Joshua 18:4-28 ▼

4 Appoint three men from each tribe, and I will send them out to survey the land and map it out, according to the inheritance of each. Then they will return to me

5 and divide the land into seven portions. Judah (praised) shall remain in their territory in the south, and the house of Joseph (YHWH has added) shall remain in their territory in the north.

6 When you⁺ have mapped out the seven portions of land and brought it to me, I will cast lots for you⁺ here in the presence of the LORD our God {YHWH Elohenu}.

7 The Levites, however, have no portion among you⁺, because their inheritance is the priesthood of the LORD {YHWH}. And Gad (troop), Reuben (behold a son), and half the tribe of Manasseh (causing to forget) have already received the inheritance that Moses (drawn out) the servant of the LORD gave them beyond the Jordan (flowing down) to the east.”

8 As the men got up to go out, Joshua (YHWH saves) commanded them to map out the land, saying, “Go and survey the land, map it out, and return to me. Then I will cast lots for you⁺ here in Shiloh (place of rest) in the presence of the LORD {YHWH}.”

9 So the men departed and went throughout the land, mapping it city by city into seven portions. Then they returned with the document to Joshua (YHWH saves) at the camp in Shiloh (place of rest).

10 And Joshua (YHWH saves) cast lots for them in the presence of the LORD {YHWH} at Shiloh (place of rest), where he distributed the land to the Israelites (God prevails) according to their divisions.

11 The first lot came up for the clans of the tribe of Benjamin (son of the right hand). Their allotted territory lay between the tribes of Judah (praised) and Joseph (YHWH has added):

12 On the north side their border began at the Jordan (flowing down), went up past the northern slope of Jericho (city of palms), headed west through the hill country, and came out at the wilderness of Beth-aven (house of wickedness).

13 From there the border crossed over (almond tree) to the southern slope of Luz (that is, Bethel (house of God)) and went down to Ataroth-addar (crowns of glory) on the hill south of (house of hollowness) Lower Beth-horon.

14 On the west side the border curved southward from the hill facing Beth-horon (house of hollowness) on the south and came out at Kiriath-baal (city of Baal) (that is, Kiriath-jearim (city of forests)), a city of the sons of Judah (praised). This was the western side.

15 On the south side the border began at the outskirts of Kiriath-jearim (city of forests) and extended westward to the spring at the Waters of Nephtoah (opening).

16 Then it went down to the foot of the hill that faces the Valley of Ben-hinnom (lamentation) at the northern end of the Valley of Rephaim and ran down the Valley of Hinnom toward the southern slope of the Jebusites (Jerusalemites) and downward to En-rogel (fount of the fuller).

17 From there it curved northward and proceeded to En-shemesh (fountain of the sun) and on to Geliloth (circuits) facing the Ascent of Adummim (ruddy one), and continued down to the Stone of Bohan (thumb) son of Reuben (behold a son).

18 Then it went on to the northern slope of Beth-arabah [slope facing the Arabah] and went down into the valley.

19 The border continued to the northern slope of Beth-hoglah (house of the partridge) and came out at the northern bay of the Salt Sea (the Dead Sea), at the mouth of the Jordan (flowing down). This was the southern border.

20 On the east side the border was the Jordan (flowing down). These were the borders around the inheritance of the clans of the tribe of Benjamin (son of the right hand).

21 These were the cities of the clans of the tribe of Benjamin (son of the right hand): Jericho (city of palms), Beth-hoglah (house of the partridge), Emek-keziz (cut off),

22 Beth-arabah (house of the desert valley), Zemaraim (double fleece of wool), Bethel (house of God),

23 Avvim (ruins), Parah (heifer-town), Ophrah (fawn),

24 Chephar-ammoni (village of the Ammonites), Ophni (mouldy), and Geba (hill)—twelve cities, along with their villages.

25 Gibeon (hill city), Ramah (hill), Beeroth (wells),

26 Mizpeh (watchtower), Chephirah (lioness), Mozah (fountain),

27 Rekem (variegation), Irpeel (God will heal), Taralah (reeling),

28 Zelah (a rib), Haeleph (thousand), Jebus [the Jebusite] (that is, Jerusalem (city of peace)), Gibeah \Gibeath/, and Kiriath-jearim [Kiriath] fourteen cities, along with their villages. This was the inheritance of the clans of the tribe of Benjamin (son of the right hand).