1 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.
2 And there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes, which had not yet received their inheritance.
3 And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the LORD God of your fathers hath given you?
4 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.
5 And they shall divide it into seven parts: Judah shall abide in their coast on the south, and the house of Joseph shall abide in their coasts on the north.
6 Ye shall therefore describe the land into seven parts, and bring the description hither to me, that I may cast lots for you here before the LORD our God.
7 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.
8 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.
9 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.
10 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.
11 And the lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin came up according to their families: and the coast of their lot came forth between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph.
12 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 goings out thereof were at the wilderness of Bethaven.
13 And the border went over from thence toward Luz, to the side of Luz, which is Bethel, southward; and the border descended to Atarothadar, near the hill that lieth on the south side of the nether Bethhoron.
14 And the border was drawn thence, and compassed the corner of the sea southward, from the hill that lieth before Bethhoron southward; and the goings out thereof were at Kirjathbaal, which is Kirjathjearim, a city of the children of Judah: this was the west quarter.
15 And the south quarter was from the end of Kirjathjearim, and the border went out on the west, and went out to the well of waters of Nephtoah:
16 And the border came down to the end of the mountain that lieth 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 Jebusi on the south, and descended to Enrogel,
17 And was drawn from the north, and went forth to Enshemesh, and went forth toward Geliloth, which is over against the going up of Adummim, and descended to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben,
18 And passed along toward the side over against Arabah northward, and went down unto Arabah:
19 And the border passed along to the side of Bethhoglah northward: and the outgoings of the border were at the north bay of the salt sea at the south end of Jordan: this was the south coast.
20 And Jordan was the border of it on the east side. This was the inheritance of the children of Benjamin, by the coasts thereof round about, according to their families.
21 Now the cities of the tribe of the children of Benjamin according to their families were Jericho, and Bethhoglah, and the valley of Keziz,
22 And Betharabah, and Zemaraim, and Bethel,
23 And Avim, and Pharah, and Ophrah,
24 And Chepharhaammonai, and Ophni, and Gaba; twelve cities with their villages:
25 Gibeon, and Ramah, and Beeroth,
26 And Mizpeh, and Chephirah, and Mozah,
27 And Rekem, and Irpeel, and Taralah,
28 And Zelah, Eleph, and Jebusi, which is Jerusalem, Gibeath, and Kirjath; fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the children of Benjamin according to their families.
1 And the whole congregation H5712 of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 assembled together H6950 at Shiloh, H7887 and set up H7931 the tabernacle H168 of the congregation H4150 there. And the land H776 was subdued H3533 before H6440 them.
2 And there remained H3498 among the children H1121 of Israel H3478 seven H7651 tribes, H7626 which had not yet received H2505 their inheritance. H5159
3 And Joshua H3091 said H559 unto the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 How long are ye slack H7503 to go H935 to possess H3423 the land, H776 which the LORD H3068 God H430 of your fathers H1 hath given H5414 you?
4 Give out H3051 from among you three H7969 men H582 for each tribe: H7626 and I will send H7971 them, and they shall rise, H6965 and go H1980 through the land, H776 and describe H3789 it according H6310 to the inheritance H5159 of them; and they shall come H935 again to me.
5 And they shall divide H2505 it into seven H7651 parts: H2506 Judah H3063 shall abide H5975 in their coast H1366 on the south, H5045 and the house H1004 of Joseph H3130 shall abide H5975 in their coasts H1366 on the north. H6828
6 Ye shall therefore describe H3789 the land H776 into seven H7651 parts, H2506 and bring H935 the description hither to me, that I may cast H3384 lots H1486 for you here before H6440 the LORD H3068 our God. H430
7 But the Levites H3881 have no part H2506 among H7130 you; for the priesthood H3550 of the LORD H3068 is their inheritance: H5159 and Gad, H1410 and Reuben, H7205 and half H2677 the tribe H7626 of Manasseh, H4519 have received H3947 their inheritance H5159 beyond H5676 Jordan H3383 on the east, H4217 which Moses H4872 the servant H5650 of the LORD H3068 gave H5414 them.
