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Joshua 12-15

Kings Defeated by Israel

12 The Israelites took control of the land east of the Jordan River from the Arnon ·Ravine [Gorge; Valley; C enters the middle of Dead Sea from the east] to Mount Hermon [C in the far north] and all the land along the eastern side of the ·Jordan Valley [or Arabah]. These ·lands belonged to the kings [were the kings of the land] whom the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] defeated.

Sihon king of the Amorites [Num. 21:21–30; Deut. 1:4; 2:24–37; 29:7–8] ·lived in [or ruled] the city of Heshbon and ruled the land from Aroer ·at [or on the edge/rim of] the Arnon ·Ravine [Gorge; Valley] to the Jabbok River [C flows from the northeast into the Jordan about 20 miles north of the Dead Sea]. His land started in the middle of the ravine, which was their border with the Ammonites. Sihon ruled over half the land of Gilead [C the region east of the Jordan between Galilee and just north of the Dead Sea] and over the eastern side of the ·Jordan Valley [or Arabah] from Lake ·Galilee [L Kinnereth] to the ·Dead Sea [L Sea of Arabah, the Salt Sea]. And he ruled from Beth Jeshimoth south to the slopes of Pisgah [Deut. 34:1].

Og king of Bashan was one of the ·last [remnant] of the Rephaites. He ·ruled [or lived in] the land in Ashtaroth and Edrei [C cities east and southeast of Galilee]. He ruled over Mount Hermon, Salecah, and all the area of Bashan [C east and northeast of Galilee] up to ·where the people of Geshur and Maacah lived [L the border of the Geshurites and the Maacathites]. Og also ruled half the land of Gilead up to the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.

The Lord’s servant Moses and the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] defeated all these kings, and Moses gave that land to the tribes of Reuben and Gad and to ·East [L the half-tribe of] Manasseh as their own [13:8–32; Deut. 3:12–13].

Joshua and the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] also defeated kings in the land west of the Jordan River. He gave the people the land ·and divided it among the twelve tribes to be their own [L according to their tribal divisions]. It was between Baal Gad in the Valley of Lebanon [C the far north] and Mount Halak near ·Edom [L Seir; C the far south]. This included the ·mountains [hill country], the ·western foothills [lowlands; L Shephelah], the ·Jordan Valley [L Arabah], the slopes, the ·desert [wilderness], and ·southern Canaan [L the Negev]. This was the land where the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites had lived. The Israelites defeated the king of each of the following cities: ·Jericho [L the king of Jericho, one; C and so throughout the list], Ai (near Bethel), 10 Jerusalem, Hebron, 11 Jarmuth, Lachish, 12 Eglon, Gezer, 13 Debir, Geder, 14 Hormah, Arad, 15 Libnah, Adullam, 16 Makkedah, Bethel, 17 Tappuah, Hepher, 18 Aphek, Lasharon, 19 Madon, Hazor, 20 Shimron Meron, Acshaph, 21 Taanach, Megiddo, 22 Kedesh, Jokneam ·in [or near] Carmel, 23 Dor (in Naphoth Dor), Goyim in Gilgal, and 24 Tirzah.

The total number of kings was thirty-one.

Land Still to Be Taken

13 When Joshua was very old, the Lord said to him, “Joshua, you have grown old, but there is still much land for you to ·take [possess; conquer]. This is what is left: the regions of Geshur and of the Philistines [C the southern coastline along the Mediterranean Sea]; the area from the Shihor River [C Wadi el-Arish located below Gaza] ·at the border [east; L in front] of Egypt ·to [L to the border of] Ekron in the north, which ·belongs to the Canaanites [L is regarded/counted as Canaanite]; the five Philistine ·leaders [rulers; lords] at Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron; the Avvites, ·who live south of the Canaanite land, from Arah of the Sidonians [C the people of the northern coastal plains] to Aphek, to the border of the Amorites; the ·Gebalites [C inhabitants of the city of Byblos, located north of modern Beirut], and the area of Lebanon east of Baal Gad below Mount Hermon to Lebo Hamath.

“The Sidonians are living in the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim, but I will ·force [drive] all of them out ahead of the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel]. Be sure to ·remember this land when you divide the land among the Israelites [L allocate this land to Israel as an inheritance], as I ·told [commanded] you.

“Now divide the land ·among [L as an inheritance among] the nine tribes and ·West [L the half-tribe of] Manasseh.”

