Text -- Joshua 19:1-51 (NET)

Simeon’s Tribal Lands

19:1 The second lot belonged to the tribe of Simeon by its clans. 19:2 Their assigned land included Beer Sheba, Moladah, 19:3 Hazar Shual, Balah, Ezem, 19:4 Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah, 19:5 Ziklag, Beth Marcaboth, Hazar Susah, 19:6 Beth Lebaoth, and Sharuhen– a total of thirteen cities and their towns, 19:7 Ain, Rimmon, Ether, and Ashan– a total of four cities and their towns, 19:8 as well as all the towns around these cities as far as Baalath Beer (Ramah of the Negev). This was the land assigned to the tribe of Simeon by its clans. 19:9 Simeon’s assigned land was taken from Judah’s allotted portion, for Judah’s territory was too large for them; so Simeon was assigned land within Judah.

Zebulun’s Tribal Lands

19:10 The third lot belonged to the tribe of Zebulun by its clans. The border of their territory extended to Sarid. 19:11 Their border went up westward to Maralah and touched Dabbesheth and the valley near Jokneam. 19:12 From Sarid it turned eastward to the territory of Kisloth Tabor, extended to Daberath, and went up to Japhia. 19:13 From there it crossed eastward to Gath Hepher and Eth Kazin and extended to Rimmon, turning toward Neah. 19:14 It then turned on the north to Hannathon and ended at the Valley of Iphtah El. 19:15 Their territory included Kattah, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem; in all they had twelve cities and their towns. 19:16 This was the land assigned to the tribe of Zebulun by its clans, including these cities and their towns.

Issachar’s Tribal Lands

19:17 The fourth lot belonged to the tribe of Issachar by its clans. 19:18 Their assigned land included Jezreel, Kesulloth, Shunem, 19:19 Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath, 19:20 Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez, 19:21 Remeth, En Gannim, En Haddah and Beth Pazzez. 19:22 Their border touched Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth Shemesh, and ended at the Jordan. They had sixteen cities and their towns. 19:23 This was the land assigned to the tribe of Issachar by its clans, including the cities and their towns.

Asher’s Tribal Lands

19:24 The fifth lot belonged to the tribe of Asher by its clans. 19:25 Their territory included Helkath, Hali, Beten, Acshaph, 19:26 Alammelech, Amad, and Mishal. Their border touched Carmel to the west and Shihor Libnath. 19:27 It turned eastward toward Beth Dagon, touched Zebulun and the Valley of Iphtah El to the north, as well as the Valley of Emek and Neiel, and extended to Cabul on the north 19:28 and on to Ebron, Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah, as far as Greater Sidon. 19:29 It then turned toward Ramah as far as the fortified city of Tyre, turned to Hosah, and ended at the sea near Hebel, Aczib, 19:30 Umah, Aphek, and Rehob. In all they had twenty-two cities and their towns. 19:31 This was the land assigned to the tribe of Asher by its clans, including these cities and their towns.

Naphtali’s Tribal Lands

19:32 The sixth lot belonged to the tribe of Naphtali by its clans. 19:33 Their border started at Heleph and the oak of Zaanannim, went to Adami Nekeb, Jabneel and on to Lakkum, and ended at the Jordan River. 19:34 It turned westward to Aznoth Tabor, extended from there to Hukok, touched Zebulun on the south, Asher on the west, and the Jordan on the east. 19:35 The fortified cities included Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Kinnereth, 19:36 Adamah, Ramah, Hazor, 19:37 Kedesh, Edrei, En Hazor, 19:38 Yiron, Migdal El, Horem, Beth Anath, and Beth Shemesh. In all they had nineteen cities and their towns. 19:39 This was the land assigned to the tribe of Naphtali by its clans, including the cities and their towns.

Dan’s Tribal Lands

19:40 The seventh lot belonged to the tribe of Dan by its clans. 19:41 Their assigned land included Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir Shemesh, 19:42 Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Ithlah, 19:43 Elon, Timnah, Ekron, 19:44 Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath, 19:45 Jehud, Bene Berak, Gath Rimmon, 19:46 the waters of Jarkon, and Rakkon, including the territory in front of Joppa. 19:47 (The Danites failed to conquer their territory, so they went up and fought with Leshem and captured it. They put the sword to it, took possession of it, and lived in it. They renamed it Dan after their ancestor.) 19:48 This was the land assigned to the tribe of Dan by its clans, including these cities and their towns.