8 And the men H582 arose, H6965 and went away: H3212 and Joshua H3091 charged H6680 them that went H1980 to describe H3789 the land, H776 saying, H559 Go H3212 and walk H1980 through the land, H776 and describe H3789 it, and come again H7725 to me, that I may here cast H7993 lots H1486 for you before H6440 the LORD H3068 in Shiloh. H7887
9 And the men H582 went H3212 and passed through H5674 the land, H776 and described H3789 it by cities H5892 into seven H7651 parts H2506 in a book, H5612 and came H935 again to Joshua H3091 to the host H4264 at Shiloh. H7887
10 And Joshua H3091 cast H7993 lots H1486 for them in Shiloh H7887 before H6440 the LORD: H3068 and there Joshua H3091 divided H2505 the land H776 unto the children H1121 of Israel H3478 according to their divisions. H4256
11 And the lot H1486 of the tribe H4294 of the children H1121 of Benjamin H1144 came up H5927 according to their families: H4940 and the coast H1366 of their lot H1486 came forth H3318 between the children H1121 of Judah H3063 and the children H1121 of Joseph. H3130
12 And their border H1366 on the north H6828 side H6285 was from Jordan; H3383 and the border H1366 went up H5927 to the side H3802 of Jericho H3405 on the north H6828 side, and went up H5927 through the mountains H2022 westward; H3220 and the goings out H8444 thereof were at the wilderness H4057 of Bethaven. H1007
13 And the border H1366 went over H5674 from thence toward Luz, H3870 to the side H3802 of Luz, H3870 which is Bethel, H1008 southward; H5045 and the border H1366 descended H3381 to Atarothadar, H5853 near the hill H2022 that lieth on the south side H5045 of the nether H8481 Bethhoron. H1032
14 And the border H1366 was drawn H8388 thence, and compassed H5437 the corner H6285 of the sea H3220 southward, H5045 from the hill H2022 that lieth before H6440 Bethhoron H1032 southward; H5045 and the goings out H8444 thereof were at Kirjathbaal, H7154 which is Kirjathjearim, H7157 a city H5892 of the children H1121 of Judah: H3063 this was the west H3220 quarter. H6285
15 And the south H5045 quarter H6285 was from the end H7097 of Kirjathjearim, H7157 and the border H1366 went out H3318 on the west, H3220 and went out H3318 to the well H4599 of waters H4325 of Nephtoah: H5318
16 And the border H1366 came down H3381 to the end H7097 of the mountain H2022 that lieth before H6440 the valley H1516 of the son H1121 of Hinnom, H2011 and which is in the valley H6010 of the giants H7497 on the north, H6828 and descended H3381 to the valley H1516 of Hinnom, H2011 to the side H3802 of Jebusi H2983 on the south, H5045 and descended H3381 to Enrogel, H5883
17 And was drawn H8388 from the north, H6828 and went forth H3318 to Enshemesh, H5885 and went forth H3318 toward Geliloth, H1553 which is over against H5227 the going up H4608 of Adummim, H131 and descended H3381 to the stone H68 of Bohan H932 the son H1121 of Reuben, H7205
18 And passed along H5674 toward the side H3802 over against H4136 Arabah H6160 northward, H6828 and went down H3381 unto Arabah: H6160
19 And the border H1366 passed along H5674 to the side H3802 of Bethhoglah H1031 northward: H6828 and the outgoings H8444 of the border H1366 were at the north H6828 bay H3956 of the salt H4417 sea H3220 at the south H5045 end H7097 of Jordan: H3383 this was the south H5045 coast. H1366
20 And Jordan H3383 was the border H1379 of it on the east H6924 side. H6285 This was the inheritance H5159 of the children H1121 of Benjamin, H1144 by the coasts H1367 thereof round about, H5439 according to their families. H4940
21 Now the cities H5892 of the tribe H4294 of the children H1121 of Benjamin H1144 according to their families H4940 were Jericho, H3405 and Bethhoglah, H1031 and the valley H6010 of Keziz, H7104
22 And Betharabah, H1026 and Zemaraim, H6787 and Bethel, H1008
23 And Avim, H5761 and Parah, H6511 and Ophrah, H6084
24 And Chepharhaammonai, H3726 and Ophni, H6078 and Gaba; H1387 twelve H8147 H6240 cities H5892 with their villages: H2691
25 Gibeon, H1391 and Ramah, H7414 and Beeroth, H881
26 And Mizpeh, H4708 and Chephirah, H3716 and Mozah, H4681
27 And Rekem, H7552 and Irpeel, H3416 and Taralah, H8634
28 And Zelah, H6762 Eleph, H507 and Jebusi, H2983 which is Jerusalem, H3389 Gibeath, H1394 and Kirjath; H7157 fourteen H702 H6240 cities H5892 with their villages. H2691 This is the inheritance H5159 of the children H1121 of Benjamin H1144 according to their families. H4940
1 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled themselves together at Shiloh, and set up the tent of meeting there: and the land was subdued before them.
2 And there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes, which had not yet divided their inheritance.
3 And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, How long are ye slack to go in to possess the land, which Jehovah, the God of your fathers, hath given you?
4 Appoint for you three men of each tribe: and I will send them, and they shall arise, and walk through the land, and describe it according to their inheritance; and they shall come unto me.
5 And they shall divide it into seven portions: Judah shall abide in his border on the south, and the house of Joseph shall abide in their border on the north.
6 And ye shall describe the land into seven portions, and bring `the description' hither to me; and I will cast lots for you here before Jehovah our God.
7 For the Levites have no portion among you; for the priesthood of Jehovah is their inheritance: and Gad and Reuben and the half-tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan eastward, which Moses the servant of Jehovah gave them.
8 And the men arose, and went: 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; and I will cast lots for you here before Jehovah in Shiloh.
