- Now Joshua was old and stricken in years, and the Lord said unto him, You are old and stricken in years, and there remains yet very much land to be possessed. This is the land that yet remains: all the borders of the Philistines and all Geshuri, from Shihor which is before Egypt even unto the borders of Ekron northward, which is counted to the Canaanite — five lords of the Philistines: the Gazites, and the Ashdodites, the Eshkalonites, the Gittites and the Ekronites; also the Avvites from the south; all the land of the Canaanites and Mearah that is beside the Sidonians unto Aphek, to the borders of the Amorites; and the land of the Gebalites; and all Lebanon toward the sunrise, from Baal-Gad under Mount Hermon unto the entering into Hamath. All the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon unto Misrephoth-Maim, and all the Sidonians, them will I drive out from before the children of Israel. Only divide it by lot unto the Israelites for an inheritance, as I have commanded you. Now therefore divide this land for an inheritance unto the nine tribes, and the half-tribe of Manasseh with whom the Reubenites and the Gadites have received their inheritance, which Moses gave them beyond Jordan eastward, even as Moses the servant of the Lord gave them — from Aroer that is upon the bank of the river Arnon, and the city that is in the midst of the river, and all the plain of Medeba unto Dibon, and all the cities of Sihon king of the Amorites who reigned in Heshbon, unto the border of the children of Ammon; and Gilead, and the border of the Geshurites and Maachathites, and all Mount Hermon and all Bashan unto Salcah — all the kingdom of Og in Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth and in Edrei, who remained of the remnant of the giants; for these did Moses smite, and cast them out. Nevertheless, the children of Israel expelled not the Geshurites, nor the Maachathites, but the Geshurites and the Maachathites dwell among the Israelites until this day. Only unto the tribe of Levi he gave none inheritance; the sacrifices of the Lord God of Israel made by fire are their inheritance, as he said unto them.
- And Moses gave unto the tribe of the children of Reuben inheritance according to their families. And their border was from Aroer that is on the bank of the river Arnon, and the city that is in the midst of the river, and all the plain by Medeba; Heshbon, and all her cities that are in the plain; Dibon, and Bamoth-Baal, and Beth-Baal-Meon, and Jahaz, and Kedemoth, and Mephaath, and Kiriathaim, and Sibmah, and Zareth-Shahar in the mount of the valley, and Beth-Peor, and Ashdoth-Pisgah, and Bethjeshimoth, and all the cities of the plain, and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses smote with the princes of Midian: Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, who were chiefs of Sihon, dwelling in the country. Balaam also, the son of Beor, the fortune teller, did the children of Israel slay with the sword among them that were slain by them. And the border of the children of Reuben was Jordan and the border thereof. This was the inheritance of the children of Reuben after their families, the cities and the villages thereof.
- And Moses gave inheritance unto the tribe of Gad, even unto the children of Gad according to their families. And their border was Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the children of Ammon, unto Aroer that is before Rabbah; and from Heshbon unto Ramath-Mizpeh and Betonim, and from Mahanaim unto the border of Debir; and in the valley, Betharam, and Bethnimrah, and Succoth, and Zaphon, the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon, Jordan and his border even unto the edge of the Sea of Chinnereth on the other side of Jordan eastward. This is the inheritance of the children of Gad after their families, the cities and their villages.
- And Moses gave inheritance unto the half-tribe of Manasseh, and this was the possession of the half-tribe of the children of Manasseh by their families: and their border was from Mahanaim, all Bashan, all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, and all the towns of Jair which are in Bashan, sixty cities, and half Gilead, and Ashtaroth, and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan, were pertaining unto the children of Machir the son of Manasseh, even to the one half of the children of Machir by their families.
- These are the countries which Moses did distribute for inheritance in the plains of Moab, on the other side of Jordan, by Jericho, eastward. But unto the tribe of Levi, Moses gave not any inheritance; the Lord God of Israel was their inheritance, as he said unto them.
- And these are the countries which the children of Israel inherited in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel distributed for inheritance to them. By lot was their inheritance, as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes and for the half-tribe, for Moses had given the inheritance of two tribes and a half-tribe on the other side of Jordan; but unto the Levites he gave none inheritance among them, for the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. Therefore, they gave no part unto the Levites in the land, save cities to dwell in, with their suburbs for their cattle and for their substance. As the Lord commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did, and they divided the land.
- Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal, and Caleb, the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, said unto him, You know the thing that the Lord said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and you in Kadesh-Barnea. Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh-Barnea to spy out the land, and I brought him word again as it was in my heart. Nevertheless, my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I wholly followed the Lord my God. And Moses swore on that day, saying, Surely the land on which your feet have trodden shall be your inheritance, and your children’s for ever, because you have wholly followed the Lord my God. And now behold, the Lord has kept me alive, as he said, these forty-five years, even since the Lord spoke this word unto Moses while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness. And now behold, I am this day eighty-five years old. As yet, I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me. As my strength was then, even so is my strength now for war, both to go out and to come in. Now therefore give me this mountain whereof the Lord spoke in that day, for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fortified. If it so be the Lord will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said. And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, Hebron for an inheritance. Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb, the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, unto this day, because he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel. And the name of Hebron before was Kiriath-Arba, which Arba was a great man among the Anakim. And the land had rest from war.
- This then was the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah by their families: even to the border of Edom, the wilderness of Zin southward was the outermost part of the south border. And their south border was from the shore of the salt sea, from the bay that looks southward, and it went out to the south side to Maaleh-Acrabbim, and passed along to Zin, and ascended up on the south side unto Kadesh-Barnea, and passed along to Hezron, and went up to Addar, and turned about to Karka; from there it passed toward Azmon and went out unto the river of Egypt, and the ends of that border were at the sea. This shall be your south border. And the east border was the salt sea, even unto the end of Jordan. And their border in the north quarter was from the bay of the sea at the outermost part of Jordan. And the border went up to Bethhoglah, and passed along by the north of Betharabah. And the border went up to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben; and the border went up toward Debir from the valley of Achor and so northward, looking toward Gilgal, that is before the going up to Adummim which is on the south side of the river. And the border passed toward the waters of Enshemesh, and the ends thereof were at Enrogel. And the border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom unto the south side of the Jebusite (the same is Jerusalem). And the border went up to the top of the mountain that lies before the valley of Hinnom westward, which is at the end of the valley of the giants northward. And the border was drawn from the top of the hill unto the fountain of the water of Nephtoah, and went out to the cities of Mount Ephron. And the border was drawn to Baalah (which is Kiriath-Jearim). And the border turned from Baalah westward unto Mount Seir, and passed along unto the side of Mount Jearim (which is Chesalon) on the north side, and went down to Bethshemesh and passed on to Timnah. And the border went out unto the side of Ekron northward, and the border was drawn to Shikkeron, and passed along to Mount Baalah, and went out unto Jabneel, and the ends of the border were at the sea. And the west border was to the great sea and the coast thereof. This is the border of the children of Judah round about, according to their families.
- And unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a part among the children of Judah, according to the commandment of the Lord to Joshua, even the city of Arba the father of Anak (which city is Hebron). And Caleb drove from there the three sons of Anak: Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak. And he went up from there to the inhabitants of Debir (and the name of Debir before was Kiriath-Sepher). And Caleb said, He that smites Kiriath-Sepher and takes it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife. And Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it, and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife. And it came to pass, as she came unto him, that she moved him to ask of her father a field. And she lighted off her ass, and Caleb said unto her, What do you want? — who answered, Give me a blessing, for you have given me a south land; give me also springs of water. And he gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.
- This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Judah, according to their families: and the outermost cities of the tribe of the children of Judah, toward the border of Edom southward, were Kabzeel, and Eder, and Jagur, and Kinah, and Dimonah, and Adadah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Ithnan, Ziph, and Telem, and Bealoth, and Hazor Hadattah, and Kerioth Hezron (which is Hazor), Amam, and Shema, and Moladah, and Hazar-Gaddah, and Heshmon, and Bethpelet, and Hazar-Shual, and Beersheba, and Biziothiah, Baalah, and Iim, and Ezem, and Eltolad, and Chesil, and Hormah, and Ziklag, and Madmannah, and Sansannah, and Lebaoth, and Shilhim, and Ain, and Rimmon; all the cities are twenty-nine with their villages. And in the valley: Eshtaol, and Zorah, and Ashnah, and Zanoah, and Engannim, Tappuah, and Enam, Jarmuth, and Adullam, Socoh, and Azekah, and Shaaraim, and Adithaim, and Gederah, and Gederothaim — fourteen cities with their villages. Zenan, and Hadashah, and Migdal-Gad, and Dilean, and Mizpeh, and Joktheel, Lachish, and Bozkath, and Eglon, and Cabbon, and Lahmam, and Kithlish, and Gederoth, Bethdagon, and Naamah, and Makkedah — sixteen cities with their villages. Libnah, and Ether, and Ashan, and Iphtah, and Ashnah, and Nezib, and Keilah, and Achzib, and Mareshah — nine cities with their villages. Ekron with her towns and her villages; from Ekron even unto the sea, all that lay near Ashdod with their villages; Ashdod with her towns and her villages; Gaza with her towns and her villages unto the river of Egypt, and the great sea, and the border thereof. And in the mountains: Shamir, and Jattir, and Socoh, and Dannah, and Kiriath-Sannah (which is Debir), and Anab, and Eshtemoh, and Anim, and Goshen, and Holon, and Giloh — eleven cities with their villages. Arab, and Dumah, and Eshan, and Janum, and Bethtappuah, and Aphekah, and Humtah, and Kiriath-Arba (which is Hebron), and Zior — nine cities with their villages. Maon, Carmel, and Ziph, and Juttah, and Jezreel, and Jokdeam, and Zanoah, Cain, Gibeah, and Timnah — ten cities with their villages. Halhul, Bethzur, and Gedor, and Maarath, and Bethanoth, and Eltekon — six cities with their villages. Kiriath-Baal (which is Kiriath-Jearim) and Rabbah — two cities with their villages. In the wilderness: Betharabah, Middin, and Secacah, and Nibshan, and the city of Salt, and Engedi — six cities with their villages. As for the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not drive them out, but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day.
