Simeon’s Inheritance

19 The second lot came out for Simeon, for the tribe of his descendants by their clans, but their inheritance was within the inheritance given to Judah’s descendants. Their inheritance included

Beer-sheba (or Sheba(A)), Moladah, Hazar-shual, Balah, Ezem, Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah, Ziklag, Beth-marcaboth, Hazar-susah, Beth-lebaoth, and Sharuhen—thirteen cities, with their settlements; Ain, Rimmon, Ether, and Ashan—four cities, with their settlements; and all the settlements surrounding these cities as far as Baalath-beer (Ramah in the south[a]).

This was the inheritance of the tribe of Simeon’s descendants by their clans. The inheritance of Simeon’s descendants was within the territory of Judah’s descendants, because the share for Judah’s descendants was too large. So Simeon’s descendants received an inheritance within Judah’s portion.

Zebulun’s Inheritance

10 The third lot came up for Zebulun’s descendants by their clans.

The territory of their inheritance stretched as far as Sarid; 11 their border went up westward to Maralah, reached Dabbesheth, and met the brook east of Jokneam. 12 From Sarid, it turned due east along the border of Chisloth-tabor, went to Daberath, and went up to Japhia. 13 From there, it went due east to Gath-hepher and to Eth-kazin; it extended to Rimmon, curving around to Neah. 14 The border then circled around Neah on the north to Hannathon and ended at Iphtah-el Valley, 15 along with Kattath, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem—twelve cities, with their settlements.

16 This was the inheritance of Zebulun’s descendants by their clans, these cities, with their settlements.

Issachar’s Inheritance

17 The fourth lot came out for the tribe of Issachar’s descendants by their clans.

18 Their territory went to Jezreel, and included Chesulloth, Shunem,(B) 19 Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath, 20 Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez, 21 Remeth, En-gannim, En-haddah, and Beth-pazzez. 22 The border reached Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth-shemesh, and ended at the Jordan—sixteen cities, with their settlements.

23 This was the inheritance of the tribe of Issachar’s descendants by their clans, the cities, with their settlements.

Asher’s Inheritance

24 The fifth lot came out for the tribe of Asher’s descendants by their clans.

25 Their boundary included Helkath, Hali, Beten, Achshaph, 26 Allammelech, Amad, and Mishal and reached westward to Carmel and Shihor-libnath. 27 It turned eastward to Beth-dagon, reached Zebulun and Iphtah-el Valley, north toward Beth-emek and Neiel, and went north to Cabul,(C) 28 Ebron, Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah, as far as greater Sidon. 29 The boundary then turned to Ramah as far as the fortified city of Tyre; it turned back to Hosah and ended at the Mediterranean Sea, including Mahalab, Achzib,[b] 30 Ummah, Aphek, and Rehob—twenty-two cities, with their settlements.

31 This was the inheritance of the tribe of Asher’s descendants by their clans, these cities with their settlements.

Naphtali’s Inheritance

32 The sixth lot came out for Naphtali’s descendants by their clans.

33 Their boundary went from Heleph and from the oak in Zaanannim, including Adami-nekeb and Jabneel, as far as Lakkum, and ended at the Jordan. 34 To the west, the boundary turned to Aznoth-tabor and went from there to Hukkok, reaching Zebulun on the south, Asher on the west, and Judah[c] at the Jordan on the east. 35 The fortified cities were Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Chinnereth, 36 Adamah, Ramah, Hazor, 37 Kedesh, Edrei, En-hazor, 38 Iron, Migdal-el, Horem, Beth-anath, and Beth-shemesh—nineteen cities, with their settlements.

39 This was the inheritance of the tribe of Naphtali’s descendants by their clans, the cities with their settlements.

Dan’s Inheritance

40 The seventh lot came out for the tribe of Dan’s descendants by their clans.

41 The territory of their inheritance included Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir-shemesh, 42 Shaalabbin, Aijalon,(D) Ithlah, 43 Elon, Timnah, Ekron, 44 Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath, 45 Jehud, Bene-berak, Gath-rimmon, 46 Me-jarkon, and Rakkon, with the territory facing Joppa.(E)

47 When the territory of the descendants of Dan slipped out of their control, they went up and fought against Leshem, captured it, and struck it down with the sword. So they took possession of it, lived there, and renamed Leshem after their ancestor Dan.(F) 48 This was the inheritance of the tribe of Dan’s descendants by their clans, these cities with their settlements.

Joshua’s Inheritance

49 When they had finished distributing the land into its territories, the Israelites gave Joshua son of Nun an inheritance among them. 50 By the Lord’s command, they gave him the city Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim,(G) which he requested. He rebuilt the city and lived in it.

51 These were the portions that the priest Eleazar, Joshua son of Nun, and the family heads distributed to the Israelite tribes by lot at Shiloh in the Lord’s presence at the entrance to the tent of meeting.(H) So they finished dividing up the land.

