Joshua 14-21

Good News Translation

The Division of the Territory West of the Jordan

14 What follows is an account of how the land of Canaan west of the Jordan was divided among the people of Israel. Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders of the families of the Israelite tribes divided it among the population. ^2 (A)As the Lord had commanded Moses, the territories of the nine and one-half tribes west of the Jordan were determined by drawing lots.^{[a] 3-4 (B)}Moses had already assigned the land east of the Jordan to the other two and one-half tribes. (The descendants of Joseph were divided into two tribes: Manasseh and Ephraim.) However, Moses gave the Levites no portion of the territory. Instead, they received cities to live in, with fields for their cattle and flocks. ⁵ The people of Israel divided the land as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Hebron Is Given to Caleb

^6 (C)One day some people from the tribe of Judah came to Joshua at Gilgal. One of them, Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, said to him, “You know what the Lord said in Kadesh Barnea about you and me to Moses, the man of God. ^7 (D)I was forty years old when the Lord's servant Moses sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out this land. I brought an honest report back to him. ⁸ The men who went with me, however, made our people afraid. But I faithfully obeyed the Lord my God. ^9 (E)Because I did, Moses promised me that my children and I would certainly receive as our possession the land which I walked over. ¹⁰ But now, look. It has been forty-five years since the Lord said that to Moses. That was when Israel was going through the desert, and the Lord, as he promised, has kept me alive ever since. Look at me! I am eighty-five years old ¹¹ and am just as strong today as I was when Moses sent me out. I am still strong enough for war or for anything else. ¹² Now then, give me the hill country that the Lord promised me on that day when my men and I reported. We told you then that the race of giants called the Anakim were there in large walled cities. Maybe the Lord will be with me, and I will drive them out, just as the Lord said.”

¹³ Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him the city of Hebron as his possession. ¹⁴ Hebron still belongs to the descendants of Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, because he faithfully obeyed the Lord, the God of Israel. ¹⁵ Before this, Hebron was called the city of Arba. (Arba had been the greatest of the Anakim.)

There was now peace in the land.

The Territory Assigned to Judah

15 The families of the tribe of Judah received a part of the land described as follows:

The land reached south to the southernmost point of the wilderness of Zin, at the border of Edom. ² This southern border ran from the south end of the Dead Sea, ³ went southward from the Akrabbim Pass and on to Zin. It ran south of Kadesh Barnea, past Hezron and up to Addar, turned toward Karka, ⁴ went on to Azmon, and followed the stream on the border of Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea, where the border ended. That was the southern border of Judah.

⁵ The eastern border was the Dead Sea, all the way up to the inlet where the Jordan empties into it.

The northern border began there, ⁶ extended up to Beth Hoglah, and went north of the ridge overlooking the Jordan Valley. Then it went up to the Stone of Bohan (Bohan was a son of Reuben), ⁷ from Trouble Valley up to Debir, and then turned north toward Gilgal, which faces Adummim Pass on the south side of the valley. It then went on to the springs of Enshemesh, out to Enrogel, ⁸ and up through Hinnom Valley on the south side of the hill where the Jebusite city of Jerusalem was located. The border then proceeded up to the top of the hill on the west side of Hinnom Valley, at the northern end of Rephaim Valley. ⁹ From there it went to the Springs of Nephtoah and out to the cities near Mount Ephron. There it turned toward Baalah (or Kiriath Jearim), ¹⁰ where it circled west of Baalah toward the hill country of Edom, went on the north side of Mount Jearim (or Chesalon), down to Beth Shemesh, and on past Timnah. ¹¹ The border then went out to the hill north of Ekron, turned toward Shikkeron, past Mount Baalah, and on to Jamnia. It ended at the Mediterranean Sea, ¹² which formed the western border.

Within these borders lived the people of the families of Judah.

Caleb Conquers Hebron and Debir^(F)

^13 (G)As the Lord commanded Joshua, part of the territory of Judah was given to Caleb son of Jephunneh, from the tribe of Judah. He received Hebron, the city belonging to Arba, father of Anak. ¹⁴ Caleb drove the descendants of Anak out of the city—the clans of Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai. ¹⁵ From there he went to attack the people living in Debir. (This city used to be called Kiriath Sepher.) ¹⁶ Caleb said, “I will give my daughter Achsah in marriage to the man who succeeds in capturing Kiriath Sepher.” ¹⁷ Othniel, the son of Caleb's brother Kenaz, captured the city, so Caleb gave him his daughter Achsah in marriage. ¹⁸ On the wedding day Othniel urged her^[b] to ask her father for a field. She got down from her donkey, and Caleb asked her what she wanted. ¹⁹ She answered, “I want some water holes. The land you have given me is in the dry country.” So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs.