- And the lot of the children of Joseph fell from Jordan by Jericho unto the water of Jericho on the east, to the wilderness that goes up from Jericho throughout Mount Beth-el, and goes out from Beth-el to Luz, and passes along unto the borders of Archi, to Ataroth, and goes down westward to the border of the Japhletites, unto the border of Bethhoron the lower, and to Gezer, and the ends thereof are at the sea. So the children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, took their inheritance. And the border of the children of Ephraim, according to their families, was thus: even the border of their inheritance on the east side was Ataroth-Addar unto Bethhoron the upper. And the border went out toward the sea, to Michmethath on the north side, and the border went about eastward unto Taanath-Shiloh, and passed by it on the east to Janoah. And it went down from Janoah to Ataroth and to Naarah, and came to Jericho, and went out at Jordan. The border went out from Tappuah westward unto the river Kanah and the ends thereof were at the sea. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Ephraim by their families. And the separate cities for the children of Ephraim were among the inheritance of the children of Manasseh, all the cities with their villages. And they drove not out the Canaanites that dwelled in Gezer, but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day and serve under tribute.
- There was also a lot for the tribe of Manasseh, for he was the first born of Joseph, namely for Machir the first born of Manasseh, the father of Gilead, because he was a man of war, therefore he had Gilead and Bashan. There was also a lot for the rest of the children of Manasseh by their families: for the children of Abiezer, and for the children of Helek, and for the children of Asriel, and for the children of Shechem, and for the children of Hepher, and for the children of Shemida — these were the male children of Manasseh the son of Joseph by their families. But Zelophehad the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, but daughters, and these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. And they came near before Eleazar the priest, and before Joshua the son of Nun, and before the princes, saying, The Lord commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brethren. Therefore, according to the commandment of the Lord, he gave them an inheritance among the brethren of their father. And there fell ten portions to Manasseh, besides the land of Gilead and Bashan, which were on the other side of Jordan, because the daughters of Manasseh had an inheritance among his sons; and the rest of Manasseh’s sons had the land of Gilead.
- And the border of Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethath that lies before Shechem, and the border went along on the right hand unto the inhabitants of Entappuah. (Now Manasseh had the land of Tappuah, but Tappuah, on the border of Manasseh, belonged to the children of Ephraim.) And the border descended unto the river Kanah, southward of the river; these cities of Ephraim are among the cities of Manasseh. The border of Manasseh also was on the north side of the river, and the ends of it were at the sea. Southward it was Ephraim’s, and northward it was Manasseh’s, and the sea is his border; and they met together in Asher on the north, and in Issachar on the east. And Manasseh had in Issachar, and in Asher, Bethshean and her towns, and Ibleam and her towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Endor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Taanach and her towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns, even three countries. Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities, but the Canaanites would dwell in that land. Yet it came to pass, when the children of Israel had grown strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute, but did not utterly drive them out.
