Israel’s Inheritance in Canaan

14 The Israelites received these portions that the priest Eleazar,^(A) Joshua son of Nun, and the family heads of the Israelite tribes gave them in the land of Canaan.^{(B) 2} Their inheritance was by lot^(C) as the Lord commanded through Moses for the nine and a half tribes, ³ because Moses had given the inheritance to the two and a half tribes beyond the Jordan. But he gave no inheritance among them to the Levites. ⁴ The descendants of Joseph became two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. No portion of the land was given to the Levites except cities to live in, along with pasturelands for their cattle and livestock. ⁵ So the Israelites did as the Lord commanded Moses,^(D) and they divided the land.

Caleb’s Inheritance

⁶ The descendants of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the Lord promised Moses the man of God at Kadesh-barnea about you and me.^{(E) 7} I was forty years old when Moses the Lord’s servant sent me from Kadesh-barnea to scout the land, and I brought back an honest report.^{(F) 8} My brothers who went with me caused the people to lose heart, but I followed the Lord my God completely.^{(G) 9} On that day Moses swore to me, ‘The land where you have set foot will be an inheritance for you and your descendants forever, because you have followed the Lord my God completely.’^(H)

¹⁰ “As you see, the Lord has kept me alive these forty-five years as he promised,^(I) since the Lord spoke this word to Moses while Israel was journeying in the wilderness. Here I am today, eighty-five years old. ¹¹ I am still as strong today as I was the day Moses sent me out. My strength for battle and for daily tasks^[a] is now as it was then.^{(J) 12} Now give me this hill country the Lord promised me on that day, because you heard then that the Anakim are there,^(K) as well as large fortified cities.^(L) Perhaps the Lord will be with me and I will drive them out as the Lord promised.”

¹³ Then Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as an inheritance.^{(M) 14} Therefore, Hebron still belongs to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite as an inheritance today^(N) because he followed the Lord, the God of Israel, completely. ¹⁵ Hebron’s name used to be Kiriath-arba; Arba was the greatest man among the Anakim.^(O) After this, the land had rest from war.^(P)

Judah’s Inheritance

15 Now the allotment for the tribe of the descendants of Judah by their clans^(Q) was in the southernmost region, south to the Wilderness of Zin and over to the border of Edom.

² Their southern border began at the tip of the Dead Sea on the south bay^{[b] 3} and went south of the Scorpions’ Ascent, proceeded to Zin, ascended to the south of Kadesh-barnea, passed Hezron, ascended to Addar, and turned to Karka. ⁴ It proceeded to Azmon and to the Brook of Egypt^(R) and so the border ended at the Mediterranean Sea. This is your^[c] southern border.

⁵ Now the eastern border was along the Dead Sea to the mouth of the Jordan.

The border on the north side was from the bay of the sea at the mouth of the Jordan. ⁶ It ascended to Beth-hoglah, proceeded north of Beth-arabah, and ascended to the Stone of Bohan son of Reuben. ⁷ Then the border ascended to Debir from the Valley of Achor, turning north to the Gilgal that is opposite the Ascent of Adummim, which is south of the ravine. The border proceeded to the Waters of En-shemesh and ended at En-rogel. ⁸ From there the border ascended Ben Hinnom Valley to the southern Jebusite slope (that is, Jerusalem) and ascended to the top of the hill that faces Hinnom Valley on the west, at the northern end of Rephaim Valley. ⁹ From the top of the hill the border curved to the spring of the Waters of Nephtoah, went to the cities of Mount Ephron, and then curved to Baalah (that is, Kiriath-jearim^(S)). ¹⁰ The border turned westward from Baalah to Mount Seir, went to the northern slope of Mount Jearim (that is, Chesalon), descended to Beth-shemesh, and proceeded to Timnah.^{(T) 11} Then the border reached to the slope north of Ekron, curved to Shikkeron, proceeded to Mount Baalah, went to Jabneel, and ended at the Mediterranean Sea.

