Genesis 12:7

12:7 The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants ¹  I will give this land.” So Abram ²  built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him.

Genesis 13:14-17

13:14 After Lot had departed, the Lord said to Abram, ³  “Look ⁴  from the place where you stand to the north, south, east, and west. 13:15 I will give all the land that you see to you and your descendants ⁵  forever. 13:16 And I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone is able to count the dust of the earth, then your descendants also can be counted. ⁶  13:17 Get up and ⁷  walk throughout ⁸  the land, ⁹  for I will give it to you.”

Genesis 15:18

15:18 That day the Lord made a covenant ¹⁰  with Abram: “To your descendants I give ¹¹  this land, from the river of Egypt ¹²  to the great river, the Euphrates River –

Genesis 26:3-4

26:3 Stay ¹³  in this land. Then I will be with you and will bless you, ¹⁴  for I will give all these lands to you and to your descendants, ¹⁵  and I will fulfill ¹⁶  the solemn promise I made ¹⁷  to your father Abraham. 26:4 I will multiply your descendants so they will be as numerous as the stars in the sky, and I will give them ¹⁸  all these lands. All the nations of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another using the name of your descendants. ¹⁹ 

Genesis 28:3-4

28:3 May the sovereign God ²⁰  bless you! May he make you fruitful and give you a multitude of descendants! ²¹  Then you will become ²²  a large nation. ²³  28:4 May he give you and your descendants the blessing he gave to Abraham ²⁴  so that you may possess the land ²⁵  God gave to Abraham, the land where you have been living as a temporary resident.” ²⁶ 

Genesis 28:13

28:13 and the Lord stood at its top. He said, “I am the Lord, the God of your grandfather Abraham and the God of your father Isaac. ²⁷  I will give you and your descendants the ground ²⁸  you are lying on.

Genesis 48:4

48:4 He said to me, ‘I am going to make you fruitful ²⁹  and will multiply you. ³⁰  I will make you into a group of nations, and I will give this land to your descendants ³¹  as an everlasting possession.’ ³² 

Exodus 3:8

3:8 I have come down ³³  to deliver them ³⁴  from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up from that land to a land that is both good and spacious, ³⁵  to a land flowing with milk and honey, ³⁶  to the region of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. ³⁷ 

Joshua 6:1--21:45

6:1 Now Jericho ³⁸  was shut tightly ³⁹  because of the Israelites. No one was allowed to leave or enter. ⁴⁰  6:2 The Lord told Joshua, “See, I am about to defeat Jericho for you, ⁴¹  along with its king and its warriors. 6:3 Have all the warriors march around the city one time; ⁴²  do this for six days. 6:4 Have seven priests carry seven rams’ horns ⁴³  in front of the ark. On the seventh day march around the city seven times, while the priests blow the horns. 6:5 When you hear the signal from the ram’s horn, ⁴⁴  have the whole army give a loud battle cry. ⁴⁵  Then the city wall will collapse ⁴⁶  and the warriors should charge straight ahead.” ⁴⁷ 

6:6 So Joshua son of Nun summoned the priests and instructed them, “Pick up the ark of the covenant, and seven priests must carry seven rams’ horns in front of the ark of the Lord.” 6:7 And he told ⁴⁸  the army, ⁴⁹  “Move ahead ⁵⁰  and march around the city, with armed troops going ahead of the ark of the Lord.”

6:8 When Joshua gave the army its orders, ⁵¹  the seven priests carrying the seven rams’ horns before the Lord moved ahead and blew the horns as the ark of the covenant of the Lord followed behind. 6:9 Armed troops marched ahead of the priests blowing the horns, while the rear guard followed along behind the ark blowing rams’ horns. 6:10 Now Joshua had instructed the army, ⁵²  “Do not give a battle cry ⁵³  or raise your voices; say nothing ⁵⁴  until the day I tell you, ‘Give the battle cry.’ ⁵⁵  Then give the battle cry!” ⁵⁶  6:11 So Joshua made sure they marched the ark of the Lord around the city one time. ⁵⁷  Then they went back to the camp and spent the night there. ⁵⁸ 

6:12 Bright and early the next morning Joshua had the priests pick up the ark of the Lord. ⁵⁹  6:13 The seven priests carrying the seven rams’ horns before the ark of the Lord marched along blowing their horns. Armed troops marched ahead of them, while the rear guard followed along behind the ark of the Lord blowing rams’ horns. 6:14 They marched around the city one time on the second day, then returned to the camp. They did this six days in all.

6:15 On the seventh day they were up at the crack of dawn ⁶⁰  and marched around the city as before – only this time they marched around it seven times. ⁶¹  6:16 The seventh time around, the priests blew the rams’ horns and Joshua told the army, ⁶²  “Give the battle cry, ⁶³  for the Lord is handing the city over to you! ⁶⁴  6:17 The city and all that is in it must be set apart for the Lord, ⁶⁵  except for Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house, because she hid the spies ⁶⁶  we sent. 6:18 But be careful when you are setting apart the riches for the Lord. If you take any of it, you will make the Israelite camp subject to annihilation and cause a disaster. ⁶⁷  6:19 All the silver and gold, as well as bronze and iron items, belong to the Lord. ⁶⁸  They must go into the Lord’s treasury.”

