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Joshua 14
Joshua, Eleazar, and the Israelite leaders
divide Canaan.
Joshua, Eleazar the priest, and the leaders of each tribe divided the land.
9½ tribes would get land on the west side of the
Jordan River. Back in the book of Numbers, God told Moses how to give each
tribe land in Canaan. Each tribe received land by lot. That means they got
land by chance, like a lottery.
[1] And these are the countries which the children of Israel
inherited in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son
of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel,
distributed for inheritance to them.
[2] By lot was their inheritance, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses,
for the nine tribes, and for the half tribe.
Moses already gave land to 2½ tribes (Reuben,
Dan, and ½ of Manasseh) on the east side of the Jordan River. He did not give
any land to the tribe of Levi.
[3] For Moses had given the inheritance of two tribes and an half tribe on the
other side Jordan: but unto the Levites he gave none inheritance among them.
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The tribes of Israel Jacob had 12 sons: Reuben, Simeon, Levi,
Judah, Joseph, Benjamin, Gad, Dan, Naphtali, Asher, Issachar, and
Zebulon. When Joshua divided Canaan, the tribe of Levi didn't get land by
itself. It got land in with the other tribes. |
Joseph had 2 sons--Manasseh and Ephraim. There was no
tribe of Joseph, but each son had a tribe. There was a tribe of Manasseh
and a tribe of Ephraim. The tribe of Levi did not get land by itself.
The people in the tribe of Levi divided. They lived in the other tribes'
lands. Each tribe gave the Levites a city and some farmland for their gardens
and their cattle.
[4] For the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim:
therefore they gave no part unto the Levites in the land, save cities to dwell
in, with their suburbs for their cattle and for their substance.
Back before the Israelites moved into Canaan, God
told Moses how to divide the land. Now the Israelites did what God said.
[5] As the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did, and they
divided the land.
Caleb asks Joshua for land in Canaan.
Caleb was from the tribe of Judah. His father's name was Jephunneh. His father
was a Kenezite (part of the tribe of Judah). One day, Caleb and some
other people from the tribe of Judah came to the city of Gilgal to talk to
Joshua. Caleb reminded Joshua about something from the past. It was 45
years ago when the Israelites were at the place called Kadesh-barnea. At that
time, God talked to Moses about Caleb.
[6] Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son
of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, Thou knowest the thing that the LORD
said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadesh-barnea.
| Back in the book of Numbers, Joshua, Caleb, and some other Israelite men went into Canaan. They looked around, and then gave Moses a report. Joshua and Caleb said the Israelites should trust God and move into Canaan then. But the other Israelites were afraid of the Canaanite people, especially the Anakims (very big people). The Israelites decided not to move into Canaan then. God was angry that the Israelites did not trust Him. He made the Israelites travel around the desert for 40 years. Joshua and Caleb were the only Israelites who were born in Egypt and were allowed to move into Canaan. Please click here to read that part again. |
45 years ago, Caleb was 40 years old. Caleb was one of the Israelite spies who
went to look at Canaan. Caleb fully trusted God. Caleb thought the
Israelites should move into Canaan then. But the other spies made the
Israelites afraid. [7] Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from
Kadesh-barnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in
mine heart.
[8] Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people
melt: but I wholly followed the LORD my God.
Caleb fully trusted God. Moses told him that in the
future, he and his children would have that part of Canaan (the area where the
spies saw the Anakims).
[9] And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have
trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children's for ever, because thou
hast wholly followed the LORD my God.
Caleb said that God let him live for
45 more years. He did not die in the wilderness. Now he is 85 years old.
[10] And now, behold, the LORD hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and
five years, even since the LORD spake this word unto Moses, while the children
of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and
five years old.
Caleb said he is still very strong. He is still as
strong as he was 45 years ago. He can still fight in a war and do anything.
[11] As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as
my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and
to come in.
45 years ago, Caleb felt that the Israelites could
defeat the big people, the Anakims. He believed that God would help them. But the other
Israelites were afraid. They were afraid of the Anakims.
They didn't think they could defeat the cities that were strong and had walls
around them. Now Caleb wants that same land. Caleb said that if God helps him,
he can force the Anakims to leave.
[12] Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day;
for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities
were great and fenced: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able
to drive them out, as the LORD said.