The Cities of Judah

²⁰ This is the land that the families of the tribe of Judah received as their possession. ²¹ The cities farthest south that belonged to them, those that were near the border of Edom, were Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur, ²² Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah, ²³ Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan, ²⁴ Ziph, Telem, Bealoth, ²⁵ Hazor Hadattah, Kerioth Hezron (or Hazor), ²⁶ Amam, Shema, Moladah, ²⁷ Hazar Gaddah, Heshmon, Bethpelet, ²⁸ Hazar Shual, Beersheba, Biziothiah, ²⁹ Baalah, Iim, Ezem, ³⁰ Eltolad, Chesil, Hormah, ³¹ Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah, ³² Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon: twenty-nine cities in all, along with the towns around them.

³³ The cities in the foothills were Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah, ³⁴ Zanoah, Engannim, Tappuah, Enam, ³⁵ Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah, ³⁶ Shaaraim, Adithaim, Gederah, and Gederothaim: fourteen cities, along with the towns around them.

³⁷ There were also Zenan, Hadashah, Migdalgad, ³⁸ Dilean, Mizpah, Joktheel, ³⁹ Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon, ⁴⁰ Cabbon, Lahmam, Chitlish, ⁴¹ Gederoth, Bethdagon, Naamah, and Makkedah: sixteen cities, along with the towns around them.

⁴² There were also Libnah, Ether, Ashan, ⁴³ Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib, ⁴⁴ Keilah, Achzib, and Mareshah: nine cities, along with the towns around them.

⁴⁵ There was Ekron with its towns and villages, ⁴⁶ and all the cities and towns near Ashdod, from Ekron to the Mediterranean Sea.

⁴⁷ There were Ashdod and Gaza, with their towns and villages, reaching to the stream on the border of Egypt and the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.

⁴⁸ In the hill country there were Shamir, Jattir, Socoh, ⁴⁹ Dannah, Kiriath Sepher (or Debir), ⁵⁰ Anab, Eshtemoa, Anim, ⁵¹ Goshen, Holon, and Giloh: eleven cities, along with the towns around them.

⁵² There were Arab, Dumah, Eshan, ⁵³ Janim, Beth Tappuah, Aphekah, ⁵⁴ Humtah, Hebron, and Zior: nine cities, along with the towns around them.

⁵⁵ There were Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah, ⁵⁶ Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah, ⁵⁷ Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah: ten cities, along with the towns around them.

⁵⁸ There were Halhul, Bethzur, Gedor, ⁵⁹ Maarath, Bethanoth, and Eltekon: six cities, along with the towns around them.

⁶⁰ There were Kiriath Baal (or Kiriath Jearim) and Rabbah: two cities, along with the towns around them.

⁶¹ In the desert there were Beth Arabah, Middin, Secacah, ⁶² Nibshan, Salt City, and Engedi: six cities, along with the towns around them.

^63 (H)But the people of Judah were not able to drive out the Jebusites, who lived in Jerusalem. The Jebusites still live there with the people of Judah.

The Territory Assigned to Ephraim and West Manasseh

16 The southern boundary of the land assigned to the descendants of Joseph started from the Jordan near Jericho, at a point east of the springs of Jericho, and went into the desert. It went from Jericho up into the hill country as far as Bethel. ² From Bethel it went to Luz, passing on to Ataroth Addar, where the Archites lived. ³ It then went west to the area of the Japhletites, as far as the area of Lower Beth Horon. It went on from there to Gezer and ended at the Mediterranean Sea.

⁴ The descendants of Joseph, the tribes of Ephraim and West Manasseh, received this land as their possession.

Ephraim

⁵ This was the territory of the Ephraimite families: their border ran from Ataroth Addar eastward to Upper Beth Horon, ⁶ and from there to the Mediterranean Sea. Michmethath was on their north. East of there the border bent toward Taanath Shiloh and went past it on the east to Janoah. ⁷ Then it went down from Janoah to Ataroth and Naarah, reaching Jericho and ending at the Jordan. ⁸ The border went west from Tappuah to the stream Kanah and ended at the Mediterranean Sea. This was the land given to the families of the tribe of Ephraim as their possession, ⁹ along with some towns and villages that were within the borders of Manasseh, but given to the Ephraimites. ^10 (I)But they did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer, so the Canaanites have lived among the Ephraimites to this day, but they have been forced to work as slaves.

