Joshua 20-21

New International Version

Cities of Refuge^(A)

20 Then the Lord said to Joshua: ²“Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses, ³so that anyone who kills a person accidentally and unintentionally^(B) may flee there and find protection from the avenger of blood.^(C) ⁴When they flee to one of these cities, they are to stand in the entrance of the city gate^(D) and state their case before the elders^(E) of that city. Then the elders are to admit the fugitive into their city and provide a place to live among them. ⁵If the avenger of blood comes in pursuit, the elders must not surrender the fugitive, because the fugitive killed their neighbor unintentionally and without malice aforethought. ⁶They are to stay in that city until they have stood trial before the assembly^(F) and until the death of the high priest who is serving at that time. Then they may go back to their own home in the town from which they fled.”

⁷So they set apart Kedesh^(G) in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem^(H) in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath Arba^(I) (that is, Hebron^(J)) in the hill country of Judah.^(K) ⁸East of the Jordan (on the other side from Jericho) they designated Bezer^(L) in the wilderness on the plateau in the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead^(M) in the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan^(N) in the tribe of Manasseh. ⁹Any of the Israelites or any foreigner residing among them who killed someone accidentally^(O) could flee to these designated cities and not be killed by the avenger of blood prior to standing trial before the assembly.^(P)

Towns for the Levites^(Q)

21 Now the family heads of the Levites approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the other tribal families of Israel^(R) ²at Shiloh^(S) in Canaan and said to them, “The Lord commanded through Moses that you give us towns^(T) to live in, with pasturelands for our livestock.”^(U) ³So, as the Lord had commanded, the Israelites gave the Levites the following towns and pasturelands out of their own inheritance:

⁴The first lot came out for the Kohathites,^(V) according to their clans. The Levites who were descendants of Aaron the priest were allotted thirteen towns from the tribes of Judah, Simeon and Benjamin.^(W) ⁵The rest of Kohath’s descendants were allotted ten towns from the clans of the tribes of Ephraim, Dan and half of Manasseh.^(X)

⁶The descendants of Gershon^(Y) were allotted thirteen towns from the clans of the tribes of Issachar,^(Z) Asher,^(AA) Naphtali and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.

⁷The descendants of Merari,^(AB) according to their clans, received twelve^(AC) towns from the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Zebulun.^(AD)

⁸So the Israelites allotted to the Levites these towns and their pasturelands, as the Lord had commanded through Moses.

⁹From the tribes of Judah and Simeon they allotted the following towns by name ¹⁰(these towns were assigned to the descendants of Aaron who were from the Kohathite clans of the Levites, because the first lot fell to them):

¹¹They gave them Kiriath Arba^(AE) (that is, Hebron^(AF)), with its surrounding pastureland, in the hill country of Judah. (Arba was the forefather of Anak.) ¹²But the fields and villages around the city they had given to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his possession.^(AG)

¹³So to the descendants of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron (a city of refuge^(AH) for one accused of murder), Libnah,^(AI) ¹⁴Jattir,^(AJ) Eshtemoa,^(AK) ¹⁵Holon,^(AL) Debir,^(AM) ¹⁶Ain,^(AN) Juttah^(AO) and Beth Shemesh,^(AP) together with their pasturelands—nine towns from these two tribes.

¹⁷And from the tribe of Benjamin they gave them Gibeon,^(AQ) Geba,^(AR) ¹⁸Anathoth^(AS) and Almon, together with their pasturelands—four towns.

¹⁹The total number of towns^(AT) for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, came to thirteen, together with their pasturelands.^(AU)

²⁰The rest of the Kohathite clans of the Levites were allotted towns from the tribe of Ephraim:

²¹In the hill country of Ephraim they were given Shechem^(AV) (a city of refuge for one accused of murder) and Gezer,^(AW) ²²Kibzaim and Beth Horon,^(AX) together with their pasturelands—four towns.^(AY)

²³Also from the tribe of Dan they received Eltekeh, Gibbethon,^(AZ) ²⁴Aijalon^(BA) and Gath Rimmon,^(BB) together with their pasturelands—four towns.