Joshua gave that area to Caleb. Joshua blessed
Caleb.
[13] And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron
for an inheritance.
Caleb's area was named Hebron. Hebron was
Caleb's land because Caleb obeyed God. When this book of the Bible was
written, Hebron still belonged to Caleb.
[14] Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the
Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the LORD God of
Israel.
Before Hebron was Caleb's land, it was named
Kirjath-arba. Arba was one of the leaders of the Anakims. Now, the wars
are finished. There is peace in Canaan.
[15] And the name of Hebron before was Kirjath-arba; which Arba was a great
man among the Anakims. And the land had rest from war.
Joshua 15
Judah's land
This was the land that Judah's tribe got by
lot (like a lottery). Judah's land was in the southern part of Canaan. It
touched the land of Edom, the desert of Zin, and the Mediterranean Sea.
[1] This then was the lot of the tribe of the children of
Judah by their families; even to the border of Edom the wilderness of Zin
southward was the uttermost part of the south coast.
The southern border
(line) of Judah's land started at the southern part of the Dead Sea.
[2] And their south border was from the shore of the salt sea, from the bay
that looketh southward:
The southern border went to the west to
Maaleh-accrabbim (name means "scorpion hill") and to the wilderness of Zin.
The line went to Kadesh-barnea, to Hezron, Adar, and to the place named Karkaa.
[3] And it went out to the south side to Maaleh-acrabbim, and passed along to
Zin, and ascended up on the south side unto Kadesh-barnea, and passed along to
Hezron, and went up to Adar, and fetched a compass to Karkaa:
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Kadesh-barnea Judah's land included the place called Kadesh-barnea. This place is talked about in the Bible many times. The name Kadesh means "holy".People who study the Bible are not sure where the exact place of Kadesh-barnea is. But the area of Kadesh is near Sinai. Many events happened in this place. 1. Back in the book of Genesis, Abraham's wife, Sarah, sent her maid, Hagar, away. Near Kadesh, God talked to Hagar and told her to go back to Sarah and Abraham. 2. Back in the book of Numbers, Moses and the Israelites camped here. This is where Moses sent the 12 spies to look around Canaan. 3. Moses' sister, Miriam, died here. 4. The Israelites stayed in this area for about 38 years before they were allowed to move into Canaan. |
The southern border
continued west toward the town named Azmon. Then the border went to the
river near Egypt and continued to the Mediterranean Sea.
[4] From thence it passed toward Azmon, and went out unto the river of Egypt;
and the goings out of that coast were at the sea: this shall be your south
coast.
The east border of Judah's land was the Dead Sea up
to the place where the Jordan River comes into the Dead Sea. The north border
started at this place.
[5] And the east border was the salt sea, even unto the end of Jordan. And
their border in the north quarter was from the bay of the sea at the uttermost
part of Jordan:
The north border continued west. It went near the cities of Beth-hogla and
Beth-arabah. It went near the special stone monument of Bohan (he was in the
tribe of Reuben).
[6] And the border went up to Beth-hogla, and passed along by the north of
Beth-arabah; and the border went up to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben:
The north border continued from the valley of Achor to Debir, toward Gilgal,
and by the springs at En-shemesh and En-rogel.
[7] And the border went up toward Debir from the valley of Achor, and so
northward, looking toward Gilgal, that is before the going up to Adummim,
which is on the south side of the river: and the border passed toward the
waters of En-shemesh, and the goings out thereof were at En-rogel:
The northern border continued to the Hinnom valley which is southwest of the
city of Jerusalem. The border continued up on the mountain by Hinnom and
near the valley where the giants lived.
[8] And the border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom unto the south
side of the Jebusite; the same is Jerusalem: and the border went up to the top
of the mountain that lieth before the valley of Hinnom westward, which is at
the end of the valley of the giants northward:
The northern border continued from the top of the
hill to the spring (water) named Nephtoah. Then the border continued to
the mountain named Ephron and to the place called Kiriath-Jearim (the past
name was Baalah).