West Manasseh

17 A part of the land west of the Jordan was assigned to some of the families descended from Joseph's older son Manasseh. Machir, the father of Gilead, was Manasseh's oldest son and a military hero, so Gilead and Bashan, east of the Jordan, were assigned to him. ² Land west of the Jordan was assigned to the rest of the families of Manasseh: Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida. These were male descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph, and they were heads of families. ³ Zelophehad, son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, did not have any sons, but only daughters. Their names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. ^4 (J)They went to Eleazar the priest and to Joshua son of Nun and to the leaders, and said, “The Lord commanded Moses to give us, as well as our male relatives, a part of the land to possess.” So, as the Lord had commanded, they were given land along with their male relatives. ⁵ This is why Manasseh received ten shares in addition to Gilead and Bashan on the east side of the Jordan, ⁶ since his female descendants as well as his male descendants were assigned land. The land of Gilead was assigned to the rest of the descendants of Manasseh.

⁷ The territory of Manasseh reached from Asher to Michmethath, east of Shechem. The border then went south to include the people of Entappuah. ⁸ The land around Tappuah belonged to Manasseh, but the town of Tappuah, on the border, belonged to the descendants of Ephraim. ⁹ The border then went down to the stream Kanah. The cities south of the stream belonged to Ephraim, even though they were in the territory of Manasseh. The border of Manasseh proceeded along the north side of the stream and ended at the Mediterranean Sea. ¹⁰ Ephraim was to the south, and Manasseh was to the north, with the Mediterranean Sea as their western border. Asher was to the northwest, and Issachar to the northeast. ¹¹ Within the territories of Issachar and Asher, Manasseh possessed Beth Shan and Ibleam, along with their surrounding towns, as well as Dor (the one on the coast),^[c] Endor, Taanach, Megiddo, and their surrounding towns. ^12 (K)The people of Manasseh, however, were not able to drive out the people living in those cities, so the Canaanites continued to live there. ¹³ Even when the Israelites became stronger, they did not drive out all the Canaanites, but they did force them to work for them.

Ephraim and West Manasseh Request More Land

¹⁴ The descendants of Joseph said to Joshua, “Why have you given us only one part of the land to possess as our own? There are very many of us because the Lord has blessed us.”

¹⁵ Joshua answered, “If there are so many of you and the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you, then go into the forests and clear ground for yourselves in the land of the Perizzites and the Rephaim.”

¹⁶ They replied, “The hill country is not big enough for us, but the Canaanites in the plains have iron chariots, both those who live in Beth Shan and its surrounding towns and those who live in Jezreel Valley.”

¹⁷ Joshua said to the tribes of Ephraim and West Manasseh, “There are indeed many of you, and you are very powerful. You shall have more than one share. ¹⁸ The hill country will be yours. Even though it is a forest, you will clear it and take possession of it from one end to the other. As for the Canaanites, you will drive them out, even though they do have iron chariots and are a strong people.”

The Division of the Rest of the Land

18 After they had conquered the land, the entire community of Israel assembled at Shiloh and set up the Tent of the Lord's presence. ² There were still seven tribes of the people of Israel who had not yet been assigned their share of the land. ³ So Joshua said to the people of Israel, “How long are you going to wait before you go in and take the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has given you? ⁴ Let me have three men from each tribe. I will send them out over the whole country to map out the territory that they would like to have as their possession. Then they are to come back to me. ⁵ The land will be divided among them in seven parts; Judah will stay in its territory in the south, and Joseph in its territory in the north. ⁶ Write down a description of these seven divisions and bring it to me. Then I will draw lots^[d] to consult the Lord our God for you. ⁷ The Levites, however, will not receive a share of the land with the rest of you, because their share is to serve as the Lord's priests. And of course, the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and East Manasseh have already received their land east of the Jordan, which Moses, the Lord's servant, gave to them.”

⁸ The men went on their way to map out the land after Joshua had given them these instructions: “Go all over the land and map it out, and come back to me. And then here in Shiloh I will consult the Lord for you by drawing lots.” ⁹ So the men went all over the land and set down in writing how they divided it into seven parts, making a list of the towns. Then they went back to Joshua in the camp at Shiloh. ¹⁰ Joshua drew lots to consult the Lord for them, and assigned each of the remaining tribes of Israel a certain part of the land.