²⁵From half the tribe of Manasseh they received Taanach^(BC) and Gath Rimmon, together with their pasturelands—two towns.

²⁶All these ten towns and their pasturelands were given to the rest of the Kohathite clans.^(BD)

²⁷The Levite clans of the Gershonites were given:

from the half-tribe of Manasseh,

Golan in Bashan^(BE) (a city of refuge for one accused of murder^(BF)) and Be Eshterah, together with their pasturelands—two towns;

²⁸from the tribe of Issachar,^(BG)

Kishion,^(BH) Daberath,^(BI) ²⁹Jarmuth^(BJ) and En Gannim,^(BK) together with their pasturelands—four towns;

³⁰from the tribe of Asher,^(BL)

Mishal,^(BM) Abdon,^(BN) ³¹Helkath and Rehob,^(BO) together with their pasturelands—four towns;

³²from the tribe of Naphtali,

Kedesh^(BP) in Galilee (a city of refuge for one accused of murder^(BQ)), Hammoth Dor and Kartan, together with their pasturelands—three towns.

³³The total number of towns of the Gershonite^(BR) clans came to thirteen, together with their pasturelands.

³⁴The Merarite clans (the rest of the Levites) were given:

from the tribe of Zebulun,^(BS)

Jokneam,^(BT) Kartah, ³⁵Dimnah and Nahalal,^(BU) together with their pasturelands—four towns;

³⁶from the tribe of Reuben,

Bezer,^(BV) Jahaz,^(BW) ³⁷Kedemoth and Mephaath,^(BX) together with their pasturelands—four towns;

³⁸from the tribe of Gad,

Ramoth^(BY) in Gilead^(BZ) (a city of refuge for one accused of murder), Mahanaim,^(CA) ³⁹Heshbon and Jazer,^(CB) together with their pasturelands—four towns in all.

⁴⁰The total number of towns allotted to the Merarite clans, who were the rest of the Levites, came to twelve.^(CC)

⁴¹The towns of the Levites in the territory held by the Israelites were forty-eight in all, together with their pasturelands.^(CD) ⁴²Each of these towns had pasturelands surrounding it; this was true for all these towns.

⁴³So the Lord gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their ancestors,^(CE) and they took possession^(CF) of it and settled there.^(CG) ⁴⁴The Lord gave them rest^(CH) on every side, just as he had sworn to their ancestors. Not one of their enemies^(CI) withstood them; the Lord gave all their enemies^(CJ) into their hands.^(CK) ⁴⁵Not one of all the Lord’s good promises^(CL) to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.

Jeremiah 42

New International Version

42 Then all the army officers, including Johanan^(A) son of Kareah and Jezaniah^[a] son of Hoshaiah,^(B) and all the people from the least to the greatest^(C) approached ²Jeremiah the prophet and said to him, “Please hear our petition and pray^(D) to the Lord your God for this entire remnant.^(E) For as you now see, though we were once many, now only a few^(F) are left. ³Pray that the Lord your God will tell us where we should go and what we should do.”^(G)

⁴“I have heard you,” replied Jeremiah the prophet. “I will certainly pray^(H) to the Lord your God as you have requested; I will tell^(I) you everything the Lord says and will keep nothing back from you.”^(J)

⁵Then they said to Jeremiah, “May the Lord be a true^(K) and faithful^(L) witness^(M) against us if we do not act in accordance with everything the Lord your God sends you to tell us. ⁶Whether it is favorable or unfavorable, we will obey the Lord our God, to whom we are sending you, so that it will go well^(N) with us, for we will obey^(O) the Lord our God.”

