Joshua 18:1-19:48

International Standard Version

Other Tribal Allotments

18 After this, the entire assembly of the Israelis gathered together at Shiloh and set up the Tent of Meeting there, where the land lay conquered before them. ² Seven tribes remained among the Israelis for whom their inheritances had not yet been allocated.

³ So Joshua told the Israelis, “How long will you delay invading and taking possession of the land that the Lord God of your ancestors has given you? ⁴ Appoint three men from each tribe and I’ll send them. They’ll begin to go through the land and record a description of it, categorized according to their inheritance, and then they’ll report^[a] back to me. ⁵ They’ll divide it seven ways. Judah will stay in its territory on the south and the house of Joseph will remain in its territory on the north. ⁶ Lay out the land in seven divisions, then bring your report^[b] here to me. I will then cast lots in the presence of the Lord our God. ⁷ The descendants of Levi have no allotment among you, since the priesthood of the Lord is their inheritance. Gad, Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh received their inheritance to the east, beyond the Jordan River given to them by Moses the servant of the Lord.”

⁸ So the men started out, following Joshua’s command to those who went to scout the land, “Go through the land and record a description of it, and then return to me. I will then cast lots in the presence of the Lord your God in Shiloh.” ⁹ Then the men left camp and went throughout the land, describing its cities in a book with seven divisions. Then they returned to Joshua at the camp at Shiloh. ¹⁰ Joshua threw lots in Shiloh in the Lord’s presence and divided the land accordingly among the Israelis according to their divisions.

Benjamin’s Allocation

¹¹ The allotment of the tribe of the descendants of Benjamin came up according to their families, and their territorial allotment fell between the descendants of Judah and the descendants of Joseph. ¹² Their border started on the north side at the Jordan River, proceeded to the slope of Jericho on the north, then westward through the hill country, and terminated at the wilderness of Beth-aven. ¹³ From there the boundary proceeded south in the direction of Luz to the slope of Luz (also known as Bethel), then proceeded to Ataroth-addar, on the mountain that lies south of Lower Beth-horon. ¹⁴ From there the boundary changed direction, turning southward on the western side opposite Beth-horon, terminating at Kiriath-baal (also known as Kiriath-jearim), which belongs to Judah. This formed the western boundary.

¹⁵ The southern boundary began at the edge of Kiriath-jearim, proceeding from there to Ephron and then to the spring at the Nephtoah Waters. ¹⁶ From there the boundary proceeded to the border of the mountain that overlooks the Ben-hinnom Valley at the northern end of the Rephaim Valley, where it proceeded down the Hinnom Valley south of the slope of the Jebusites toward En-rogel. ¹⁷ Then it turned north toward En-shemesh and proceeded from there to Geliloth opposite the ascent of Adummim, where it turned toward the Stone of Bohan, Reuben’s son, ¹⁸ and proceeded north of the slope of Beth-arabah down to the Arabah. ¹⁹ From there the boundary proceeded to north of the slope of Beth-hoglah and terminated at the northern bay of the Salt^[c] Sea where the Jordan River ends in the south. This was the southern border. ²⁰ The Jordan River formed its boundary on the east. This is the inheritance for the tribe of Benjamin according to its families, boundary by boundary around the entire territory.^[d]

²¹ The towns belonging to the tribe of Benjamin according to their families were Jericho, Beth-hoglah, Emek-keziz, ²² Beth-arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel, ²³ Avvim, Parah, Ophrah, ²⁴ Chephar-ammoni, Ophni, and Geba, for a total of twelve towns and villages. ²⁵ Also included were^[e] Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth, ²⁶ Mizpeh, Chephirah, Mozah, ²⁷ Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah, ²⁸ Zela, Haeleph, Jebus (also known as Jerusalem), Gibeah, and Kiriath-jearim, for a total of fourteen towns and villages. This is the inheritance of the tribe of Benjamin according to their families.

