Old/New Testament

19 The second name drawn was for the families of the people of Simeon. Their land was in the center of the land of the people of Judah. ² They had in their land the cities of Beersheba, Sheba, Moladah, ³ Hazarshual, Balah, Ezem, ⁴ Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah, ⁵ Ziklag, Beth-marcaboth, Hazar-susah, ⁶ Beth-lebaoth, and Sharuhen, thirteen cities with the towns around them. ⁷ There were Ain, Rimmon, Ether, and Ashan, four cities with their towns. ⁸ And they had all the towns around these cities as far as Baalath-beer, also known as Ramah of the Negev. This was the land given to the families of the people of Simeon. ⁹ The land of the people of Simeon was taken from the land of the people of Judah. For the share of the people of Judah was too large for them. So the people of Simeon received a share of land in the center of Judah’s land.

¹⁰ The third name drawn was for the families of the people of Zebulun. The share of their land was as far as Sarid. ¹¹ The side of their land went from there west to Marealah, touched Dabbesheth, and on to the river by Jokneam. ¹² It turned east from Sarid toward the sunrise as far as the land of Chisloth-tabor, then on to Daberath and up to Japhia. ¹³ From there it went east toward the sunrise to Gath-hepher, Eth-kazin, and on to Rimmon, turning toward Neah. ¹⁴ Then the side of their land turned north to Hannathon, and ended at the valley of Iphtahel. ¹⁵ In their land were Kattah, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem. In all there were twelve cities with the towns around them. ¹⁶ This is what was given to the families of the people of Zebulun, these cities with the towns around them.

¹⁷ The fourth name drawn was for the families of the people of Issachar. ¹⁸ Their land spread to Jezreel. In it were Chesulloth, Shunem, ¹⁹ Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath, ²⁰ Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez, ²¹ Remeth, En-gannim, En-haddah, and Bethpazzez. ²² Their land spread to Tabor, Shahazumah, Beth-shemesh, and ended at the Jordan, with sixteen cities and their towns. ²³ This is what was given to the families of the people of Issachar, the cities with the towns around them.

²⁴ The fifth name drawn was for the families of the people of Asher. ²⁵ In their land were Helkath, Hali, Beten, Achshaph, ²⁶ Allammelech, Amad, and Mishal. It spread west to Carmel and Shihor-libnath. ²⁷ It turned east to Beth-dagon and to Zebulun along the valley of Iphtahel north to Bethemek and Neiel. Then it went on north to Cabul, ²⁸ Ebron, Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah, as far as the big city of Sidon. ²⁹ From there the side of their land turned toward Ramah and then to the strong city of Tyre, turned again to Hosah, and ended at the sea near Achzib, ³⁰ Ummah, Aphek and Rehob. There were twenty-two cities with the towns around them. ³¹ This is what was given to the families of the people of Asher, these cities with the towns around them.

³² The sixth name drawn was for the people of Naphtali, for the families of the people of Naphtali. ³³ Their land spread from Heleph, from the big tree in Zaanannim. It went through Adami-nekeb and Jabneel as far as Lakkum. And it ended at the Jordan. ³⁴ The side of their land turned from there west to Aznoth-tabor, and went on to Hukkok. It spread to Zebulun in the south, Asher in the west, and to Judah at the Jordan in the east. ³⁵ The strong cities were Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Chinnereth, ³⁶ Adamah, Ramah, Hazor, ³⁷ Kedesh, Edrei, En-hazor, ³⁸ Yiron, Migdal-el, Horem, Beth-anath, and Beth-shemesh. There were nineteen cities with their towns. ³⁹ This is what was given to the families of the people of Naphtali, the cities with their towns.

⁴⁰ The seventh name drawn was for the families of the people of Dan. ⁴¹ In their land were 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, with the land near Joppa. ⁴⁷ The people of Dan needed more land. So they went up and fought with Leshem and took it with the sword. They took it for themselves and lived in it. And they gave it the name Leshem Dan after the name of Dan their father. ⁴⁸ This is what was given to the families of the people of Dan, these cities with their towns.

⁴⁹ When they finished dividing the land and giving to each family group their share, then the people of Israel gave some land among them to Joshua the son of Nun. ⁵⁰ As the Lord had told them, they gave him the city he asked for. They gave him Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim. So he built the city and lived in it.

⁵¹ This is the land which was given by Eleazar the religious leader, Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the houses of the families of the people of Israel. It was given by drawing names in Shiloh before the Lord at the door of the meeting tent. So they finished dividing the land.

