其余土地的分配

18 征服了这些地方以后,以色列全体会众都聚集在示罗,把会幕设立在那里。 这时,以色列还有七个支派没有分到产业。 约书亚对他们说:“你们等到什么时候才去占领你们祖先的上帝耶和华赐给你们的土地呢? 你们每支派要派出三个人,我要差他们去侦察,按各支派应得的土地绘制地图,然后回来禀告我。 他们要把土地划分作七份。犹大要留在南部自己的领土上,约瑟家族要留在北部自己的领土上。 你们把这七份土地绘成地图交给我,我要在我们的上帝耶和华面前为你们抽签。 你们当中的利未人没有份,因为做耶和华的祭司这职任就是他们的产业。至于迦得支派、吕便支派和玛拿西半个支派,摩西已把约旦河东的土地分给他们了。”

那些画地图的人启程出发的时候,约书亚嘱咐他们说:“你们要走遍那里,绘制地图,然后回来禀告我,我要在示罗,在耶和华面前为你们抽签。” 于是,他们走遍那里,把所有城邑分作七份,绘在册上,然后回到示罗见约书亚。 10 约书亚便在示罗按照以色列的支派,在耶和华面前为他们抽签分地。

便雅悯支派分到的土地

11 便雅悯支派按宗族抽签分到的领土,坐落在犹大和约瑟支派的领土之间。 12 他们北部的边界从约旦河起,沿耶利哥北面的山坡直上,往西穿过山区,直到伯·亚文的旷野; 13 从那里经路斯,即伯特利南面山坡到下伯·和仑南面山区的亚他绿·亚达。 14 西面的边界自伯·和仑对面山的西侧向南直到犹大人的基列·巴力,即基列·耶琳。 15 南部边界从基列·耶琳的边界开始向西直到尼弗多亚的水泉, 16 又往下到欣嫩子谷对面的山麓,也就是利乏音谷北边,然后往南,经欣嫩谷到耶布斯山南部,直到隐·罗结; 17 然后,向北先后到隐·示麦,亚都冥山坡对面的基利绿,吕便的儿子波罕所立的大石, 18 以及亚拉巴的对面,再往北下到亚拉巴; 19 又沿着伯·曷拉的北面直到盐海的北岸,也就是约旦河的南部河口。这是南部的边界。 20 东面以约旦河为界。这是便雅悯人按宗族分到的土地和四周的边界。

21 以下是便雅悯支派按宗族分到的城邑:耶利哥、伯·曷拉、伊麦·基悉、 22 伯·亚拉巴、西玛莲、伯特利、 23 亚文、巴拉、俄弗拉、 24 基法·阿摩尼、俄弗尼、迦巴,共十二座城及其附近的乡村。 25 还有基遍、拉玛、比录、 26 米斯巴、基非拉、摩撒、 27 利坚、伊利毗勒、他拉拉、 28 洗拉、以利弗、耶布斯——即耶路撒冷、基比亚、基列,共十四座城及其附近的乡村。

这就是便雅悯各宗族所分到的土地。

18 The whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled themselves together at Shiloh, and set up the Tent of Meeting there. The land was subdued before them. Seven tribes remained among the children of Israel, which had not yet divided their inheritance. Joshua said to the children of Israel, “How long will you neglect to go in to possess the land, which Yahweh, the God of your fathers, has given you? Appoint for yourselves three men from each tribe. I will send them, and they shall arise, walk through the land, and describe it according to their inheritance; then they shall come to me. They shall divide it into seven portions. Judah shall live in his borders on the south, and the house of Joseph shall live in their borders on the north. You shall survey the land into seven parts, and bring the description here to me; and I will cast lots for you here before Yahweh our God. However, the Levites have no portion among you; for the priesthood of Yahweh is their inheritance. Gad, Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance east of the Jordan, which Moses the servant of Yahweh gave them.”

The men arose and went. Joshua commanded those who went to survey the land, saying, “Go walk through the land, survey it, and come again to me. I will cast lots for you here before Yahweh in Shiloh.”

The men went and passed through the land, and surveyed it by cities into seven portions in a book. They came to Joshua to the camp at Shiloh. 10 Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before Yahweh. There Joshua divided the land to the children of Israel according to their divisions.