9 And the men went and passed through the land, and described it by cities into seven portions in a book; and they came to Joshua unto the camp at Shiloh.
10 And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before Jehovah: and there Joshua divided the land unto the children of Israel according to their divisions.
11 And the lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin came up according to their families: and the border of their lot went out between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph.
12 And their border on the north quarter was from the Jordan; and the border went up to the side of Jericho on the north, and went up through the hill-country westward; and the goings out thereof were at the wilderness of Beth-aven.
13 And the border passed along from thence to Luz, to the side of Luz (the same is Beth-el), southward; and the border went down to Ataroth-addar, by the mountain that lieth on the south of Beth-horon the nether.
14 And the border extended `thence', and turned about on the west quarter southward, from the mountain that lieth before Beth-horon southward; and the goings out thereof were at Kiriath-baal (the same is Kiriath-jearim), a city of the children of Judah: this was the west quarter.
15 And the south quarter was from the uttermost part of Kiriath-jearim; and the border went out westward, and went out to the fountain of the waters of Nephtoah;
16 and the border went down to the uttermost part of the mountain that lieth before the valley of the son of Hinnom, which is in the vale of Rephaim northward; and it went down to the valley of Hinnom, to the side of the Jebusite southward, and went down to En-rogel;
17 and it extended northward, and went out at En-shemesh, and went out to Geliloth, which is over against the ascent of Adummim; and it went down to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben;
18 and it passed along to the side over against the Arabah northward, and went down unto the Arabah;
19 and the border passed along to the side of Beth-hoglah northward; and the goings out of the border were at the north bay of the Salt Sea, at the south end of the Jordan: this was the south border.
20 And the Jordan was the border of it on the east quarter. This was the inheritance of the children of Benjamin, by the borders thereof round about, according to their families.
21 Now the cities of the tribe of the children of Benjamin according to their families were Jericho, and Beth-hoglah, and Emek-keziz,
22 and Beth-arabah, and Zemaraim, and Beth-el,
23 and Avvim, and Parah, and Ophrah,
24 and Chephar-ammoni, and Ophni, and Geba; twelve cities with their villages:
25 Gibeon, and Ramah, and Beeroth,
26 and Mizpeh, and Chephirah, and Mozah,
27 and Rekem, and Irpeel, and Taralah,
28 and Zelah, Eleph, and the Jebusite (the same is Jerusalem), Gibeath, `and' Kiriath; fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the children of Benjamin according to their families.
1 And all the company of the sons of Israel are assembled `at' Shiloh, and they cause the tent of meeting to tabernacle there, and the land hath been subdued before them.
2 And there are left among the sons of Israel who have not shared their inheritance, seven tribes,
3 and Joshua saith unto the sons of Israel, `Till when are ye remiss to go in to possess the land which He hath given to you, Jehovah, God of your fathers?
4 Give for you three men for a tribe, and I send them, and they rise and go up and down through the land, and describe it according to their inheritance, and come in unto me,
5 and they have divided it into seven portions -- Judah doth stay by its border on the south, and the house of Joseph do stay by their border on the north --
6 and ye describe the land `in' seven portions, and have brought `it' in unto me hither, and I have cast for you a lot here before Jehovah our God;
7 for there is no portion to the Levites in your midst, for the priesthood of Jehovah `is' their inheritance, and Gad, and Reuben, and the half of the tribe of Manasseh received their inheritance beyond the Jordan eastward, which Moses servant of Jehovah gave to them.'
8 And the men rise and go; and Joshua commandeth those who are going to describe the land, saying, `Go, and walk up and down through the land, and describe it, and turn back unto me, and here I cast for you a lot before Jehovah in Shiloh.'
9 And the men go, and pass over through the land, and describe it by cities, in seven portions, on a book, and they come in unto Joshua, unto the camp, `at' Shiloh.
10 And Joshua casteth for them a lot in Shiloh before Jehovah, and there Joshua apportioneth the land to the sons of Israel, according to their divisions.
11 And a lot goeth up `for' the tribe of the sons of Benjamin, for their families; and the border of their lot goeth out between the sons of Judah and the sons of Joseph.
12 And the border is to them at the north side from the Jordan, and the border hath gone up unto the side of Jericho on the north, and gone up through the hill-country westward, and its outgoings have been at the wilderness of Beth-Aven;
13 and the border hath gone over thence to Luz, unto the side of Luz (it `is' Beth-El) southward, and the border hath gone down `to' Atroth-Addar, by the hill that `is' on the south of the lower Beth-Horon;
14 and the border hath been marked out, and hath gone round to the corner of the sea southward, from the hill which `is' at the front of Beth-Horon southward, and its outgoings have been unto Kirjath-Baal (it `is' Kirjath-Jearim), a city of the sons of Judah: this `is' the west quarter.
