Land Still to Be Taken

13 When Joshua had grown old,^(A) the Lord said to him, “You are now very old, and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over.

⁶ “As for all the inhabitants of the mountain regions from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim,^(P) that is, all the Sidonians, I myself will drive them out^(Q) before the Israelites. Be sure to allocate this land to Israel for an inheritance, as I have instructed you,^{(R) 7} and divide it as an inheritance^(S) among the nine tribes and half of the tribe of Manasseh.”

Division of the Land East of the Jordan

⁸ The other half of Manasseh,^[a] the Reubenites and the Gadites had received the inheritance that Moses had given them east of the Jordan, as he, the servant of the Lord, had assigned^(T) it to them.^(U)

¹⁴ But to the tribe of Levi he gave no inheritance, since the food offerings presented to the Lord, the God of Israel, are their inheritance, as he promised them.^(AK)

¹⁵ This is what Moses had given to the tribe of Reuben, according to its clans:

²⁴ This is what Moses had given to the tribe of Gad, according to its clans:

²⁹ This is what Moses had given to the half-tribe of Manasseh, that is, to half the family of the descendants of Manasseh, according to its clans:

³² This is the inheritance Moses had given when he was in the plains of Moab^(BV) across the Jordan east of Jericho.^{(BW) 33} But to the tribe of Levi, Moses had given no inheritance;^(BX) the Lord, the God of Israel, is their inheritance,^(BY) as he promised them.^(BZ)

Division of the Land West of the Jordan

14 Now these are the areas the Israelites received as an inheritance^(CA) in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar^(CB) the priest, Joshua son of Nun and the heads of the tribal clans of Israel^(CC) allotted^(CD) to them.^{(CE) 2} Their inheritances were assigned by lot^(CF) to the nine and a half tribes,^(CG) as the Lord had commanded through Moses. ³ Moses had granted the two and a half tribes their inheritance east of the Jordan^(CH) but had not granted the Levites an inheritance among the rest,^{(CI) 4} for Joseph’s descendants had become two tribes—Manasseh and Ephraim.^(CJ) The Levites received no share of the land but only towns to live in, with pasturelands for their flocks and herds.^{(CK) 5} So the Israelites divided the land, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.^(CL)

Allotment for Caleb

⁶ Now the people of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal,^(CM) and Caleb son of Jephunneh^(CN) the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the Lord said to Moses the man of God^(CO) at Kadesh Barnea^(CP) about you and me.^{(CQ) 7} I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea^(CR) to explore the land.^(CS) And I brought him back a report according to my convictions,^{(CT) 8} but my fellow Israelites who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt in fear.^(CU) I, however, followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.^{(CV) 9} So on that day Moses swore to me, ‘The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance^(CW) and that of your children^(CX) forever, because you have followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.’^[c]

¹⁰ “Now then, just as the Lord promised,^(CY) he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved^(CZ) about in the wilderness. So here I am today, eighty-five years old!^{(DA) 11} I am still as strong^(DB) today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous^(DC) to go out to battle now as I was then. ¹² Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day.^(DD) You yourself heard then that the Anakites^(DE) were there and their cities were large and fortified,^(DF) but, the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.”

¹³ Then Joshua blessed^(DG) Caleb son of Jephunneh^(DH) and gave him Hebron^(DI) as his inheritance.^{(DJ) 14} So Hebron has belonged to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite ever since, because he followed the Lord, the God of Israel, wholeheartedly.^{(DK) 15} (Hebron used to be called Kiriath Arba^(DL) after Arba,^(DM) who was the greatest man among the Anakites.)

Then the land had rest^(DN) from war.

Report on the Exploration

²⁶ They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh^(A) in the Desert of Paran.^(B) There they reported to them^(C) and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land.^{(D) 27} They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey!^(E) Here is its fruit.^{(F) 28} But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large.^(G) We even saw descendants of Anak^(H) there.^{(I) 29} The Amalekites^(J) live in the Negev; the Hittites,^(K) Jebusites^(L) and Amorites^(M) live in the hill country;^(N) and the Canaanites^(O) live near the sea and along the Jordan.^(P)”

³⁰ Then Caleb^(Q) silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”

³¹ But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.”^{(R) 32} And they spread among the Israelites a bad report^(S) about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours^(T) those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size.^{(U) 33} We saw the Nephilim^(V) there (the descendants of Anak^(W) come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers^(X) in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”

The People Rebel

14 That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud.^{(Y) 2} All the Israelites grumbled^(Z) against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt!^(AA) Or in this wilderness!^{(AB) 3} Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword?^(AC) Our wives and children^(AD) will be taken as plunder.^(AE) Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?^(AF)” ⁴ And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.^(AG)”

⁵ Then Moses and Aaron fell facedown^(AH) in front of the whole Israelite assembly^(AI) gathered there. ⁶ Joshua son of Nun^(AJ) and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes^{(AK) 7} and said to the entire Israelite assembly, “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good.^{(AL) 8} If the Lord is pleased with us,^(AM) he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey,^(AN) and will give it to us.^{(AO) 9} Only do not rebel^(AP) against the Lord. And do not be afraid^(AQ) of the people of the land,^(AR) because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with^(AS) us.^(AT) Do not be afraid of them.”^(AU)

¹⁰ But the whole assembly talked about stoning^(AV) them. Then the glory of the Lord^(AW) appeared at the tent of meeting to all the Israelites.

