The Land Israel Had Not Yet Taken
1 Many years later, the Lord told Joshua:
Now you are very old, but there is still a lot of land that Israel has not yet taken. 2-7 First, there is the Canaanite territory that starts at the Shihor River just east of Egypt and goes north to Ekron. The southern part of this region belongs to the Avvites and the Geshurites, and the land around Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron belongs to the five Philistine rulers.
The other Canaanite territory is in the north. Its northern border starts at the town of Arah, which belongs to the Sidonians. From there, it goes to Aphek, then along the Amorite border to Hamath Pass. The eastern border starts at Hamath Pass and goes south to Baal-Gad at the foot of Mount Hermon, and its southern boundary runs west from there to Misrephoth-Maim. This northern region includes the Lebanon Mountains and the land that belongs to the Gebalites and the Sidonians who live in the hill country from the Lebanon Mountains to Misrephoth-Maim.
With my help, Israel will capture these Canaanite territories and force out the people who live there. But you must divide up the land from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea among the nine tribes and the half of Manasseh that don't have any land yet. Then each tribe will have its own land.
The Land East of the Jordan River
8 Moses had already given land east of the Jordan River to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh. 9 This region stretched north from the town in the middle of the Arnon River valley, and included the town of Aroer on the northern edge of the valley. It covered the flatlands of Medeba north of Dibon, 10 and took in the towns that had belonged to Sihon, the Amorite king of Heshbon. Some of these towns were as far east as the Ammonite border.
11-12 Geshur and Maacah were part of this region, and so was the whole territory that King Og had ruled, that is, Gilead, Mount Hermon, and all of Bashan as far east as Salecah. Og had lived in Ashtaroth part of each year, and he had lived in Edrei the rest of the year. Og had been one of the last of the Rephaim, but Moses had defeated Sihon and Og and their people and had forced them to leave their land. 13 However, the Israelites did not force the people of Geshur and Maacah to leave, and they still live there among the Israelites.
Why Moses Did Not Give Land to the Levi Tribe
14 Moses did not give any land to the Levi tribe, because the Lord God of Israel had told them, “Instead of land, you will receive the sacrifices offered at my altar.”
The Land Moses Gave to the Reuben Tribe
15 Moses gave land to each of the clans in the Reuben tribe. 16 Their land started in the south at the town in the middle of the Arnon River valley, took in the town of Aroer on the northern edge of the valley, and went as far north as the flatlands around Medeba. 17-21 The Amorite King Sihon had lived in Heshbon and had ruled the towns in the flatlands. Now Heshbon belonged to Reuben, and so did the following towns in the flatlands: Dibon, Bamoth-Baal, Beth-Baal-Meon, Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath, Kiriathaim, Sibmah, Zereth-Shahar on the hill in the valley, Beth-Peor, Slopes of Mount Pisgah, and Beth-Jeshimoth.
Moses defeated Sihon and killed him and the Midianite chiefs who ruled parts of his kingdom for him. Their names were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba. 22 The Israelites also killed Balaam the son of Beor, who had been a fortuneteller.
23 This region with its towns and villages was the land for the Reuben tribe, and the Jordan River was its western border.
The Land Moses Gave to the Gad Tribe
24 Moses also gave land to each of the clans in the Gad tribe. 25 It included the town of Jazer, and in the Gilead region their territory took in the land and towns as far east as the town of Aroer just west of Rabbah. This was about half of the land that had once belonged to the Ammonites. 26 The land given to Gad stretched from Heshbon in the south to Ramath-Mizpeh and Betonim in the north, and even further north to Mahanaim and Lidebor. 27 Gad also received the eastern half of the Jordan River valley, which had been ruled by King Sihon of Heshbon. This territory stretched as far north as Lake Galilee, and included the towns of Beth-Haram, Beth-Nimrah, Succoth, and Zaphon. 28 These regions with their towns and villages were given to the Gad tribe.
The Land Moses Gave to Half the Manasseh Tribe
29 Moses gave land east of the Jordan River to half of the clans from the Manasseh tribe. 30-31 Their land started at Mahanaim and took in the region that King Og of Bashan had ruled, including Ashtaroth and Edrei, the two towns where he had lived. The villages where the Jair clan settled were part of Manasseh's land, and so was the northern half of the region of Gilead. The clans of this half of Manasseh had 60 towns in all.
The Manasseh tribe is sometimes called the Machir tribe, after Manasseh's son Machir.
32 That was how Moses divided up the Moab Plains to the east of Jericho on the other side of the Jordan River, so these two and a half tribes would have land of their own. 33 But Moses did not give any land to the Levi tribe, because the Lord had promised that he would always provide for them.