6:20 The rams’ horns sounded ⁶⁹  and when the army ⁷⁰  heard the signal, ⁷¹  they gave a loud battle cry. ⁷²  The wall collapsed ⁷³  and the warriors charged straight ahead into the city and captured it. ⁷⁴  6:21 They annihilated with the sword everything that breathed in the city, ⁷⁵  including men and women, young and old, as well as cattle, sheep, and donkeys. 6:22 Joshua told the two men who had spied on the land, “Enter the prostitute’s house ⁷⁶  and bring out the woman and all who belong to her as you promised her.” ⁷⁷  6:23 So the young spies went and brought out Rahab, her father, mother, brothers, and all who belonged to her. They brought out her whole family and took them to a place outside ⁷⁸  the Israelite camp. 6:24 But they burned ⁷⁹  the city and all that was in it, except for the silver, gold, and bronze and iron items they put in the treasury of the Lord’s house. ⁸⁰  6:25 Yet Joshua spared ⁸¹  Rahab the prostitute, her father’s family, ⁸²  and all who belonged to her. She lives in Israel ⁸³  to this very day because she hid the messengers Joshua sent to spy on Jericho. ⁸⁴  6:26 At that time Joshua made this solemn declaration: ⁸⁵  “The man who attempts to rebuild ⁸⁶  this city of Jericho ⁸⁷  will stand condemned before the Lord. ⁸⁸  He will lose his firstborn son when he lays its foundations and his youngest son when he erects its gates!” ⁸⁹  6:27 The Lord was with Joshua and he became famous throughout the land. ⁹⁰ 

Achan Sins and is Punished

7:1 But the Israelites disobeyed the command about the city’s riches. ⁹¹  Achan son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, ⁹²  son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, stole some of the riches. ⁹³  The Lord was furious with the Israelites. ⁹⁴ 

7:2 Joshua sent men from Jericho ⁹⁵  to Ai (which is located near Beth Aven, east of Bethel ⁹⁶ ) and instructed them, “Go up and spy on the land.” So the men went up and spied on Ai. 7:3 They returned and reported to Joshua, ⁹⁷  “Don’t send the whole army. ⁹⁸  About two or three thousand men are adequate to defeat Ai. ⁹⁹  Don’t tire out the whole army, for Ai is small.” ¹⁰⁰ 

7:4 So about three thousand men went up, but they fled from the men of Ai. 7:5 The men of Ai killed about thirty-six of them and chased them from in front of the city gate all the way to the fissures ¹⁰¹  and defeated them on the steep slope. ¹⁰²  The people’s ¹⁰³  courage melted away like water. ¹⁰⁴ 

7:6 Joshua tore his clothes; ¹⁰⁵  he and the leaders ¹⁰⁶  of Israel lay face down on the ground before the ark of the Lord until evening ¹⁰⁷  and threw dirt on their heads. ¹⁰⁸  7:7 Joshua prayed, ¹⁰⁹  “O, Master, Lord! Why did you bring these people across the Jordan to hand us over to the Amorites so they could destroy us? 7:8 If only we had been satisfied to live on the other side of the Jordan! O Lord, what can I say now that Israel has retreated ¹¹⁰  before its enemies? 7:9 When the Canaanites and all who live in the land hear about this, they will turn against us and destroy the very memory of us ¹¹¹  from the earth. What will you do to protect your great reputation?” ¹¹² 

7:10 The Lord responded ¹¹³  to Joshua, “Get up! Why are you lying there face down? ¹¹⁴  7:11 Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenantal commandment! ¹¹⁵  They have taken some of the riches; ¹¹⁶  they have stolen them and deceitfully put them among their own possessions. ¹¹⁷  7:12 The Israelites are unable to stand before their enemies; they retreat because they have become subject to annihilation. ¹¹⁸  I will no longer be with you, ¹¹⁹  unless you destroy what has contaminated you. ¹²⁰  7:13 Get up! Ritually consecrate the people and tell them this: ‘Ritually consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, because the Lord God of Israel says, “You are contaminated, ¹²¹  O Israel! You will not be able to stand before your enemies until you remove what is contaminating you.” ¹²²  7:14 In the morning you must approach in tribal order. ¹²³  The tribe the Lord selects ¹²⁴  must approach by clans. The clan the Lord selects must approach by families. ¹²⁵  The family the Lord selects must approach man by man. ¹²⁶  7:15 The one caught with the riches ¹²⁷  must be burned up ¹²⁸  along with all who belong to him, because he violated the Lord’s covenant and did such a disgraceful thing in Israel.’”

7:16 Bright and early the next morning Joshua made Israel approach in tribal order ¹²⁹  and the tribe of Judah was selected. 7:17 He then made the clans of Judah approach and the clan of the Zerahites was selected. He made the clan of the Zerahites approach and Zabdi ¹³⁰  was selected. ¹³¹  7:18 He then made Zabdi’s ¹³²  family approach man by man ¹³³  and Achan son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, was selected. 7:19 So Joshua said to Achan, “My son, honor ¹³⁴  the Lord God of Israel and give him praise! Tell me what you did; don’t hide anything from me!” 7:20 Achan told Joshua, “It is true. I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel in this way: ¹³⁵  7:21 I saw among the goods we seized a nice robe from Babylon, ¹³⁶  two hundred silver pieces, ¹³⁷  and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels. I wanted them, so I took them. They are hidden in the ground right in the middle of my tent with the silver underneath.”

