The Inheritance East of the Jordan

With the other half of the tribe, the Reubenites and Gadites had received the inheritance Moses gave them beyond the Jordan to the east, just as Moses the Lord’s servant had given them:(A)

From Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Valley, along with the city in the middle of the valley,(B) all the Medeba plateau as far as Dibon, 10 and all the cities of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, to the border of the Ammonites; 11 also Gilead(C) and the territory of the Geshurites and Maacathites, all Mount Hermon, and all Bashan to Salecah— 12 the whole kingdom of Og in Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth and Edrei; he was one of the remaining Rephaim.

Moses struck them down and drove them out,(D) 13 but the Israelites did not drive out the Geshurites and Maacathites.(E) So Geshur and Maacath live in Israel to this day.(F)

14 He did not give any inheritance to the tribe of Levi. This was its inheritance, just as He had promised: the offerings made by fire to the Lord, the God of Israel.(G)

Reuben’s Inheritance

15 To the tribe of the Reubenites by their clans, Moses gave 16 this as their territory:

From Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Valley, along with the city in the middle of the valley, to the whole plateau as far as[a] Medeba, 17 with Heshbon and all its cities on the plateau—Dibon, Bamoth-baal, Beth-baal-meon, 18 Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath,(H) 19 Kiriathaim, Sibmah, Zereth-shahar on the hill in the valley,(I) 20 Beth-peor, the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth-jeshimoth— 21 all the cities of the plateau, and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon. Moses had killed him and the chiefs of Midian—Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba—the princes of Sihon who lived in the land.(J) 22 Along with those the Israelites put to death, they also killed the diviner, Balaam son of Beor, with the sword.

23 The border of the Reubenites was the Jordan and its plain. This was the inheritance of the Reubenites by their clans, with the cities and their villages.

Gad’s Inheritance

24 To the tribe of the Gadites by their clans, Moses gave 25 this as their territory:

Jazer and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the Ammonites to Aroer, near Rabbah; 26 from Heshbon to Ramath-mizpeh and Betonim, and from Mahanaim to the border of Debir;[b] 27 in the valley:[c] Beth-haram, Beth-nimrah, Succoth, and Zaphon—the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon. Their land also included the Jordan and its territory as far as the edge of the Sea of Chinnereth[d] on the east side of the Jordan.[e]

28 This was the inheritance of the Gadites by their clans, with the cities and their villages.

East Manasseh’s Inheritance

29 And to half the tribe of Manasseh, that is, to half the tribe of Manasseh’s descendants by their clans, Moses gave 30 this as their territory:

From Mahanaim through all Bashan—all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, including all of Jair’s Villages[f](K) that are in Bashan—60 cities. 31 But half of Gilead, and Og’s royal cities in Bashan—Ashtaroth and Edrei—are for the descendants of Machir son of Manasseh, that is, half the descendants of Machir by their clans.

32 These were the portions Moses gave them on the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan east of Jericho. 33 But Moses did not give a portion to the tribe of Levi. The Lord, the God of Israel, was their inheritance, just as He had promised them.(L)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 13:16 Some Hb mss read plateau near
  2. Joshua 13:26 Or Lidbir, or Lo-debar
  3. Joshua 13:27 = the Jordan River Valley
  4. Joshua 13:27 = the Sea of Galilee
  5. Joshua 13:27 Lit Chinnereth beyond the Jordan to the east
  6. Joshua 13:30 Or all of Havvoth-jair

With it[a] the Reubenites,[b] and the Gadites[c] received their inheritance, which Moses gave them beyond the Jordan to the east, just as Moses Yahweh’s servant gave to them: from Aroer, which is on the edge of the wadi[d] of Arnon, and the city which is in the middle of the wadi, and all the plateau from Medeba up to Dibon; 10 and all the cities of Sihon king of the Amorites,[e] who reigned in Heshbon up to the border of the Ammonites;[f] 11 and Gilead, and the border of the Geshurite[g] and the Maacathites,[h] all of Mount Hermon,[i] and Bashan up to Salecah; 12 all the kingdom of Og in Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth and Edrei—he was left over from the survivors[j] of the Rephaim; these Moses had defeated and driven out. 13 But the Israelites[k] did not drive out the Geshurites[l] or the Maacathites;[m] Geshur and Maacah live among Israel to this day. 14 Only the tribe of Levites[n] Moses did not give an inheritance; the offerings made by fire to Yahweh the God of Israel are their[o] inheritance, just as he promised to them.[p]