[9] And the border was drawn from the top of the hill unto the fountain of the
water of Nephtoah, and went out to the cities of mount Ephron; and the border
was drawn to Baalah, which is Kirjath-jearim:
The northern border
continued from Baalah to the mountain named Seir. The border passed on the
side of the mountain named Jearim to the town called Chesalon. Then the border
went to the town called Beth-shemesh and to the town of Timnah.
[10] And the border compassed from Baalah westward unto mount Seir, and passed
along unto the side of mount Jearim, which is Chesalon, on the north side, and
went down to Beth-shemesh, and passed on to Timnah:
The northern border
continued from the side of the city of Ekron. It went to the place called
Shicron and passed by the mountain named Baalah. Then the border continued to
the town named Jabneel. The northern border stopped at the Mediterranean Sea.
[11] And the border went out unto the side of Ekron northward: and the border
was drawn to Shicron, and passed along to mount Baalah, and went out unto
Jabneel; and the goings out of the border were at the sea.
The western border was the Mediterranean Sea.
The families in the tribe of Judah lived in the area inside these borders.
[12] And the west border was to the great sea, and the coast thereof. This is
the coast of the children of Judah round about according to their families.
The land for Caleb and his family
Joshua gave Caleb the land that God promised him.
Caleb's land was in the area of Judah. Caleb got the city of Arba (the name of
the city was changed to Hebron). The city of Arba was named for the man
Arba. Arba was an ancestor of the Anakim, the very big people.
[13] And unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a part among the children of
Judah, according to the commandment of the LORD to Joshua, even the city of
Arba the father of Anak, which city is Hebron.
Caleb made the descendants of the Anakims leave.
The 3 families of the Anakims were named for Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.
[14] And Caleb drove thence the three sons of Anak, Sheshai, and Ahiman, and
Talmai, the children of Anak.
Caleb was getting ready to attack the city of Debir
(the old name of Debir was Kirjath-sepher). Caleb talked to the men in his
army. Caleb said that the man who defeats the city can marry his
daughter, Achsah.
[15] And he went up thence to the inhabitants of Debir: and the name of Debir
before was Kirjath-sepher.
[16] And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjath-sepher, and taketh it, to him
will I give Achsah my daughter to wife.
The man named Othniel took the city (Othniel's father
was Kenaz). Caleb gave his daughter Achsah to Othniel.
[17] And Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it: and he gave
him Achsah his daughter to wife.
After they were married, Achsah encouraged Othniel to
ask Caleb for land. Achsah went to see Caleb. While she was getting off
her donkey, her father asked her what she wanted.
[18] And it came to pass, as she came unto him, that she moved him to ask of
her father a field: and she lighted off her ass; and Caleb said unto her, What
wouldest thou?
Achsah told Caleb that the land he gave her was dry.
She wanted some more land that had springs of water on it. Caleb gave her land
with 2 springs.
[19] Who answered, Give me a blessing; for thou hast given me a south land;
give me also springs of water. And he gave her the upper springs, and the
nether springs.
The cities in Judah's land
These are the cities in Judah's land.
[20] This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Judah according
to their families.
In the southern part of Judah's land near the border
of Edom, there were these cities: Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur, Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah,
Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan, Ziph, Telem, Bealoth, Hazor, Hadattah, Kerioth, Hezron
(Hazor), Amam, Shema, Moladah, Hazar-gaddah, Heshmon, Beth-palet, Hazar-shual,
Beer-sheba, Bizjothjah, Baalah, Iim, Azem, Eltolad, Chesil, Hormah, Ziklag,
Madmannah, Sansannah, Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, Rimmon. There were 29
cities total with smaller towns around them.
[21] And the uttermost cities of the tribe of the children of Judah toward the
coast of Edom southward were
Kabzeel, and Eder, and Jagur,
[22] And Kinah, and Dimonah, and Adadah,
[23] And Kedesh, and Hazor, and Ithnan,
[24] Ziph, and Telem, and Bealoth,
[25] And Hazor, Hadattah, and Kerioth, and Hezron, which is Hazor,
[26] Amam, and Shema, and Moladah,
[27] And Hazar-gaddah, and Heshmon, and Beth-palet,
[28] And Hazar-shual, and Beer-sheba, and Bizjothjah,
[29] Baalah, and Iim, and Azem,
[30] And Eltolad, and Chesil, and Hormah,
[31] And Ziklag, and Madmannah, and Sansannah,
[32] And Lebaoth, and Shilhim, and Ain, and Rimmon: all the cities are twenty
and nine, with their villages:
In the valley, there were these 14 cities and smaller towns around them:
Eshtaol, Zoreah, Ashnah, Zanoah, En-gannim, Tappuah, Enam, Jarmuth, Adullam,
Socoh, Azekah, Sharaim, Adithaim, Gederah, Gederothaim.