7:22 Joshua sent messengers who ran to the tent. The things were hidden right in his tent, with the silver underneath. ¹³⁸  7:23 They took it all from the middle of the tent, brought it to Joshua and all the Israelites, and placed ¹³⁹  it before the Lord. 7:24 Then Joshua and all Israel took Achan, son of Zerah, along with the silver, the robe, the bar of gold, his sons, daughters, ox, donkey, sheep, tent, and all that belonged to him and brought them up to the Valley of Disaster. ¹⁴⁰  7:25 Joshua said, “Why have you brought disaster ¹⁴¹  on us? The Lord will bring disaster on you today!” All Israel stoned him to death. (They also stoned and burned the others.) ¹⁴²  7:26 Then they erected over him a large pile of stones (it remains to this very day ¹⁴³ ) and the Lord’s anger subsided. So that place is called the Valley of Disaster to this very day.

Israel Conquers Ai

8:1 The Lord told Joshua, “Don’t be afraid and don’t panic! ¹⁴⁴  Take the whole army with you and march against Ai! ¹⁴⁵  See, I am handing over to you ¹⁴⁶  the king of Ai, along with his people, city, and land. 8:2 Do to Ai and its king what you did to Jericho ¹⁴⁷  and its king, except you may plunder its goods and cattle. Set an ambush behind the city!”

8:3 Joshua and the whole army marched against Ai. ¹⁴⁸  Joshua selected thirty thousand brave warriors and sent them out at night. 8:4 He told ¹⁴⁹  them, “Look, set an ambush behind the city. Don’t go very far from the city; all of you be ready! 8:5 I and all the troops ¹⁵⁰  who are with me will approach the city. When they come out to fight us like before, we will retreat from them. 8:6 They will attack ¹⁵¹  us until we have lured them from the city, for they will say, ‘They are retreating from us like before.’ We will retreat from them. 8:7 Then you rise up from your hiding place ¹⁵²  and seize ¹⁵³  the city. The Lord your God will hand it over to you. 8:8 When you capture the city, set it ¹⁵⁴  on fire. Do as the Lord says! See, I have given you orders.” ¹⁵⁵  8:9 Joshua sent them away and they went to their hiding place ¹⁵⁶  west of Ai, between Bethel ¹⁵⁷  and Ai. ¹⁵⁸  Joshua spent that night with the army. ¹⁵⁹ 

8:10 Bright and early the next morning Joshua gathered ¹⁶⁰  the army, ¹⁶¹  and he and the leaders ¹⁶²  of Israel marched ¹⁶³  at the head of it ¹⁶⁴  to Ai. 8:11 All the troops that were with him marched up and drew near the city. ¹⁶⁵  They camped north of Ai on the other side of the valley. ¹⁶⁶  8:12 He took five thousand men and set an ambush west of the city between Bethel ¹⁶⁷  and Ai. 8:13 The army was in position – the main army north of the city and the rear guard west of the city. That night Joshua went into ¹⁶⁸  the middle of the valley.

8:14 When the king of Ai saw Israel, he and his whole army quickly got up the next day and went out to fight Israel at the meeting place near the Arabah. ¹⁶⁹  But he did not realize ¹⁷⁰  men were hiding behind the city. ¹⁷¹  8:15 Joshua and all Israel pretended to be defeated by them and they retreated along the way to the desert. 8:16 All the reinforcements ¹⁷²  in Ai ¹⁷³  were ordered ¹⁷⁴  to chase them; they chased Joshua and were lured away from the city. 8:17 No men were left in Ai or Bethel; ¹⁷⁵  they all went out after Israel. ¹⁷⁶  They left the city wide open and chased Israel.

8:18 The Lord told Joshua, “Hold out toward Ai the curved sword in your hand, for I am handing the city ¹⁷⁷  over to you.” So Joshua held out toward Ai the curved sword in his hand. 8:19 When he held out his hand, the men waiting in ambush rose up quickly from their place and attacked. ¹⁷⁸  They entered the city, captured it, and immediately set it on fire. 8:20 When the men of Ai turned around, they saw ¹⁷⁹  the smoke from the city ascending into the sky and were so shocked they were unable to flee in any direction. ¹⁸⁰  In the meantime the men who were retreating to the desert turned against their pursuers. 8:21 When Joshua and all Israel saw that the men in ambush had captured the city and that the city was going up in smoke, ¹⁸¹  they turned around and struck down the men of Ai. 8:22 At the same time the men who had taken the city came out to fight, and the men of Ai were trapped in the middle. ¹⁸²  The Israelites struck them down, leaving no survivors or refugees. 8:23 But they captured the king of Ai alive and brought him to Joshua.

