Joshua 19

1 The second lot came out for Simeon, even for the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families. Their inheritance was in the middle of the inheritance of the children of Judah.

The second/next tribe that was allotted land was the tribe of Simeon. Each clan in that tribe was allotted some land that was inside the area that had been allotted to the tribe of Judah.

2 They had for their inheritance Beersheba (or Sheba), Moladah,

Their land included the towns of Beersheba ([which is also named] Sheba), Moladah,

3 Hazar Shual, Balah, Ezem,

Hazar-Shual, Balah, Ezem,

4 Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah,

Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah,

5 Ziklag, Beth Marcaboth, Hazar Susah,

Ziklag, Beth-Marcaboth. Hazar-Susah,

6 Beth Lebaoth, and Sharuhen; thirteen cities with their villages;

Beth-Lebaoth, and Sharuhen. Altogether there were 13 towns and the surrounding villages.

7 Ain, Rimmon, Ether, and Ashan; four cities with their villages;

The land allotted to them also included the four cities of Ain, Rimmon, Ether, and Ashan, and their surrounding villages.

8 and all the villages that were around these cities to Baalath Beer, Ramah of the South. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families.

They were also allotted some very small villages in an area that extended south to Baalath-Beer (which is [also named] Ramah, in the southern desert). That was the land allotted to the clans of the tribe of Simeon.

9 Out of the part of the children of Judah was the inheritance of the children of Simeon; for the portion of the children of Judah was too much for them. Therefore the children of Simeon had inheritance in the middle of their inheritance.

The tribe of Judah had been allotted much more land than they needed, so part of their land was given to the tribe of Simeon.

10 The third lot came up for the children of Zebulun according to their families. The border of their inheritance was to Sarid.

The third/next tribe that was allotted land was the tribe of Zebulun. Each clan of that tribe was allotted some of the land. The southern border started at Sarid [city].

11 Their border went up westward, even to Maralah, and reached to Dabbesheth. It reached to the brook that is before Jokneam.

It extended west to Maralah [city] and on to Dabbesheth [city], and on to the brook just north of Jokneam [city].

12 It turned from Sarid eastward towards the sunrise to the border of Chisloth Tabor. It went out to Daberath, and went up to Japhia.

The border extended east from Sarid to the area near Kisloth-Tabor [city] and on to Daberath [town] and on to Japhia [town].

13 From there it passed along eastward to Gath Hepher, to Ethkazin; and it went out at Rimmon which stretches to Neah.

From there it extended east to Gath-Hepher [city] and Eth-Kazin [town], and north to Rimmon [city]. From there the border extended [west] to Neah [town].

14 The border turned around it on the north to Hannathon; and it ended at the valley of Iphtah El;

From Neah it extended south to Hannathon [city] and from there to Iphtah-El Valley.

15 Kattath, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem: twelve cities with their villages.

Their area included the towns of Kattath, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem. Altogether there were twelve towns and the surrounding villages.

16 This is the inheritance of the children of Zebulun according to their families, these cities with their villages.

That was the land that was allotted to the clans of the tribe of Zebulun.

17 The fourth lot came out for Issachar, even for the children of Issachar according to their families.

The fourth/next tribe that was allotted land was the tribe of Issachar. Each of the clans of that tribe was allotted some of the land.

18 Their border was to Jezreel, Chesulloth, Shunem,

Their land included the cities of Jezreel, Kesulloth, Shunem,

19 Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath,

Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath,

20 Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez,

Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez,

21 Remeth, Engannim, En Haddah, and Beth Pazzez.

Remeth, En-Gannim, En-Haddah, and Beth-Pazzez.

22 The border reached to Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth Shemesh. Their border ended at the Jordan: sixteen cities with their villages.

The border of the area that was allotted to the tribe of Issachar was close to Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth-Shemesh [cities], and ended [in the east] at the Jordan [River]. Altogether there were 16 cities and the surrounding villages.

23 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Issachar according to their families, the cities with their villages.

Those cities and villages were in the land allotted to the clans of the tribe of Issachar.

24 The fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families.

The fifth/next tribe that was allotted land was the tribe of Asher. Each of the clans in that tribe was allotted some of the land.

25 Their border was Helkath, Hali, Beten, Achshaph,

Their land included the towns of Helkath, Hali, Beten, Acshaph,

26 Allammelech, Amad, Mishal. It reached to Carmel westward, and to Shihorlibnath.

Allammelech, Amad, and Mishal. The western border started at Carmel [Mountain] and Shihor-Libnath.

27 It turned towards the sunrise to Beth Dagon, and reached to Zebulun, and to the valley of Iphtah El northward to Beth Emek and Neiel. It went out to Cabul on the left hand,

From there it extended [southeast] to Beth-Dagon [town], and then to [the area that was allotted to the tribe of] Zebulun and Iphtah-El Valley. From there the border extended east and then north to Beth-Emek [town] and Neiel and Cabul [towns].