11 The lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin came up according to their families. The border of their lot went out between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph. 12 Their border on the north quarter was from the Jordan. The border went up to the side of Jericho on the north, and went up through the hill country westward. It ended at the wilderness of Beth Aven. 13 The border passed along from there to Luz, to the side of Luz (also called Bethel), southward. The border went down to Ataroth Addar, by the mountain that lies on the south of Beth Horon the lower. 14 The border extended, and turned around on the west quarter southward, from the mountain that lies before Beth Horon southward; and ended at Kiriath Baal (also called Kiriath Jearim), a city of the children of Judah. This was the west quarter. 15 The south quarter was from the farthest part of Kiriath Jearim. The border went out westward, and went out to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah. 16 The border went down to the farthest part of the mountain that lies before the valley of the son of Hinnom, which is in the valley of Rephaim northward. It went down to the valley of Hinnom, to the side of the Jebusite southward, and went down to En Rogel. 17 It extended northward, went out at En Shemesh, and went out to Geliloth, which is opposite the ascent of Adummim. It went down to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben. 18 It passed along to the side opposite the Arabah northward, and went down to the Arabah. 19 The border passed along to the side of Beth Hoglah northward; and the border ended at the north bay of the Salt Sea, at the south end of the Jordan. This was the south border. 20 The Jordan was its border on the east quarter. This was the inheritance of the children of Benjamin, by the borders around it, according to their families. 21 Now the cities of the tribe of the children 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; twelve cities with their villages. 25 Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth, 26 Mizpeh, Chephirah, Mozah, 27 Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah, 28 Zelah, Eleph, the Jebusite (also called Jerusalem), Gibeath, and Kiriath; fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the children of Benjamin according to their families.

Le partage du reste du pays entre les sept autres tribus

18 Toute la communauté des Israélites se réunit à Silo[a] ; ils y dressèrent la tente de la Rencontre, car tout le pays était soumis devant eux. Mais il restait parmi les Israélites sept tribus qui n’avaient pas encore pris possession de leur patrimoine. Josué dit alors aux Israélites : Pendant combien de temps encore négligerez-vous d’aller prendre possession du pays que l’Eternel, le Dieu de vos ancêtres, vous a donné ? Désignez trois hommes par tribu et je les enverrai en mission : ils iront parcourir le pays et ils feront le plan de leurs patrimoines respectifs, après quoi ils reviendront me trouver. Alors ils le partageront en sept parts. Les descendants de Juda conserveront leur territoire au sud, et ceux de Joseph le leur au nord. Etablissez donc un relevé descriptif du pays en y délimitant sept parts. Vous viendrez ensuite me le présenter et je tirerai ici vos lots au sort devant l’Eternel notre Dieu. Mais les descendants de Lévi ne recevront aucun territoire parmi vous, car le sacerdoce de l’Eternel constitue leur part[b]. Quant aux tribus de Gad, de Ruben et à la demi-tribu de Manassé, ils ont déjà reçu, à l’est du Jourdain, la part que Moïse, serviteur de l’Eternel, leur a attribuée.

Les hommes désignés pour faire le relevé du pays se mirent en route. Avant leur départ, Josué leur avait donné les ordres suivants : Allez parcourir le pays, faites-en le relevé, puis revenez auprès de moi. Ici même à Silo, je procéderai au tirage au sort devant l’Eternel.

Ces hommes partirent donc et parcoururent le pays, ils en dressèrent le relevé, ville par ville, sur un document, et partagèrent tout le territoire en sept sections. Puis ils revinrent trouver Josué au camp de Silo. 10 Devant l’Eternel, à Silo, Josué partagea le pays entre les Israélites par tirage au sort, en assignant à chaque tribu la part qui lui revenait.

Le territoire de la tribu de Benjamin

11 Le premier lot revint aux familles de la tribu des Benjaminites. Le territoire qui leur échut était situé entre celui des descendants de Juda et celui des descendants de Joseph. 12 Leur frontière nord partait du Jourdain, montait au flanc de Jéricho au nord, puis traversait la région montagneuse à l’ouest, pour aboutir au désert de Beth-Aven. 13 De là, elle gagnait Louz, appelée aujourd’hui Béthel, qu’elle contournait sur le flanc sud, puis elle descendait à Ataroth-Addar par-dessus la montagne située au sud de Beth-Horôn-la-Basse. 14 Ensuite, depuis cette montagne, elle s’infléchissait du côté de l’ouest et tournait vers le sud pour aboutir à Qiryath-Baal, devenu Qiryath-Yearim, ville de la tribu de Juda. Voilà où passait la frontière du côté ouest.

15 La frontière méridionale partait de Qiryath-Yearim, allait vers l’ouest en direction de la source des eaux de Nephtoah, 16 d’où elle descendait au pied de la montagne qui domine la vallée de Ben-Hinnom, au nord de la vallée des Rephaïm. Elle descendait la vallée de Hinnom, sur le versant sud de la colline des Yebousiens jusqu’à Eyn-Roguel. 17 Alors elle tournait vers le nord pour aboutir à Eyn-Shémesh, puis vers Gueliloth en face de la montée d’Adoummim. De là, elle descendait vers la pierre dite de Bohân, du nom d’un des fils de Ruben. 18 Elle passait par le versant nord de la montagne qui domine la vallée du Jourdain[c] et descendait dans cette vallée. 19 Elle continuait sur le flanc nord de Beth-Hogla et aboutissait à la pointe nord de la mer Morte vers l’embouchure du Jourdain. Voilà où passait leur frontière méridionale. 20 Le Jourdain constituait la frontière du côté est. Telles furent les frontières du territoire attribué aux familles des Benjaminites.

