The Book of Joshua, chapters 18 - 22
18 The whole community of the Israelites met together at Shiloh
and established the Tent of the Presence there. The country now lay sub-
dued at their feet, but there remained seven tribes among the Israelites
who had not yet taken possession of the patrimonies which would fall to
them. Joshua therefore said to them, 'How much longer will you neglect
to take possession of the land which the LORD the God of your fathers has
given you? Appoint three men from each tribe who I may send out to
travel through the whole country. They shall make a register showing the
patrimony suitable for each tribe, and come back to me, and then it can be
shared out among you in seven portions. Judah shall retain his boundary
in the south, and the house of Joseph their boundary in the north. You
shall register the land in seven portions, bring the lists here, and I will cast
lots for you in the presence of the LORD our God. Levi has no share among
you, because his share is the priesthood of the LORD; and Gad, Reuben,
and the half tribe of Manasseh have each taken possession of their patri-
mony east of the Jordan, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave them.'
So them men set out on their journeys. Joshua ordered the emissaries to
survey the country: 'Go through the whole country,' he said, 'survey it
and return to me, and I will cast lots for you here before the LORD in
Shiloh.' So the men went and passed through the country; they registered
it on a scroll, city by city, in seven portions, and came to Joshua in the
camp of Shiloh. Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the LORD, and
distributed the land there to the Israelites in their proper shares.
This is the lot which fell to the tribe of the Benjamites family by family.
The territory allotted to them lay between the territory of Judah and
Joseph. Their boundary at its northern corner starts from the Jordan; it
goes up the slope on the north side of Jericho, continuing westwards into
the hill-country, and its limit there is the wilderness of Beth-aven. From
there it runs on to Luz, to the southern slope of Luz, that is Bethel, and
down to Ataroth-addar over the hill-country south of Lower Beth-horon.
The boundary then bends round at the west corner southwards from the
hill-country above Beth-horon, and its limit is Kiriath-baal, that is
Keariath-jearim, a city of Judah. This is the western side. The southern
side starts from the edge of Kiriath-jearim and ends at the spring of the
waters of Nephtoah. It goes down to the edge of the hill to the east of the
Valley of Ben-hinnom, north of the Vale of Rephaim, down the Valley of
Hinnom, to the southern slope of the Jebusites and so to En-rogel. It then
bends round north and comes out at En-shemesh, goes on to the districts
in front of the ascent of Adummim and thence down to the Stone of
Bohan son of Reuben. It passes to the northern side of the slop facing the
Arabah and goes down to the Arabah, passing the northern slope of Beth-
hoglah, and its limit is the northern inlet of the Dead Sea, at the southern
mouth of the Jordan. This forms the southern boundary. The Jordan is
the boundary on the east side. This is the patrimony of the Benjamites, the
complete circuit of their boundaries family by family.
The cities belonging to the tribe of the Benjamites family by family are:
Jericho, Beth-hoglah, Emek-keziz, Beth-arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel,
Avvim, Parah, Ophrah, Kepher-ammoni, Ophni, and Geba: twelve cities
in all with their hamlets. Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth, Mizpah, Kephirah,
Mozah, Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah, Zela, Eleph, Jebus, that is Jerusalem,
Gibeah, and Kiriath-jearim: fourteen cities in all with their hamlets. This
is the patrimony of the Benjamites family by family.
19 The second lot cast was for Simeon, the tribe of the Simeonites family
by family. Their patrimony was included in that of Judah. For their patri-
mony they had Beersheba, Moladah, Hazar-shual, Balah, Ezem, Eltolad,
Bethul, Hormah, Ziklag, Beth-marcaboth, Hazar-susah, Beth-leboath,
and Sharuhen: in all, thirteen cities and their hamlets. They had Ain,
Rimmon, Ether, and Ashan: four cities and their hamlets, all the hamlets
round these cities as far as Baalath-beer, Ramath-negeb. This was the
patrimony of the tribe of Simeon family by family. The patrimony of the
Simeonites was part of the land allotted to the men of Judah, because their
share was larger than they needed. The Simeonites therefore had their
patrimony within the territory of Judah.
The third lot fell to the Zebulunites family by family. The boundary of
their patrimony extended to Shadud. Their boundary went up westwards
as far as Maralah and touched Dabbesheth and the gorge east of Jokneam.
