Joshua 21 (ARST)

1The leaders of the clans of the Levites came to Shiloh to speak with Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the clans of the people of Israel.Now the family heads of the Levites approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the other tribes of Israel

2They said to them,“Yahweh commanded Moses that you should give us cities where we can live and where we can have pasture for our animals.”at Shiloh in the land of Canaan and said to them, “The LORD commanded through Moses that we be given cities in which to live, together with pasturelands for our livestock.”

3So the Israelite leaders obeyed this command from Yahweh. They gave cities and pasturelands to the tribe of Levi out of their own lands that had been assigned to them.So by the command of the LORD, the Israelites gave the Levites these cities and their pasturelands out of their own inheritance:

4First Israelite leaders cast lots to assign some cities to the descendants of Kohath. These were clans that were the descendants of Aaron. They assigned thirteen cities in areas that the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin possessed.The first lot came out for the Kohathite clans. The Levites who were descendants of Aaron the priest received thirteen cities by lot from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.

5To the other clans descended from Kohath, Israelite leaders assigned ten cities in areas that the tribes of Ephraim and Dan possessed, as well as the part of the tribe of Manasseh that lives on the west side of the Jordan River.The remaining descendants of Kohath received ten cities by lot from the tribes of Ephraim, Dan, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.

6To the people in the clans descended from Gershon, Israelite leaders assigned thirteen cities the areas that the tribes of Issachar, Asher, and Naphtali possessed, as well as the half tribe of Manasseh in region of Bashan.The descendants of Gershon received thirteen cities by lot from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.

7To the people in the clans descended from Merari, the Israelite leaders assigned twelve cities in areas that the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun possessed.And the descendants of Merari received twelve cities from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.

8In this way, the Israelite leaders gave cities and pasturelands to the tribe of Levi, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses that they should do.So the Israelites allotted to the Levites these cities, together with their pasturelands, as the LORD had commanded through Moses.

9These are the names of the cities and surrounding pasturelands that the Israelite leaders assigned to the tribe of Levi in areas where the tribes of Judah and Simeon lived.From the tribes of Judah and Simeon, they designated these cities by name

10First, the Israelite leaders assigned cities to certain clans descended from Kohath, the clans of Aaron’ s descendants, those in the tribe of Levi who served as priests. The Israelite leaders cast lots first for these clans descended from Kohath.to the descendants of Aaron from the Kohathite clans of the Levites, because the first lot fell to them:

11The Israelite leaders assigned to them Kiriath Arba(which is now called Hebron), in the hill country of Judah(Arba had been the father of Anak). They also gave the pasturelands around the city.They gave them Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), with its surrounding pasturelands, in the hill country of Judah. (Arba was the father of Anak.)

12However, the Israelite leaders had already assigned the cultivated fields and villages surrounding Kiriath Arba to Caleb son of Jephunneh.But they had given the fields and villages around the city to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his possession.

13In this way, the Israelite leaders assigned Hebron to the descendants of Aaron the priest. Hebron was one of the cities to which people could run if they accidentally killed a person. To Aaron’ s descendants they also gave the cities of Libnah,So to the descendants of Aaron the priest they gave these cities, together with their pasturelands: Hebron, a city of refuge for the manslayer, Libnah,

14Jattir with its pasturelands, and Eshtemoa with its pasturelands,Jattir, Eshtemoa,

15They also gave Holon with its pasturelands, and Debir with its pasturelands,Holon, Debir,

16Ain, Juttah, and Bethshemesh— nine cities with all their pasturelands. These cities were located in the areas that the tribes of Judah and Simeon had possessed.Ain, Juttah, and Beth-shemesh—nine cities from these two tribes, together with their pasturelands.

17The Israelite leaders also gave the descendants of Aaron some cities in the area that the tribe of Benjamin possessed: Gibeon, Geba,And from the tribe of Benjamin they gave them Gibeon, Geba,

18Anathoth, and Almon— four cities with all their pasturelands.Anathoth, and Almon—four cities, together with their pasturelands.

19Altogether there were thirteen cities with their surrounding pastureland that the Israelite leaders assigned to the priests, the descendants of Aaron.In all, thirteen cities, together with their pasturelands, were given to the priests, the descendants of Aaron.

20The other clans descended from Kohath received four cities in the area that the tribe of Ephraim possessed.The remaining Kohathite clans of the Levites were allotted these cities: From the tribe of Ephraim

21To them were given Shechem with its pasturelands in the hill country of Ephraim, which was a city of refuge for anyone who killed a person unintentionally, and Gezer with its pasturelands,they were given Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim (a city of refuge for the manslayer), Gezer,

22Kibzaim, and Beth Horon— four cities with all their pasturelands.Kibzaim, and Beth-horon—four cities, together with their pasturelands.