⁷Ten days later the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah. ⁸So he called together Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers^(P) who were with him and all the people from the least to the greatest.^(Q) ⁹He said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, to whom you sent me to present your petition,^(R) says:^(S) ¹⁰‘If you stay in this land,^(T) I will build^(U) you up and not tear you down; I will plant^(V) you and not uproot you,^(W) for I have relented concerning the disaster I have inflicted on you.^(X) ¹¹Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon,^(Y) whom you now fear.^(Z) Do not be afraid of him, declares the Lord, for I am with you and will save^(AA) you and deliver you from his hands.^(AB) ¹²I will show you compassion^(AC) so that he will have compassion on you and restore you to your land.’^(AD)

¹³“However, if you say, ‘We will not stay in this land,’ and so disobey^(AE) the Lord your God, ¹⁴and if you say, ‘No, we will go and live in Egypt,^(AF) where we will not see war or hear the trumpet^(AG) or be hungry for bread,’^(AH) ¹⁵then hear the word of the Lord,^(AI) you remnant of Judah. This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you are determined to go to Egypt and you do go to settle there, ¹⁶then the sword^(AJ) you fear^(AK) will overtake you there, and the famine^(AL) you dread will follow you into Egypt, and there you will die.^(AM) ¹⁷Indeed, all who are determined to go to Egypt to settle there will die by the sword, famine and plague;^(AN) not one of them will survive or escape the disaster I will bring on them.’ ¹⁸This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘As my anger and wrath^(AO) have been poured out on those who lived in Jerusalem,^(AP) so will my wrath be poured out on you when you go to Egypt. You will be a curse^[b]^(AQ) and an object of horror,^(AR) a curse^[c] and an object of reproach;^(AS) you will never see this place again.’^(AT)

¹⁹“Remnant^(AU) of Judah, the Lord has told you, ‘Do not go to Egypt.’^(AV) Be sure of this: I warn you today ²⁰that you made a fatal mistake when you sent me to the Lord your God and said, ‘Pray to the Lord our God for us; tell us everything he says and we will do it.’^(AW) ²¹I have told you today, but you still have not obeyed the Lord your God in all he sent me to tell you.^(AX) ²²So now, be sure of this: You will die by the sword, famine^(AY) and plague^(AZ) in the place where you want to go to settle.”^(BA)

Footnotes

Jeremiah 42:1 Hebrew; Septuagint (see also 43:2) Azariah
Jeremiah 42:18 That is, your name will be used in cursing (see 29:22); or, others will see that you are cursed.
Jeremiah 42:18 That is, your name will be used in cursing (see 29:22); or, others will see that you are cursed.

Psalm 84-86

New International Version

Psalm 84^[a]

For the director of music. According to gittith.^[b] Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

¹How lovely is your dwelling place,^(A)
    Lord Almighty!
²My soul yearns,^(B) even faints,
    for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out
    for the living God.^(C)
³Even the sparrow has found a home,
    and the swallow a nest for herself,
    where she may have her young—
a place near your altar,^(D)
    Lord Almighty,^(E) my King^(F) and my God.^(G)
⁴Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
    they are ever praising you.^[c]

⁵Blessed are those whose strength^(H) is in you,
    whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.^(I)
⁶As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
    they make it a place of springs;^(J)
    the autumn^(K) rains also cover it with pools.^[d]
⁷They go from strength to strength,^(L)
    till each appears^(M) before God in Zion.^(N)

⁸Hear my prayer,^(O) Lord God Almighty;
listen to me, God of Jacob.
⁹Look on our shield,^[e]^(P) O God;
look with favor on your anointed one.^(Q)

¹⁰Better is one day in your courts
    than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper^(R) in the house of my God
    than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
¹¹For the Lord God is a sun^(S) and shield;^(T)
    the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold^(U)
    from those whose walk is blameless.

¹²Lord Almighty,
blessed^(V) is the one who trusts in you.

Psalm 85^[f]

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

¹You, Lord, showed favor to your land;
    you restored the fortunes^(W) of Jacob.
²You forgave^(X) the iniquity^(Y) of your people
    and covered all their sins.^[g]
³You set aside all your wrath^(Z)
    and turned from your fierce anger.^(AA)

⁴Restore^(AB) us again, God our Savior,^(AC)
    and put away your displeasure toward us.
⁵Will you be angry with us forever?^(AD)
    Will you prolong your anger through all generations?
⁶Will you not revive^(AE) us again,
    that your people may rejoice^(AF) in you?
⁷Show us your unfailing love,^(AG) Lord,
    and grant us your salvation.^(AH)

⁸I will listen to what God the Lord says;
    he promises peace^(AI) to his people, his faithful servants—
    but let them not turn to folly.^(AJ)
⁹Surely his salvation^(AK) is near those who fear him,
    that his glory^(AL) may dwell in our land.