Dividing the Land

·East Manasseh and [L With it; C referring to the other half-tribe of Manasseh] the tribes of Reuben and Gad had received their ·land [inheritance]. The Lord’s servant Moses had given them the land east of the Jordan River [Deut. 3:18–20]. ·Their land started at [L From] Aroer at the Arnon ·Ravine [Valley; 12:1] ·and continued to [or including] the town in the middle of the ravine, and it included the whole ·plain [or plateau] from Medeba to Dibon. 10 All the towns ruled by Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled in the city of Heshbon, were in that land. The land continued to the area where the Ammonites lived. 11 Gilead [12:3] was also there, as well as the area where the people of Geshur and Maacah lived, and all of Mount Hermon and Bashan as far as Salecah. 12 All the kingdom of Og king of Bashan was in the land [12:4–5]. Og was ·one of the last [L from the remnant] of the Rephaites, and in the past he ruled in Ashtaroth and Edrei. Moses had ·defeated [struck] them and had taken their land. 13 Because the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] did not ·force [drive] out the people of Geshur and Maacah, they still live among the Israelites today.

14 The tribe of Levi was the only one that ·did not get any land [L he gave no inheritance]. Instead, they were given all the burned sacrifices [C a portion of the food offerings] made to the Lord, the God of Israel, as he had promised them [14:3–4; Num. 3:45; 35:1–8].

15 Moses had given each ·family group [clan] from the tribe of Reuben some land: 16 Theirs was the land from Aroer near the Arnon ·Ravine [Valley; 12:1] to the town of Medeba, including the whole plain and the town in the middle of the ·ravine [valley]; 17 Heshbon and all ·the [L its] towns on the plain: Dibon, Bamoth Baal, and Beth Baal Meon, 18 Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath, 19 Kiriathaim, Sibmah, Zereth Shahar on the hill in the valley, 20 Beth Peor, the ·hills [slopes] of Pisgah, and Beth Jeshimoth. 21 So that land included all the towns on the plain and all the area that Sihon king of the Amorites had ruled from the town of Heshbon. Moses had defeated him along with the leaders of the Midianites, including Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba. All these ·leaders [princes] ·fought together with [or were subjects of] Sihon and lived in that country. 22 The ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] ·killed [L slayed with the sword] many people during the fighting, including Balaam of Beor, who ·tried to use magic to tell the future [practiced divination; Num. 22–24]. 23 The land given to Reuben stopped at the shore of the Jordan River. So the ·land [inheritance] given to the ·family groups [clans] of Reuben included all these towns and their villages.

24 This is the land Moses gave to the tribe of Gad, to all its ·family groups [clans]: 25 the land of Jazer and all the towns of Gilead; half the land of the Ammonites that went as far as Aroer near Rabbah; 26 the area from Heshbon to Ramath Mizpah and Betonim; the area from Mahanaim to the land of Debir; 27 in the valley, Beth Haram, Beth Nimrah, Succoth, and Zaphon, the ·other land [rest of the kingdom] Sihon king of Heshbon had ruled east of the Jordan River and continuing to the end of Lake ·Galilee [L Kinnereth]. 28 ·All this land went to [L This is the inheritance of] the ·family groups [clans] of Gad, including all these towns and their villages.

29 This is the land Moses had given to ·East [L the half-tribe of] Manasseh. Half of all the ·family groups [clans] in the tribe of Manasseh were given this land: 30 The land started at Mahanaim and included all of Bashan [12:4] and the land ruled by Og king of Bashan; all the towns of Jair in Bashan, sixty cities in all; 31 half of Gilead, Ashtaroth, and Edrei, the cities where Og king of Bashan had ruled. All this went to the ·family [or descendants; L children/sons] of Makir son of Manasseh, and half of all his ·sons [descendants] were given this land.

32 Moses had given this land to these tribes on the plains of Moab across the Jordan River east of Jericho [Num. 32:32, 39–42]. 33 But Moses had given no land to the tribe of Levi because the Lord, the God of Israel, promised that he himself would be the gift for the Levites [v. 14; 18:7; Num. 18:20; Deut. 18:1–8].