It turned back from Shadud eastwards towards the sunrise up to the border
of Kisloth-tabor, on to Daberath and up to Japhia. From there it crossed
eastwards towards the sunrise to Gath-hepher, to Ittah-kazin, out to
Rimmon, and bent round to Neah. The northern boundary went round
to Hannathon, and its limits were the Valley of Jiphtah-el, Kattath,
Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem: twelve cities in all with their
hamlets. These cities and their hamlets were the patrimony of Zebulun
family by family.
The fourth lot cast was for the sons of Issachar family by family. Their
boundary included Jezreel, Kesulloth, Shunem, Hapharaim, Shion,
Anaharath, Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez, Remeth, En-gannim, En-haddah,
and Beth-pazzez. The boundary touched Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth-
shemesh, and its limit was the Jordan: sixteen cities with their hamlets.
This was the patrimony of the tribe of the sons of Issachar family by family,
both cities and hamlets.
The fifth lot cast was for the tribe of the Asherites family by family.
Their boundary included Helkath, Hali, Beten, Akshaph, Alammelech,
Amad, and Mishal; it touched Carmel on the west and the swamp of
Libnath. It then turned back towards the east to Beth-dagon, touched
Zebulun and the Valley of Jiphtah-el on the north at Beth-emek and Neiel,
and reached Cabul on its northern side, and Abdon, Rehob, Hammon, and
Kanah as far as greater Sidon. The boundary turned at Ramah, going as
far as the fortress city of Tyre, and then back again to Hosah, and its limits
to the west were Mehalbeh, Achzib, Acco, Aphek, and Rehob: twenty-
two cities in all with their hamlets. This was the patrimony of the tribe of
Asher family by family, these cities and their hamlets.
The sixth lot cast was for the sons of Naphtali family by family. Their
boundary started from Heleph and from Elon-bezaanannim and ran past
Adami-nekeb and Jabneel as far as Lakkum, and its limit was the Jordan.
The boundary turned back westwards to Aznoth-tabor and from there on
to Hukok. It touched Zebulun on the south, Asher on the west, and the
low-lying land by the Jordan on the east. Their fortified cities were Ziddim,
Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Kinnereth, Adamah, Ramah, Hazor, Kedesh,
Edrei, En-hazor, Iron, Migdal-el, Horem, Beth-anath, and Beth-shemesh:
nineteen cities with their hamlets. This was the patrimony of the tribe of
Naphtali family by family, both cities and hamlets.
The seventh lot cast was for the tribe of the sons of Dan family by
family. The boundary of their patrimony was Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir-shemesh,
Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Jithlah, Elon, Timnah, Ekron, Eltekeh, Gibbethon,
Baalath, Jehud, Bene-berak, Gath-rimmon; and on the west Jarkon was
the boundary opposite Joppa. But the Danites, when they lost this territory,
marched against Leshem, attacked it and captured it. They put its people
to the sword, occupied it and settled in it; and they renamed the place Dan
after their ancestor Dan. This was the patrimony of the tribe of the sons
of Dan family by family, these cities and their hamlets.
So the Israelites finished allocating the land and marking out its front-
iers; and they gave Joshua son of Nun a patrimony within her territory.
They followed the commands of the LORD and gave him the city for which
he asked, Timnath-serah in the hill-country of Ephraim, and he rebuilt
the city and settled in it.
These are the patrimonies which Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of
Nun and the heads of families assigned by lot to the Israelite tribes at
Shiloh before the LORD at the entrance of the Tent of the Presence. Thus
they completed the distribution of the land.
20 The LORD spoke to Joshua and commanded him to say this to the
Israelites: 'You must now appoint your cities of refuge, of which I spoke
to you through Moses. They are to be places where the homicide, the man
who kills another inadvertently without intent, may take sanctuary. You
shall single them out as cities of refuge from the vengeance of the dead
man's next-of-kin. When a man takes sanctuary in one of these cities, he
shall halt at the entrance of the city gate and state his case in the hearing of
the elders of that city; if they admit him into the city, they shall grant him
a place where he may live as one of themselves. When the next-of-kin
comes in pursuit, they shall not surrender him: he struck down his fellow
without intent and had not previously been at enmity with him. The
homicide may stay in that city until he stands trial before the community.
On the death of the ruling high priest, he may return to the city and home
from which he has fled.' They dedicated Kedesh in Galilee in the hill-
country of Naphtali, Shechem in the hill-country of Ephraim, and Kiriath-
arba, that is Hebron, in the hill-country of Judah. Across the Jordan
eastwards from Jericho they appointed these cities: from the tribe of
Reuben, Bezer-in-the-wilderness on the tableland, from the tribe of Gad,
Ramoth in Gilead, and from the tribe of Manasseh, Golan in Bashan. These
were the appointed cities where any Israelite or any alien residing among
them might take sanctuary. They were intended for any man who killed
another inadvertently, to ensure that no one should die at the hand of the
next-of-kin until he had stood his trial before the community.