20 The Lord said to Joshua, ² “Say to the people of Israel, ‘Choose the cities where you may go and be safe when you are in trouble, as I said to you through Moses. ³ So the man who kills any person without meaning to or planning to may run to one of these cities. They will be places where you can go to be safe from the one who wants to punish you for the killing. ⁴ He will run to one of these cities and stand at the city gate. There he will tell his story to the leaders of that city. They will take him into the city and give him a place. So he may live among them. ⁵ If the one who wants to punish him comes after him, they will not give him the one who killed the person, because he killed his neighbor without planning to, and did not hate him in the past. ⁶ He will live in that city until he has been tried in front of the people. And he will live there until the death of the one who is the head religious leader at the time. Then the one who killed the person may return to his own city and his own house, to the city he ran away from.’”

⁷ So they set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali. They set apart Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim. And they set apart Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah. ⁸ On the other side of the Jordan east of Jericho, they set apart Bezer in the desert plain from the family of Reuben. They set apart Ramoth in Gilead from the family of Gad. And they set apart Golan in Bashan from the family of Manasseh. ⁹ These were the chosen cities for all the people of Israel and for the stranger staying among them. So whoever killed any person without meaning to could run there. He could not be killed by the one who wanted to punish him, before standing trial in front of the people.

21 Then the family heads of the Levites came to Eleazar the religious leader, Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the family groups of Israel. ² They said to them at Shiloh in Canaan, “The Lord said through Moses to give us cities to live in, as well as fields around them for our cattle.” ³ So the sons of Israel gave these cities and fields of their land to the Levites, as the Lord had said. ⁴ The name drawn first was for the families of the Kohathites. The Levites who were children of Aaron the religious leader received thirteen cities from the families of Judah, Simeon and Benjamin. ⁵ The rest of the sons of Kohath by drawing names received ten cities from the families of Ephraim and Dan and the half-family group of Manasseh. ⁶ The sons of Gershon by drawing names received thirteen cities from the families of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali and the half-family group of Manasseh in Bashan. ⁷ The sons of Merari received twelve cities from the families of Reuben, Gad and Zebulun. ⁸ The sons of Israel by drawing names gave these cities with their fields to the Levites, as the Lord had said through Moses.

⁹ They gave from the families of Judah and Simeon the cities given here by name. ¹⁰ They were for the sons of Aaron, one of the families of the Kohathites, of the sons of Levi. For their name was drawn first. ¹¹ They gave them Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) with the fields around it in the hill country of Judah. (Arba was the father of Anak.) ¹² But the city’s fields and towns had been given to Caleb the son of Jephunneh as his own.

¹³ So to the sons of Aaron the religious leader they gave Hebron and Libnah with their fields. Hebron was the city where one who killed a man could go to be safe. ¹⁴ And they gave them Jattir with its fields, Eshtemoa with its fields, ¹⁵ Holon with its fields, Debir with its fields, ¹⁶ Ain with its fields, Juttah with its fields, and Bethshemesh with its fields. There were nine cities from these two family groups. ¹⁷ From the family of Benjamin were given Gibeon with its fields, Geba with its fields, ¹⁸ Anathoth with its fields, and Almon with its fields, four cities. ¹⁹ For the sons of Aaron, the religious leaders, there were thirteen cities in all, with their fields.

²⁰ Then cities from the family of Ephraim were given to the rest of the families of the people of Kohath, the Levites. ²¹ They gave them Shechem with its fields in the hill country of Ephraim. A man who killed another person could run to Shechem to be safe. And they gave them Gezer with its fields, ²² Kibzaim with its fields, and Beth-horon with its fields, four cities. ²³ From the family of Dan were given Eletke with its fields, Gibbethon with its fields, ²⁴ Aijalon with its fields, and Gath-rimmon with its fields, four cities. ²⁵ From the half-family group of Manasseh were given Taanach with its fields, and Gathrimmon with its fields, two cities. ²⁶ There were ten cities in all, with their fields, for the rest of the families of the Kohathites.

²⁷ From the half-family group of Manasseh they gave Golan in Bashan and Be-eshterah and their fields to the sons of Gershon, one of the Levite families. A man who killed another person could run to Golan in Bashan to be safe. They were given two cities. ²⁸ From the family of Issachar were given Kishion with its fields, Daberath with its fields, ²⁹ Jarmuth with its fields, and Engannim with its fields, four cities. ³⁰ From the family of Asher were given Mishal with its fields, Abdon with its fields, ³¹ Helkath with its fields, and Rehob with its fields, four cities. ³² From the family of Naphtali were given Kedesh in Galilee with its fields, Hammoth-dor with its fields, and Kartan with its fields, three cities. A man who killed another man could run to Kedesh to be safe. ³³ The cities for the families of the Gershonites were thirteen in all, with their fields.

