-Sannah, which is now called Debir, Anab, Eshtemoh, [am] Anim, Goshen, Holon, and Giloh. 52-54The seventh region was located in the south-central part of Judah's hill country, and it had the following nine towns with their surrounding villages:

   Arab, Dumah, [an] Eshan, Janim, Beth-Tappuah, Aphekah, Humtah, Kiriath-Arba, which is now called Hebron, and Zior. 55-57The eighth region was located in the southeastern part of the hill country, and it had the following ten towns with their surrounding villages:

   Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah, Jezreel, [ao] Jokdeam, [ap] Zanoah, Kain, Gibeah, [aq] and Timnah. 58-59The ninth region was located in the central part of Judah's hill country, and it had the following six towns with their surrounding villages:

   Halhul, Beth-Zur, Gedor, Maarath, Beth-Anoth, and Eltekon.

   The tenth region was located in the north-central part of Judah's hill country, and it had the following eleven towns with their surrounding villages:

   Tekoa, Ephrath, which is also called Bethlehem, Peor, Etam, Culon, Tatam, Shoresh, Kerem, Gallim, Bether, and Manahath. [ar] 60The eleventh region was located in the northern part of Judah's hill country, and it had the following two towns with their surrounding villages:

   Rabbah, and Kiriath-Baal, which is also called Kiriath-Jearim.

    61-62The twelfth region was located in the desert along the Dead Sea, and it had the following six towns with their surrounding villages:

   Beth-Arabah, Middin, Secacah, Nibshan, Salt Town, and En-Gedi.

   

The Jebusites
 63The Jebusites lived in Jerusalem, and the people of the Judah tribe could not capture the city and get rid of them. That's why Jebusites still live in Jerusalem along with the people of Judah. [as]

Footnotes:
  1. Joshua 13:2 Geshurites: Not the same Geshur as in 12.5 and 13.11. One ancient translation has " Gezerites." Gezer was a town north of Ekron that the Israelites did not capture (see Judges 1.29).
  2. Joshua 13:2 Aphek: Not the same Aphek as in 12.9-24.
  3. Joshua 13:2 Amorite border: What had been the southern border of the old Amorite kingdom of Amurru.
  4. Joshua 13:2 Hamath Pass: Or " Lebo-Hamath."
  5. Joshua 13:2 Misrephoth-Maim: Or " Misrephoth" or " the Misrephoth River."
  6. Joshua 13:2 Gebalites: Gebal was another name for Byblos.
  7. Joshua 13:2 from. . . Sea: One ancient translation; the Hebrew text does not have these words.
  8. Joshua 13:11 Rephaim: See the note at 12.4.
  9. Joshua 13:11 Sihon. . . people: Or " the Rephaim."
  10. Joshua 13:25 Aroer: Not the same town as the Aroer in verse 16.
  11. Joshua 13:25 Rabbah: The capital city of Ammon.
  12. Joshua 13:26 Lidebor: This may be another name for Lodebar, a town a few miles east of the Jordan River and about ten miles south of Lake Galilee.
  13. Joshua 13:27 Lake Galilee: See the note at 11.2.
  14. Joshua 14:1 he would show those tribes: The Hebrew text has " those tribes must cast lots to find out." Pieces of wood or stone (called " lots" ) were used to find out what God wanted his people to do.
  15. Joshua 14:12 Anakim: See the note at 11.21.
  16. Joshua 14:15 Arba's Town: Or " Kiriath-Arba."
  17. Joshua 14:15 Arba's Town, because. . . greatest: Hebrew; one ancient translation " Arba's Town. It was one of the main towns."
  18. Joshua 15:3 Scorpion Pass: Or " Akrabbim Pass."
  19. Joshua 15:5 at. . . Dead Sea: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  20. Joshua 15:6 Monument of Bohan: Or " Bohan Rock," possibly a natural rock formation.
  21. Joshua 15:7 Trouble Valley: Or " Achor Valley."
  22. Joshua 15:7 Debir: Not the same town as in 10.38,39.
  23. Joshua 15:7 Gilgal: Not the same " Gilgal" as in 4.19.
  24. Joshua 15:9 ruins: Hebrew; one ancient translation " towns."
  25. Joshua 15:10 Beth-Shemesh: Probably the same town as the Ir-Shemesh of 19.41-46. Two other towns were also named Beth-Shemesh (see 19.17-23 and 19.35-39).
  26. Joshua 15:13 Arba's Town: See the note at 14.15.
  27. Joshua 15:13 Anakim: See the note at 11.21.
  28. Joshua 15:14 clans of: Or " warriors."
  29. Joshua 15:17 Caleb's nephew Othniel: Hebrew " Othniel the son of Caleb's brother Kenaz."
  30. Joshua 15:18 Achsah. . . Othniel. . . he: Hebrew; one manuscript of one ancient translation and two ancient translations of the parallel in Judges 1.14 " Othniel. . . Achsah. . . she."
  31. Joshua 15:18 getting down from: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  32. Joshua 15:19 spring-fed ponds: Or " wells."
  33. Joshua 15:19 small ponds. . . Pond. . . Pond: Or " wells. . . Well. . . Well."
  34. Joshua 15:21 Aradah: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  35. Joshua 15:21 Hazor of Ithnan: One ancient translation; Hebrew " Hazor and Ithnan."
  36. Joshua 15:21 its. . . villages: One ancient translation; Hebrew " Biziothiah."
  37. Joshua 15:21 Enrimmon: One ancient translation; Hebrew " Ain and Rimmon."
  38. Joshua 15:37 Lahmas: Most Hebrew manuscripts; many other Hebrew manuscripts and one manuscript of one ancient translation " Lahmam."
  39. Joshua 15:48 Eshtemoh: Another spelling for the name Eshtemoa (see 21.9-19).
  40. Joshua 15:52 Dumah: Most Hebrew manuscripts; some Hebrew manuscripts and one ancient translation " Rumah."
  41. Joshua 15:55 Jezreel: Not the same Jezreel as in 19.17-23.
  42. Joshua 15:55 Jokdeam: Hebrew; one ancient translation " Jorkeam."
  43. Joshua 15:55 Gibeah: Not the same Gibeah as in 18.25-28.
  44. Joshua 15:58 The tenth region. . . Manahath: One ancient translation; the Hebrew text does not have these words.
  45. Joshua 15:63 Jebusites. . . Judah: Israel captured Jerusalem in King David's time, but even then the Jebusites were not forced to leave.