The Territory Assigned to Benjamin

¹¹ The territory belonging to the families of the tribe of Benjamin was the first to be assigned. Their land lay between the tribes of Judah and Joseph. ¹² On the north their border began at the Jordan and then went up the slope north of Jericho and westward through the hill country as far as the desert of Bethaven. ¹³ The border then went to the slope on the south side of Luz (also called Bethel), then down to Ataroth Addar, on the mountain south of Lower Beth Horon. ¹⁴ The border then went in another direction, turning south from the western side of this mountain and going to Kiriath Baal (or Kiriath Jearim), which belongs to the tribe of Judah. This was the western border. ¹⁵ The southern border started on the edge of Kiriath Jearim and went^[e] to the Springs of Nephtoah. ¹⁶ It then went down to the foot of the mountain that overlooks Hinnom Valley, at the north end of Rephaim Valley. It then went south through Hinnom Valley, south of the Jebusite ridge, toward Enrogel. ¹⁷ It then turned north to Enshemesh and then on to Geliloth, opposite Adummim Pass. The border then went down to the Stone of Bohan (Bohan was a son of Reuben) ¹⁸ and passed north of the ridge overlooking the Jordan Valley. It then went down into the valley, ¹⁹ passing north of the ridge of Beth Hoglah, and ended at the northern inlet on the Dead Sea, where the Jordan River empties into it. This was the southern border. ²⁰ The Jordan was the eastern border. These were the borders of the land which the families of the tribe of Benjamin received as their possession.

²¹ The cities belonging to the families of the tribe of Benjamin were Jericho, Beth Hoglah, Emek Keziz, ²² Beth Arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel, ²³ Avvim, Parah, Ophrah, ²⁴ Chepharammoni, Ophni, and Geba: twelve cities, along with the towns around them. ²⁵ There were also Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth, ²⁶ Mizpah, Chephirah, Mozah, ²⁷ Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah, ²⁸ Zela, Haeleph, Jebus (or Jerusalem), Gibeah, and Kiriath Jearim: fourteen cities, along with the towns around them. This is the land which the families of the tribe of Benjamin received as their possession.

The Territory Assigned to Simeon

19 The second assignment made was for the families of the tribe of Simeon. Its territory extended into the land assigned to the tribe of Judah. ^2 (L)It included Beersheba, Sheba, Moladah, ³ Hazar Shual, Balah, Ezem, ⁴ Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah, ⁵ Ziklag, Beth Marcaboth, Hazar Susah, ⁶ Beth Lebaoth, and Sharuhen: thirteen cities, along with the towns around them.

⁷ There were also Ain, Rimmon, Ether, and Ashan: four cities, along with the towns around them. ⁸ This included all the towns around these cities as far as Baalath Beer (or Ramah), in the south. This was the land which the families of the tribe of Simeon received as their possession. ⁹ Since Judah's assignment was larger than was needed, part of its territory was given to the tribe of Simeon.

The Territory Assigned to Zebulun

¹⁰ The third assignment made was for the families of the tribe of Zebulun. The land which they received reached as far as Sarid. ¹¹ From there the border went west to Mareal, touching Dabbesheth and the stream east of Jokneam. ¹² On the other side of Sarid it went east to the border of Chisloth Tabor, then to Daberath and up to Japhia. ¹³ It continued east from there to Gath Hepher and Ethkazin, turning in the direction of Neah on the way to Rimmon. ¹⁴ On the north the border turned toward Hannathon, ending at Iphtahel Valley. ¹⁵ It included Kattath, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem: twelve cities, along with the towns around them. ¹⁶ These cities and their towns were in the land which the families of the tribe of Zebulun received as their possession.

The Territory Assigned to Issachar

¹⁷ The fourth assignment made was for the families of the tribe of Issachar. ¹⁸ Its area included Jezreel, Chesulloth, Shunem, ¹⁹ Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath, ²⁰ Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez, ²¹ Remeth, Engannim, Enhaddah, and Bethpazzez. ²² The border also touched Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth Shemesh, ending at the Jordan. It included sixteen cities along with the towns around them. ²³ These cities and their towns were in the land which the families of the tribe of Issachar received as their possession.