- And the children of Joseph spoke unto Joshua, saying, Why have you given me but one lot and one portion to inherit, seeing I am a great people forasmuch as the Lord has blessed me hitherto? And Joshua answered them, If you are a great people, then go up to the forest country and cut down for yourself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the giants, if Mount Ephraim be too narrow for you. And the children of Joseph said, The hill is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both they who are of Bethshean and her towns and they who are of the valley of Jezreel. And Joshua spoke unto the house of Joseph, even to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying, You are a great people and have great power. You shall not have one lot only, but the mountain shall be yours, for it is a forest and you shall cut it down. And the farthest reaches of it shall be yours, for you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong.
- And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh and set up the tabernacle of the congregation there. And the land was subdued before them. And there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes which had not yet received their inheritance. And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, How long are you neglecting to go to possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers has given you? Give out from among you three men for each tribe and I will send them, and they shall rise and go through the land, and describe it according to the inheritance of them. And they shall come again to me, and they shall divide it into seven parts: Judah shall stand in their borders on the south, and the house of Joseph shall stand in their borders on the north. You shall therefore describe the land into seven parts, and bring the description here to me, that I may cast lots for you here before the Lord our God. But the Levites have no part among you, for the priesthood of the Lord is their inheritance. And Gad, and Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance beyond Jordan, on the east, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave them. And the men arose and went away. And Joshua charged them that went to describe the land, saying, Go and walk through the land and describe it, and come again to me, that I may here cast lots for you before the Lord in Shiloh. And the men went and passed through the land, and described it by cities into seven parts in a book, and came again to Joshua, to the host at Shiloh. And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the Lord, and there Joshua divided the land unto the children of Israel, according to their divisions.
- And the lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin came up according to their families, and the borders of their lot came forth between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph. And their border on the north side was from Jordan, and the border went up to the side of Jericho on the north side, and went up through the mountains westward, and the ends thereof were at the wilderness of Bethaven. And the border went over from there toward Luz, to the side of Luz (which is Beth-el) southward, and the border descended to Ataroth-Addar, near the hill that lies on the south side of the lower Bethhoron. And the border was drawn from there, and turned the corner of the sea southward from the hill that lies before Bethhoron southward, and the ends thereof were at Kiriath-Baal (which is Kiriath-Jearim), a city of the children of Judah; this was the west quarter. And the south quarter was from the end of Kiriath-Jearim, and the border went out on the west and went out to the well of waters of Nephtoah. And the border came down to the end of the mountain that lies before the valley of the son of Hinnom, and which is in the valley of the giants on the north, and descended to the valley of Hinnom, to the side of the Jebusites on the south, and descended to Enrogel, and was drawn from the north, and went forth to Enshemesh, and went forth toward Geliloth, which is opposite the ascent of Adummim, and descended to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben, and passed along toward the side opposite Arabah northward, and went down unto Arabah. And the border passed along to the side of Bethhoglah northward, and the ends of the border were at the north bay of the salt sea, at the south end of Jordan; this was the south border. And Jordan was the border of it on the east side. This was the inheritance of the children of Benjamin, by the borders thereof round about, according to their families. Now the cities of the tribe of the children of Benjamin, according to their families, were Jericho, and Bethhoglah, and the valley of Keziz, and Betharabah, and Zemaraim, and Beth-el, and Avvim, and Parah, and Ophrah, and Chephar-Haammonai, and Ophni, and Geba — twelve cities with their villages. Gibeon, and Ramah, and Beeroth, and Mizpeh, and Chephirah, and Mozah, and Rekem, and Irpeel, and Taralah, and Zelah, Eleph, and Jebus (which is Jerusalem), Gibeah, and Kiriath — fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the children of Benjamin, according to their families.
- And the second lot came forth to Simeon, even for the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families, and their inheritance was within the inheritance of the children of Judah. And they had in their inheritance: Beersheba (or Sheba), and Moladah, and Hazar-Shual, and Balah, and Ezem, and Eltolad, and Bethul, and Hormah, and Ziklag, and Bethmarcaboth, and Hazar-Susah, and Bethlebaoth, and Sharuhen — thirteen cities and their villages. Ain, Remmon, and Ether, and Ashan — four cities and their villages — and all the villages that were round about these cities to Baalath-Beer (Ramath of the south). This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Simeon, according to their families. Out of the portion of the children of Judah was the inheritance of the children of Simeon, for the part of the children of Judah was too much for them. Therefore, the children of Simeon had their inheritance within the inheritance of them.