8:24 When Israel had finished killing all the men ¹⁸³  of Ai who had chased them toward the desert ¹⁸⁴  (they all fell by the sword), ¹⁸⁵  all Israel returned to Ai and put the sword to it. 8:25 Twelve thousand men and women died ¹⁸⁶  that day, including all the men of Ai. 8:26 Joshua kept holding out his curved sword until Israel had annihilated all who lived in Ai. ¹⁸⁷  8:27 But Israel did plunder the cattle and the goods of the city, in accordance with the Lord’s orders to Joshua. ¹⁸⁸  8:28 Joshua burned Ai and made it a permanently uninhabited mound (it remains that way to this very day). ¹⁸⁹  8:29 He hung the king of Ai on a tree, leaving him exposed until evening. ¹⁹⁰  At sunset Joshua ordered that his corpse be taken down from the tree. ¹⁹¹  They threw it down at the entrance of the city gate and erected over it a large pile of stones (it remains to this very day). ¹⁹² 

Covenant Renewal

8:30 Then Joshua built an altar for the Lord God of Israel on Mount Ebal, 8:31 just as Moses the Lord’s servant had commanded the Israelites. As described in the law scroll of Moses, it was made with uncut stones untouched by an iron tool. ¹⁹³  They offered burnt sacrifices on it and sacrificed tokens of peace. ¹⁹⁴  8:32 There, in the presence of the Israelites, Joshua inscribed on the stones a duplicate of the law written by Moses. ¹⁹⁵  8:33 All the people, ¹⁹⁶  rulers, ¹⁹⁷  leaders, and judges were standing on either side of the ark, in front of the Levitical priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord. Both resident foreigners and native Israelites were there. ¹⁹⁸  Half the people stood in front of Mount Gerizim and the other half in front of Mount Ebal, as Moses the Lord’s servant had previously instructed to them to do for the formal blessing ceremony. ¹⁹⁹  8:34 Then ²⁰⁰  Joshua read aloud all the words of the law, including the blessings and the curses, just as they are written in the law scroll. 8:35 Joshua read aloud every commandment Moses had given ²⁰¹  before the whole assembly of Israel, including the women, children, and resident foreigners who lived among them. ²⁰² 

The Gibeonites Deceive Israel

9:1 When the news reached all the kings on the west side of the Jordan ²⁰³  – in the hill country, the lowlands, ²⁰⁴  and all along the Mediterranean coast ²⁰⁵  as far as ²⁰⁶  Lebanon (including the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites) – 9:2 they formed an alliance to fight against Joshua and Israel. ²⁰⁷ 

9:3 When the residents of Gibeon heard what Joshua did to Jericho ²⁰⁸  and Ai, 9:4 they did something clever. They collected some provisions ²⁰⁹  and put worn-out sacks on their donkeys, along with worn-out wineskins that were ripped and patched. 9:5 They had worn-out, patched sandals on their feet and dressed in worn-out clothes. All their bread ²¹⁰  was dry and hard. ²¹¹  9:6 They came to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant land. Make a treaty with us.” 9:7 The men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you live near us. ²¹²  So how can we make a treaty with you?” 9:8 But they said to Joshua, “We are willing to be your subjects.” ²¹³  So Joshua said to them, “Who are you and where do you come from?” 9:9 They told him, “Your subjects ²¹⁴  have come from a very distant land because of the reputation ²¹⁵  of the Lord your God, for we have heard the news about all he did in Egypt ²¹⁶  9:10 and all he did to the two Amorite kings on the other side of the Jordan – King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan in Ashtaroth. 9:11 Our leaders and all who live in our land told us, ‘Take provisions for your journey and go meet them. Tell them, “We are willing to be your subjects. ²¹⁷  Make a treaty with us.”’ 9:12 This bread of ours was warm when we packed it in our homes the day we started out to meet you, ²¹⁸  but now it is dry and hard. ²¹⁹  9:13 These wineskins we filled were brand new, but look how they have ripped. Our clothes and sandals have worn out because it has been a very long journey.” 9:14 The men examined ²²⁰  some of their provisions, but they failed to ask the Lord’s advice. ²²¹  9:15 Joshua made a peace treaty with them and agreed to let them live. The leaders of the community ²²²  sealed it with an oath. ²²³ 

9:16 Three days after they made the treaty with them, the Israelites found out they were from the local area and lived nearby. ²²⁴  9:17 So the Israelites set out and on the third day arrived at their cities – Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim. 9:18 The Israelites did not attack them because the leaders of the community had sworn an oath to them in the name of the Lord God of Israel. ²²⁵  The whole community criticized ²²⁶  the leaders, 9:19 but all the leaders told the whole community, “We swore an oath to them in the name of ²²⁷  the Lord God of Israel. So now we can’t hurt ²²⁸  them! 9:20 We must let them live so we can escape the curse attached to the oath we swore to them.” ²²⁹  9:21 The leaders then added, ²³⁰  “Let them live.” So they became ²³¹  woodcutters and water carriers for the whole community, as the leaders had decided. ²³² 

9:22 ²³³ Joshua summoned the Gibeonites ²³⁴  and said to them, “Why did you trick ²³⁵  us by saying, ‘We live far away from you,’ when you really live nearby? ²³⁶  9:23 Now you are condemned to perpetual servitude as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.” ²³⁷  9:24 They said to Joshua, “It was carefully reported to your subjects ²³⁸  how the Lord your God commanded Moses his servant to assign you the whole land and to destroy all who live in the land from before you. Because of you we were terrified ²³⁹  we would lose our lives, so we did this thing. 9:25 So now we are in your power. ²⁴⁰  Do to us what you think is good and appropriate. ²⁴¹  9:26 Joshua did as they said; he kept the Israelites from killing them ²⁴²  9:27 and that day made them woodcutters and water carriers for the community and for the altar of the Lord at the divinely chosen site. (They continue in that capacity to this very day.) ²⁴³ 