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society

Luke 1:57-80

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The Birth of John the Baptist
 57When Elizabeth's son was born, 58her neighbors and relatives heard how kind the Lord had been to her, and they too were glad.

    59Eight days later they did for the child what the Law of Moses commands. [a] They were going to name him Zechariah, after his father. 60But Elizabeth said, "No! His name is John." 61The people argued, "No one in your family has ever been named John." 62So they motioned to Zechariah to find out what he wanted to name his son.

    63Zechariah asked for a writing tablet. Then he wrote, "His name is John." Everyone was amazed. 64Right away, Zechariah started speaking and praising God.

    65All the neighbors were frightened because of what had happened, and everywhere in the hill country people kept talking about these things. 66Everyone who heard about this wondered what this child would grow up to be. They knew that the Lord was with him.

   

Zechariah Praises the Lord
 67The Holy Spirit came upon Zechariah, and he began to speak:

    68Praise the Lord,

   the God of Israel!

   He has come

   to save his people.

    69Our God has given us

   a mighty Savior [b] from the family

   of David his servant.

    70Long ago the Lord promised

   by the words

   of his holy prophets

    71to save us from our enemies

   and from everyone

   who hates us.

    72God said he would be kind

   to our people

   and keep

   his sacred promise.

    73He told our ancestor Abraham

    74that he would rescue us

   from our enemies.

   Then we could serve him

   without fear,

    75by being holy and good

   as long as we live.

    76You, my son, will be called

   a prophet of God

   in heaven above.

   You will go ahead of the Lord

   to get everything ready

   for him.

    77You will tell his people

   that they can be saved

   when their sins

   are forgiven.

    78God's love and kindness

   will shine upon us

   like the sun that rises

   in the sky. [c] 79On us who live

   in the dark shadow

   of death

   this light will shine

   to guide us

   into a life of peace.

    80As John grew up, God's Spirit gave him great power. John lived in the desert until the time he was sent to the people of Israel.

   

Footnotes:
  1. Luke 1:59 what the Law of Moses commands: This refers to circumcision. It is the cutting off of skin from the private part of Jewish boys eight days after birth to show that they belong to the Lord.
  2. Luke 1:69 a mighty Savior: The Greek text has " a horn of salvation." In the Scriptures animal horns are often a symbol of great strength.
  3. Luke 1:78 like the sun that rises in the sky: Or " like the Messiah coming from heaven."

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society

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