Joshua 19
Living Bible
19 The Land Given to the Tribe of Simeon: The tribe of Simeon received the next assignment of land—including part of the land previously assigned to Judah. 2-7 Their inheritance included these seventeen cities[a] with their respective villages: Beer-sheba, Sheba, Moladah, Hazar-shual, Balah, Ezem, Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah, Ziklag, Beth-marcaboth, Hazar-susah, Beth-lebaoth, Sharuhen, En-rimmon, Ether, and Ashan. 8 The cities as far south as Baalath-beer (also known as Ramah-in-the-Negeb) were also given to the tribe of Simeon. 9 So the Simeon tribe’s inheritance came from what had earlier been given to Judah, for Judah’s section had been too large for them.
10 The Land Given to the Tribe of Zebulun: The third tribe to receive its assignment of land was Zebulun. Its boundary started on the south side of Sarid. 11 From there it circled to the west, going near Mareal and Dabbesheth until it reached the brook east of Jokneam. 12 In the other direction, the boundary line went east to the border of Chisloth-tabor, and from there to Daberath and Japhia; 13 then it continued east of Gath-hepher, Ethkazin, and Rimmon and turned toward Neah. 14 The northern boundary of Zebulun passed Hannathon and ended at the valley of Iphtahel. 15-16 The cities in these areas, besides those already mentioned,[b] included Kattath, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, Bethlehem, and each of their surrounding villages. Altogether there were twelve of these cities.
17-23 The Land Given to the Tribe of Issachar: The fourth tribe to be assigned its land was Issachar. Its boundaries included the following cities: Jezreel, Chesulloth, Shunem, Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath, Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez, Remeth, En-gannim, En-haddah, Beth-pazzez, Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth-shemesh—sixteen cities in all, each with its surrounding villages. The boundary of Issachar ended at the Jordan River.
24-26 The Land Given to the Tribe of Asher: The fifth tribe to be assigned its land was Asher. The boundaries included these cities: Helkath, Hali, Beten, Achshaph, Allammelech, Amad, and Mishal.
The boundary on the west side went from Carmel to Shihor-libnath, 27 turned east toward Beth-dagon, and ran as far as Zebulun in the valley of Iphtahel, running north of Beth-emek and Neiel. It then passed to the east of Kabul, 28 Ebron, Rehob, Hammon, Kanah, and Greater Sidon. 29 Then the boundary turned toward Ramah and the fortified city of Tyre and came to the Mediterranean Sea at Hosah. The territory also included Mahalab, Achzib, 30-31 Ummah, Aphek, and Rehob—an overall total of twenty-two cities and their surrounding villages.
32 The Land Given to the Tribe of Naphtali: The sixth tribe to receive its assignment was the tribe of Naphtali. 33 Its boundary began at Judah, at the oak in Zaanannim, and extended across to Adami-nekeb, Jabneel, and Lakkum, ending at the Jordan River. 34 The western boundary began near Heleph and ran past Aznoth-tabor, then to Hukkok, and coincided with the Zebulun boundary in the south, and with the boundary of Asher on the west, and with the Jordan River at the east. 35-39 The fortified cities included in this territory were: Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Chinnereth, Adamah, Ramah, Hazor, Kedesh, Edrei, Enhazor, Yiron, Migdal-el, Horem, Beth-anath, and Beth-shemesh. So altogether the territory included nineteen cities with their surrounding villages.
40 The Land Given to the Tribe of Dan: The last tribe to be assigned its land was Dan. 41-46 The cities within its area included: Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir-shemesh, Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Ithlah, Elon, Timnah, Ekron, Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath, Jehud, Bene-berak, Gath-rimmon, Me-jarkon, and Rakkon, also the territory near Joppa. 47-48 But some of this territory proved impossible to conquer, so the tribe of Dan captured the city of Leshem, slaughtered its people, and lived there; and they called the city “Dan,” naming it after their ancestor.
49 So all the land was divided among the tribes, with the boundaries indicated; and the nation of Israel gave a special piece of land to Joshua, 50 for the Lord had said that he could have any city he wanted. He chose Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim; he rebuilt it and lived there.
51 Eleazar the priest, Joshua, and the leaders of the tribes of Israel supervised the sacred lottery to divide the land among the tribes. This was done in the Lord’s presence at the entrance of the Tabernacle at Shiloh.