21 The heads of the Levite families approached Eleazar the priest and
Joshua son of Nun and the heads of the families of the tribes of Israel.
They came before them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan and said, 'The
LORD gave his command through Moses that we were to receive cities to
live in, together with the common land belonging to them for our cattle.'
The Israelites therefore gave part of their patrimony to the Levites, the
following cities with their common land, according to the command of the
LORD.
This is the territory allotted to the Kohathite family: those Levites who
were descended from Aaron the priest received thirteen cities chosen by
lot from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin; the rest of the Kohath-
ites were allotted family by family ten cites from the tribes of Ephraim,
Dan, and half Manasseh.
The Gershonites were allotted family by family thirteen cities from the
tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and half the tribe of Manasseh in
Bashan.
The Merarites were allotted family by family twelve cities from the
tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.
So the Israelites designated the following cities out of the tribes of Judah
and Simeon for those sons of Aaron who were of the Kohathite families of
the Levites, because their lot came out first. They gave them Kiriath-arba
(Arba was the father of Anak), that is Hebron, in the hill-country of Judah,
and the common land round it, but they gave the open country near the
city, and its hamlets, to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his patrimony.
To the sons of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron, a city of refuge for
the homicide, Libnah, Jattir, Eshtemoa, Holon, Debir, Ashan, Juttah,
and Beth-shemesh, each with its common land: nine cities from these two
tribes. They also gave cities from the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon, Geba,
Anathoth, and Almon, each with its common land: four cities. The number
of the cities with their common land given to the sons of Aaron the priest
was thirteen.
The cities which the rest of the Kohathite families of the Levites re-
ceived by lot were from the tribe of Ephraim. They gave them Shechem, a
city of refuge for the homicide, in the hill-country of Ephraim, Gezer,
Kibzaim, and Beth-horon, each with its common land: four cities. From
the tribe of Dan, they gave them Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Aijalon, and Gath-
rimmon, each with its common land: four cities. From the half tribe of
Manasseh, they gave them Taanach and Gath-rimmon, each with its
common land: two cities. The number of the cities belonging to the rest of
the Kohathite families with their common land was ten.
The Gershonite families of the Levites received, out of the share of the
half tribe of Manasseh, Golan in Bashan, a city of refuge for the homicide,
and Be-ashtaroth, each with its common land: two cities. From the tribe
of Issachar they received Kishon, Daberah, Jermuth, and En-gannim,
each with its common land: four cities. From the tribe of Asher they
received Mishal, Abdon, Helkath, and Rehob, each with its common land:
four cities. From the tribe of Naphtali they received Kedesh in Galilee, a
city of refuge for the homicide, Hammoth-dor, and Kartan, each with its
common land: three cities. The number of the cities of the Gershonite
families with their common land was thirteen.
From the tribe of Zebulun the rest of the Merarite families of the Levites
received Jokneam, Kartah, Rimmon, and Nahalal, each with its common
land: four cities. From the tribe of Gad they received Ramoth in Glad,
a city of refuge for the homicide, Mahanaim, Heshbon, and Jazer, each
with its common land: four cities in all. Twelve cities in all fell by lot to the
rest of the Merarite families of the Levites.
The cities of the Levites within the Israelite patrimony numbered
forty-eight in all, with their common land. Each city had its common land
round it, and it was the same for all of them.
Thus the LORD gave Israel all the land which he had sworn to give to
their forefathers; they occupied it and settled in it. The LORD gave them
security on every side as he had sworn to their forefathers. Of all their
enemies not a man could withstand them; the LORD delivered all their
enemies into their hands. Not a word for the LORD's promise to the house
of Israel went unfulfilled; they all came true.
22 At that time Joshua summoned the Reubenites, the Gadites,
and the half tribe of Manasseh, and said to them, 'You have observed all
the commands of Moses the servant of the LORD, and you have obeyed me
in all the commands that I too have laid upon you. All this time you have
not deserted your brothers; up to this day you have diligently observed
the charge laid on you by the LORD your God. and now that the LORD
your God has given your brothers security as he promised them, you may
turn now and go to your homes in your own land, the land which Moses
the servant of the LORD gave you east of the Jordan. But take good care to
keep the commands and the law which Moses the servant of the LORD
gave you: to love the LORD your God; to conform to his ways; to observe
his commandments; to hold fast to him; to serve him with your whole
heart and soul.' Joshua blessed them and dismissed them; and they went
to their homes. He sent them home with his blessing, and with these words:
'Go to your homes richly laden, with great herds, with silver and gold,
copper and iron, and with large stores of clothing. See that you share with
your kinsmen the spoil you have taken from your enemies.'