Israel Defeats an Amorite Coalition

10:1 Adoni-Zedek, king of Jerusalem, ²⁴⁴  heard how Joshua captured Ai and annihilated it and its king as he did Jericho ²⁴⁵  and its king. ²⁴⁶  He also heard how ²⁴⁷  the people of Gibeon made peace with Israel and lived among them. 10:2 All Jerusalem was terrified ²⁴⁸  because Gibeon was a large city, like one of the royal cities. It was larger than Ai and all its men were warriors. 10:3 So King Adoni-Zedek of Jerusalem sent this message to King Hoham of Hebron, King Piram of Jarmuth, King Japhia of Lachish, and King Debir of Eglon: 10:4 “Come to my aid ²⁴⁹  so we can attack Gibeon, for it has made peace with Joshua and the Israelites.” 10:5 So the five Amorite kings (the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon) and all their troops gathered together and advanced. They deployed their troops and fought against Gibeon. ²⁵⁰ 

10:6 The men of Gibeon sent this message to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal, “Do not abandon ²⁵¹  your subjects! ²⁵²  Rescue us! Help us! For all the Amorite kings living in the hill country are attacking us.” ²⁵³  10:7 So Joshua and his whole army, including the bravest warriors, marched up from Gilgal. ²⁵⁴  10:8 The Lord told Joshua, “Don’t be afraid of them, for I am handing them over to you. ²⁵⁵  Not one of them can resist you.” ²⁵⁶  10:9 Joshua attacked them by surprise after marching all night from Gilgal. ²⁵⁷  10:10 The Lord routed ²⁵⁸  them before Israel. Israel ²⁵⁹  thoroughly defeated them ²⁶⁰  at Gibeon. They chased them up the road to the pass ²⁶¹  of Beth Horon and struck them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah. 10:11 As they fled from Israel on the slope leading down from ²⁶²  Beth Horon, the Lord threw down on them large hailstones from the sky, ²⁶³  all the way to Azekah. They died – in fact, more died from the hailstones than the Israelites killed with the sword.

10:12 The day the Lord delivered the Amorites over to the Israelites, Joshua prayed to the Lord before Israel: ²⁶⁴ 

“O sun, stand still over Gibeon!

O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon!”

10:13 The sun stood still and the moon stood motionless while the nation took vengeance on its enemies. The event is recorded in the Scroll of the Upright One. ²⁶⁵  The sun stood motionless in the middle of the sky and did not set for about a full day. ²⁶⁶  10:14 There has not been a day like it before or since. The Lord obeyed ²⁶⁷  a man, for the Lord fought for Israel! 10:15 Then Joshua and all Israel returned to the camp at Gilgal.

10:16 The five Amorite kings ²⁶⁸  ran away and hid in the cave at Makkedah. 10:17 Joshua was told, “The five kings have been found hiding in the cave at Makkedah.” 10:18 Joshua said, “Roll large stones over the mouth of the cave and post guards in front of it. ²⁶⁹  10:19 But don’t you delay! Chase your enemies and catch them! ²⁷⁰  Don’t allow them to retreat to ²⁷¹  their cities, for the Lord your God is handing them over to you.” ²⁷²  10:20 Joshua and the Israelites almost totally wiped them out, but some survivors did escape to the fortified cities. ²⁷³  10:21 Then the whole army safely returned to Joshua at the camp in Makkedah. ²⁷⁴  No one ²⁷⁵  dared threaten the Israelites. ²⁷⁶  10:22 Joshua said, “Open the cave’s mouth and bring the five kings ²⁷⁷  out of the cave to me.” 10:23 They did as ordered; ²⁷⁸  they brought the five kings ²⁷⁹  out of the cave to him – the kings of Jerusalem, ²⁸⁰  Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon. 10:24 When they brought the kings out to Joshua, he ²⁸¹  summoned all the men of Israel and said to the commanders of the troops who accompanied him, “Come here ²⁸²  and put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So they came up ²⁸³  and put their feet on their necks. 10:25 Then Joshua said to them, “Don’t be afraid and don’t panic! ²⁸⁴  Be strong and brave, for the Lord will do the same thing to all your enemies you fight. 10:26 Then Joshua executed them ²⁸⁵  and hung them on five trees. They were left hanging on the trees until evening. 10:27 At sunset Joshua ordered his men to take them down from the trees. ²⁸⁶  They threw them into the cave where they had hidden and piled large stones over the mouth of the cave. (They remain to this very day.) ²⁸⁷ 

Joshua Launches a Southern Campaign

10:28 That day Joshua captured Makkedah and put the sword to it and its king. He annihilated everyone who lived in it; he left no survivors. He did to its king what he had done to the king of Jericho. ²⁸⁸ 

10:29 Joshua and all Israel marched from Makkedah to Libnah and fought against it. ²⁸⁹  10:30 The Lord handed it and its king over to Israel, and Israel ²⁹⁰  put the sword to all who lived there; they ²⁹¹  left no survivors. They ²⁹²  did to its king what they ²⁹³  had done to the king of Jericho. ²⁹⁴ 

10:31 Joshua and all Israel marched from Libnah to Lachish. He deployed his troops ²⁹⁵  and fought against it. 10:32 The Lord handed Lachish over to Israel and they ²⁹⁶  captured it on the second day. They put the sword to all who lived there, just as they had done to Libnah. 10:33 Then King Horam of Gezer came up to help Lachish, but Joshua struck down him and his army ²⁹⁷  until no survivors remained.

