Chapter 19
The Tribe of Simeon.[a] 1 The second lot chosen was for Simeon, the tribe of the Simeonites, divided according to its clans. Their inheritance lay within the inheritance of the Judahites. 2 Their inheritance included: Beer-sheba (that is, Sheba), Moladah, 3 Hazar-shual, Balah, Ezem, 4 Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah, 5 Ziklag, Beth-marcaboth, Hazar-susah, 6 Beth-lebaoth, and Sharuhen. There were thirteen of these cities along with the towns dependent upon them. 7 There were also Ain, Rimmon, Ether, and Ashan. There were four of these cities, along with the towns dependent upon them. 8 There were also all of the villages around these cities up to Baalath-beer (that is, Ramoth-negeb). This was the inheritance of the tribe of Simeon, divided according to its clans. 9 The inheritance of the Simeonites was taken from the portion allotted to the Judahites, for Judah’s portion was too large for what they needed. Therefore, the Simeonites received their portion inside of their inheritance.
10 The Tribe of Zebulun. The third lot chosen was for the Zebulunites, divided according to its clans. The boundary of their inheritance extended to Sarid. 11 It ran westward to Mareal up to Dabbesheth, extending up to the river in front of Jokneam. 12 Going eastward from Sarid, in the direction of the sunrise, it ran to the territory of Chisloth-tabor and then went on to Daberath, arriving in Japhia. 13 From there it continued eastward to Gath-hepher and Eth-kazim. It went out to Rimmon and turned toward Neah. 14 There the boundary went around the north side of Hannathon, ending in the Valley of Iphtahel. 15 It included Kattath, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem. There were twelve cities along with the towns dependent upon them. 16 These cities and villages were the inheritance of the Zebulunites, divided according to its clans.
17 The Tribe of Issachar. The fourth lot chosen was for the Issacharites, divided according to its clans. 18 Within their boundaries were: Jezreel, Chesulloth, Shunem, 19 Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath, 20 Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez, 21 Remeth, En-gannim, En-haddah, and Beth-pazzez. 22 The boundary passed Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth-shemesh, ending at the Jordan. There were sixteen cities along with the towns dependent upon them. 23 These cities and these villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Issachar, divided according to its clans.
24 The Tribe of Asher. The fifth lot chosen was for the Asherites. 25 Within their boundaries were: Helkath, Hali, Beten, Achshaph, 26 Allammelech, Amad, and Mishal. On its western side the boundary passed Carmel and Shihor-libnath. 27 It turned toward the sunrise, passing Beth-dagon, arriving at Zebulun and the Valley of Iphtahel. From there it went north to Beth-emek and Neiel, passing by Cabul on the left. 28 It ran on to Abdon, Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah, extending to Greater Sidon. 29 The boundary then turned toward Ramah, and ran to the fortified city of Tyre. It turned toward Hosah, ending at the sea in the area around Achzib. 30 It included Ummah, Acco, Aphek, and Rehob. There were twenty-two cities along with the towns dependent upon them. 31 These cities and villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Asher, divided according to its clans.
32 The Tribe of Naphtali. The sixth lot chosen was for the Naphtalites, divided according to its clans. 33 Their boundary went from Heleph and the large tree at Zaanannim to Adami-nekeb, Jabneel, Lakkum, and ended at the Jordan. 34 To the west it went through Aznoth-tabor, arriving at Hukkok. It passed Zebulun on its southern side, Asher on its western side, and the Jordan in the direction of the sunrise. 35 Its fortified cities included: Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Chinnereth, 36 Adamah, Ramah, Hazor, 37 Kedesh, Edrei, En-hazor, 38 Yiron, Migdalel, Horem, Beth-anath, and Beth-shemesh. There were nineteen cities along with the towns dependent upon them. 39 These cities and villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Naphtali, divided according to its clans.
40 The Tribe of Dan. The seventh lot chosen was for the Danites, divided according to its clans. 41 Within the boundaries of their inheritance were: Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir-shemesh, 42 Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Ithlah, 43 Elon, Timnah, Ekron, 44 Eltekoh, Gibbethon, Baalath, 45 Jehud, Bene-berak, Gath-rimmon, 46 Me-jarkon, and Rakkon, along with the area in front of Joppa. 47 (But the territory of the Danites was outside of this area. The Danites went up to fight against Leshem. They conquered it and put it to the sword. They took possession of it and dwelt there. They renamed Leshem Dan after the name of Dan, their forefather.) 48 These were the cities and the villages of the inheritance of the tribe of Dan, divided according to its clans.
49 [b]When they finished dividing the land into its allotted portions, the Israelites gave an inheritance among themselves to Joshua, the son of Nun 50 as the Lord had commanded. They gave him the city he had requested: Timnah-serah in the hill country of Ephraim. He built a city and settled there.
51 These are the inheritances that were divided up by lot at Shiloh in the presence of the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting by Eleazar, the priest, by Joshua, the son of Nun, and by the leaders of the ancestral tribes of the Israelites. This concluded the process of dividing up the land.
Footnotes
- Joshua 19:1 The lot chosen for Simeon lay within Judah. Neither leader would argue with this, since it was clear that it was God who was assigning them.
- Joshua 19:49 After the boundaries for each tribe had been assigned, marking their areas of responsibility and avoiding conflicts over the choicest locations, Joshua, as the Lord had commanded, was awarded the city that he had requested for his obedient service to God’s people.