- And the third lot came up for the children of Zebulun, according to their families. And the border of their inheritance was unto Sarid, and their border went up toward the sea and Maralah, and reached to Dabbasheth, and reached to the river that is before Jokneam, and turned from Sarid eastward, toward the sunrise, unto the border of Chisloth-Tabor, and then goes out to Daberath, and goes up to Japhia, and from there passes on along on the east to Gath-Hepher, to Ethkazin, and goes out to Remmon-Methoar, to Neah. And the border went around it on the north side to Hannathon, and the ends thereof are in the valley of Iphthahel; and Kattath, and Nahalal, and Shimron, and Idalah, and Bethlehem. Twelve cities with their villages — this is the inheritance of the children of Zebulun according to their families, these cities with their villages.
- And the fourth lot came out to Issachar, for the children of Issachar, according to their families. And their border was toward Jezreel, and Chesulloth, and Shunem, and Hapharaim, and Shion, and Anaharath, and Rabbith, and Kishion, and Ebez, and Remeth, and Engannim, and Enhaddah, and Bethpazzez. And the border reaches to Tabor, and Shahazumah, and Bethshemesh, and the ends of their border were at Jordan. Sixteen cities with their villages — this is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Issachar, according to their families, the cities and their villages.
- And the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher, according to their families. And their border was Helkath, and Hali, and Beten, and Achshaph, and Allammelech, and Amad, and Mishal, and reaches to Carmel westward, and to Shihor-Libnath, and turns toward the sunrise to Bethdagon, and reaches to Zebulun, and to the valley of Iphthahel toward the north side of Bethemek and Neiel, and goes out to Cabul on the left hand, and Hebron, and Rehob, and Hammon, and Kanah, even unto great Sidon. And then the border turns to Ramah, and to the strong city Tyre. And the border turns to Hosah, and the ends thereof are at the sea from the coast to Achzib; Ummah also, and Aphek, and Rehob. Twenty-two cities with their villages — this is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Asher, according to their families, these cities with their villages.
- The sixth lot came out to the children of Naphtali, even for the children of Naphtali, according to their families. And their border was from Heleph, from Allon to Zaanannim, and Adami, Nekeb, and Jabneel, unto Lakkum, and the ends thereof were at Jordan. And then the border turns westward to Aznoth-Tabor, and goes out from there to Hukkok, and reaches to Zebulun on the south side, and reaches to Asher on the west side, and to Judah upon Jordan toward the sunrise. And the fortified cities are Ziddim, Zer, and Hammath, Rakkath, and Chinnereth, and Adamah, and Ramah, and Hazor, and Kedesh, and Edrei, and Enhazor, and Iron, and Migdalel, Horem, and Bethanath, and Bethshemesh. Nineteen cities with their villages — this is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Naphtali, according to their families, the cities and their villages.
- And the seventh lot came out for the tribe of the children of Dan, according to their families. And the borders of their inheritance were Zorah, and Eshtaol, and Irshemesh, and Shaalabbin, and Aijalon, and Jethlah, and Elon, and Timnah, and Ekron, and Eltekeh, and Gibbethon, and Baalath, and Jehud, and Beneberak, and Gath-Rimmon, and Mejarkon, and Rakkon, with the border before Joppa. And the border of the children of Dan went out too little for them; therefore, the children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem and took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and possessed it, and dwelled therein, and called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their father. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Dan, according to their families, these cities with their villages.
- When they had made an end of dividing the land for inheritance by their borders, the children of Israel gave an inheritance to Joshua the son of Nun among them; according to the word of the Lord they gave him the city which he asked, even Timnath-Serah in Mount Ephraim. And he built the city and dwelled therein. These are the inheritances which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel divided for an inheritance by lot in Shiloh before the Lord, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. So they made an end of dividing the country.
- The Lord also spoke unto Joshua, saying, Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for yourselves cities of refuge, whereof I spoke unto you by the hand of Moses, that the slayer that kills any person unawares and unwittingly may flee there; and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood. And when he that does flee unto one of those cities shall stand at the entering of the gate of the city and shall declare his cause in the ears of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city, unto them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them. And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand, because he smote his neighbor unwittingly and hated him not previously. And he shall dwell in that city until he stand before the congregation for judgment, and until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days. Then shall the slayer return and come unto his own city, and unto his own house, unto the city from which he fled. And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee, in Mount Naphtali, and Shechem in Mount Ephraim, and Kiriath-Arba (which is Hebron) in the mountain of Judah. And on the other side of Jordan by Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness upon the plain out of the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan out of the tribe of Manasseh. These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourns among them, that whoever kills any person unintentionally might flee there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stood before the congregation.