Reuben’s Inheritance

15 Moses gave an inheritance to the tribe of the descendants[q] of Reuben according to their families. 16 Their territory was from Aroer, which was on the edge of the wadi[r] of Arnon, and the city that is in the middle of the valley, and all the plateau by Medeba; 17 Heshbon and its cities that are on the plateau; Dibon, Bamoth Baal, Beth Baal Meon, 18 Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath, 19 Kiriathaim, Sibmah, and Zereth Shahar on the hill of the valley; 20 Beth Peor, the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth Jeshimoth; 21 all of the cities of the plateau, and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites,[s] who reigned in Heshbon and whom Moses defeated with the leaders of Midian, Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the princes of Sihon who dwelled in the land. 22 In addition to their slain, the Israelites[t] killed with the sword Balaam son of Beor, who practiced divination. 23 And the border of the descendants[u] of Reuben was the Jordan and its banks.[v] This was the inheritance of the descendants[w] of Reuben according to their families, the cities, and their villages.

Gad’s Inheritance

24 Moses gave an inheritance to the tribe of Gad, to the descendants[x] of Gad, according to their families. 25 Their territory was Jazer and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the Ammonites[y] up to Aroer, which is east of Rabbah;[z] 26 and from Heshbon up to Ramah-Mizpeh and Betonim, and from Mahanaim up to the territory to Debir; 27 in the valley of Beth Haram, Beth Nimrah, Succoth, Zaphon, and the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon, the Jordan and its banks,[aa] up to the lower end of the Kinnereth Sea[ab] beyond the Jordan to the east. 28 This is the inheritance of the Gadites[ac] according to their families, the cities, and their villages.

The Half-Tribe of Manasseh’s Inheritance

29 Moses gave an inheritance to the half-tribe of Manasseh; it was for the half-tribe of the descendants[ad] of Manasseh according to their families. 30 Their territory was from Mahanaim, all Bashan, all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, and all the settlements[ae] of Jair, which are in Bashan, sixty cities, 31 and half of Gilead, with Ashtaroth, Edrei, and the cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan; these were allotted to the children of Makir son of Manasseh, for half of the children of Makir according to their families. 32 These are the territories that Moses gave as an inheritance on the desert-plateau of Moab, beyond the Jordan, east of Jericho. 33 But to the tribe of Levi Moses did not give an inheritance; Yahweh the God of Israel, he is their inheritance, just as he promised them.[af]

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 13:8 That is, the other half-tribe of Manasseh
  2. Joshua 13:8 Hebrew “Reubenite”
  3. Joshua 13:8 Hebrew “Gadite”
  4. Joshua 13:9 A valley that is dry most of the year, but contains a stream during the rainy season
  5. Joshua 13:10 Hebrew “Amorite”
  6. Joshua 13:10 Literally “sons/children of Ammon”
  7. Joshua 13:11 Hebrew “Geshurite”
  8. Joshua 13:11 Hebrew “Maacathite”
  9. Joshua 13:11 Or “the hill country of Hermon”
  10. Joshua 13:12 Hebrew “survivor”
  11. Joshua 13:13 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  12. Joshua 13:13 Hebrew “Geshurite”
  13. Joshua 13:13 Hebrew “Maacathite”
  14. Joshua 13:14 Hebrew “Levite”
  15. Joshua 13:14 Hebrew “his”
  16. Joshua 13:14 Hebrew “he said to him”
  17. Joshua 13:15 Or “sons”
  18. Joshua 13:16 A valley that is dry most of the year, but contains a stream during the rainy season
  19. Joshua 13:21 Hebrew “Amorite”
  20. Joshua 13:22 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  21. Joshua 13:23 Or “sons”
  22. Joshua 13:23 Hebrew “bank”
  23. Joshua 13:23 Or “sons”
  24. Joshua 13:24 Or “sons”
  25. Joshua 13:25 Literally “sons/children of Ammon”
  26. Joshua 13:25 Literally “which is before Rabbah”
  27. Joshua 13:27 Hebrew “bank”
  28. Joshua 13:27 That is, the Sea of Galilee
  29. Joshua 13:28 Literally “sons/children of Gad”
  30. Joshua 13:29 Or “sons”
  31. Joshua 13:30 Or “tent villages”
  32. Joshua 13:33 Literally “he said to them”