10:34 Joshua and all Israel marched from Lachish to Eglon. They deployed troops ²⁹⁸  and fought against it. 10:35 That day they captured it and put the sword to all who lived there. That day they ²⁹⁹  annihilated it just as they ³⁰⁰  had done to Lachish.

10:36 Joshua and all Israel marched up from Eglon to Hebron and fought against it. 10:37 They captured it and put the sword to its king, all its surrounding cities, and all who lived in it; they ³⁰¹  left no survivors. As they ³⁰²  had done at Eglon, they ³⁰³  annihilated it and all who lived there.

10:38 Joshua and all Israel turned to Debir and fought against it. 10:39 They ³⁰⁴  captured it, its king, and all its surrounding cities and put the sword to them. They annihilated everyone who lived there; they ³⁰⁵  left no survivors. They ³⁰⁶  did to Debir and its king what they ³⁰⁷  had done to Libnah and its king and to Hebron. ³⁰⁸ 

10:40 Joshua defeated the whole land, including the hill country, the Negev, the lowlands, ³⁰⁹  the slopes, and all their kings. He left no survivors. He annihilated everything that breathed, just as the Lord God of Israel had commanded. 10:41 Joshua conquered the area between Kadesh Barnea and Gaza and the whole region of Goshen, all the way to Gibeon. ³¹⁰  10:42 Joshua captured in one campaign ³¹¹  all these kings and their lands, for the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel. 10:43 Then Joshua and all Israel returned to the camp at Gilgal.

Israel Defeats a Northern Coalition

11:1 When King Jabin of Hazor ³¹²  heard the news, he organized a coalition, including ³¹³  King Jobab of Madon, the king of Shimron, the king of Acshaph, 11:2 and the northern kings who ruled in ³¹⁴  the hill country, the Arabah south of Kinnereth, ³¹⁵  the lowlands, and the heights of Dor to the west. 11:3 Canaanites came ³¹⁶  from the east and west; Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, and Jebusites from the hill country; and Hivites from below Hermon in the area ³¹⁷  of Mizpah. 11:4 These kings came out with their armies; they were as numerous as the sand on the seashore and had a large number of horses and chariots. ³¹⁸  11:5 All these kings gathered and joined forces ³¹⁹  at the Waters of Merom to fight Israel.

11:6 The Lord told Joshua, “Don’t be afraid of them, for about this time tomorrow I will cause all of them to lie dead before Israel. You must hamstring their horses and burn ³²⁰  their chariots.” 11:7 Joshua and his whole army caught them by surprise at the Waters of Merom and attacked them. ³²¹  11:8 The Lord handed them over to Israel and they struck them down and chased them all the way to Greater Sidon, ³²²  Misrephoth Maim, ³²³  and the Mizpah Valley to the east. They struck them down until no survivors remained. 11:9 Joshua did to them as the Lord had commanded him; he hamstrung their horses and burned ³²⁴  their chariots.

11:10 At that time Joshua turned, captured Hazor, ³²⁵  and struck down its king with the sword, for Hazor was at that time ³²⁶  the leader of all these kingdoms. 11:11 They annihilated everyone who lived there with the sword ³²⁷  – no one who breathed remained – and burned ³²⁸  Hazor.

11:12 Joshua captured all these royal cities and all their kings and annihilated them with the sword, ³²⁹  as Moses the Lord’s servant had commanded. 11:13 But Israel did not burn any of the cities located on mounds, ³³⁰  except for Hazor; ³³¹  it was the only one Joshua burned. 11:14 The Israelites plundered all the goods of these cities and the cattle, but they totally destroyed all the people ³³²  and allowed no one who breathed to live. 11:15 Moses the Lord’s servant passed on the Lord’s commands to Joshua, and Joshua did as he was told. He did not ignore any of the commands the Lord had given Moses. ³³³ 

A Summary of Israel’s Victories

11:16 Joshua conquered the whole land, ³³⁴  including the hill country, all the Negev, all the land of Goshen, the lowlands, ³³⁵  the Arabah, the hill country of Israel and its lowlands, 11:17 from Mount Halak on up to Seir, as far as Baal Gad in the Lebanon Valley below Mount Hermon. He captured all their kings and executed them. ³³⁶  11:18 Joshua campaigned against ³³⁷  these kings for quite some time. ³³⁸  11:19 No city made peace with the Israelites (except the Hivites living in Gibeon); ³³⁹  they had to conquer all of them, ³⁴⁰  11:20 for the Lord determined to make them obstinate so they would attack Israel. He wanted Israel to annihilate them without mercy, as he had instructed Moses. ³⁴¹ 

11:21 At that time Joshua attacked and eliminated the Anakites from the hill country ³⁴²  – from Hebron, Debir, Anab, and all the hill country of Judah and Israel. ³⁴³  Joshua annihilated them and their cities. 11:22 No Anakites were left in Israelite territory, though some remained in Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod. 11:23 Joshua conquered ³⁴⁴  the whole land, just as the Lord had promised Moses, ³⁴⁵  and he assigned Israel their tribal portions. ³⁴⁶  Then the land was free of war.

12:1 Now these are the kings of the land whom the Israelites defeated and drove from their land ³⁴⁷  on the east side of the Jordan, ³⁴⁸  from the Arnon Valley to Mount Hermon, including all the eastern Arabah:

12:2 King Sihon of the Amorites who lived ³⁴⁹  in Heshbon and ruled from Aroer (on the edge of the Arnon Valley) – including the city in the middle of the valley ³⁵⁰  and half of Gilead – all the way to the Jabbok Valley bordering Ammonite territory. 12:3 His kingdom included ³⁵¹  the eastern Arabah from the Sea of Kinnereth ³⁵²  to the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea), ³⁵³  including the route to Beth Jeshimoth and the area southward below the slopes of Pisgah.