The Territory Assigned to Asher

²⁴ The fifth assignment made was for the families of the tribe of Asher. ²⁵ Its area included Helkath, Hali, Beten, Achshaph, ²⁶ Allam Melech, Amad, and Mishal. On the west it touched Carmel and Shihor Libnath. ²⁷ As it turned east, the border went to Bethdagon, touching Zebulun and Iphtahel Valley on the way north to Bethemek and Neiel. It continued north to Cabul, ²⁸ Ebron, Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah, as far as Sidon. ²⁹ The border then turned to Ramah, reaching the fortified city of Tyre; then it turned to Hosah and ended at the Mediterranean Sea. It included Mahalab, Achzib, ³⁰ Ummah, Aphek, and Rehob: twenty-two cities, along with the towns around them. ³¹ These cities and their towns were in the land which the families of the tribe of Asher received as their possession.

The Territory Assigned to Naphtali

³² The sixth assignment made was for the families of the tribe of Naphtali. ³³ Its border went from Heleph to the oak in Zaanannim, on to Adaminekeb and to Jamnia, as far as Lakkum, and ended at the Jordan. ³⁴ There the border turned west to Aznoth Tabor, from there to Hukkok, touching Zebulun on the south, Asher on the west, and the Jordan^[f] on the east. ³⁵ The fortified cities were Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Chinnereth, ³⁶ Adamah, Ramah, Hazor, ³⁷ Kedesh, Edrei, Enhazor, ³⁸ Yiron, Migdalel, Horem, Bethanath, and Beth Shemesh: nineteen cities, along with the towns around them. ³⁹ These cities and their towns were in the land which the families of the tribe of Naphtali received as their possession.

The Territory Assigned to Dan

⁴⁰ The seventh assignment made was for the families of the tribe of Dan. ⁴¹ Its area included Zorah, Eshtaol, Irshemesh, ⁴² Shaalbim, Aijalon, Ithlah, ⁴³ Elon, Timnah, Ekron, ⁴⁴ Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath, ⁴⁵ Jehud, Beneberak, Gathrimmon, ⁴⁶ Mejarkon, and Rakkon, as well as the territory around Joppa. ^47 (M)When the people of Dan lost their land, they went to Laish and attacked it. They captured it, killed its people, and claimed it for themselves. They settled there and changed the name of the city from Laish to Dan, naming it after their ancestor Dan. ⁴⁸ These cities and their towns were in the land which the families of the tribe of Dan received as their possession.

The Final Assignment of the Land

⁴⁹ When the people of Israel finished dividing up the land, they gave Joshua son of Nun a part of the land as his own. ⁵⁰ As the Lord had commanded, they gave him the city he asked for: Timnath Serah, in the hill country of Ephraim. He rebuilt the city and settled there.

⁵¹ Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders of the families of the tribes of Israel assigned these parts of the land by drawing lots^[g] to consult the Lord at Shiloh, at the entrance of the Tent of the Lord's presence. In this way they finished dividing the land.

The Cities of Refuge

20 ^(N)Then the Lord told Joshua ² to say to the people of Israel, “Choose the cities of refuge that I had Moses tell you about. ³ If any of you accidentally kills someone, you can go there and escape the one who is looking for revenge. ⁴ You can run away to one of these cities, go to the place of judgment at the entrance to the city, and explain to the leaders what happened. Then they will let you into the city and give you a place to live in, so that you can stay there. ⁵ If the one looking for revenge follows you there, the people of the city must not hand you over to that one. They must protect you because you killed the person accidentally and not out of anger. ⁶ You may stay in the city until you have received a public trial and until the death of the man who is then the High Priest. Then you may go back home to your own town, from which you had run away.”

⁷ So, on the west side of the Jordan they set aside Kedesh in Galilee, in the hill country of Naphtali; Shechem, in the hill country of Ephraim; and Hebron, in the hill country of Judah. ⁸ East of the Jordan, on the desert plateau east of Jericho, they chose Bezer in the territory of Reuben; Ramoth in Gilead, in the territory of Gad; and Golan in Bashan, in the territory of Manasseh. ⁹ These were the cities of refuge chosen for all the people of Israel and for any foreigner living among them. Any who killed a person accidentally could find protection there from the one looking for revenge; they could not be killed unless they had first received a public trial.