Footnotes

  1. 19:8 Or the Negev
  2. 19:29 Or Sea, in the region of Achzib
  3. 19:34 LXX omits Judah

Simeon

19 The second lot fell to Simeon. The legacy of the clans of the Simeonite tribe lay inside the legacy of the people of Judah. They had in their legacy: Beer-sheba, Sheba, Moladah, Hazar-shual, Balah, Ezem, Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah, Ziklag, Beth-marcaboth, Hazar-susah, Beth-lebaoth, and Sharuhen. In total: thirteen cities and their surrounding areas. Ain, Rimmon, Ether, and Ashan. In total: four cities and their surrounding areas. In addition were all the areas that surround these cities as far as Baalath-beer and Ramah of the arid southern plain. This is the legacy of the clans of the Simeonite tribe. Some of the portion of the people of Judah belonged to the legacy of the people of Simeon. This was because the portion of the people of Judah was too large for them. So the people of Simeon received a legacy inside Judah’s legacy.

Zebulun

10 The lot turned up third for the clans of Zebulun. The border of their legacy ran as far as Sarid. 11 Their border went up westward to Maralah, touched Dabbesheth, and touched the ravine that is opposite Jokneam. 12 It reversed from Sarid eastward toward the east to the border of Chisloth-tabor. It went to Daberath and then up to Japhia. 13 From there it passed on the east side, running eastward to Gath-hepher and Eth-kazin. Going to Rimmon, it bent toward Neah. 14 The border turned north of Hannathon and ended at the Iphtah-el Valley. 15 They also owned Kattath, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem; in total: twelve cities and their surrounding areas. 16 These cities and their surrounding areas are the legacy of Zebulun’s clans.

Issachar

17 The lot went out fourth for the clans of Issachar. 18 Their border ran toward Jezreel. They also owned Chesulloth, Shunem, 19 Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath, 20 Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez, 21 Remeth, En-gannim, En-haddah, and Beth-pazzez. 22 The border touched Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth-shemesh. Their border ended at the Jordan; in total: sixteen cities with their surrounding areas. 23 These cities and their surrounding areas are the legacy for the clans of the Issachar tribe.

Asher

24 The lot went out fifth for the clans of the tribe of Asher. 25 Their border included Helkath, Hali, Beten, Achshaph, 26 Allammelech, Amad, and Mishal. It touched Carmel on the west and Shihor-libnath. 27 The border reversed eastward to Beth-dagon. It touched Zebulun and the Iphtah-el Valley on the north, also Beth-emek and Neiel. It went to Cabul on the north, 28 as far as Great Sidon. They also owned Ebron, Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah. 29 The border turned around to Ramah as far as the fortified city of Tyre. The border turned around to Hosah and ended at the sea. They also owned Mahalab,[a] Achzib, 30 Ummah, Aphek, and Rehob; in total: twenty-two cities and their surrounding areas. 31 These cities and their surrounding areas are the legacy for the clans of the Asher tribe.

Naphtali

32 For the people of Naphtali, the lot went out sixth. For the clans of Naphtali 33 their border ran from Heleph, from the oak in Zaanannim and Adami-nekeb and Jabneel as far as Lakkum. It ended at the Jordan. 34 The border reversed westward to Aznoth-tabor. It went from there to Hukkok. It touched Zebulun on the south, Asher on the west, and Judah at the Jordan on the east. 35 They also owned the fortified cities Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Chinnereth, 36 Adamah, Ramah, Hazor, 37 Kedesh, Edrei, En-hazor, 38 Iron, Migdal-el, Horem, Beth-anath, and Beth-shemesh; in total: nineteen cities and their surrounding areas. 39 These cities and their surrounding areas are the legacy for the clans of the Naphtali tribe.

Dan

40 The lot went out seventh for the clans of the Danite tribe. 41 The territory of their legacy was 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, along with the territory opposite Joppa. 47 But the territory of the people of Dan was lost to them. So the people of Dan went up and attacked Leshem and captured it. They struck it down without mercy. They took it over and settled it. Then they named Leshem as Dan, after the name of Dan their ancestor. 48 These cities and their surrounding areas are the legacy for the clans of the Danite tribe.

Legacy for Joshua

49 So when they finished assigning the borders of the land, the Israelites gave to Joshua, Nun’s son, a legacy among them. 50 By the Lord’s command, they gave him the city that he asked for. This was Timnath-serah in the highlands of Ephraim. He built a city and lived in it. 51 These are the legacies that Eleazar the priest, Joshua, Nun’s son, and the heads of the families of the Israelite tribes assigned by lot at Shiloh. They did this before the Lord at the entrance of the meeting tent and finished dividing up the land.

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 19:29 LXX; MT Mehebel