²⁰ The Lord replied, “I have forgiven them,^(A) as you asked. ²¹ Nevertheless, as surely as I live^(B) and as surely as the glory of the Lord^(C) fills the whole earth,^{(D) 22} not one of those who saw my glory and the signs^(E) I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times^(F)— ²³ not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath^(G) to their ancestors. No one who has treated me with contempt^(H) will ever see it.^{(I) 24} But because my servant Caleb^(J) has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly,^(K) I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it.^(L)

³⁰ Not one of you will enter the land^(A) I swore with uplifted hand^(B) to make your home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh^(C) and Joshua son of Nun.^(D)

³⁶ So the men Moses had sent^(A) to explore the land, who returned and made the whole community grumble^(B) against him by spreading a bad report^(C) about it— ³⁷ these men who were responsible for spreading the bad report^(D) about the land were struck down and died of a plague^(E) before the Lord. ³⁸ Of the men who went to explore the land,^(F) only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh survived.^(G)

Allotment for Judah^(A)

15 The allotment for the tribe of Judah, according to its clans, extended down to the territory of Edom,^(B) to the Desert of Zin^(C) in the extreme south.^(D)

These are the boundaries around the people of Judah by their clans.

¹³ In accordance with the Lord’s command to him, Joshua gave to Caleb^(AK) son of Jephunneh a portion in Judah—Kiriath Arba^(AL), that is, Hebron.^(AM) (Arba was the forefather of Anak.)^{(AN) 14} From Hebron Caleb drove out the three Anakites^(AO)—Sheshai, Ahiman and Talmai,^(AP) the sons of Anak.^{(AQ) 15} From there he marched against the people living in Debir (formerly called Kiriath Sepher). ¹⁶ And Caleb said, “I will give my daughter Aksah^(AR) in marriage to the man who attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher.” ¹⁷ Othniel^(AS) son of Kenaz, Caleb’s brother, took it; so Caleb gave his daughter Aksah to him in marriage.

¹⁸ One day when she came to Othniel, she urged him^[b] to ask her father for a field. When she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What can I do for you?”

¹⁹ She replied, “Do me a special favor. Since you have given me land in the Negev,^(AT) give me also springs of water.” So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs.^(AU)

²⁰ This is the inheritance of the tribe of Judah, according to its clans:

²¹ The southernmost towns of the tribe of Judah in the Negev^(AV) toward the boundary of Edom were:

³³ In the western foothills:

⁴⁸ In the hill country:

⁶¹ In the wilderness:^(DQ)

⁶³ Judah could not^(DT) dislodge the Jebusites^(DU), who were living in Jerusalem;^(DV) to this day the Jebusites live there with the people of Judah.^(DW)

Allotment for Ephraim and Manasseh

⁴ So Manasseh and Ephraim, the descendants of Joseph, received their inheritance.^(EE)

⁵ This was the territory of Ephraim, according to its clans:

¹⁰ They did not dislodge the Canaanites living in Gezer; to this day the Canaanites live among the people of Ephraim but are required to do forced labor.^(EO)

17 This was the allotment for the tribe of Manasseh^(EP) as Joseph’s firstborn,^(EQ) that is, for Makir,^(ER) Manasseh’s firstborn. Makir was the ancestor of the Gileadites, who had received Gilead^(ES) and Bashan^(ET) because the Makirites were great soldiers. ² So this allotment was for the rest of the people of Manasseh^(EU)—the clans of Abiezer,^(EV) Helek, Asriel,^(EW) Shechem, Hepher^(EX) and Shemida.^(EY) These are the other male descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph by their clans.

³ Now Zelophehad son of Hepher,^(EZ) the son of Gilead, the son of Makir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons but only daughters,^(FA) whose names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah and Tirzah. ⁴ They went to Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders and said, “The Lord commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our relatives.” So Joshua gave them an inheritance along with the brothers of their father, according to the Lord’s command.^{(FB) 5} Manasseh’s share consisted of ten tracts of land besides Gilead and Bashan east of the Jordan,^{(FC) 6} because the daughters of the tribe of Manasseh received an inheritance among the sons. The land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the descendants of Manasseh.