12:4 The territory of King Og of Bashan, one of the few remaining Rephaites, ³⁵⁴  who lived ³⁵⁵  in Ashtaroth and Edrei 12:5 and ruled over Mount Hermon, Salecah, all of Bashan to the border of the Geshurites and Maacathites, and half of Gilead as far as the border of King Sihon of Heshbon.

12:6 Moses the Lord’s servant and the Israelites defeated them and Moses the Lord’s servant assigned their land ³⁵⁶  to Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh.

12:7 These are the kings of the land whom Joshua and the Israelites defeated on the west side of the Jordan, from Baal Gad in the Lebanon Valley to Mount Halak on up to Seir. Joshua assigned this territory to the Israelite tribes, ³⁵⁷  12:8 including the hill country, the lowlands, ³⁵⁸  the Arabah, the slopes, the wilderness, and the Negev – the land of ³⁵⁹  the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites:

12:9 the king of Jericho ³⁶⁰  (one),

the king of Ai – located near Bethel – (one),

12:10 the king of Jerusalem ³⁶¹  (one),

the king of Hebron (one),

12:11 the king of Jarmuth (one),

the king of Lachish (one),

12:12 the king of Eglon (one),

the king of Gezer (one),

12:13 the king of Debir (one),

the king of Geder (one),

12:14 the king of Hormah (one),

the king of Arad (one),

12:15 the king of Libnah (one),

the king of Adullam (one),

12:16 the king of Makkedah (one),

the king of Bethel ³⁶²  (one),

12:17 the king of Tappuah (one),

the king of Hepher (one),

12:18 the king of Aphek (one),

the king of Lasharon (one),

12:19 the king of Madon (one),

the king of Hazor ³⁶³  (one),

12:20 the king of Shimron Meron (one),

the king of Acshaph (one),

12:21 the king of Taanach (one),

the king of Megiddo ³⁶⁴  (one),

12:22 the king of Kedesh (one),

the king of Jokneam near Carmel (one),

12:23 the king of Dor – near Naphath Dor – (one),

the king of Goyim – near Gilgal – (one),

12:24 the king of Tirzah (one),

a total of thirty-one kings.

The Lord Speaks to Joshua

13:1 When Joshua was very old, ³⁶⁵  the Lord told him, “You are very old, and a great deal of land remains to be conquered. 13:2 This is the land that remains: all the territory of the Philistines and all the Geshurites, 13:3 from the Shihor River ³⁶⁶  east of ³⁶⁷  Egypt northward to the territory of Ekron (it is regarded as Canaanite territory), ³⁶⁸  including the area belonging to the five Philistine lords who ruled in Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron, as well as Avvite land ³⁶⁹  13:4 to the south; ³⁷⁰  all the Canaanite territory, ³⁷¹  from Arah ³⁷²  in the region of Sidon ³⁷³  to Aphek, as far as Amorite territory; 13:5 the territory of Byblos ³⁷⁴  and all Lebanon to the east, from Baal Gad below Mount Hermon to Lebo Hamath. ³⁷⁵  13:6 I will drive out before the Israelites all who live in the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim, ³⁷⁶  all the Sidonians; you be sure to parcel it out to Israel as I instructed you.” ³⁷⁷  13:7 Now, divide up this land ³⁷⁸  among the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh.”

Tribal Lands East of the Jordan

13:8 The other half of Manasseh, ³⁷⁹  Reuben, and Gad received their allotted tribal lands beyond the Jordan, ³⁸⁰  just as Moses, the Lord’s servant, had assigned them. 13:9 Their territory started ³⁸¹  from Aroer (on the edge of the Arnon Valley), included the city in the middle of the valley, the whole plain of Medeba as far as Dibon, 13:10 and all the cities of King Sihon of the Amorites who ruled in Heshbon, and ended at the Ammonite border. 13:11 Their territory also included ³⁸²  Gilead, Geshurite and Maacathite territory, all Mount Hermon, and all Bashan to Salecah – 13:12 the whole kingdom of Og in Bashan, who ruled in Ashtaroth and Edrei. (He was one of the few remaining Rephaites.) ³⁸³  Moses defeated them and took their lands. ³⁸⁴  13:13 But the Israelites did not conquer ³⁸⁵  the Geshurites and Maacathites; Geshur and Maacah live among Israel to this very day. 13:14 However, Moses ³⁸⁶  did not assign land as an inheritance ³⁸⁷  to the Levites; their inheritance ³⁸⁸  is the sacrificial offerings ³⁸⁹  made to the Lord God of Israel, as he instructed ³⁹⁰  them.

