Old/New Testament

Ephraim’s Allocation

16 The territorial allotment for the descendants of Joseph proceeded from the Jordan River by Jericho eastward of the Jericho waters into the wilderness, proceeding from Jericho through the hill country of Bethel ² and from Bethel to Luz, continuing to the border of the Archites at Ataroth. ³ It proceeded westward to the territory of the Japhletites as far as the territory of lower Beth-horon, then toward Gezer, ending at the Mediterranean^[a] Sea.

⁴ Manasseh and Ephraim, the descendants of Joseph, received their inheritance. ⁵ This was the territory allocated to the descendants of Ephraim according to their families: the border of their inheritance on the east was Ataroth-addar as far as upper Beth-horon. ⁶ Then the border proceeded west from Michmethath on the north, then turned east toward Taanath-shiloh, continuing to the east of Janoah. ⁷ It proceeded from Janoah to Ataroth, then to Naarah, then proceeded to Jericho and ended at the Jordan River. ⁸ From Tappuach, the border proceeded west to the Kanah brook, ending at the Mediterranean Sea. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the descendants of Ephraim according to their families, ⁹ along with the cities that had been set aside for the descendants of Ephraim within the allotment of the descendants of Manasseh, including all of the cities and villages. ¹⁰ However, they did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer, so the Canaanites live within the territory of^[b] Ephraim to this day, but they serve as forced laborers.

Manasseh’s Allocation

17 The territorial allotment for the tribe of Manasseh, the firstborn of Joseph, was allocated first^[c] to Machir the firstborn of Manasseh and father of Gilead. Since he had been a man of war, Gilead and Bashan were allocated to him.^[d]

² Now allotments were made^[e] with respect to the remaining descendants of Manasseh according to their families: for the descendants of Abiezer, the descendants of Helek, the descendants of Asriel, the descendants of Shechem, the descendants of Hepher, and the descendants of Shemida—the male descendants of Joseph’s son Manasseh, according to their families.

³ Hepher’s son Zelophehad, grandson of Gilead and great-grandson of Manasseh’s son Machir had no sons, only daughters. These are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. ⁴ They appeared before Eleazar the priest and Nun’s son Joshua and declared, “The Lord commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our relatives.” So in keeping what the Lord had commanded, he gave them an inheritance among their ancestor’s relatives. ⁵ That is why ten allotments fell to Manasseh, besides the land of Gilead and Bashan beyond the Jordan River, ⁶ since the granddaughters of Manasseh received an inheritance along with his sons. (The land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the descendants of Manasseh.)

⁷ The border of Manasseh proceeded from Asher to Michmethath east of Shechem, then turned south to include the inhabitants of En-tappuach. ⁸ (The territory of Tappuach belonged to Manasseh, but Tappuach itself,^[f] on the border of Manasseh, was allocated^[g] to the descendants of Ephraim.) ⁹ The border proceeded to the Kanah brook and proceeded south. These cities belonged to Ephraim among the cities of Manasseh, with the border of Manasseh on the north of the brook, terminating at the Mediterranean^[h] Sea.

¹⁰ The southern area was allocated to Ephraim and the northern area to Manasseh. The Mediterranean^[i] Sea was the border, extending to Asher on the North and to Issachar on the east. ¹¹ In Issachar and Asher, Manasseh held Beth-shean and its towns, Ibleam and its towns, the inhabitants of En-dor and its towns, the inhabitants of Taanach and its towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns, and the three coastal districts.^{[j] 12} The descendants of Manasseh did not take possession of these cities, because the Canaanites predominated in that territory. ¹³ Later on, when the Israelis had become strong, they forced the Canaanites to work for them, but they never did expel them completely.

Protests by the Tribe of Joseph

¹⁴ At that time, the descendants of Joseph asked Joshua, “Why did you give us^[k] only one allotment and portion for an inheritance, since we’re numerous and the Lord has blessed us all along?”

¹⁵ So Joshua replied to them, “Since you’re so numerous, go up to the forest and clear ground there for yourselves in the territory where the Perizzites and Rephaim^[l] are, because the hill country of Ephraim is too narrow for you.”

¹⁶ The descendants of Joseph replied, “The hill country isn’t sufficient for us, but all the Canaanites who live on the plain have iron chariots, both those in Beth-shean and its villages as well as the inhabitants of the Jezreel Valley.”

¹⁷ So Joshua told the tribes of Joseph, which were Ephraim and Manasseh, “You’re truly a numerous group, and you have great power. You are not to have only one allotment, ¹⁸ but the hill country will also belong to you. Even though it’s a forest, you will clear it and possess it to its farthest borders. You’ll drive out the Canaanites, even though they have iron chariots and even though they’re strong.”

Other Tribal Allotments

18 After this, the entire assembly of the Israelis gathered together at Shiloh and set up the Tent of Meeting there, where the land lay conquered before them. ² Seven tribes remained among the Israelis for whom their inheritances had not yet been allocated.