Footnotes
- Joshua 19:2 these seventeen cities. Totaled from vv. 6 and 7 of the original manuscripts, where subtotals are indicated.
- Joshua 19:15 besides those already mentioned, implied.
Joshua 19
New English Translation
Simeon’s Tribal Lands
19 The second lot belonged to the tribe of Simeon by its clans.[a] Their assigned land was in the middle of Judah’s assigned land. 2 Their assigned land included[b] Beer Sheba,[c] Moladah, 3 Hazar Shual, Balah, Ezem, 4 Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah, 5 Ziklag, Beth Marcaboth, Hazar Susah, 6 Beth Lebaoth, and Sharuhen—a total of thirteen cities and their towns, 7 Ain, Rimmon, Ether, and Ashan—a total of four cities and their towns, 8 as well as all the towns around these cities as far as Baalath Beer (Ramah of the Negev). This was the land assigned to the tribe of Simeon by its clans.[d] 9 Simeon’s assigned land was taken from Judah’s allotted portion, for Judah’s territory was too large for them; so Simeon was assigned land within Judah.[e]
Zebulun’s Tribal Lands
10 The third lot belonged to the tribe of Zebulun[f] by its clans. The border of their territory[g] extended to Sarid. 11 Their border went up westward to Maralah and touched Dabbesheth and the valley near[h] Jokneam. 12 From Sarid it turned eastward[i] to the territory of Kisloth Tabor, extended to Daberath, and went up to Japhia. 13 From there it crossed eastward to Gath Hepher and Eth Kazin and extended to Rimmon, turning toward Neah. 14 It then turned on the north to Hannathon and ended at the Valley of Iphtah El. 15 Their territory included Kattah, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem; in all they had twelve cities and their towns.[j] 16 This was the land assigned to the tribe of Zebulun[k] by its clans, including these cities and their towns.
Issachar’s Tribal Lands
17 The fourth lot belonged to the tribe of Issachar[l] by its clans. 18 Their assigned land[m] included Jezreel, Kesulloth, Shunem, 19 Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath, 20 Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez, 21 Remeth, En Gannim, En Haddah and Beth Pazzez. 22 Their border touched Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth Shemesh, and ended at the Jordan. They had sixteen cities and their towns. 23 This was the land assigned to the tribe of Issachar[n] by its clans, including these cities and their towns.
Asher’s Tribal Lands
24 The fifth lot belonged to the tribe of Asher[o] by its clans. 25 Their territory included Helkath, Hali, Beten, Acshaph, 26 Alammelech, Amad, and Mishal. Their border touched Carmel to the west and Shihor Libnath. 27 It turned eastward toward Beth Dagon, touched Zebulun and the Valley of Iphtah El to the north, as well as Beth Emek and Neiel, and extended to Cabul on the north[p] 28 and on to Ebron,[q] Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah, as far as Greater Sidon. 29 It then turned toward Ramah as far as the fortified city of Tyre, turned to Hosah, and ended at the sea near Hebel, Achzib, 30 Umah, Aphek, and Rehob. In all they had[r] twenty-two cities and their towns. 31 This was the land assigned to the tribe of Asher[s] by its clans, including these cities and their towns.
Naphtali’s Tribal Lands
32 The sixth lot belonged to the tribe of Naphtali[t] by its clans. 33 Their border started at Heleph and the oak of Zaanannim, went to Adami Nekeb, Jabneel and on to Lakkum,[u] and ended at the Jordan River.[v] 34 It turned westward to Aznoth Tabor, extended from there to Hukok, touched Zebulun on the south, Asher on the west, and the Jordan[w] on the east. 35 The fortified cities included Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Kinnereth, 36 Adamah, Ramah, Hazor, 37 Kedesh, Edrei, En Hazor, 38 Yiron,[x] Migdal El, Horem, Beth Anath, and Beth Shemesh. In all they had[y] nineteen cities and their towns. 39 This was the land assigned to the tribe of Naphtali[z] by its clans, including these cities and their towns.
Dan’s Tribal Lands
40 The seventh lot belonged to the tribe of Dan[aa] by its clans. 41 Their assigned land included Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir Shemesh, 42 Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Ithlah, 43 Elon, Timnah, Ekron, 44 Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath, 45 Jehud, Bene Berak, Gath Rimmon, 46 the waters of Jarkon, and Rakkon, including the territory in front of Joppa. 47 (The Danites failed to conquer their territory,[ab] so they went up and fought with Leshem and captured it. They put the sword to it, took possession of it, and lived in it. They renamed it[ac] Dan after their ancestor.[ad]) 48 This was the land assigned to the tribe of Dan[ae] by its clans, including these cities and their towns.