[33] And in the valley, Eshtaol, and Zoreah, and Ashnah,
[34] And Zanoah, and En-gannim, Tappuah, and Enam,
[35] Jarmuth, and Adullam, Socoh, and Azekah,
[36] And Sharaim, and Adithaim, and Gederah, and Gederothaim; fourteen cities
with their villages:
These 16 cities and smaller towns were also in the
valley: Zenan, Hadashah, Mmigdal-gad, Dilean, Mizpeh, Joktheel, Lachish,
Bozkath, Eglon, Cabbon, Lahmam, Kithlish, Gederoth, Beth-dagon, Naamah,
Makkedah.
[37] Zenan, and Hadashah, and Migdal-gad,
[38] And Dilean, and Mizpeh, and Joktheel,
[39] Lachish, and Bozkath, and Eglon,
[40] And Cabbon, and Lahmam, and Kithlish,
[41] And Gederoth, Beth-dagon, and Naamah, and Makkedah; sixteen cities with
their villages:
9 more cities and
smaller towns were in the valley. They were: Libnah, Ether, Ashan,
Jiphtah, Ashnah, Nezib, Keilah, Achzib, and Mareshah.
[42] Libnah, and Ether, and Ashan,
[43] And Jiphtah, and Ashnah, and Nezib,
[44] And Keilah, and Achzib, and Mareshah; nine cities with their villages:
There was the big city of Ekron with smaller towns
and villages near it.
[45] Ekron, with her towns and her villages:
Between Ekron and the Mediterranean Sea, there was
the big city of Ashdod and smaller villages. There was also the big city of
Gaza with smaller villages. This was the area that was near the river on the
border with Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea.
[46] From Ekron even unto the sea, all that lay near Ashdod, with their
villages:
[47] Ashdod with her towns and her villages, Gaza with her towns and her
villages, unto the river of Egypt, and the great sea, and the border thereof:
One part of Judah's land in the mountains had these
11 cities and small
villages: Shamir, Jattir, Socoh, Dannah,
Kirjath-sannah (now called Debir), Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim, Goshen, Holon, and
Giloh.
[48] And in the mountains, Shamir, and Jattir, and Socoh,
[49] And Dannah, and Kirjath-sannah, which is Debir,
[50] And Anab, and Eshtemoh, and Anim,
[51] And Goshen, and Holon, and Giloh; eleven cities with their villages:
Another part of Judah's land in the mountains had
these 9 cities and small
villages: Arab, Dumah, Eshean, Janum, Beth-tappuah,
Aphekah, Humtah, Kirjath-arba (now called Hebron) and Zior.
[52] Arab, and Dumah, and Eshean,
[53] And Janum, and Beth-tappuah, and Aphekah,
[54] And Humtah, and Kirjath-arba, which is Hebron, and Zior; nine cities with
their villages:
Another part of Judah's land in the mountains had
these 10 cities and small villages: Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah, Jezreel,
Jokdeam, Zanoah, Cain, Gibeah, and Timnah.
[55] Maon, Carmel, and Ziph, and Juttah,
[56] And Jezreel, and Jokdeam, and Zanoah,
[57] Cain, Gibeah, and Timnah; ten cities with their villages:
Another part of Judah's land in the mountains had
these 6 cities and small villages: Halhul, Beth-zur, Gedor, Maarath,
Beth-anoth, and Eltekon.
[58] Halhul, Beth-zur, and Gedor,
[59] And Maarath, and Beth-anoth, and Eltekon; six cities with their villages:
Another part of Judah's land in the mountains had
these 2 cities and small villages: Kirjath-baal (also called Kirjath-jearim)
and Rabbah.
[60] Kirjath-baal, which is Kirjath-jearim, and Rabbah; two cities with their
villages:
Part of Judah's land was in the desert. This part had
these 6 cities and small towns: Beth-arabah, Middin, Secacah, Nibshan, the
city of Salt, and Engedi.