³ So Joshua told the Israelis, “How long will you delay invading and taking possession of the land that the Lord God of your ancestors has given you? ⁴ Appoint three men from each tribe and I’ll send them. They’ll begin to go through the land and record a description of it, categorized according to their inheritance, and then they’ll report^[m] back to me. ⁵ They’ll divide it seven ways. Judah will stay in its territory on the south and the house of Joseph will remain in its territory on the north. ⁶ Lay out the land in seven divisions, then bring your report^[n] here to me. I will then cast lots in the presence of the Lord our God. ⁷ The descendants of Levi have no allotment among you, since the priesthood of the Lord is their inheritance. Gad, Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh received their inheritance to the east, beyond the Jordan River given to them by Moses the servant of the Lord.”

⁸ So the men started out, following Joshua’s command to those who went to scout the land, “Go through the land and record a description of it, and then return to me. I will then cast lots in the presence of the Lord your God in Shiloh.” ⁹ Then the men left camp and went throughout the land, describing its cities in a book with seven divisions. Then they returned to Joshua at the camp at Shiloh. ¹⁰ Joshua threw lots in Shiloh in the Lord’s presence and divided the land accordingly among the Israelis according to their divisions.

Benjamin’s Allocation

¹¹ The allotment of the tribe of the descendants of Benjamin came up according to their families, and their territorial allotment fell between the descendants of Judah and the descendants of Joseph. ¹² Their border started on the north side at the Jordan River, proceeded to the slope of Jericho on the north, then westward through the hill country, and terminated at the wilderness of Beth-aven. ¹³ From there the boundary proceeded south in the direction of Luz to the slope of Luz (also known as Bethel), then proceeded to Ataroth-addar, on the mountain that lies south of Lower Beth-horon. ¹⁴ From there the boundary changed direction, turning southward on the western side opposite Beth-horon, terminating at Kiriath-baal (also known as Kiriath-jearim), which belongs to Judah. This formed the western boundary.

¹⁵ The southern boundary began at the edge of Kiriath-jearim, proceeding from there to Ephron and then to the spring at the Nephtoah Waters. ¹⁶ From there the boundary proceeded to the border of the mountain that overlooks the Ben-hinnom Valley at the northern end of the Rephaim Valley, where it proceeded down the Hinnom Valley south of the slope of the Jebusites toward En-rogel. ¹⁷ Then it turned north toward En-shemesh and proceeded from there to Geliloth opposite the ascent of Adummim, where it turned toward the Stone of Bohan, Reuben’s son, ¹⁸ and proceeded north of the slope of Beth-arabah down to the Arabah. ¹⁹ From there the boundary proceeded to north of the slope of Beth-hoglah and terminated at the northern bay of the Salt^[o] Sea where the Jordan River ends in the south. This was the southern border. ²⁰ The Jordan River formed its boundary on the east. This is the inheritance for the tribe of Benjamin according to its families, boundary by boundary around the entire territory.^[p]

²¹ The towns belonging to the tribe of Benjamin according to their families were Jericho, Beth-hoglah, Emek-keziz, ²² Beth-arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel, ²³ Avvim, Parah, Ophrah, ²⁴ Chephar-ammoni, Ophni, and Geba, for a total of twelve towns and villages. ²⁵ Also included were^[q] Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth, ²⁶ Mizpeh, Chephirah, Mozah, ²⁷ Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah, ²⁸ Zela, Haeleph, Jebus (also known as Jerusalem), Gibeah, and Kiriath-jearim, for a total of fourteen towns and villages. This is the inheritance of the tribe of Benjamin according to their families.

The Birth of Jesus^(A)

2 Now in those days an order was published by Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be registered. ² This was the first registration taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. ³ So all the people went to their hometowns to be registered.

⁴ Joseph, too, went up from the city of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the City of David (called Bethlehem), because he was a descendant^[a] of the household and family of David. ⁵ He went there^[b] to be registered with Mary, who had been promised to him in marriage and was pregnant.

⁶ While they were there, the time came for her to have her baby, ⁷ and she gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no place for them in the guest quarters.

The Shepherds Visit Jesus

⁸ In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, watching their flock during the night. ⁹ An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ Then the angel told them, “Stop being afraid! Listen! I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people. ¹¹ Today your Savior, the Lord Messiah,^[c] was born in the City of David. ¹² And this will be a sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a feeding trough.”

¹³ Suddenly, a multitude of the Heavenly Army appeared with the angel, praising God by saying, ¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth to people who enjoy his favor!”^[d]

¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone back to heaven, the shepherds told one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see what has taken place that the Lord has told us about.” ¹⁶ So they went quickly and found Mary and Joseph with the baby, who was lying in the feeding trough. ¹⁷ When they saw this, they repeated what they had been told about this child. ¹⁸ All who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. ¹⁹ However, Mary continued to treasure all these things in her heart and to ponder them. ²⁰ Then the shepherds returned to their flock,^[e] glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them.

Jesus is Circumcised

²¹ After eight days had passed, the infant^[f] was circumcised and named Jesus, the name given him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

Jesus is Presented in the Temple

²² When the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary^[g] took Jesus^[h] up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, ²³ as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn son is to be designated as holy to the Lord.”^{[i] 24} They also offered a sacrifice according to what is specified in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”^[j]