Simeon’s Allocation

19 The second lottery went to the tribe of Simeon according to its families. Its inheritance was enclosed within the inheritance of the tribe of Judah. ² Its inheritance included Beer-sheba (also known as^[f] Shebah), Moladah, ³ Hazar-shual, Balah, Ezem, ⁴ Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah, ⁵ Ziklag, Beth-marcaboth, Hazar-susah, ⁶ Beth-lebaoth, and Sharuhen, for a total of thirteen towns and villages. ⁷ Also included were^[g] Ain, Rimmon, Ether, and Ashan, for a total of four towns and villages. ⁸ Also included were^[h] all the surrounding villages as far as Baalath-beer, in Ramah of the Negev.^[i] This was the inheritance of the tribe of Simeon, according to its families. ⁹ The inheritance of the tribe of Simeon was contained in part of the territory of Judah; that is, because the portion allotted to the tribe of Judah was large enough for both tribes, the tribe of Simeon obtained an inheritance within that of Judah.^[j]

Zebulun’s Allocation

¹⁰ The third lottery went to the tribe of Zebulun according to its families. The boundary of its inheritance extended to Sarid, ¹¹ then turned westward toward Maralah, proceeding to Dabbesheth, and then to the valley that is east of Jokneam. ¹² From Sarid it proceeded back eastward, creating a sunrise boundary at Chisloth-tabor, and proceeded from there to Daberath, then to Japhia, ¹³ from which it proceeded toward the east to Gath-hepher, then to Eth-kazin, then going to Rimmon, where it turned toward Neah. ¹⁴ On the north of Neah, the boundary turned toward Hannathon, terminating at Iphtah-el Valley ¹⁵ and Kattath, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem, for a total of twelve towns and villages. ¹⁶ These towns and villages are the inheritance of the tribe of Zebulun according to its families.

Issachar’s Allocation

¹⁷ The fourth lottery went to the tribe of Issachar according to its families. ¹⁸ The territorial allotment included Jezreel, Chesulloth, Shunem, ¹⁹ Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath, ²⁰ Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez, ²¹ Remeth, En-gannim, En-haddah, Beth-pazzez, ²² with the boundary including Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth-shemesh. The boundary terminated at the Jordan River, for a total of sixteen towns and villages. ²³ These towns and villages comprise the inheritance of the tribe of Issachar, according to its families.

Asher’s Allocation

²⁴ The fifth lottery went to the tribe of Asher according to its families. ²⁵ The territorial boundary included Helkath, Hali, Beten, Achshaph, ²⁶ Allammelech, Amad, and Mishal, and on the west Carmel and Shihor-libnath, ²⁷ then proceeded east to Beth-dagon. It proceeded to Zebulun and the Iphtah-el Valley, turned north to Beth-emek and Neiel, then proceeded north to Cabul, ²⁸ Ebron, Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah as far as Great Sidon. ²⁹ There the boundary turned toward Ramah, reaching to the fortress city of Tyre and turned to Hosah, where it terminated at the Mediterranean^[k] Sea. Also included were^[l] Mahalab, Achzib, ³⁰ Ummah, Aphek, and Rehob, for a total of 22 towns and villages. ³¹ These towns and villages are the inheritance of the tribe of Asher according to its families.

Naphtali’s Allocation

³² The sixth lottery went to the tribe of Naphtali according to its families. ³³ The territorial boundary proceeded from Heleph, the oak in Zaanannim, and Adami-nekeb, and Jabneel as far as Lakkum, terminating at the Jordan River. ³⁴ There the boundary proceeded west to Aznoth-tabor and then to Hukkok, reaching Zebulun at the south, Asher on the west, and Judah on the east at the Jordan River. ³⁵ Also included were^[m] the fortress towns of Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Chinnereth, ³⁶ Adamah, Ramah, Hazor, ³⁷ Kedesh, Edrei, En-hazor, ³⁸ Iron, Migdal-el, Horem, Beth-anath, and Beth-shemesh, for a total of nineteen towns and their villages. ³⁹ These towns and villages comprised the inheritance of the tribe of Naphtali according to its families.

Dan’s Allocation

⁴⁰ The seventh lottery went to the tribe of Dan according to its families. ⁴¹ The territorial allotment included Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir-shemesh, ⁴² Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Ithlah, ⁴³ Elon, Timnah, Ekron, ⁴⁴ Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath, ⁴⁵ Jehud, Bene-berak, Gath-rimmon, ⁴⁶ Me-jarkon, and Rakkon at the border near Joppa. ⁴⁷ Later, when the descendants of Dan lost their territory, they went up and attacked Leshem. After they captured it and executed its inhabitants, they took possession of it and settled there, renaming the city of Leshem to Dan in memory of their ancestor Dan. ⁴⁸ These towns and villages comprised the inheritance of the tribe of Dan according to their families.