15 And the south quarter `is' from the end of Kirjath-Jearim, and the border hath gone out westward, and gone out unto the fountain of the waters of Nephtoah;
16 and the border hath come down unto the extremity of the hill which `is' on the front of the valley of the son of Hinnom, which `is' in the valley of the Rephaim northward, and hath gone down the valley of Hinnom unto the side of Jebusi southward, and gone down `to' En-Rogel,
17 and hath been marked out on the north, and gone out to En-Shemesh, and gone out unto Geliloth, which `is' over-against the ascent of Adummim, and gone down `to' the stone of Bohan son of Reuben,
18 and passed over unto the side over-against Arabah northward, and gone down to Arabah;
19 and the border hath passed over unto the side of Beth-Hoglah northward, and the outgoings of the border have been unto the north bay of the salt sea, unto the south extremity of the Jordan; this `is' the south border;
20 and the Jordan doth border it at the east quarter; this `is' the inheritance of the sons of Benjamin, by its borders round about, for their families.
21 And the cities for the tribe of the sons of Benjamin, for their families, have been Jericho, and Beth-Hoglah, and the valley of Keziz,
22 and Beth-Arabah, Zemaraim, and Beth-El,
23 and Avim, and Parah, and Ophrah,
24 and Chephar-Haammonai, and Ophni, and Gaba; twelve cities and their villages.
25 Gibeon, and Ramah, and Beeroth,
26 and Mizpeh, and Chephirah, and Mozah,
27 and Rekem, and Irpeel, and Taralah,
28 and Zelah, Eleph, and Jebusi (it `is' Jerusalem), Gibeath, Kirjath: fourteen cities and their villages. This `is' the inheritance of the sons of Benjamin, for their families.
1 And the whole assembly of the children of Israel gathered together at Shiloh, and set up the tent of meeting there; and the land was subdued before them.
2 And there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes whose inheritance had not been distributed to them.
3 And Joshua said to the children of Israel, How long will ye shew yourselves slack to go to take possession of the land which Jehovah the God of your fathers hath given you?
4 Provide you three men for a tribe; that I may send them, and they shall rise and go through the land, and describe it according to the proportion of their inheritance, and they shall come to me.
5 And they shall divide it into seven portions. Judah shall remain in their border on the south, and the house of Joseph shall remain in their border on the north;
6 and *ye* shall describe the land into seven portions, and bring [the description] hither to me, and I will cast lots for you here before Jehovah our God.
7 But the Levites have no portion among you, for the priesthood of Jehovah is their inheritance. And Gad, and Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan on the east, which Moses the servant of Jehovah gave them.
8 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, and I will cast lots for you here before Jehovah in Shiloh.
9 And the men went and passed through the land, and described it by cities into seven portions, in a book, and they came to Joshua, to the camp at Shiloh.
10 And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before Jehovah. And there Joshua divided the land to the children of Israel according to their divisions.
11 And the lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin came up according to their families. And the territory of their lot came forth between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph.
12 And their border on the north side was from the Jordan; and the border went up to the side of Jericho on the north, and went up to the mountain westward; and ended at the wilderness of Beth-Aven;
13 and the border passed on from thence toward Luz, to the south side of Luz, which is Bethel: and the border went down to Ataroth-Addar, near the hill that is on the south of the lower Beth-horon.
14 -- And the border reached along and turned on the west side, southward from the hill that is before Beth-horon southward; and ended at Kirjath-Baal, which is Kirjath-jearim, a city of the children of Judah: this is the west side.
15 -- And the south side was from the extreme end of Kirjath-jearim, and the border went out on the west, and went out to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah.
16 And the border went down to the end of the mountain that is before the valley of the son of Hinnom, which is in the valley of Rephaim on the north, and went down the valley of Hinnom, to the side of the Jebusite on the south, and went down to En-rogel;
17 and it reached along on the north, and went forth to En-shemesh, and went forth towards Geliloth, which is opposite to the ascent of Adummim, and went down to the stone of Bohan, the son of Reuben,
18 and passed along towards the side opposite to Arabah northwards, and went down to Arabah;
19 and the border passed on to the side of Beth-hoglah on the north, and the border ended at the tongue of the salt sea northward, at the south end of the Jordan: this is the southern border.
20 -- And the Jordan borders it on the east side. -- This was the inheritance of the children of Benjamin, according to its borders round about, according to their families.
21 And the cities of the tribe of the children of Benjamin according to their families were: Jericho, and Beth-hoglah, and Emek-Keziz,
22 and Beth-Arabah, and Zemaraim, and Bethel,
23 and Avvim, and Parah, and Ophrah,
24 and Chephar-haammonai, and Ophni, and Geba: twelve cities and their hamlets;
25 Gibeon, and Ramah, and Beeroth,
26 and Mizpeh, and Chephirah, and Mozah,
27 and Rekem, and Jirpeel, and Tharalah,
28 and Zelah, Eleph, and Jebusi, that is, Jerusalem, Gibeah, Kirjath: fourteen cities and their hamlets. This was the inheritance of the children of Benjamin according to their families.