- Then came near the heads of the fathers of the Levites, unto Eleazar the priest, and unto Joshua the son of Nun, and unto the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel. And they spoke unto them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, The Lord commanded by the hand of Moses to give us cities to dwell in, with the suburbs thereof for our cattle. And the children of Israel gave unto the Levites out of their inheritance, at the commandment of the Lord, these cities and their suburbs: And the lot came out for the families of the Kohathites; and the children of Aaron the priest, who were of the Levites, had by lot — out of the tribe of Judah, and out of the tribe of Simeon, and out of the tribe of Benjamin — thirteen cities. And the rest of the children of Kohath had by lot — out of the families of the tribe of Ephraim, and out of the tribe of Dan, and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh — ten cities. And the children of Gershon had by lot — out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan — thirteen cities. The children of Merari by their families had — out of the tribe of Reuben, and out of the tribe of Gad, and out of the tribe of Zebulun — twelve cities. And the children of Israel gave by lot unto the Levites these cities with their suburbs, as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses.
- And they gave, out of the tribe of the children of Judah and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, these cities which are here mentioned by name (which the children of Aaron, being of the families of the Kohathites who were of the children of Levi, had, for theirs was the first lot): and they gave them the city of Arba the father of Anak (which city is Hebron) in the hill country of Judah, with the suburbs thereof round about it. But the fields of the city and the villages thereof they gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for his possession. Thus they gave to the children of Aaron the priest Hebron with her suburbs (to be a city of refuge for the slayer), and Libnah with her suburbs, and Jattir with her suburbs, and Eshtemoa with her suburbs, and Holon with her suburbs, and Debir with her suburbs, and Ain with her suburbs, and Juttah with her suburbs, and Bethshemesh with her suburbs — nine cities out of those two tribes. And out of the tribe of Benjamin: Gibeon with her suburbs, Geba with her suburbs, Anathoth with her suburbs, and Almon with her suburbs — four cities. All the cities of the children of Aaron, the priests, were thirteen cities with their suburbs.
- And the families of the children of Kohath, the Levites who remained of the children of Kohath, even they had the cities of their lot out of the tribe of Ephraim; for they gave them Shechem with her suburbs in Mount Ephraim (to be a city of refuge for the slayer), and Gezer with her suburbs, and Kibzaim with her suburbs, and Bethhoron with her suburbs — four cities. And out of the tribe of Dan: Eltekeh with her suburbs, Gibbethon with her suburbs, Aijalon with her suburbs, Gath-Rimmon with her suburbs — four cities. And out of the half-tribe of Manasseh: Taanach with her suburbs, and Gath-Rimmon with her suburbs — two cities. All the cities were ten with their suburbs for the families of the children of Kohath that remained.
- And unto the children of Gershon, of the families of the Levites, out of the half-tribe of Manasseh, they gave Golan in Bashan with her suburbs (to be a city of refuge for the slayer), and Beesh-Terah with her suburbs — two cities. And out of the tribe of Issachar: Kishion with her suburbs, Daberath with her suburbs, Jarmuth with her suburbs, Engannim with her suburbs — four cities. And out of the tribe of Asher: Mishal with her suburbs, Abdon with her suburbs, Helkath with her suburbs, and Rehob with her suburbs — four cities. And out of the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee with her suburbs (to be a city of refuge for the slayer), and Hammothdor with her suburbs, and Kartan with her suburbs — three cities. All the cities of the Gershonites, according to their families, were thirteen cities with their suburbs.
- And unto the families of the children of Merari, the rest of the Levites, out of the tribe of Zebulun: Jokneam with her suburbs, and Kartah with her suburbs, Dimnah with her suburbs, Nahalal with her suburbs — four cities. And out of the tribe of Reuben: Bezer with her suburbs, and Jahaz with her suburbs, Kedemoth with her suburbs, and Mephaath with her suburbs — four cities. And out of the tribe of Gad: Ramoth in Gilead with her suburbs (to be a city of refuge for the slayer), and Mahanaim with her suburbs, Heshbon with her suburbs, Jazer with her suburbs — four cities in all. So all the cities for the children of Merari, by their families which were remaining of the families of the Levites, were by their lot twelve cities.
- All the cities of the Levites within the possession of the children of Israel were forty-eight cities with their suburbs. These cities were every one with their suburbs round about them; thus were all these cities. And the Lord gave unto Israel all the land which he swore to give unto their fathers, and they possessed it and dwelled therein. And the Lord gave them rest round about, according to all that he swore unto their fathers, and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand. There failed nothing of any good thing which the Lord had spoken unto the house of Israel — all came to pass.
Chapter 3