Joshua Receives Land

19:49 When they finished dividing the land into its regions, the Israelites gave Joshua son of Nun some land. 19:50 As the Lord had instructed, they gave him the city he requested– Timnath Serah in the Ephraimite hill country. He built up the city and lived in it. 19:51 These are the land assignments which Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the Israelite tribal leaders made by drawing lots in Shiloh before the Lord at the entrance of the tent of meeting. So they finished dividing up the land.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Jos 19:1

¹ tn Heb “and the second lot came out for Simeon, for the tribe of the sons of Simeon by their clans.”

NET Notes: Jos 19:2

¹ tn Heb “and they had in their inheritance.”

² tc The MT has “and Sheba” listed after “Beer Sheba.” The LXX suggests “Shema.” The Hebrew text appears to be corrupt, since the form “Sheba” duplicates the latter part of the preceding name. If Sheba (or Shema) is retained, the list numbers fourteen, one more than the number given in the concluding summary (v. 6).

NET Notes: Jos 19:8

¹ tn Heb “this was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Simeon.”

NET Notes: Jos 19:9

¹ tn Heb “from the portion of the sons of Judah was the inheritance of the sons of Simeon for the portion of the sons of Judah was too large for them, and the sons of Simeon received an inheritance in the midst of their inheritance.”

NET Notes: Jos 19:10

¹ tn Heb “and the third lot came up for the sons of Zebulun.”

² tn Or “inheritance.”

NET Notes: Jos 19:11

¹ tn Heb “in front of”; perhaps “east of.”

NET Notes: Jos 19:12

¹ tn Heb “eastward toward the rising of the sun.”

NET Notes: Jos 19:15

¹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.

² tn Heb “Kattah, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem, twelve cities and their towns.” The words “their territory included” and “in all they had” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

NET Notes: Jos 19:16

¹ tn Heb “this is the inheritance of the sons of Zebulun.”

NET Notes: Jos 19:17

¹ tn Heb “the fourth lot came out for the sons of Issachar.”

NET Notes: Jos 19:18

¹ tn Or “their inheritance.”

NET Notes: Jos 19:23

¹ tn Heb “this was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Issachar.”

NET Notes: Jos 19:24

¹ tn Heb “and the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the sons of Asher.”

NET Notes: Jos 19:27

¹ tn Heb “left.”

NET Notes: Jos 19:28

¹ tc Some Hebrew mss read “Abdon.”

² map For location see Map1 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.

NET Notes: Jos 19:29

¹ map For location see Map1 A2; Map2 G2; Map4 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.

NET Notes: Jos 19:30

¹ tn The words “in all they had” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

NET Notes: Jos 19:31

¹ tn Heb “this was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Asher.”

NET Notes: Jos 19:32

¹ tn Heb “the sixth lot came out for the sons of Naphtali, for the sons of Naphtali.”

NET Notes: Jos 19:33

¹ tn Heb “and their border was from Heleph, from the oak of Zaanannim, and Adami Nekeb, and Jabneel to Lakkum.”

² tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied for clarity.

NET Notes: Jos 19:34

¹ tc The MT reads “Judah, the Jordan”; the LXX omits “Judah.” Perhaps there was a town named Judah, distinct from the tribe of Judah, located near the northern end of the Jordan.

NET Notes: Jos 19:36

¹ map For location see Map1 D2; Map2 D3; Map3 A2; Map4 C1.

NET Notes: Jos 19:38

¹ sn Instead of Yiron some English translations read Iron.

² tn The words “in all they had” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

NET Notes: Jos 19:39

¹ tn Heb “this was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Naphtali.”

NET Notes: Jos 19:40

¹ tn Heb “the seventh lot came out for the sons of Dan.”

NET Notes: Jos 19:47

¹ tn Heb “the territory of the sons of Dan went out from them.”

² tn Heb “Leshem.” The pronoun (“it”) has replaced the name “Leshem” in the translation for stylistic reasons.

³ tn Heb “according to the name of their father.”

NET Notes: Jos 19:48

¹ tn Heb “this was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Dan.”

NET Notes: Jos 19:49

¹ tn Heb “an inheritance in their midst.”

NET Notes: Jos 19:51

¹ tn Heb “the leaders of the fathers of the tribes.”

² tn Heb “at the entrance of the tent of assembly.”

sn On the tent of meeting see Exod 33:7-11.