1 The whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled themselves together at Shiloh, and set up the tent of meeting there: and the land was subdued before them.
2 There remained among the children of Israel seven tribes, which had not yet divided their inheritance.
3 Joshua said to the children of Israel, How long are you slack to go in to possess the land, which Yahweh, the God of your fathers, has given you?
4 Appoint for you three men of each tribe: and I will send them, and they shall arise, and walk through the land, and describe it according to their inheritance; and they shall come to me.
5 They shall divide it into seven portions: Judah shall abide in his border on the south, and the house of Joseph shall abide in their border on the north.
6 You shall describe the land into seven portions, and bring [the description] here to me; and I will cast lots for you here before Yahweh our God.
7 For the Levites have no portion among you; for the priesthood of Yahweh is their inheritance: and Gad and Reuben and the half-tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan eastward, which Moses the servant of Yahweh gave them.
8 The men arose, and went: and Joshua charged those who went to describe the land, saying, Go and walk through the land, and describe it, and come again to me; and I will cast lots for you here before Yahweh in Shiloh.
9 The men went and passed through the land, and described it by cities into seven portions in a book; and they came to Joshua to the camp at Shiloh.
10 Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before Yahweh: and there Joshua divided the land to the children of Israel according to their divisions.
11 The lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin came up according to their families: and the border of their lot went out between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph.
12 Their border on the north quarter was from the Jordan; and the border went up to the side of Jericho on the north, and went up through the hill-country westward; and the goings out of it were at the wilderness of Beth Aven.
13 The border passed along from there to Luz, to the side of Luz (the same is Bethel), southward; and the border went down to Ataroth Addar, by the mountain that lies on the south of Beth Horon the lower.
14 The border extended [there], and turned about on the west quarter southward, from the mountain that lies before Beth Horon southward; and the goings out of it were at Kiriath Baal (the same is Kiriath Jearim), a city of the children of Judah: this was the west quarter.
15 The south quarter was from the uttermost part of Kiriath Jearim; and the border went out westward, and went out to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah;
16 and the border went down to the uttermost part of the mountain that lies before the valley of the son of Hinnom, which is in the valley of Rephaim northward; and it went down to the valley of Hinnom, to the side of the Jebusite southward, and went down to En Rogel;
17 and it extended northward, and went out at En Shemesh, and went out to Geliloth, which is over against the ascent of Adummim; and it went down to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben;
18 and it passed along to the side over against the Arabah northward, and went down to the Arabah;
19 and the border passed along to the side of Beth Hoglah northward; and the goings out of the border were at the north bay of the Salt Sea, at the south end of the Jordan: this was the south border.
20 The Jordan was the border of it on the east quarter. This was the inheritance of the children of Benjamin, by the borders of it round about, according to their families.
21 Now the cities of the tribe of the children of Benjamin according to their families were Jericho, and Beth Hoglah, and Emek Keziz,
22 and Beth Arabah, and Zemaraim, and Bethel,
23 and Avvim, and Parah, and Ophrah,
24 and Chephar Ammoni, and Ophni, and Geba; twelve cities with their villages:
25 Gibeon, and Ramah, and Beeroth,
26 and Mizpeh, and Chephirah, and Mozah,
27 and Rekem, and Irpeel, and Taralah,
28 and Zelah, Eleph, and the Jebusite (the same is Jerusalem), Gibeath, [and] Kiriath; fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the children of Benjamin according to their families.
1 And all the meeting of the children of Israel came together at Shiloh and put up the Tent of meeting there: and the land was crushed before them.
2 But there were still seven tribes among the children of Israel who had not taken up their heritage.
3 Then Joshua said to the children of Israel, Why are you so slow to go in and take up your heritage in the land which the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given you?
4 Take from among you three men from every tribe; and I will send them to go through the land and make a record of it for distribution as their heritage; then let them come back to me.
5 And let them make division of it into seven parts: let Judah keep inside his limit on the south, and let the children of Joseph keep inside their limit on the north.
6 And you are to have the land marked out in seven parts, and come back to me with the record; and I will make the distribution for you here by the decision of the Lord our God.
7 For the Levites have no part among you; to be the Lord's priests is their heritage; and Gad and Reuben and the half-tribe of Manasseh have had their heritage on the east side of Jordan, given to them by Moses, the servant of the Lord.
8 So the men got up and went; and Joshua gave orders to those who went, to make a record of the land, saying, Go up and down through the land, and make a record of it and come back here to me, and I will make the distribution for you here by the decision of the Lord in Shiloh.
9 So the men went, travelling through the land, and made a record of it by towns in seven parts in a book, and came back to Joshua to the tent-circle at Shiloh.
10 And Joshua made the distribution for them in Shiloh by the decision of the Lord, marking out the land for the children of Israel by their divisions.
11 And the first heritage came out for the tribe of Benjamin by their families: and the limit of their heritage went between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph.
12 And their limit on the north was from the Jordan, and the line goes up to the side of Jericho on the north and through the hill-country to the west, ending at the waste land of Beth-aven.