23These particular clans descended from Kohath also received four cities with their surrounding pasturelands in the area that the tribe of Dan possessed. These cities were Eltekeh, Gibbethon,From the tribe of Dan they were given Elteke, Gibbethon,

24Aijalon, and Gath Rimmon— four cities with all their pasturelands.Aijalon, and Gath-rimmon—four cities, together with their pasturelands.

25These clans descended from Kohath also received two cities from the area that the tribe of Manasseh possessed. These cities were Taanach and Gath Rimmon— two cities with all their pasturelands.And from the half-tribe of Manasseh they were given Taanach and Gath-rimmon—two cities, together with their pasturelands.

26There were ten cities in all, together with their surrounding pasturelands, that these particular clans descended from Kohath received.In all, ten cities, together with their pasturelands, were given to the rest of the Kohathite clans.

27The Israelite leaders also cast lots in order to assign cities and their surrounding pasturelands to the clans descended from Gershon. These clans were also descendants of Levi. So these clans received two cities from the area the tribe of Manasseh received— that is, the half of the tribe that had settled down on the east side of the Jordan River. Those cities were Golan in the region of Bashan, which was one of the cities to which people could run, and Beeshtarah— two cities with their pasturelands.This is what the Levite clans of the Gershonites were given: From the half-tribe of Manasseh they were given Golan in Bashan, a city of refuge for the manslayer, and Beeshterah—two cities, together with their pasturelands.

28These clans also received some cities from the area that the tribe of Issachar possessed. Those cities were Kishion, Daberath,From the tribe of Issachar they were given Kishion, Daberath,

29Jarmuth, and En Gannim— four cities with their pasturelands.Jarmuth, and En-gannim—four cities, together with their pasturelands.

30These clans received some cities from the area that the tribe of Asher possessed. These cities were Mishal, Abdon,From the tribe of Asher they were given Mishal, Abdon,

31Helkath, and Rehob— four cities with their pasturelands.Helkath, and Rehob—four cities, together with their pasturelands.

32These clans received some cities from the area that the tribe of Naphtali possessed. These cities were Kedesh in the region of Galilee(one of the cities to which people could run if they killed a person unintentionally), Hammoth Dor, and Kartan— three cities with their pasturelands.And from the tribe of Naphtali they were given Kedesh in Galilee (a city of refuge for the manslayer), Hammoth-dor, and Kartan—three cities, together with their pasturelands.

33Altogether, therefore, the Gershonite received thirteen cities, together with their surrounding pasturelands.In all, thirteen cities, together with their pasturelands, were given to the Gershonite clans.

34The Israelite leaders also assigned cities to the rest of the Levites, that is, the people who belonged to the clans descended from Merari. These clans received some cities in areas that the tribe of Zebulun possessed. These cities were Jokneam, Kartah,This is what the Merarite clan (the rest of the Levites) were given: From the tribe of Zebulun they were given Jokneam, Kartah,

35Dimnah, and Nahalal— four cities with their pasturelands.Dimnah, and Nahalal—four cities, together with their pasturelands.

36The clans descended from Merari also received cities in the area that the tribe of Reuben possessed. These cities were Bezer, Jahaz,From the tribe of Reuben they were given Bezer, Jahaz,

37Kedemoth, and Mephaath— four cities with their pasturelands.Kedemoth, and Mephaath—four cities, together with their pasturelands.

38The clans descended from Merari also received cities in the area that the tribe of Gad possessed. These cities were Ramoth, which was one of the cities in Gilead to which people could run if they killed a person unintentionally, and Mahanaim.And from the tribe of Gad they were given Ramoth in Gilead, a city of refuge for the manslayer, Mahanaim,

39There were also the cities of Heshbon, and Jazer— four cities in all, together with their pasturelands.Heshbon, and Jazer—four cities in all, together with their pasturelands.

40In all the clans descended from Merari received twelve cities because the Israelite leaders had cast lots for them.In all, twelve cities were allotted to the clans of Merari, the remaining Levite clans.

41So the Levites received all together forty- eight cities from the areas that the other tribes of Israel possessed, as well as the pasturelands belonging to those cities.For the Levites, then, there were forty-eight cities in all, together with their pasturelands, within the territory of the Israelites.

42These cities each had surrounding pastureland.Each of these cities had its own surrounding pasturelands; this was true for all the cities.

43It was in this way that Yahweh assigned to the Israelite people all the land that he had promised to give to their ancestors. The Israelite people took control of these areas and settled down in them.Thus the LORD gave Israel all the land He had sworn to give their fathers, and they took possession of it and settled in it.

44Just as he had promised their ancestors, Yahweh allowed them to have peace with the enemies that surrounded them. None of their enemies defeated them. Yahweh helped Israel defeat all their enemies.And the LORD gave them rest on every side, just as He had sworn to their fathers. None of their enemies could stand against them, for the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand.

45Yahweh kept every promise he made to the Israelites. Every promise came true.Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to the house of Israel had failed; everything was fulfilled.

Joshua 21

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Joshua 21

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