³⁴ They gave cities to the families of the sons of Merari, the rest of the Levites, from the family of Zebulun. They gave them Jokneam with its fields, Kartah with its fields, ³⁵ Dimnah with its fields, and Nahalal with its fields, four cities. ³⁶ From the family of Reuben were given Bezer with its fields, Jahaz with its fields, ³⁷ Kedemoth with its fields, and Mephaath with its fields, four cities. ³⁸ From the family of Gad was given Ramoth in Gilead with its fields. A man who killed another person could run to Ramoth in Gilead to be safe. And they gave them Mahanaim with its fields, ³⁹ Heshbon with its fields, and Jazer with its fields, four cities in all. ⁴⁰ There were twelve cities in all given to the families of the people of Merari, the rest of the families of the Levites.

⁴¹ The cities of the Levites among the land of the people of Israel were forty-eight cities in all, with their fields. ⁴² Each one of these cities had its fields around it. So it was with all these cities.

⁴³ The Lord gave Israel all the land He had promised to give to their fathers. They took it for their own, and lived in it. ⁴⁴ The Lord gave them peace on every side, just as He had promised their fathers. Not one of all those who hated them could stand in front of them. The Lord gave all those who hated them into their hand. ⁴⁵ Every good promise which the Lord had made to the people of Israel came true.

Simeon’s Song of Thanks

²⁵ There was a man in Jerusalem by the name of Simeon. He was a good man and very religious. He was looking for the time when the Jewish nation would be saved. The Holy Spirit was on him. ²⁶ The Holy Spirit made it known to Simeon that he would not die before he had seen God’s Chosen One. ²⁷ He came to the house of God being led by the Holy Spirit. The parents took Jesus to the house of God. They came to do what the Law said must be done. ²⁸ Then Simeon took Jesus in his arms. He gave honor to Him and thanked God, saying,

²⁹ “Lord, now let me die in peace, as You have said. ³⁰ My eyes have seen the One Who will save men from the punishment of their sins. ³¹ You have made Him ready in the sight of all nations. ³² He will be a light to shine on the people who are not Jews. He will be the shining-greatness of Your people the Jews.” ³³ Joseph and the mother of Jesus were surprised and wondered about these words which were said about Jesus. ³⁴ Simeon honored them and said to Mary the mother of Jesus, “See! This Child will make many people fall and many people rise in the Jewish nation. He will be spoken against. ³⁵ A sword will cut through your soul. By this the thoughts of many hearts will be understood.”

Anna Gives Thanks for Jesus

³⁶ Anna was a woman who spoke God’s Word. She was the daughter of Phanuel of the family group of Asher. Anna was many years old. She had lived with her husband seven years after she was married. ³⁷ Her husband had died and she had lived without a husband eighty-four years. Yet she did not go away from the house of God. She served God day and night, praying and going without food so she could pray better. ³⁸ At that time she came and gave thanks to God. She told the people in Jerusalem about Jesus. They were looking for the One to save them from the punishment of their sins and to set them free.

They Return to Nazareth ^(A)

³⁹ When Joseph and Mary had done everything the Law said to do, they went back to Nazareth in Galilee. ⁴⁰ The Child grew and became strong in spirit. He was filled with wisdom and the loving-favor of God was on Him.

⁴¹ His parents went to Jerusalem every year for the special religious gathering to remember how the Jews left Egypt. ⁴² When He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem as they had done before. ⁴³ When the days of the special supper were over, they started back to their town. But the boy Jesus was still in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it. ⁴⁴ They thought Jesus was with the others of the group. They walked for one day. Then they looked for Him among their family and friends.

⁴⁵ When they could not find Jesus, they turned back to Jerusalem to look for Him. ⁴⁶ Three days later they found Him in the house of God. He was sitting among the teachers. He was hearing what they said and asking questions. ⁴⁷ All those who heard Him were surprised and wondered about His understanding and at what He said. ⁴⁸ When His parents saw Him, they were surprised. His mother said to Him, “My Son, why have You done this to us? See! Your father and I have had much sorrow looking for You.” ⁴⁹ He said to them, “Why were you looking for Me? Do you not know that I must be in My Father’s house?” ⁵⁰ They did not understand the things He said to them.

⁵¹ He went with them to Nazareth and obeyed them. But His mother kept all these words in her heart. ⁵² Jesus grew strong in mind and body. He grew in favor with God and men.