Joshua Receives Land
49 When they finished dividing the land into its regions, the Israelites gave Joshua son of Nun some land.[af] 50 As the Lord had instructed, they gave him the city he requested—Timnath Serah in the Ephraimite hill country. He built up the city and lived in it.
51 These are the land assignments that Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the Israelite tribal leaders[ag] made by drawing lots in Shiloh before the Lord at the entrance of the tent of meeting.[ah] So they finished dividing up the land.
Footnotes
- Joshua 19:1 tn Heb “and the second lot came out for Simeon, for the tribe of the sons of Simeon by their clans.”tc The LXX, Syriac, and Vulgate omit “for Simeon.”
- Joshua 19:2 tn Heb “and they had in their inheritance.”
- Joshua 19:2 tc The MT has “and Sheba” listed after “Beer Sheba.” The LXX suggests “Shema.” The Hebrew text may be defective here, since the form “Sheba” duplicates the latter part of the preceding name. If Sheba (or Shema) is retained as a separate city, the list numbers fourteen, one more than the number given in the concluding summary (v. 6). Some translations treat it as an alternate shorter name for “Beer Sheba” rendering it as “or Sheba;” cf. HCSB, TNIV, and JPS.
- Joshua 19:8 tn Heb “this was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Simeon.”
- Joshua 19:9 tn Heb “from the portion of the sons of Judah was the inheritance of the sons of Simeon for the portion of the sons of Judah was too large for them, and the sons of Simeon received an inheritance in the midst of their inheritance.”
- Joshua 19:10 tn Heb “and the third lot came up for the sons of Zebulun.”
- Joshua 19:10 tn Or “inheritance.”
- Joshua 19:11 tn Heb “in front of”; perhaps “east of.”
- Joshua 19:12 tn Heb “eastward toward the rising of the sun.”
- Joshua 19:15 tn Heb “Kattah, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem, twelve cities and their towns.” The words “their territory included” and “in all they had” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
- Joshua 19:16 tn Heb “this is the inheritance of the sons of Zebulun.”
- Joshua 19:17 tn Heb “the fourth lot came out for the sons of Issachar.”
- Joshua 19:18 tn Or “their inheritance.”
- Joshua 19:23 tn Heb “this was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Issachar.”
- Joshua 19:24 tn Heb “and the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the sons of Asher.”
- Joshua 19:27 tn Heb “left.”
- Joshua 19:28 tc Some Hebrew mss read “Abdon.”
- Joshua 19:30 tn The words “in all they had” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
- Joshua 19:31 tn Heb “this was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Asher.”
- Joshua 19:32 tn Heb “the sixth lot came out for the sons of Naphtali, for the sons of Naphtali.”
- Joshua 19:33 tn Heb “and their border was from Heleph, from the oak of Zaanannim, and Adami Nekeb, and Jabneel to Lakkum.”
- Joshua 19:33 tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied for clarity.
- Joshua 19:34 tc The MT reads “Judah, the Jordan”; the LXX omits “Judah.” Perhaps there was a town named Judah, distinct from the tribe of Judah, located near the northern end of the Jordan.
- Joshua 19:38 sn Instead of Yiron some English translations read Iron.
- Joshua 19:38 tn The words “in all they had” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
- Joshua 19:39 tn Heb “this was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Naphtali.”
- Joshua 19:40 tn Heb “the seventh lot came out for the sons of Dan.”
- Joshua 19:47 tn Heb “the territory of the sons of Dan went out from them.”
- Joshua 19:47 tn Heb “Leshem.” The pronoun (“it”) has replaced the name “Leshem” in the translation for stylistic reasons.
- Joshua 19:47 tn Heb “according to the name of their father.”
- Joshua 19:48 tn Heb “this was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Dan.”
- Joshua 19:49 tn Heb “an inheritance in their midst.”
- Joshua 19:51 tn Heb “the leaders of the fathers of the tribes.”
- Joshua 19:51 tn Heb “at the entrance of the tent of assembly.”sn On the tent of meeting see Exod 33:7-11.
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