14 Eleazar the priest [the son of Aaron; Ex. 28:1; Num. 34:17], Joshua son of Nun, and the ·leaders [L heads of the fathers] of all the tribes of Israel decided what land to give to the people in the land of Canaan. The Lord had commanded Moses long ago how he wanted the people to choose their land. The people of the nine-and-a-half tribes threw lots [C casting lots left the decision to God; the Urim and Thummim may have been used; Ex. 28:30; Num. 27:21] to decide which land they would receive. Moses had already given the two-and-a-half tribes their land east of the Jordan River. But the tribe of Levi was not given any ·land [inheritance] like the others. The sons of Joseph had ·divided into [L become] two tribes—Manasseh and Ephraim. The tribe of Levi was not given any ·land [inheritance]. It was given only some towns in which to live and pastures for its ·animals [L cattle and property]. The Lord had told Moses how to give the land to the tribes of Israel, and the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] divided the land.

Caleb’s Land

One day ·some men from the tribe of Judah [L the sons/descendants of Judah] went to Joshua at Gilgal [4:19]. Among them was Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite. He said to Joshua, “You remember what the Lord said at Kadesh Barnea when he was speaking to ·the prophet Moses [L Moses, the man of God] about you and me [Num. 14:6–9, 24, 30]. Moses, the Lord’s servant, sent me to ·look at [spy out] the land where we were going. I was forty years old then. When I came back, I ·told Moses what I thought about the land [brought back an honest report; L brought him word as it was in my heart; Num. 13:30]. The other men who went with me ·frightened the people [L made the heart of the people melt; Num. 13:27–29; 14:1–4], but I ·fully believed the Lord would allow us to take the land [or remained loyal to the Lord; L followed the Lord]. So that day Moses ·promised [swore to; made an oath to] me, ‘The land where ·you went [L your foot has trodden] will become your ·land [inheritance], and your children will own it forever. I will give you that land because you ·fully believed in [or remained loyal to; L followed] the Lord, my God.’

10 “Now then, [L look; T behold] the Lord has kept his promise. He has kept me alive for forty-five years from the time he said this to Moses during the time ·we all [L Israel] wandered in the ·desert [wilderness]. Now ·here [L look; T behold] I am, eighty-five years old. 11 I am still as strong today as I was the day Moses sent me out, ·and I am just as ready to fight now as I was then [L my strength then is like my strength now, for battle and for going out and coming in]. 12 So give me the mountain country the Lord promised me that day long ago. Back then you heard that the ·Anakite people [Anakim] lived there and the cities were large and well protected. But now with the Lord helping me, I will ·force [drive] them out, just as the Lord said.”

13 Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him the city of Hebron [C southwest of Jerusalem in the Judean hills] as his ·own [L inheritance]. 14 Hebron still ·belongs to [remains the inheritance of] the family of Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite because he ·had faith and obeyed [remained loyal to; L wholly followed] the Lord, the God of Israel. 15 (In the past Hebron was called Kiriath Arba, named for Arba, the greatest man among the Anakites.)

After this ·there was peace in the land [L the land had rest from war].

Land for Judah

15 The ·land that was given to [allotment for] the tribe of Judah was divided among all the ·family groups [clans]. It went all the way to the ·Desert [Wilderness] of Zin in the far south, at the border of Edom.

The southern border of Judah’s land started at the south end of the ·Dead [L Salt] Sea and went south of ·Scorpion Pass [or the ascent of Akrabbim] to Zin. From there it passed to the south of Kadesh Barnea and continued past Hezron to Addar. From Addar it turned and went to Karka. It continued to Azmon, the ·brook [stream; wadi] of Egypt, and then to the ·Mediterranean Sea [L Sea]. This was the southern border.

The eastern border was the shore of the ·Dead [L Salt] Sea, as far as the mouth of the Jordan River.

The northern border started at the bay of the sea at the mouth of the Jordan River. Then it went to Beth Hoglah and continued north of Beth Arabah to the stone of Bohan son of Reuben. Then ·the northern border went [L the border went up] through the Valley of Achor to Debir where it turned toward the north and went to Gilgal. Gilgal is ·across from the road that goes through [L opposite] Adummim Pass, on the south side of the ·ravine [valley; gorge]. The border continued to the waters of En Shemesh and stopped at En Rogel. Then it went through the Valley of ·Ben [the Son of] Hinnom, next to the southern ·side [slope] of the Jebusite city (·which is called [that is,] Jerusalem). There the border went to the top of the hill on the west side of Hinnom Valley, at the northern end of the Valley of ·Giants [L Raphaim]. From there it went to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah and then it went to the cities near Mount Ephron. There it turned and went toward Baalah, ·which is called [that is,] Kiriath Jearim. 10 At Baalah the border turned west and went toward Mount Seir. It continued along the ·north side [northern slope] of Mount Jearim (also called Kesalon) and ·came [or descended] to Beth Shemesh. From there it ·went past [or crossed to] Timnah 11 to the ·hill north [northern slope] of Ekron. Then it turned toward Shikkeron and ·went past [or crossed to] Mount Baalah and continued on to Jabneel, ending at the sea.