13 And from there the line goes south to Luz, to the side of Luz (which is Beth-el), then down to Ataroth-addar, by the mountain to the south of Beth-horon the lower.
14 And the limit is marked as coming round to the south on the west side from the mountain which is south of Beth-horon, and ending at Kiriath-baal (which is Kiriath-jearim), a town of the children of Judah: this is the west part.
15 And the south part is from the farthest point of Kiriath-jearim, and the line goes out to the west to the fountain of the waters of Nephtoah:
16 And the line goes down to the farthest part of the mountain facing the valley of the son of Hinnom, which is on the north of the valley of Rephaim: from there it goes down to the valley of Hinnom, to the side of the Jebusite on the south as far as En-rogel;
17 And it goes to En-shemesh and on to Geliloth, opposite the way up to Adummim, and it goes down to the stone of Bohan, the son of Reuben;
18 And it goes on to the side facing the Arabah to the north, and down to the Arabah;
19 And on to the north side of Beth-hoglah, ending at the north inlet of the Salt Sea at the south end of Jordan; this is their limit on the south.
20 And the limit of the east part is the Jordan. This is the heritage of the children of Benjamin, marked out for their families by these limits on all sides.
21 And the towns of the children of Benjamin, given to them in the order of their families, are Jericho and Beth-hoglah and Emek-kezziz
22 And Beth-arabah and Zemaraim and Beth-el
23 And Avvim and Parah and Ophrah
24 And Chephar-Ammoni and Ophni and Geba; twelve towns with their unwalled places;
25 Gibeon and Ramah and Beeroth
26 And Mizpeh and Chephirah and Mozah
27 And Rekem and Irpeel and Taralah
28 And Zela, Eleph and the Jebusite (which is Jerusalem), Gibeath and Kiriath; fourteen towns with their unwalled places. This is the heritage of the children of Benjamin by their families.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on Joshua 18
Commentary on Joshua 18 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
The Tabernacle Set Up at Shiloh. - As soon as the tribe of Ephraim had received its inheritance, Joshua commanded the whole congregation to assemble in Shiloh, and there set up the tabernacle, in order that, as the land was conquered, the worship of Jehovah might henceforth be regularly observed in accordance with the law. The selection of Shiloh as the site for the sanctuary was hardly occasioned by the fitness of the place for this purpose, on account of its being situated upon a mountain in the centre of the land, for there were many other places that would have been quite as suitable in this respect; the reason is rather to be found in the name of the place, viz., Shiloh , i.e., rest, which called to mind the promised Shiloh ( Genesis 49:10), and therefore appeared to be pre-eminently suitable to be the resting-place of the sanctuary of the Lord, where His name was to dwell in Israel, until He should come who was to give true rest to His people as the Prince of Peace. In any case, however, Joshua did not follow his own judgment in selecting Shiloh for this purpose, but acted in simple accordance with the instructions of God, as the Lord had expressly reserved to himself the choice of the place where His name should dwell (Deuteronomy 12:11). Shiloh , according to the Onom. , was twelve Roman miles or five hours to the south of Neapolis (Nablus), and about eight hours to the north of Jerusalem; at present it is a heap of ruins, bearing the name of Seilun (see Rob. iii. p. 85). The tabernacle continued standing at Shiloh during the time of the judges, until the ark of the covenant fell into the hands of the Philistines, in the lifetime of Eli, when the holy tent was robbed of its soul, and reduced to the mere shadow of a sanctuary. After this it was removed to Nob (1 Samuel 21:2); but in consequence of the massacre inflicted by Saul upon the inhabitants of this place (1 Samuel 22:19), it was taken to Gibeon (1 Kings 3:4 : see Keil , Bibl. Arch. i.
Survey of the Land that had yet to be Divided. - Joshua 18:2. After the tabernacle had been set up, the casting of the lots and division of the land among the other seven tribes were to be continued; namely at Shiloh, to which the congregation had removed with the sanctuary.
Joshua 18:3-4
But, for the reasons explained in Joshua 14:1, these tribes showed themselves “ slack to go to possess the land which the Lord had given them ,” i.e., not merely to conquer it, but to have it divided by lot, and to enter in and take possession. Joshua charged them with this, and directed them to appoint three men for each of the seven tribes, that they might be sent out to go through the land, and describe it according to the measure of their inheritance. “ According to their inheritance ,” i.e., with special reference to the fact that seven tribes were to receive it for their inheritance. The description was not a formal measurement, although the art of surveying was well known in Egypt in ancient times, and was regularly carried out after the annual inundations of the Nile ( Herod. ii. 109; Strabo , xvii. 787; Diod. Sic. i. 69); so that the Israelites might have learned it there. But כּתב does not mean to measure; and it was not a formal measurement that was required, for the purpose of dividing the land that yet remained into seven districts, since the tribes differed in numerical strength, and therefore the boundaries of the territory assigned them could not be settled till after the lots had been cast. The meaning of the word is to describe; and according to Joshua 18:9, it was chiefly to the towns that reference was made: so that the description required by Joshua in all probability consisted simply in the preparation of lists of the towns in the different parts of the land, with an account of their size and character; also with “notices of the quality and condition of the soil; what lands were fertile, and what they produced; where the country was mountainous, and where it was level; which lands were well watered, and which were dry; and any other things that would indicate the character of the soil, and facilitate a comparison between the different parts of the land” ( Rosenmüller ). The reasons which induced Joshua to take steps for the first time now for securing a survey of the land, are given in Joshua 14:1. The men chosen for the purpose were able to carry out their task without receiving any hindrance from the Canaanites. For whilst the latter were crushed, if not exterminated, by the victories which the Israelites had gained, it was not necessary for the twenty-one Israelitish men to penetrate into every corner of the land, and every town that was still inhabited by the Canaanites, in order to accomplish their end.
