Joshua 18
1 The land had been subdued and lay before them. The Israelites gathered together at Shiloh and set up the Tent of Meeting.
Then the whole assembly of the people of Israel met together at Shiloh. They set up the tent of meeting there and they conquered the land before them.
2 However, seven of the Israelite tribes had not received their land allocations.
There were still seven tribes among the people of Israel whose inheritance had not been assigned.
3 So Joshua asked the Israelites, “How long will you go on being reluctant to go and take possession of the land that the Lord gave your forefathers?
Joshua said to the people of Israel, “How long will you put off going into the land that Yahweh, the God of your ancestors, has given you?
4 Choose three men from each tribe and I will send them out to explore the land. Then they can write a description regarding the land allocations and bring it to me.
Appoint for yourselves three men from each tribe, and I will send them out. They will set out and survey the land up and down. They will write out a description of it with a view to their inheritances, and then they will come back to me.
5 They are to divide the land into seven parts, up to the boundary of Judah's land in the south and Joseph's land in the north.
They will divide it into seven sections. Judah will remain in their territory on the south, and the house of Joseph will continue in their territory in the north.
6 Once you have written the description the land, dividing it in seven parts, you will bring it to me here and I will cast lots for you in the presence of the Lord our God.
You will describe the land in seven sections and bring the description here to me. I will cast lots for you here before Yahweh our God.
7 But the Levites do not receive a share, for their role as priests of the Lord is their allocation. Also, Gad, Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh have already received their allocation that Moses, the servant of the Lord, gave them on the east side of the Jordan.”
The Levites have no portion among you, for the priesthood of Yahweh is their inheritance. Gad, Reuben, and the half tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance, beyond Jordan. This is the inheritance that Moses the servant of Yahweh gave them.”
8 As the men started out on their way to explore the land. Joshua told them, “Go throughout the land and write a description of what you find. Then return to me and I will cast lots for you in the presence of the Lord here in Shiloh.”
So the men got up and went. Joshua commanded those who went to write the description of the land, saying, “Go up and down in the land and write a description of it and return to me. I will cast lots for you here before Yahweh at Shiloh.”
9 So the men went and explored the land and wrote down on a scroll a description of the seven parts, recording the towns in each part. Then they returned to Joshua at the camp in Shiloh
The men left and walked up and down in the land and wrote a description of it in a scroll by its cities in seven sections, listing the cities in each section. Then they returned to Joshua in the camp at Shiloh.
10 where Joshua cast lots for them in the presence of the Lord. There Joshua divided the land up and allotted the different parts to the remaining Israelite tribes.
Then Joshua cast lots for them at Shiloh before Yahweh. It was there that Joshua assigned the land to the people of Israel, and to each was given his portion of the land.
11 The first lot cast went to the tribe of Benjamin, by families. The land allotted lay between that of the tribe of Judah and the tribe of Joseph.
The assignment of land for the tribe of Benjamin clan by clan. The territory of their assigned land was located between the descendants of Judah and the descendants of Joseph.
12 Their boundary began at the Jordan, and went north of the slope of Jericho, west through the hill country, coming out at the wilderness of Beth-aven.
On the north side, their border began at the Jordan. The border went up to the ridge north of Jericho, and then up through the hill country westward. There it reached the wilderness of Beth Aven.
13 Then the boundary went south to Luz (or Bethel) and on down to Ataroth-addar on the mountain south of Lower Beth-horon.
From there the border passed along south in the direction of Luz (the same place as Bethel). Then the border went down to Ataroth Addar, by the mountain that lies south of Beth Horon.
14 Here the boundary turned south along the western side of the mountain facing Beth-horon, finishing at Kiriath-baal (or Kiriath-jearim), a town of the tribe of Judah. This was the western boundary.
The boundary then went in another direction: On the western side it turned toward the south, heading toward the mountain across from Beth Horon. This boundary ended at Kiriath Baal (that is, Kiriath Jearim), a city that belonged to the tribe of Judah. This formed the border on the western side.
15 The southern boundary began at the edge of Kiriath-jearim. It ran to the spring at Nephtoah,
The south side began just outside of Kiriath Jearim. The border went from there to Ephron, to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah.
16 and then down to the foot of the mountain that faces the valley of Ben-hinnom, at the north end of the valley of Rephaim. Then it went down the valley of Hinnom, along the slope near the Jebusite town, south towards En-rogel.
The boundary then went down to the border of the mountain which was opposite the Valley of Ben Hinnom, which was at the northern end of the Valley of Rephaim. It then went down to the Valley of Hinnom, south of the slope of the Jebusites, and continued down to En Rogel.
17 From there it headed north to En-shemesh and on to Geliloth, opposite the heights of Adummim, and then on down to the Stone of Bohan (Reuben's son).
It turned northward, going in the direction of En Shemesh, and from there it went out to Geliloth, which was opposite the ascent of Adummim. Then it went down to the Stone of Bohan the son of Reuben.
18 Then it went along the ridge opposite the Jordan Valley to the north, and then down into the Jordan Valley itself.
It passed on to the north of the shoulder of Beth Arabah and down to the Arabah.
19 From there it ran along the north slope of Beth-hoglah, ending at the north bay of the Salt Sea, the southern end of the Jordan. This was the southern boundary.
The border passed on to the north shoulder of Beth Hoglah. The border ended at the north bay of the Salt Sea, at the southern end of the Jordan. This was the boundary on the south.
20 The eastern boundary was the Jordan. These were the boundaries around the land of the tribe of Benjamin, by families.
The Jordan formed its border on the eastern side. This was the inheritance of the tribe of Benjamin, and it was given clan by clan, border after border, all around.
21 These were the towns of the tribe of Benjamin, according to families: Jericho, Beth-hoglah, Emek-keziz,
Now the cities of the tribe of Benjamin, clan by clan, had these cities: Jericho, Beth Hoglah, Emek Keziz,
22 Beth-arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel,
Beth Arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel,
23 Avvim, Parah, Ophrah,
Avvim, Parah, Ophrah,
24 Kephar-ammoni, Ophni, and Geba—twelve towns with their associated villages.
Kephar Ammoni, Ophni, and Geba. There were twelve cities, including their villages.
25 In addition: Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth,
There were also the cities of Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth,
26 Mizpah, Kephirah, Mozah,
Mizpah, Kephirah, Mozah,
27 Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah,
Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah,
28 Zela, Haeleph, Jebus (or Jerusalem), Gibeah, and Kiriath-jearim—fourteen towns with their associated villages. This was the land allotted to the tribe of Benjamin, by families.
Zelah, Haeleph, Jebus (the same as Jerusalem), Gibeah, and Kiriath. There were fourteen cities, including their villages. This was the inheritance of Benjamin for their clans.