¹² Now the western border was the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea.

This was the boundary of the descendants of Judah around their clans.

Caleb and Othniel

¹³ He gave Caleb son of Jephunneh the following portion among the descendants of Judah based on the Lord’s instruction to Joshua: Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron; Arba was the father of Anak). ¹⁴ Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak: Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, descendants of Anak.^{(U) 15} From there he marched against the inhabitants of Debir, which used to be called Kiriath-sepher,^{(V) 16} and Caleb said, “Whoever attacks and captures Kiriath-sepher, I will give my daughter Achsah to him as a wife.” ¹⁷ So Othniel^(W) son of Caleb’s brother, Kenaz, captured it, and Caleb gave his daughter Achsah to him as a wife.^{(X) 18} When she arrived, she persuaded Othniel to ask her father for a field. As she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What can I do for you?” ¹⁹ She replied, “Give me a blessing. Since you have given me land in the Negev, give me the springs also.” So he gave her the upper and lower springs.

Judah’s Cities

²⁰ This was the inheritance of the tribe of the descendants of Judah by their clans.

²¹ These were the outermost cities of the tribe of the descendants of Judah toward the border of Edom in the Negev: Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur,^{(Y) 22} Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah, ²³ Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan, ²⁴ Ziph, Telem, Bealoth, ²⁵ Hazor-hadattah, Kerioth-hezron (that is, Hazor), ²⁶ Amam, Shema, Moladah, ²⁷ Hazar-gaddah, Heshmon, Beth-pelet, ²⁸ Hazar-shual, Beer-sheba, Biziothiah,^{(Z) 29} Baalah, Iim, Ezem, ³⁰ Eltolad, Chesil, Hormah, ³¹ Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah,^{(AA) 32} Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon—twenty-nine cities in all, with their settlements.

³³ In the Judean foothills:^[d] Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah, ³⁴ Zanoah, En-gannim, Tappuah,^[e] Enam, ³⁵ Jarmuth, Adullam,^(AB) Socoh,^[f] Azekah, ³⁶ Shaaraim, Adithaim, Gederah, and Gederothaim—fourteen cities, with their settlements; ³⁷ Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal-gad, ³⁸ Dilan, Mizpeh, Jokthe-el, ³⁹ Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon, ⁴⁰ Cabbon, Lahmam, Chitlish, ⁴¹ Gederoth, Beth-dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah—sixteen cities, with their settlements; ⁴² Libnah, Ether, Ashan, ⁴³ Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib, ⁴⁴ Keilah, Achzib, and Mareshah—nine cities, with their settlements; ⁴⁵ Ekron, with its surrounding villages and settlements; ⁴⁶ from Ekron to the sea, all the cities near Ashdod, with their settlements; ⁴⁷ Ashdod, with its surrounding villages and settlements; Gaza, with its surrounding villages and settlements, to the Brook of Egypt and the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea.

⁴⁸ In the hill country: Shamir, Jattir, Socoh, ⁴⁹ Dannah, Kiriath-sannah (that is, Debir), ⁵⁰ Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim, ⁵¹ Goshen, Holon, and Giloh—eleven cities, with their settlements; ⁵² Arab, Dumah,^[g] Eshan, ⁵³ Janim, Beth-tappuah, Aphekah, ⁵⁴ Humtah, Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), and Zior—nine cities, with their settlements; ⁵⁵ Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah, ⁵⁶ Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah, ⁵⁷ Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah—ten cities, with their settlements; ⁵⁸ Halhul, Beth-zur, Gedor, ⁵⁹ Maarath, Beth-anoth, and Eltekon—six cities, with their settlements;^{[h] 60} Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim), and Rabbah—two cities, with their settlements.

⁶¹ In the wilderness: Beth-arabah, Middin, Secacah, ⁶² Nibshan, the City of Salt,^[i] and En-gedi—six cities, with their settlements.