¹² Yet the Manassites were not able^(FT) to occupy these towns, for the Canaanites were determined to live in that region. ¹³ However, when the Israelites grew stronger, they subjected the Canaanites to forced labor but did not drive them out completely.^(FU)

¹⁴ The people of Joseph said to Joshua, “Why have you given us only one allotment and one portion for an inheritance? We are a numerous people, and the Lord has blessed us abundantly.”^(FV)

¹⁵ “If you are so numerous,” Joshua answered, “and if the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you, go up into the forest^(FW) and clear land for yourselves there in the land of the Perizzites^(FX) and Rephaites.^(FY)”

¹⁶ The people of Joseph replied, “The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who live in the plain have chariots fitted with iron,^(FZ) both those in Beth Shan^(GA) and its settlements and those in the Valley of Jezreel.”^(GB)

¹⁷ But Joshua said to the tribes of Joseph—to Ephraim and Manasseh—“You are numerous and very powerful. You will have not only one allotment^{(GC) 18} but the forested hill country^(GD) as well. Clear it, and its farthest limits will be yours; though the Canaanites have chariots fitted with iron^(GE) and though they are strong, you can drive them out.”

Division of the Rest of the Land

18 The whole assembly of the Israelites gathered at Shiloh^(GF) and set up the tent of meeting^(GG) there. The country was brought under their control, ² but there were still seven Israelite tribes who had not yet received their inheritance.

³ So Joshua said to the Israelites: “How long will you wait before you begin to take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has given you? ⁴ Appoint three men from each tribe. I will send them out to make a survey of the land and to write a description of it,^(GH) according to the inheritance of each.^(GI) Then they will return to me. ⁵ You are to divide the land into seven parts. Judah is to remain in its territory on the south^(GJ) and the tribes of Joseph in their territory on the north.^{(GK) 6} After you have written descriptions of the seven parts of the land, bring them here to me and I will cast lots^(GL) for you in the presence of the Lord our God. ⁷ The Levites, however, do not get a portion among you, because the priestly service of the Lord is their inheritance.^(GM) And Gad, Reuben and the half-tribe of Manasseh have already received their inheritance on the east side of the Jordan. Moses the servant of the Lord gave it to them.^(GN)”

⁸ As the men started on their way to map out the land, Joshua instructed them, “Go and make a survey of the land and write a description of it.^(GO) Then return to me, and I will cast lots for you here at Shiloh^(GP) in the presence of the Lord.” ⁹ So the men left and went through the land. They wrote its description on a scroll, town by town, in seven parts, and returned to Joshua in the camp at Shiloh. ¹⁰ Joshua then cast lots^(GQ) for them in Shiloh in the presence^(GR) of the Lord, and there he distributed the land to the Israelites according to their tribal divisions.^(GS)

Allotment for Benjamin

¹¹ The first lot came up for the tribe of Benjamin according to its clans. Their allotted territory lay between the tribes of Judah and Joseph:

These were the boundaries that marked out the inheritance of the clans of Benjamin on all sides.^(HL)

²¹ The tribe of Benjamin, according to its clans, had the following towns:

This was the inheritance of Benjamin for its clans.^(ID)

Allotment for Simeon^(IE)

19 The second lot came out for the tribe of Simeon according to its clans. Their inheritance lay within the territory of Judah.^{(IF) 2} It included:

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,^(IQ) because Judah’s portion was more than they needed. So the Simeonites received their inheritance within the territory of Judah.^(IR)

Allotment for Zebulun

¹⁰ The third lot came up for Zebulun^(IS) according to its clans:

¹⁶ These towns and their villages were the inheritance of Zebulun,^(JD) according to its clans.^(JE)

Allotment for Issachar

¹⁷ The fourth lot came out for Issachar^(JF) according to its clans. ¹⁸ Their territory included:

²³ These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Issachar,^(JM) according to its clans.^(JN)

Allotment for Asher

²⁴ The fifth lot came out for the tribe of Asher^(JO) according to its clans. ²⁵ Their territory included:

³¹ These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Asher,^(KH) according to its clans.

Allotment for Naphtali

³² The sixth lot came out for Naphtali according to its clans:

³⁹ These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Naphtali, according to its clans.^(KU)

Allotment for Dan

⁴⁰ The seventh lot came out for the tribe of Dan according to its clans. ⁴¹ The territory of their inheritance included:

⁴⁷ (When the territory of the Danites was lost to them,^(LD) they went up and attacked Leshem^(LE), took it, put it to the sword and occupied it. They settled in Leshem and named^(LF) it Dan after their ancestor.)^(LG)

⁴⁸ These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Dan,^(LH) according to its clans.

Allotment for Joshua

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 Serah^[k](LI) 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 dividing^(LJ) the land.^(LK)