[61] In the wilderness, Beth-arabah, Middin, and Secacah,
[62] And Nibshan, and the city of Salt, and En-gedi; six cities with their
villages.
The group of people called the Jebusites lived in the
city of Jerusalem. The tribe of Judah could not make the Jebusites
leave. When this book of the Bible was written, the Jebusites continued
to live in Jerusalem with the tribe of Judah.
[63] As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah
could not drive them out: but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah
at Jerusalem unto this day.
Joshua 16
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Map from Teachinghearts.org |
The land on the west side of the Jordan River for Joseph's 2 tribes (½ of the Manasseh tribe already got land on the east side of the Jordan River).
This is the land that
the tribes of Joseph's 2 sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, received. Their land was near the
springs of the city
of Jericho by the Jordan River. Their land
continued up into the desert and the hill country near Bethel.
[1] And the lot of the children of Joseph fell from Jordan by
Jericho, unto the water of Jericho on the east, to the wilderness that goeth
up from Jericho throughout mount Bethel,
Then their land went down to Luz and
by the areas called Archi and Ataroth.
[2] And goeth out from Bethel to Luz, and passeth along unto the borders of
Archi to Ataroth,
Then their land went west to the area named Japhleti and the area of Beth-horon. Their land went
to Gezer then ended at the Mediterranean Sea.
[3] And goeth down westward to the coast of Japhleti, unto the coast of Beth-horon
the nether, and to Gezer: and the goings out thereof are at the sea.
This was the land for Joseph's 2 tribes, Manasseh and
Ephraim.
[4] So the children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, took their inheritance.
The borders of Ephraim's land
These were the borders of Ephraim's land. One border started at Ataroth-addar and went up to Beth-horon.
[5] And the border of the children of Ephraim according to their families was
thus: even the border of their inheritance on the east side was Ataroth-addar,
unto Beth-horon the upper;
Another border started near the Mediterranean
Sea and went to the town named Michmethah. The border continued
to the towns named Taanath-shiloh, Janohah, Ataroth, Naarath, and Jericho.
Then it continued to the Jordan River. Another border was by the town of
Tappuah and and went to the Kanah River then to the Mediterranean Sea..
[6] And the border went out toward the sea to Michmethah on the north side;
and the border went about eastward unto Taanath-shiloh, and passed by it on
the east to Janohah;
[7] And it went down from Janohah to Ataroth, and to Naarath, and came to
Jericho, and went out at Jordan.
[8] The border went out from Tappuah westward unto the river Kanah; and the
goings out thereof were at the sea.
The tribe of Ephraim also had some cities in
Manasseh's land.
[9] And the separate cities for the children of Ephraim were among the
inheritance of the children of Manasseh, all the cities with their villages.
There were some Canaanite people in the city of Gezer.
But the tribe of Ephraim did not make them leave. When this book of the
Bible was written, the Canaanites still lived in Gezer with the tribe of
Ephraim. The Canaanites in Gezer were slaves to the tribe of Ephraim.
[10] And they drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but the
Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day, and serve under tribute.
Joshua 17
The tribe of Manasseh's land
Manasseh was the oldest son of
Joseph. Manasseh's oldest son was Machir. Machir's oldest son was
Gilead. Machir and his descendants were warriors (fought in the army).
Gilead had the areas of land named Gilead and Bashan (on the east side
of the Jordan River).
[1] There was also a lot for the tribe of Manasseh; for he was
the firstborn of Joseph; to wit, for Machir the firstborn of Manasseh, the
father of Gilead: because he was a man of war, therefore he had Gilead and
Bashan.
The other families of Manasseh were Abiezer, Helek,
Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida. These families got land on the west side
of the Jordan River.
[2] There was also a lot for the rest of the children of Manasseh by their
families; for the children of Abiezer, and for the children of Helek, and for
the children of Asriel, and for the children of Shechem, and for the children
of Hepher, and for the children of Shemida: these were the male children of
Manasseh the son of Joseph by their families.
| Back in the book of Numbers, Zelophehad's daughters talked to Moses about getting land after they moved into Canaan. To read that part again, please click here. |
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