⁶³ But the descendants of Judah could not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem.^(AC) So the Jebusites still live in Jerusalem among the descendants of Judah today.^(AD)

Joseph’s Inheritance

16 The allotment for the descendants of Joseph went from the Jordan at Jericho to the Waters of Jericho on the east, through the wilderness^(AE) ascending from Jericho into the hill country of Bethel. ² From Bethel it went to Luz and proceeded to the border of the Archites by Ataroth.^{(AF) 3} It then descended westward to the border of the Japhletites as far as the border of Lower Beth-horon, then to Gezer,^(AG) and ended at the Mediterranean Sea. ⁴ So Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph,^(AH) received their inheritance.^(AI)

Ephraim’s Inheritance

⁵ This was the territory of the descendants of Ephraim by their clans:

The border of their inheritance went from Ataroth-addar^(AJ) on the east to Upper Beth-horon. ⁶ In the north the border went westward from Michmethath;^(AK) it turned eastward from Taanath-shiloh and passed it east of Janoah. ⁷ From Janoah it descended to Ataroth and Naarah,^(AL) and then reached Jericho and went to the Jordan. ⁸ From Tappuah the border went westward along the Brook of Kanah and ended at the Mediterranean Sea.^(AM)

This was the inheritance of the tribe of the descendants of Ephraim by their clans, together with ⁹ the cities set apart for the descendants of Ephraim within the inheritance of the descendants of Manasseh—all these cities with their settlements. ¹⁰ However, they did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer.^(AN) So the Canaanites still live in Ephraim today,^(AO) but they are forced laborers.

West Manasseh’s Inheritance

17 This was the allotment for the tribe of Manasseh^(AP) as Joseph’s firstborn. Gilead and Bashan were given to Machir, the firstborn of Manasseh and the father of Gilead, because he was a man of war.^{(AQ) 2} So the allotment was for the rest of Manasseh’s descendants by their clans, for the sons of Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida. These are the male descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph, by their clans.

³ Now Zelophehad son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, had no sons, only daughters. These are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.^{(AR) 4} They came before the priest Eleazar, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders, saying, “The Lord commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our male relatives.” So they gave them an inheritance among their father’s brothers, in keeping with the Lord’s instruction.^{(AS) 5} As a result, ten tracts fell to Manasseh, besides the land of Gilead and Bashan, which are beyond the Jordan,^{[j] 6} because Manasseh’s daughters received an inheritance among his sons. The land of Gilead belonged to the rest of Manasseh’s sons.

⁷ The border of Manasseh went from Asher to Michmethath near Shechem. It then went southward toward the inhabitants of En-tappuah. ⁸ The region of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh, but Tappuah itself on Manasseh’s border^(AT) belonged to the descendants of Ephraim. ⁹ From there the border descended to the Brook of Kanah; south of the brook, cities belonged to Ephraim among Manasseh’s cities. Manasseh’s border was on the north side of the brook and ended at the Mediterranean Sea. ¹⁰ Ephraim’s territory was to the south and Manasseh’s to the north, with the Sea as its border. They reached Asher on the north and Issachar on the east. ¹¹ Within Issachar and Asher, Manasseh had Beth-shean, Ibleam, and the inhabitants of Dor with their surrounding villages;^(AU) the inhabitants of En-dor, Taanach, and Megiddo—the three cities of^[k] Naphath—with their surrounding villages.^(AV)

¹² The descendants of Manasseh could not possess these cities, because the Canaanites were determined to stay in this land. ¹³ However, when the Israelites grew stronger, they imposed forced labor on the Canaanites but did not drive them out completely.^(AW)

Joseph’s Additional Inheritance

¹⁴ Joseph’s descendants said to Joshua, “Why did you give us only one tribal allotment as an inheritance? We have many people, because the Lord has been blessing us greatly.”