Moses had given territory to one half the tribe of Manasseh in Bashan,
and Joshua gave territory to the other half west of the Jordan among their
kinsmen.
So the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh left the
rest of the Israelites and went from Shiloh in Canaan on their way into
Gilead, the land which belonged to them according to the decree of the
LORD given through Moses. When these tribes came to Geliloth by the
Jordan, they built a great altar there by the river for all to see. The Israel-
ites heard that the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh
had built the altar facing the land of Canaan, at Geliloth by the Jordan
opposite the Israelite side. When the news reached them, all the com-
munity of the Israelites assembled at Shiloh to advance against them with
a display of force. At the same time the Israelites sent Phinehas son of
Eleazar the priest into the land of Gilead, to the Reubenites, the Gadites,
and the half tribe of Manasseh, and ten leading men with him, one from
each of the tribes of Israel, each of them the head of a household among the
clan of Israel. They came to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half
tribe of Manasseh in the land of Gilead, and remonstrated with them in
these words: 'We speak for the whole community of the LORD. What is
this treachery you have committed against the God of Israel? Are you
ceasing to follow the LORD and building your own altar this day in defiance
of the LORD? Remember our offence at Peor, for which a plague fell upon
the community of the LORD; to this day we have not been purified from it.
Was that offence so slight that you dare cease to follow the LORD today?
If you defy the LORD today, then tomorrow he will be angry with the whole
community of Israel. If the land you have taken is unclean, then cross over
to the LORD's own land, where the Tabernacle of the LORD now rests, and
take a share of it with us; but do not defy the LORD and involve us in your
defiance by building an altar of your own apart from the altar of the LORD
our God. Remember the treachery of Achan son of Zerah, who defied the
ban and the whole community of Israel suffered for it. He was not the only
one who paid for that sin with his life.'
Then the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh
remonstrated with the heads of the clans of Israel: 'The LORD the God of
gods, the LORD the God of gods, he knows, and Israel must know: if this
has been an act of defiance or treachery against the LORD, you could not
save us today. If we had built ourselves an altar meaning to forsake the
LORD, or had offered whole-offerings and grain-offerings upon it, or had
presented shared-offerings, the LORD himself would exact punishment.
The truth is that we have done this for fear that the day may come when
your sons will say to ours, "What have you to do with the LORD, the God
of Israel? The LORD put the Jordan as a boundary between our sons and
your sons. You have no share in the LORD, you men of Reuben and Gad."
Thus your sons will prevent our sons from going in awe of the LORD. So
we resolved to set ourselves to build an altar, not for whole-offerings and
sacrifices, but as a witness between us and you, and between our descend-
ants after us. Thus we shall be able to do service before the Lord, as we do
now, with our whole-offerings, or sacrifices, and our shared-offerings;
and your sons will never be able to say to our sons that they have no
share in the LORD. And we thought, if ever they do say this to us and our
descendants, we will point to this copy of the altar of the LORD which we
have made, not for whole-offerings and not for sacrifices, but as a witness
between us and you. God forbid that we should defy the LORD and forsake
him this day by building another altar for whole-offerings, grain-offerings,
and sacrifices, in addition to the altar of the LORD our God which stands in
front of his Tabernacle.'
When Phinehas the priest and the leaders of the community, the heads
of the Israelite clans, who were with him, heard what the Reubenites, the
Gadites, and the Manassites said, they were satisfied. Phinehas son of
Eleazar the priest said to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and Manassites, 'We
know now that the LORD is in our midst today; you have not acted treacher-
ously against the LORD, and thus you have preserved all Israel from punish-
ment at his hand.' Then Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest and the leaders
left the Reubenites and the Gadites in Gilead and reported to the Israelites
in Canaan. The Israelites were satisfied, and they praised God and thought
no more of attacking Reuben or Gad and ravaging their land. The
Reubenites and Gadites said, 'The altar is a witness between us that the
LORD is God', and they named it 'Witness'.
The New English Bible (with Apocrypha)
Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, 1970
Posted Jun 25, 2018, 5:21 PM UTC · edited
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