Joshua 14-17

New International Version

Division of the Land West of the Jordan

14 Now these are the areas the Israelites received as an inheritance^(A) in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar^(B) the priest, Joshua son of Nun and the heads of the tribal clans of Israel^(C) allotted^(D) to them.^{(E) 2} Their inheritances were assigned by lot^(F) to the nine and a half tribes,^(G) as the Lord had commanded through Moses. ³ Moses had granted the two and a half tribes their inheritance east of the Jordan^(H) but had not granted the Levites an inheritance among the rest,^{(I) 4} for Joseph’s descendants had become two tribes—Manasseh and Ephraim.^(J) The Levites received no share of the land but only towns to live in, with pasturelands for their flocks and herds.^{(K) 5} So the Israelites divided the land, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.^(L)

Allotment for Caleb

⁶ Now the people of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal,^(M) and Caleb son of Jephunneh^(N) the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the Lord said to Moses the man of God^(O) at Kadesh Barnea^(P) about you and me.^{(Q) 7} I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea^(R) to explore the land.^(S) And I brought him back a report according to my convictions,^{(T) 8} but my fellow Israelites who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt in fear.^(U) I, however, followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.^{(V) 9} So on that day Moses swore to me, ‘The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance^(W) and that of your children^(X) forever, because you have followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.’^[a]

¹⁰ “Now then, just as the Lord promised,^(Y) he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved^(Z) about in the wilderness. So here I am today, eighty-five years old!^{(AA) 11} I am still as strong^(AB) today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous^(AC) to go out to battle now as I was then. ¹² Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day.^(AD) You yourself heard then that the Anakites^(AE) were there and their cities were large and fortified,^(AF) but, the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.”

¹³ Then Joshua blessed^(AG) Caleb son of Jephunneh^(AH) and gave him Hebron^(AI) as his inheritance.^{(AJ) 14} So Hebron has belonged to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite ever since, because he followed the Lord, the God of Israel, wholeheartedly.^{(AK) 15} (Hebron used to be called Kiriath Arba^(AL) after Arba,^(AM) who was the greatest man among the Anakites.)

Then the land had rest^(AN) from war.

Allotment for Judah^(AO)

15 The allotment for the tribe of Judah, according to its clans, extended down to the territory of Edom,^(AP) to the Desert of Zin^(AQ) in the extreme south.^(AR)

These are the boundaries around the people of Judah by their clans.

¹³ In accordance with the Lord’s command to him, Joshua gave to Caleb^(BY) son of Jephunneh a portion in Judah—Kiriath Arba^(BZ), that is, Hebron.^(CA) (Arba was the forefather of Anak.)^{(CB) 14} From Hebron Caleb drove out the three Anakites^(CC)—Sheshai, Ahiman and Talmai,^(CD) the sons of Anak.^{(CE) 15} From there he marched against the people living in Debir (formerly called Kiriath Sepher). ¹⁶ And Caleb said, “I will give my daughter Aksah^(CF) in marriage to the man who attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher.” ¹⁷ Othniel^(CG) son of Kenaz, Caleb’s brother, took it; so Caleb gave his daughter Aksah to him in marriage.

¹⁸ One day when she came to Othniel, she urged him^[c] to ask her father for a field. When she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What can I do for you?”

¹⁹ She replied, “Do me a special favor. Since you have given me land in the Negev,^(CH) give me also springs of water.” So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs.^(CI)

²⁰ This is the inheritance of the tribe of Judah, according to its clans:

²¹ The southernmost towns of the tribe of Judah in the Negev^(CJ) toward the boundary of Edom were:

³³ In the western foothills:

⁴⁸ In the hill country:

⁶¹ In the wilderness:^(FE)

⁶³ Judah could not^(FH) dislodge the Jebusites^(FI), who were living in Jerusalem;^(FJ) to this day the Jebusites live there with the people of Judah.^(FK)

Allotment for Ephraim and Manasseh

⁴ So Manasseh and Ephraim, the descendants of Joseph, received their inheritance.^(FS)

⁵ This was the territory of Ephraim, according to its clans:

¹⁰ They did not dislodge the Canaanites living in Gezer; to this day the Canaanites live among the people of Ephraim but are required to do forced labor.^(GC)

17 This was the allotment for the tribe of Manasseh^(GD) as Joseph’s firstborn,^(GE) that is, for Makir,^(GF) Manasseh’s firstborn. Makir was the ancestor of the Gileadites, who had received Gilead^(GG) and Bashan^(GH) because the Makirites were great soldiers. ² So this allotment was for the rest of the people of Manasseh^(GI)—the clans of Abiezer,^(GJ) Helek, Asriel,^(GK) Shechem, Hepher^(GL) and Shemida.^(GM) These are the other male descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph by their clans.

³ Now Zelophehad son of Hepher,^(GN) the son of Gilead, the son of Makir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons but only daughters,^(GO) whose names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah and Tirzah. ⁴ They went to Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders and said, “The Lord commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our relatives.” So Joshua gave them an inheritance along with the brothers of their father, according to the Lord’s command.^{(GP) 5} Manasseh’s share consisted of ten tracts of land besides Gilead and Bashan east of the Jordan,^{(GQ) 6} because the daughters of the tribe of Manasseh received an inheritance among the sons. The land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the descendants of Manasseh.

¹² Yet the Manassites were not able^(HH) to occupy these towns, for the Canaanites were determined to live in that region. ¹³ However, when the Israelites grew stronger, they subjected the Canaanites to forced labor but did not drive them out completely.^(HI)

¹⁴ The people of Joseph said to Joshua, “Why have you given us only one allotment and one portion for an inheritance? We are a numerous people, and the Lord has blessed us abundantly.”^(HJ)

¹⁵ “If you are so numerous,” Joshua answered, “and if the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you, go up into the forest^(HK) and clear land for yourselves there in the land of the Perizzites^(HL) and Rephaites.^(HM)”

¹⁶ The people of Joseph replied, “The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who live in the plain have chariots fitted with iron,^(HN) both those in Beth Shan^(HO) and its settlements and those in the Valley of Jezreel.”^(HP)

¹⁷ But Joshua said to the tribes of Joseph—to Ephraim and Manasseh—“You are numerous and very powerful. You will have not only one allotment^{(HQ) 18} but the forested hill country^(HR) as well. Clear it, and its farthest limits will be yours; though the Canaanites have chariots fitted with iron^(HS) and though they are strong, you can drive them out.”