1 Nowe when Ioshua was olde, and striken in yeeres, the Lord said vnto him, Thou art olde and growen in age, and there remaineth exceeding much land to be possessed: 2 This is the land that remaineth, all the regions of the Philistims, and all Geshuri, 3 From Nilus which is in Egypt, euen vnto the borders of Ekron Northward: this is counted of the Canaanites, euen fiue Lordships of the Philistims, the Azzithites, and the Ashdodites, the Eshkelonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites, and the Auites: 4 From the South, all the land of the Canaanites, and the caue that is beside the Sidonians, vnto Aphek, and to the borders of the Amorites: 5 And the land of the Giblites, and all Lebanon, toward the sunne rising from Bahal-gad vnder mount Hermon, vntil one come to Hamath. 6 All the inhabitants of the mountaines from Lebanon vnto Misrephothmaim, and all the Sidonians, I wil cast them out from before the children of Israel: only deuide thou it by lot vnto the Israelites, to inherite, as I haue commanded thee. 7 Nowe therefore deuide this lande to inherite, vnto the nine tribes, and to the halfe tribe of Manasseh. 8 For with halfe therof the Reubenites and the Gadites haue receiued their inheritance, which Moses gaue them beyond Iorden Eastward, euen as Moses the seruant of the Lord had giuen them, 9 From Aroer that is on the brinke of the riuer Arnon, and from the citie that is in the mids of the riuer, and all the plaine of Medeba vnto Dibon, 10 And all the cities of Sihon King of the Amorites, which reigned in Heshbon, vnto the borders of the children of Ammon, 11 And Gilead, and the borders of the Geshurites and of the Maachathites, and all mount Hermon, with all Bashan vnto Salcah: 12 All the kingdome of Og in Bashan, which reigned in Ashtaroth and in Edrei: (who remained of the rest of the gyants) for these did Moses smite, and cast them out. 13 But the children of Israel expelled not the Geshurites nor the Maachathites: but the Geshurites and the Maachathites dwell among the Israelites euen vnto this day. 14 Onely vnto the tribe of Leui he gaue none inheritance, but the sacrifices of the Lord God of Israel are his inheritance, as he said vnto him. 15 Moses then gaue vnto the tribe of the children of Reuben inheritance, according to their families. 16 And their coast was from Aroer, that is on the brinke of the riuer Arnon, and from the citie that is in the middes of the riuer, and all the plaine which is by Medeba: 17 Heshbon with all the cities thereof, that are in the plaine: Dibon and Bamoth-baal, and Bethbaal-meon: 18 And Iahazah, and Kedemoth and Mephaath: 19 Kiriathaim also, and Sibmah, and Zerethshahar in the mount of Emek: 20 And Beth-peor, and Ashdoth-pisgah, and Beth-ieshimoth: 21 And all the cities of the plaine: and all the kingdome of Sihon King of the Amorites, which reigned in Heshbon, whome Moses smote with the Princes of Midian, Eui, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, the dukes of Sihon, dwelling in the countrey. 22 And Balaam the sonne of Beor the soothsayer did the children of Israel slay with the sword, among them that were slaine. 23 And the border of the children of Reuben was Iorden with the coastes. This was the inheritance of the children of Reuben according to their families, with the cities and their villages. 24 Also Moses gaue inheritance vnto ye tribe of Gad, euen vnto the children of Gad according to their families. 25 And their coastes were Iazer, and all the cities of Gilead and halfe the lande of the children of Ammon vnto Aroer, which is before Rabbah: 26 And from Heshbon vnto Ramoth, Mizpeh, and Betonim: and from Mahanaim vnto the borders of Debir: 27 And in the valley Beth-aram, and Bethnimrah, and Succoth, and Zaphon, the rest of the kingdome of Sihon King of Heshbon, vnto Iorden and the borders euen vnto the Sea coast of Cinneereth, beyond Iorden Eastward. 28 This is the inheritance of the children of Gad, after their families, with the cities, and their villages. 29 Also Moses gaue inheritance vnto the halfe tribe of Manasseh: and this belonged to the halfe tribe of the children of Manasseh according to their families. 30 And their border was from Mahanaim, euen all Bashan, to wit, all the kingdome of Og King of Bashan, and all the townes of Iair which are in Bashan, threescore cities, 31 And halfe Gilead, and Ashtaroth, and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan, were giuen vnto the children of Machir the sonne of Manasseh, to halfe of the children of Machir after their families. 32 These are the heritages, which Moses did distribute in the plaine of Moab beyond Iorden, toward Iericho Eastward. 33 But vnto the tribe of Leui Moses gaue none inheritance: for the Lord God of Israel is their inheritance, as he said vnto them.