Joshua 18:5-6
“ And divide it into seven parts ,” viz., for the purpose of casting lots. Judah, however, was still to remain in its land to the south, and Ephraim in its territory to the north. The seven portions thus obtained they were to bring to Joshua, that he might then cast the lot for the seven tribes “before the Lord,” i.e., before the tabernacle (Joshua 19:51).
Joshua 18:7
There were only seven tribes that had still to receive their portions; for the tribe of Levi was to receive no portion in the land (vid., Josh 13-14), and Gad, Reuben, and half Manasseh had received their inheritance already on the other side of the Jordan.
Joshua 18:8-9
Execution of this command.
Joshua 18:10
Joshua finishes the casting of the lots at Shiloh.
Inheritance of the Tribe of Benjamin. - Joshua 18:11-20. Boundaries of the inheritance. - Joshua 18:11. The territory of their lot (i.e., the territory assigned to the Benjaminites by lot) came out (through the falling out of the lot) between the sons of Judah and the sons of Joseph.
Joshua 18:12-14
The northern boundary (“the boundary towards the north side”) therefore coincided with the southern boundary of Ephraim as far as Lower Beth-horon, and has already been commented upon in the exposition of Joshua 16:1-3. The western boundary follows in Joshua 18:14. At Beth-horon the boundary curved round and turned southwards on the western side, namely from the mountain before (in front of) Beth-horon southwards; and “ the going out thereof were at Kirjath-baal, which is Kirjath-jearim ,” the town of the Judaeans mentioned in Joshua 15:60, the present Kureyet el Enab (see at Joshua 9:17).
Joshua 18:15-19
“ As for the southern boundary from the end of Kirjath-jearim onwards, the (southern) boundary went out on the west (i.e., it started from the west), and went out (terminated) at the fountain of the water of Nephtoah .” Consequently it coincided with the northern boundary of Judah, as described in Joshua 15:5-9, except that it is given there from east to west, and here from west to east (see at Joshua 15:5-9). In the construction ha גּבוּל תּוצאותיו , the noun הגּבוּל is in apposition to the suffix: the outgoings of it, namely of the border (see Ewald , §291, b .).
Joshua 18:20
The eastern boundary was the Jordan.
Joshua 18:21-28
The towns of Benjamin are divided into two groups. The first group (Joshua 18:21-24) contains twelve towns in the eastern portion of the territory. Jericho : the present Riha (see at Joshua 2:1). Beth-hoglah , now Ain Hajla (see Joshua 15:6). Emek-keziz : the name has been preserved in the Wady el Kaziz , on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho, on the south-east of the Apostle's Well (see Van de Velde , Mem. p. 328).
Joshua 18:22
Beth-arabah: see at Joshua 15:6. Zemaraim , probably the ruins of es Sumrah , on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho, to the east of Khan Hadhur, on Van de Velde 's map. Bethel : now Beitin (see Joshua 7:2).
Joshua 18:23
Avvim (i.e., ruins) is unknown. Phara has been preserved in the ruins of Fara , on Wady Fara, three hours to the north-east of Jerusalem, and the same distance to the west of Jericho. Ophrah is mentioned again in 1 Samuel 13:17, but it is a different place from the Ophrah of Gideon in Manasseh (Judges 6:11, Judges 6:24; Judges 8:27). According to the Onom. ( s. v. Aphra ), it was a κώμη Ἀφρήλ in the time of Eusebius ( Jer. vicus Effrem ), five Roman miles to the east of Bethel; and according to Van de Velde , v. Raumer , and others, it is probably the same place as Ephron or Ephrain , which Abijah took from Jeroboam along with Jeshanah and Bethel (2 Chronicles 13:19), also the same as Ephraim , the city to which Christ went when He withdrew into the desert (John 11:54), as the Onom. ( s. v. Ephron ) speaks of a villa praegrandis Ephraea nomine ( Ἐφρα̈́́ι in Euseb .), although the distance given there, viz., twenty Roman miles to the north of Jerusalem, reaches far beyond the limits of Benjamin.