21 Voici les villes attribuées aux familles de la tribu de Benjamin : Jéricho, Beth-Hogla, Emeq-Qetsits, 22 Beth-Araba, Tsemaraïm, Béthel, 23 Avvim, Para, Ophra, 24 Kephar-Ammonaï, Ophni et Guéba : soit douze villes et leurs villages, 25 Gabaon, Rama, Beéroth, 26 Mitspé, Kephira, Motsa, 27 Réqem, Yirpéel, Tareala, 28 Tsela, Eleph, Yebous c’est-à-dire Jérusalem, Guibeath, Qiryath : soit quatorze villes avec les villages qui en dépendent. Tout cela constituait le patrimoine des familles de Benjamin.

Footnotes

  1. 18.1 A une quarantaine de kilomètres au nord de Jérusalem, dans une position centrale pour les tribus principales (Juda et les descendants de Joseph). Silo devint le centre politique et religieux du pays. Le tabernacle y resta jusqu’au temps de Samuel (1 S 4.1-11) où il fut transféré à Gabaon (1 Ch 21.29).
  2. 18.7 Voir 13.14 ; Dt 18.1-8.
  3. 18.18 Au lieu de : qui domine la vallée du Jourdain, l’ancienne version grecque a : de Beth Arabah.

18 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of the congregation there. And the land was subdued before them.

And there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes, which had not yet received their inheritance.

And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the Lord God of your fathers hath given you?

Give out from among you three men for each tribe: and I will send them, and they shall rise, and go through the land, and describe it according to the inheritance of them; and they shall come again to me.

And they shall divide it into seven parts: Judah shall abide in their coast on the south, and the house of Joseph shall abide in their coasts on the north.

Ye shall therefore describe the land into seven parts, and bring the description hither to me, that I may cast lots for you here before the Lord our God.

But the Levites have no part among you; for the priesthood of the Lord is their inheritance: and Gad, and Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh, have received their inheritance beyond Jordan on the east, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave them.

And the men arose, and went away: and Joshua charged them that went to describe the land, saying, Go and walk through the land, and describe it, and come again to me, that I may here cast lots for you before the Lord in Shiloh.

And the men went and passed through the land, and described it by cities into seven parts in a book, and came again to Joshua to the host at Shiloh.

10 And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the Lord: and there Joshua divided the land unto the children of Israel according to their divisions.

11 And the lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin came up according to their families: and the coast of their lot came forth between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph.

12 And their border on the north side was from Jordan; and the border went up to the side of Jericho on the north side, and went up through the mountains westward; and the goings out thereof were at the wilderness of Bethaven.

13 And the border went over from thence toward Luz, to the side of Luz, which is Bethel, southward; and the border descended to Atarothadar, near the hill that lieth on the south side of the nether Bethhoron.

14 And the border was drawn thence, and compassed the corner of the sea southward, from the hill that lieth before Bethhoron southward; and the goings out thereof were at Kirjathbaal, which is Kirjathjearim, a city of the children of Judah: this was the west quarter.

15 And the south quarter was from the end of Kirjathjearim, and the border went out on the west, and went out to the well of waters of Nephtoah:

16 And the border came down to the end of the mountain that lieth before the valley of the son of Hinnom, and which is in the valley of the giants on the north, and descended to the valley of Hinnom, to the side of Jebusi on the south, and descended to Enrogel,

17 And was drawn from the north, and went forth to Enshemesh, and went forth toward Geliloth, which is over against the going up of Adummim, and descended to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben,

18 And passed along toward the side over against Arabah northward, and went down unto Arabah:

19 And the border passed along to the side of Bethhoglah northward: and the outgoings of the border were at the north bay of the salt sea at the south end of Jordan: this was the south coast.

20 And Jordan was the border of it on the east side. This was the inheritance of the children of Benjamin, by the coasts thereof round about, according to their families.

21 Now the cities of the tribe of the children of Benjamin according to their families were Jericho, and Bethhoglah, and the valley of Keziz,

22 And Betharabah, and Zemaraim, and Bethel,

23 And Avim, and Pharah, and Ophrah,

24 And Chepharhaammonai, and Ophni, and Gaba; twelve cities with their villages:

25 Gibeon, and Ramah, and Beeroth,

26 And Mizpeh, and Chephirah, and Mozah,

27 And Rekem, and Irpeel, and Taralah,

28 And Zelah, Eleph, and Jebusi, which is Jerusalem, Gibeath, and Kirjath; fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the children of Benjamin according to their families.