Joshua
Summary
Joshua Chapter 19 details the allotments for the final six tribes: Simeon, Zebulun, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Dan. Simeon's inheritance is uniquely located within the territory of Judah, as Judah's share was too large for them. The chapter also recounts how the tribe of Dan, finding their territory too small, captures the city of Leshem and renames it Dan. Finally, the Israelites give Joshua himself a special inheritance, the city of Timnath Serah in the hill country of Ephraim, once all the tribal divisions are complete.
The second lot [1] came out for the tribe of Simeon according to its clans. Its inheritance lay within the territory of Judah.
It included: Beersheba (or Sheba), Moladah,
Hazar Shual, Balah, Ezem,
Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah,
Ziklag, Beth Markaboth, Hazar Susah,
Beth Lebaoth and Sharuhen, thirteen towns and their villages;
Ain, Rimmon, Ether and Ashan, four towns and their villages,
and all the villages around these towns as far as Baalath Beer (Ramah in the Negev). This was the inheritance of the tribe of the Simeonites, according to its clans.
The inheritance of the Simeonites was taken from the share of Judah, because Judah’s portion was more than they needed. So the Simeonites received their inheritance within the territory of Judah.
The third lot came up for Zebulun according to its clans: The boundary of their inheritance went as far as Sarid.
Going west it ran to Maralah, touched DabbeshES, and extended to the ravine near Jokneam.
It turned east from Sarid toward the sunrise to the territory of Kisloth Tabor and went on to Daberath and up to Japhia.
Then it continued eastward to Gath Hepher and Eth Kazin; it came out at Rimmon and turned toward Neah.
There the boundary went around on the north to Hannathon and ended at the Valley of Iphtah El.
Included were Kattath, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah and Bethlehem. There were twelve towns and their villages.
These towns and their villages were the inheritance of Zebulun, according to its clans.
The fourth lot came out for Issachar according to its clans.
Its territory included: Jezreel, Kesulloth, Shunem,
Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath,
Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez,
RemS, En Gannim, En Haddah and Beth Pazzez.
The boundary touched Tabor, Shahazumah and Beth Shemesh, and ended at the Jordan. There were sixteen towns and their villages.
These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Issachar, according to its clans.
The fifth lot came out for the tribe of Asher according to its clans.
Its territory included: Helkath, Hali, Beten, Akshaph,
Allammelek, Amad and Mishal. On the west the boundary touched Carmel and Shihor Libnath.
It then turned east toward Beth Dagon, touched Zebulun and the Valley of Iphtah El, and went north to Beth Emek and Neiel, passing Kabul on the left.
It went to Abdon, Rehob, Hammon and Kanah, as far as Greater Sidon.
The boundary then turned back toward Ramah and went to the fortified city of Tyre, turned toward Hosah and came out at the Mediterranean Sea in the region of Aksib,
Ummah, Aphek and Rehob. There were twenty-two towns and their villages.
These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Asher, according to its clans.
The sixth lot came out for Naphtali according to its clans:
Their boundary went from Heleph and the large tree in Zaanannim, passed Adami Nekeb and Jabneel to Lakkum and ended at the Jordan.
The boundary ran westward through Aznoth Tabor and came out at Hukkok. It touched Zebulun on the south, Asher on the west and the Jordan on the east.
The fortified towns were Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, KinnerS,
Adamah, Ramah, Hazor,
Kedesh, Edrei, En Hazor,
Iron, Migdal El, Horem, Beth Anath and Beth Shemesh. There were nineteen towns and their villages.
These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Naphtali, according to its clans.
The seventh lot came out for the tribe of Dan according to its clans.
The territory of their inheritance included: Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir Shemesh,
Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Ithlah,
Elon, Timnah, Ekron,
Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath,
Jehud, Bene Berak, Gath Rimmon,
Me Jarkon and Rakkon, with the area facing Joppa.
(But the Danites had difficulty taking possession of their territory, so they went up and attacked Leshem, took it, put it to the sword and occupied it. They settled in Leshem and named it Dan after their ancestor.)
These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Dan, according to its clans.
When they had finished dividing the land into its separate territories, the Israelites gave Joshua son of Nun an inheritance among them,
as the LORD had commanded. They gave him the town he asked for, Timnath Serah in the hill country of Ephraim. And he built up the town and settled there.
These are the inheritances that Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun and the heads of the tribal clans of Israel assigned by lot at Shiloh in the presence of the LORD at the entrance to the tent of meeting. So they finished dividing the land.