Joshua 18:24
Chephar-haammonai and Ophni are only mentioned here, and are still unknown. Gaba , or Geba of Benjamin (1 Samuel 13:16; 1 Kings 15:22) which was given up to the Levites (Joshua 21:17; 1 Chronicles 6:45), was in the neighbourhood of Ramah (1 Kings 15:22; 2 Chronicles 16:6). It is mentioned in 2 Kings 23:8; Zechariah 14:10, as the northern boundary of the kingdom of Judah, and was still inhabited after the captivity (Nehemiah 7:30). It is a different place from Gibea , and is not to be found, as I formerly supposed, in the Moslem village of Jibia , by the Wady el Jib, between Beitin and Sinjil ( Rob. iii. p. 80), but in the small village of Jeba , which is lying half in ruins, and where there are relics of antiquity, three-quarters of an hour to the north-east of er-Râm (Ramah), and about three hours to the north of Jerusalem, upon a height from which there is an extensive prospect (vid., Rob. ii. pp. 113ff.). This eastern group also included the two other towns Anathoth and Almon (Joshua 21:18), which were given up by Benjamin to the Levites. Anathoth , the home of the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:1; Jeremiah 11:21.), which was still inhabited by Benjaminites after the captivity (Nehemiah 11:32), is the present village of Anâta, where there are ruins of great antiquity, an hour and a quarter to the north of Jerusalem ( Rob. ii. pp. 109ff.). Almon , called Allemeth in 1 Chronicles 6:45, has been preserved in the ruins of Almît ( Rob. Bibl. Res. pp. 287ff.), or el-Mid ( Tobler , Denkbl. p. 631), on the south-east of Anâta.
Joshua 18:25-28
The second group of fourteen towns in the western portion of Benjamin. - Joshua 18:25. Gibeon , the present Jib: see at Joshua 9:3. Ramah , in the neighbourhood of Gibeah and Geba (Judges 19:13; Isaiah 10:29; 1 Kings 15:17; Ezra 2:26), most probably the Ramah of Samuel (1 Samuel 1:19; 1 Samuel 2:11; 1 Samuel 25:1; 1 Samuel 28:3), is the present village of er-Râm , upon a mountain with ruins between Gibeon and Geba, half an hour to the west of the latter, two hours to the north of Jerusalem (see Rob. ii. p. 315). Beeroth , the present Bireh : see at Joshua 9:17.
Joshua 18:26-27
Mizpeh , commonly called Mizpah , where the war with Benjamin was decided upon (Judg 20-21), and where Samuel judged the people, and chose Saul as king (1 Samuel 7:5., Joshua 10:17), was afterwards the seat of the Babylonian governor Gedaliah (2 Kings 25:23; Jeremiah 40:6.). According to the Onom. ( s. v. Massepha ), it was near Kirjath-jearim, and Robinson (ii. p. 139) is no doubt correct in supposing it to be the present Neby Samvil (i.e., prophet Samuel), an hour and a quarter to the east of Kureyet Enab (Kirjath-jearim), two hours to the north-west of Jerusalem, half an hour to the south of Gibeon, a place which stands like a watch-tower upon the highest point in the whole region, and with a mosque, once a Latin church, which is believed alike by Jews, Christians, and Mahometans to cover the tomb of the prophet Samuel (see Rob. ii. pp. 135ff.). Chephirah , i.e., Kefir : see at Joshua 9:17. Mozah is only mentioned here, and is still unknown. Joshua 18:27. This also applies to Rekem , Irpeel , and Taralah .
Joshua 18:28
Zelah , the burial-place of Saul and his family (2 Samuel 21:14), is otherwise unknown. Gibeath or Gibeah , i.e., Gibeah of Benjamin, which was destroyed by the other tribes of Israel in the time of the judges, on account of the flagrant crime which had been committed there (Judg 19-20), is also called Gibeah of Saul , as being the home and capital of Saul (1 Samuel 10:26; 1 Samuel 11:4, etc.), and was situated, according to Judges 19:13 and Isaiah 10:29, between Jerusalem and Ramah, according to Josephus (Bell. Jud. v. 2, 1, 8) about twenty or thirty stadia from Jerusalem. These statements point to the Tell or Tuleil el Phul , i.e., bean-mountain, a conical peak about an hour from Jerusalem, on the road to er-Râm, with a large heap of stones upon the top, probably the ruins of a town that was built of unhewn stones, from which there is a very extensive prospect in all directions ( Rob. ii. p. 317). Consequently modern writers have very naturally agreed in the conclusion, that the ancient Gibeah of Benjamin or Saul was situated either by the side of or upon this Tell (see Rob. Bibl. Res. p. 286; Strauss, Sinai, etc., p. 331, ed. 6; v. Raumer , Pal. p. 196). Kirjath has not yet been discovered, and must not be confounded with Kirjath-jearim, which belonged to the tribe of Judah (Joshua 18:14; cf. Joshua 15:60).