The Cities of the Levites

21 The leaders of the Levite families went to Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and to the heads of the families of all the tribes of Israel. ^2 (O)There at Shiloh in the land of Canaan they said to them, “The Lord commanded through Moses that we were to be given cities to live in, as well as pasture land around them for our livestock.” ³ So in accordance with the Lord's command the people of Israel gave the Levites certain cities and pasture lands out of their own territories.

⁴ The families of the Levite clan of Kohath were the first to be assigned cities. The families who were descended from Aaron the priest were assigned thirteen cities from the territories of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin. ⁵ The rest of the clan of Kohath was assigned ten cities from the territories of Ephraim, Dan, and West Manasseh.

⁶ The clan of Gershon was assigned thirteen cities from the territories of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and East Manasseh.

⁷ The families of the clan of Merari were assigned twelve cities from the territories of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.

⁸ By drawing lots,^[h] the people of Israel assigned these cities and their pasture lands to the Levites, as the Lord had commanded through Moses.

⁹ These are the names of the cities from the territories of Judah and Simeon which were given ¹⁰ to the descendants of Aaron who were of the clan of Kohath, which was descended from Levi. Their assignment was the first to be made. ¹¹ They were given the city of Arba (Arba was Anak's father), now called Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, along with the pasture land surrounding it. ¹² However, the fields of the city, as well as its towns, had already been given to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his possession.

¹³ In addition to Hebron (one of the cities of refuge), the following cities were assigned to the descendants of Aaron the priest: Libnah, ¹⁴ Jattir, Eshtemoa, ¹⁵ Holon, Debir, ¹⁶ Ain, Juttah, and Beth Shemesh, with their pasture lands: nine cities from the tribes of Judah and Simeon. ¹⁷ From the territory of Benjamin they were given four cities: Gibeon, Geba, ¹⁸ Anathoth, and Almon, with their pasture lands. ¹⁹ Thirteen cities in all, with their pasture lands, were given to the priests, the descendants of Aaron.

²⁰ The other families of the Levite clan of Kohath were assigned some cities from the territory of Ephraim. ²¹ They were given four cities: Shechem and its pasture lands in the hill country of Ephraim (one of the cities of refuge), Gezer, ²² Kibzaim, and Beth Horon, with their pasture lands. ²³ From the territory of Dan they were given four cities: Eltekeh, Gibbethon, ²⁴ Aijalon, and Gathrimmon, with their pasture lands. ²⁵ From the territory of West Manasseh they were given two cities: Taanach and Gathrimmon, with their pasture lands. ²⁶ These families of the clan of Kohath received ten cities in all, with their pasture lands.

²⁷ Another group of Levites, the clan of Gershon, received from the territory of East Manasseh two cities: Golan in Bashan (one of the cities of refuge) and Beeshterah, with their pasture lands. ²⁸ From the territory of Issachar they received four cities: Kishion, Daberath, ²⁹ Jarmuth, and Engannim, with their pasture lands. ³⁰ From the territory of Asher they received four cities: Mishal, Abdon, ³¹ Helkath, and Rehob, with their pasture lands. ³² From the territory of Naphtali they received three cities: Kedesh in Galilee, with its pasture lands (one of the cities of refuge), Hammoth Dor, and Kartan, with their pasture lands. ³³ The various families of the clan of Gershon received a total of thirteen cities with their pasture lands.

³⁴ The rest of the Levites, the clan of Merari, received from the territory of Zebulun four cities: Jokneam, Kartah, ³⁵ Dimnah, and Nahalal, with their pasture lands. ³⁶ From the territory of Reuben they received four cities: Bezer, Jahaz, ³⁷ Kedemoth, and Mephaath, with their pasture lands. ³⁸ From the tribe of Gad they received four cities: Ramoth in Gilead, with its pasture lands (one of the cities of refuge), Mahanaim, ³⁹ Heshbon, and Jazer, with their pasture lands. ⁴⁰ So the clan of Merari was assigned a total of twelve cities.

^41-42 From the land that the people of Israel possessed, a total of forty-eight cities, with the pasture lands around them, was given to the Levites.

Israel Takes Possession of the Land

⁴³ So the Lord gave to Israel all the land that he had solemnly promised their ancestors he would give them. When they had taken possession of it, they settled down there. ⁴⁴ The Lord gave them peace throughout the land, just as he had promised their ancestors. Not one of all their enemies had been able to stand against them, because the Lord gave the Israelites the victory over all their enemies. ⁴⁵ The Lord kept every one of the promises that he had made to the people of Israel.