28 and Ebron, Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah, even to great Sidon.

From there it extended west to Abdon, Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah [cities], and continued to Sidon, which is a big city.

29 The border turned to Ramah, to the fortified city of Tyre; and the border turned to Hosah. It ended at the sea by the region of Achzib;

From there the border extended south toward Ramah and to the big city of Tyre that had strong walls around it. From there the border extended [west] to Hosah [town] and ended at the [Mediterranean] Sea. Within their area were the towns of Aczib,

30 Ummah also, and Aphek, and Rehob: twenty-two cities with their villages.

Ummah, Aphek, and Rehob. Altogether there were 22 towns and their surrounding villages.

31 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families, these cities with their villages.

Those cities and villages were within the land that was allotted to the clans of the tribe of Asher.

32 The sixth lot came out for the children of Naphtali, even for the children of Naphtali according to their families.

The sixth/next tribe that was allotted land was the tribe of Naphtali. Each of the clans in that tribe was allotted some of the land.

33 Their border was from Heleph, from the oak in Zaanannim, Adami-nekeb, and Jabneel, to Lakkum. It ended at the Jordan.

The border of their land started [in the west] at the [huge] oak tree at Zaanannim, near Heleph [town]. It extended [east] through Adami-Nekeb [city] and Jabneel, and then to Lakkum, and ended at the Jordan [River].

34 The border turned westward to Aznoth Tabor, and went out from there to Hukkok. It reached to Zebulun on the south, and reached to Asher on the west, and to Judah at the Jordan towards the sunrise.

The western boundary extended through Aznoth-Tabor as far as Hukkok [city]. It extended to the borders of [the tribe of] Zebulun at the south, to [the border of the tribe of] Asher on the west, and the Jordan [River] at the east.

35 The fortified cities were Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Chinnereth,

[Within their land were] several cities with strong walls around them. They were Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Kinnereth,

36 Adamah, Ramah, Hazor,

Adamah, Ramah, Hazor,

37 Kedesh, Edrei, En Hazor,

Kedesh, Edrei, En-Hazor,

38 Iron, Migdal El, Horem, Beth Anath, and Beth Shemesh; nineteen cities with their villages.

Iron, Migdal-El, Horem, Beth-Anath, and Beth-Shemesh. Altogether there were 19 cities and the surrounding villages.

39 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Naphtali according to their families, the cities with their villages.

Those cities and surrounding villages were in the land that was allotted to the clans of the tribe of Naphtali.

40 The seventh lot came out for the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families.

The seventh/last tribe that was allotted land was the tribe of Dan. Each of the clans in that tribe was allotted some of the land.

41 The border of their inheritance was Zorah, Eshtaol, Irshemesh,

Their land included the towns of Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir-Shemesh,

42 Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Ithlah,

Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Ithlah,

43 Elon, Timnah, Ekron,

Elon, Timnah, Ekron,

44 Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath,

Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath,

45 Jehud, Bene Berak, Gath Rimmon,

Jehud, Bene-Berak, Gath-Rimmon,

46 Me Jarkon, and Rakkon, with the border opposite Joppa.

Me-Jarkon, Rakkon, and the area near Joppa.

47 The border of the children of Dan went out beyond them; for the children of Dan went up and fought against Leshem, and took it, and struck it with the edge of the sword, and possessed it, and lived therein, and called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their forefather.

But the people of the tribe of Dan were unable to take control of the land that had been allotted to them. So they went [northeast] and fought against the people in Leshem [city]. They defeated and killed all the people who lived there. Then they began to live in Leshem, and changed the name of the city to Dan, the man from whom their tribe descended.

48 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families, these cities with their villages.

All of those towns and surrounding villages were in the land that was allotted to the clans in the tribe of Dan.

49 So they finished distributing the land for inheritance by its borders. The children of Israel gave an inheritance to Joshua the son of Nun amongst them.

After the Israeli leaders divided the land among the tribes, they allotted some land to Joshua.

50 According to the LORD’s commandment, they gave him the city which he asked, even Timnathserah in the hill country of Ephraim; and he built the city, and lived there.

They allotted to him Timnath-Serah. Yahweh had said that he could have whatever city he wanted, and that was the city that he chose. It was in the hilly region which was allotted to the tribe of Ephraim. Joshua rebuilt the city and lived there.

51 These are the inheritances, which Eleazar the priest, Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers’ houses of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed for inheritance by lot in Shiloh before the LORD, at the door of the Tent of Meeting. So they finished dividing the land.

Those were the areas that were allotted to the various tribes of Israel. Eleazar the Supreme Priest and Joshua and the leaders of each tribe divided up the land while they were all at Shiloh, by (casting lots/throwing marked stones) [to decide which area each tribe would receive]. They did that while Yahweh was watching, at the entrance of the Sacred Tent. In that way they completed dividing up the land.