¹⁵ “If you have so many people,” Joshua replied to them, “go to the forest and clear an area for yourselves there in the land of the Perizzites and the Rephaim, because Ephraim’s hill country is too small for you.”

¹⁶ But the descendants of Joseph said, “The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who inhabit the valley area have iron chariots, both at Beth-shean with its surrounding villages and in the Jezreel Valley.”

¹⁷ So Joshua replied to Joseph’s family (that is, Ephraim and Manasseh), “You have many people and great strength. You will not have just one allotment, ¹⁸ because the hill country will be yours also. It is a forest; clear it and its outlying areas will be yours. You can also drive out the Canaanites, even though they have iron chariots and are strong.”

Warnings from Jesus

17 He^(A) said to his disciples, “Offenses will certainly come,^[a] but woe^(B) to the one through whom they come!^{(C) 2} It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to stumble.^{(D) 3} Be^(E) on your guard. If your brother sins,^[b] rebuke^(F) him, and if he repents, forgive^(G) him. ⁴ And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and comes back to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”

Faith and Duty

⁵ The^(H) apostles^(I) said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”^(J)

⁶ “If you have faith the size of^[c] a mustard seed,”^(K) the Lord said, “you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.

⁷ “Which one of you having a servant tending sheep or plowing will say to him when he comes in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’? ⁸ Instead, will he not tell him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat, get ready, and serve me while I eat and drink; later you can eat and drink’?^{(L) 9} Does he thank that servant because he did what was commanded?^{[d] 10} In the same way, when you have done all that you were commanded, you should say, ‘We are unworthy ^(M) servants; we’ve only done our duty.’”

Ten Men Healed

¹¹ While traveling to Jerusalem,^(N) he passed between^[e] Samaria and Galilee.^{(O) 12} As he entered a village, ten men with leprosy^[f](P) met him. They stood at a distance ¹³ and raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master,^(Q) have mercy on us!”

¹⁴ When he saw them, he told them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.”^(R) And while they were going, they were cleansed.

¹⁵ But one of them, seeing that he was healed, returned and, with a loud voice, gave glory to God.^{(S) 16} He fell facedown^(T) at his feet, thanking him. And he was a Samaritan.^(U)

¹⁷ Then Jesus said, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? ¹⁸ Didn’t any return to give glory to God except this foreigner?” ¹⁹ And he told him, “Get up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you.”^[g](V)

The Coming of the Kingdom

²⁰ When he was^(W) asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come,^(X) he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming with something observable; ²¹ no one will say,^[h] ‘See here!’ or ‘There!’ For you see, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”^[i]

²² Then he told the disciples, “The days are coming^(Y) when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you won’t see it.^{(Z) 23} They will say to you,^(AA) ‘See there!’ or ‘See here!’ Don’t follow or run after them.^{(AB) 24} For as the lightning flashes from horizon to horizon and lights up the sky, so the Son of Man will be in his day.^{(AC) 25} But first it is necessary that he suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.^(AD)

²⁶ “Just as it was in the days of Noah,^(AE) so it will be in the days of the Son of Man: ²⁷ People went on eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage^(AF) until the day Noah boarded the ark,^(AG) and the flood came and destroyed them all. ²⁸ It will be the same as it was in the days of Lot:^(AH) People went on eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building. ²⁹ But on the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed^(AI) them all. ³⁰ It^(AJ) will be like that on the day the Son of Man is revealed.^{(AK) 31} On that day, a man on the housetop, whose belongings are in the house, must not come down to get them. Likewise the man who is in the field must not turn back. ³² Remember Lot’s wife!^{(AL) 33} Whoever tries to make his life secure^[j][k] will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.^{(AM) 34} I tell you, on that night^(AN) two will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other will be left. ³⁵ Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.”^[l]

³⁷ “Where, Lord?” ^(AO) they asked him.

He said to them, “Where the corpse is, there also the vultures^(AP) will be gathered.”