¹⁰Love and faithfulness^(AM) meet together;
    righteousness^(AN) and peace kiss each other.
¹¹Faithfulness springs forth from the earth,
    and righteousness^(AO) looks down from heaven.
¹²The Lord will indeed give what is good,^(AP)
    and our land will yield^(AQ) its harvest.
¹³Righteousness goes before him
    and prepares the way for his steps.

Psalm 86

A prayer of David.

¹Hear me, Lord, and answer^(AR) me,
    for I am poor and needy.
²Guard my life, for I am faithful to you;
    save your servant who trusts in you.^(AS)
You are my God; ³have mercy^(AT) on me, Lord,
    for I call^(AU) to you all day long.
⁴Bring joy to your servant, Lord,
    for I put my trust^(AV) in you.

⁵You, Lord, are forgiving and good,
    abounding in love^(AW) to all who call to you.
⁶Hear my prayer, Lord;
    listen to my cry^(AX) for mercy.
⁷When I am in distress,^(AY) I call^(AZ) to you,
    because you answer^(BA) me.

⁸Among the gods^(BB) there is none like you,^(BC) Lord;
    no deeds can compare with yours.
⁹All the nations you have made
    will come^(BD) and worship^(BE) before you, Lord;
    they will bring glory^(BF) to your name.
¹⁰For you are great^(BG) and do marvelous deeds;^(BH)
    you alone^(BI) are God.

¹¹Teach me your way,^(BJ) Lord,
    that I may rely on your faithfulness;^(BK)
give me an undivided^(BL) heart,
    that I may fear^(BM) your name.
¹²I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart;^(BN)
    I will glorify your name forever.
¹³For great is your love toward me;
    you have delivered me^(BO) from the depths,
    from the realm of the dead.^(BP)

¹⁴Arrogant foes are attacking me, O God;
    ruthless people are trying to kill me—
    they have no regard for you.^(BQ)
¹⁵But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious^(BR) God,
    slow to anger,^(BS) abounding^(BT) in love and faithfulness.^(BU)
¹⁶Turn to me^(BV) and have mercy^(BW) on me;
    show your strength^(BX) in behalf of your servant;
save me, because I serve you
    just as my mother did.^(BY)
¹⁷Give me a sign^(BZ) of your goodness,
    that my enemies may see it and be put to shame,
    for you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

Footnotes

Psalm 84:1 In Hebrew texts 84:1-12 is numbered 84:2-13.
Psalm 84:1 Title: Probably a musical term
Psalm 84:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 8.
Psalm 84:6 Or blessings
Psalm 84:9 Or sovereign
Psalm 85:1 In Hebrew texts 85:1-13 is numbered 85:2-14.
Psalm 85:2 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.

New International Version (NIV)

Joshua 20-21

New International Version

Cities of Refuge^(A)

Towns for the Levites^(Q)

Cross references

Jeremiah 42

New International Version

Footnotes

Cross references

Psalm 84-86

New International Version

Psalm 84^[a]

For the director of music. According to gittith.^[b] Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

Psalm 85^[f]

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

Psalm 86

A prayer of David.

Footnotes

Cross references

More on the NIV

Bible Gateway Recommends

Joshua 20-21 New International Version

Cities of Refuge(A)

Towns for the Levites(Q)

Cross references

Jeremiah 42 New International Version

Footnotes

Cross references

Psalm 84-86 New International Version

Psalm 84[a]

For the director of music. According to gittith.[b] Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

Psalm 85[f]

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

Psalm 86

A prayer of David.

Footnotes

Cross references

More on the NIV

Bible Gateway Recommends

Joshua 20-21

New International Version

Cities of Refuge^(A)

Towns for the Levites^(Q)

Jeremiah 42

New International Version

Psalm 84-86

New International Version

Psalm 84^[a]

For the director of music. According to gittith.^[b] Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

Psalm 85^[f]