12 The ·Mediterranean [Great] Sea was the western border. Inside these borders lived the ·family groups [clans] of Judah.

13 The Lord had commanded Joshua to give Caleb son of Jephunneh ·part of the land [a portion] in Judah, so he gave Caleb the town of Kiriath Arba, ·also called [that is,] Hebron [14:13]. (Arba was the father of Anak.) 14 Caleb ·forced [drove] out the three ·Anakite families [L sons of Anak] living in Hebron: Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, the descendants of Anak. 15 Then he left there and went to fight against the people living in Debir. (In the past Debir had been called Kiriath Sepher.) 16 Caleb said, “I will give Acsah, my daughter, as a wife to the man who attacks and captures the city of Kiriath Sepher.” 17 Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s brother, captured the city, so Caleb gave his daughter Acsah to Othniel to be his wife. 18 When Acsah came to ·Othniel [L him; C could be Othniel or Caleb], she ·told him to ask [or asked] her father for a field.

So Acsah went to her father. When she got down from her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What do you want?”

19 Acsah answered, “·Do me a special favor [L Give me a blessing]. Since you have given me land in ·southern Canaan [L the Negev], also give me springs of water.” So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs.

20 ·The tribe of Judah got the land God had promised them [L This is the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Judah]. ·Each family group got part of the land [L …according to its clans].

21 The tribe of Judah got all these towns in the ·southern part of Canaan [extreme south; L Negev] near the border of Edom: Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur, 22 Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah, 23 Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan, 24 Ziph, Telem, Bealoth, 25 Hazor Hadattah, Kerioth Hezron (also called Hazor), 26 Amam, Shema, Moladah, 27 Hazar Gaddah, Heshmon, Beth Pelet, 28 Hazar Shual, Beersheba, Biziothiah, 29 Baalah, Iim, Ezem, 30 Eltolad, Kesil, Hormah, 31 Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah, 32 Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon. There were twenty-nine towns and their villages.

33 The tribe of Judah got these towns in the ·western foothills [lowlands]: Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah, 34 Zanoah, En Gannim, Tappuah, Enam, 35 Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah, 36 Shaaraim, Adithaim, and Gederah (also called Gederothaim). There were fourteen towns and their villages.

37 Judah was also given Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal Gad, 38 Dilean, Mizpah, Joktheel, 39 Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon, 40 Cabbon, Lahmas, Kitlish, 41 Gederoth, Beth Dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah. There were sixteen towns and their villages.

42 Judah was also given Libnah, Ether, Ashan, 43 Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib, 44 Keilah, Aczib, and Mareshah. There were nine towns and their villages.

45 Judah was also given Ekron and all the small towns and villages near it; 46 the area west of Ekron and all the villages and small towns near Ashdod; 47 Ashdod and the small towns and villages around it; the villages and small towns around Gaza as far as the ·brook [stream; wadi] of Egypt and along the coast of the ·Mediterranean [L Great] Sea.

48 Judah was also given these towns in the ·mountains [hill country]: Shamir, Jattir, Socoh, 49 Dannah, Kiriath Sannah (also called Debir), 50 Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim, 51 Goshen, Holon, and Giloh. There were eleven towns and their villages.

52 They were also given Arab, Dumah, Eshan, 53 Janim, Beth Tappuah, Aphekah, 54 Humtah, Kiriath Arba (also called Hebron), and Zior. There were nine towns and their villages.

55 Judah was also given Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah, 56 Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah, 57 Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah. There were ten towns and their villages.

58 They were also given Halhul, Beth Zur, Gedor, 59 Maarath, Beth Anoth, and Eltekon. There were six towns and their villages.

60 They were also given the two towns of Rabbah and Kiriath Baal (also called Kiriath Jearim) and their villages.

61 Judah was given these towns in the ·desert [wilderness]: Beth Arabah, Middin, Secacah, 62 Nibshan, the City of Salt, and En Gedi. There were six towns and all their villages.

63 The ·army [people; L sons] of Judah was not able to ·force [drive] out the Jebusites living in Jerusalem, so the Jebusites still live among the people of Judah to this day.

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