13:15 Moses assigned land to the tribe of Reuben ³⁹¹  by its clans. 13:16 Their territory started at Aroer ³⁹²  (on the edge of the Arnon Valley) and included the city in the middle of the valley, the whole plain of Medeba, 13:17 Heshbon and all its surrounding cities on the plain, including Dibon, Bamoth Baal, Beth Baal Meon, 13:18 Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath, 13:19 Kiriathaim, Sibmah, Zereth Shahar on the hill in the valley, 13:20 Beth Peor, the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth Jeshimoth. 13:21 It encompassed ³⁹³  all the cities of the plain and the whole realm of King Sihon of the Amorites who ruled in Heshbon. Moses defeated him and the Midianite leaders Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba (they were subjects of Sihon and lived in his territory). ³⁹⁴  13:22 The Israelites killed Balaam son of Beor, the omen reader, ³⁹⁵  along with the others. ³⁹⁶  13:23 The border of the tribe of Reuben was the Jordan. The land allotted to the tribe of Reuben by its clans included these cities and their towns. ³⁹⁷ 

13:24 Moses assigned land to the tribe of Gad ³⁹⁸  by its clans. 13:25 Their territory included Jazer, all the cities of Gilead, and half of Ammonite territory ³⁹⁹  as far as Aroer near ⁴⁰⁰  Rabbah. 13:26 Their territory ran ⁴⁰¹  from Heshbon to Ramath Mizpah and Betonim, and from Mahanaim to the territory of Debir. 13:27 It included the valley of Beth Haram, ⁴⁰²  Beth Nimrah, Succoth, and Zaphon, and the rest of the realm of King Sihon of Heshbon, the area east of the Jordan to the end of the Sea of Kinnereth. ⁴⁰³  13:28 The land allotted to the tribe of Gad by its clans included these cities and their towns. ⁴⁰⁴ 

13:29 Moses assigned land to the half-tribe of Manasseh ⁴⁰⁵  by its clans. 13:30 Their territory started at ⁴⁰⁶  Mahanaim and encompassed all Bashan, the whole realm of King Og of Bashan, including all sixty cities in Havvoth Jair ⁴⁰⁷  in Bashan. 13:31 Half of Gilead, Ashtaroth, and Edrei, cities in the kingdom of Og in Bashan, were assigned to the descendants of Makir son of Manasseh, to half the descendants of Makir by their clans.

13:32 These are the land assignments made by Moses ⁴⁰⁸  on the plains of Moab east of the Jordan River opposite Jericho. ⁴⁰⁹  13:33 However, Moses did not assign land as an inheritance ⁴¹⁰  to the Levites; their inheritance ⁴¹¹  is the Lord God of Israel, as he instructed ⁴¹²  them.

Judah’s Tribal Lands

14:1 The following is a record of the territory assigned to the Israelites in the land of Canaan by Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the Israelite tribal leaders. ⁴¹³  14:2 The land assignments to the nine-and-a-half tribes were made by drawing lots, as the Lord had instructed Moses. ⁴¹⁴  14:3 Now Moses had assigned land ⁴¹⁵  to the two-and-a-half tribes east of the Jordan, but he assigned no land ⁴¹⁶  to the Levites. ⁴¹⁷  14:4 The descendants of Joseph were considered as two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. The Levites were allotted no territory, though they were assigned cities in which to live, along with the grazing areas for their cattle and possessions. ⁴¹⁸  14:5 The Israelites followed the Lord’s instructions to Moses and divided up the land. ⁴¹⁹ 

14:6 The men of Judah approached Joshua in Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the Lord said about you and me to Moses, the man of God, at Kadesh Barnea. ⁴²⁰  14:7 I was forty years old when Moses, the Lord’s servant, sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy on the land and I brought back to him an honest report. ⁴²¹  14:8 My countrymen ⁴²²  who accompanied ⁴²³  me frightened the people, ⁴²⁴  but I remained loyal to the Lord my God. ⁴²⁵  14:9 That day Moses made this solemn promise: ⁴²⁶  ‘Surely the land on which you walked ⁴²⁷  will belong to you and your descendants permanently, ⁴²⁸  for you remained loyal to the Lord your God.’ 14:10 So now, look, the Lord has preserved my life, just as he promised, these past forty-five years since the Lord spoke these words to Moses, during which Israel traveled through the wilderness. Now look, I am today eighty-five years old. 14:11 Today I am still as strong as when Moses sent me out. I can fight and go about my daily activities with the same energy I had then. ⁴²⁹  14:12 Now, assign me this hill country which the Lord promised me at that time! No doubt you heard at that time that the Anakites live there in large, fortified cities. ⁴³⁰  But, assuming the Lord is with me, I will conquer ⁴³¹  them, as the Lord promised.” 14:13 Joshua asked God to empower Caleb son of Jephunneh and assigned him Hebron. ⁴³²  14:14 So Hebron remains the assigned land of Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this very day ⁴³³  because he remained loyal to the Lord God of Israel. 14:15 (Hebron used to be called Kiriath Arba. Arba was a famous Anakite. ⁴³⁴ ) Then the land was free of war.

15:1 The land allotted to the tribe of Judah by its clans reached to the border of Edom, to the Wilderness of Zin in the Negev far to the south. ⁴³⁵  15:2 Their southern border started at the southern tip of the Salt Sea, ⁴³⁶  15:3 extended ⁴³⁷  south of the Scorpion Ascent, ⁴³⁸  crossed to Zin, went up from the south to Kadesh Barnea, crossed to Hezron, went up to Addar, and turned toward Karka. 15:4 It then crossed to Azmon, extended to the Stream of Egypt, ⁴³⁹  and ended at the sea. This was their ⁴⁴⁰  southern border.

15:5 The eastern border was the Salt Sea to the mouth ⁴⁴¹  of the Jordan River. ⁴⁴² 

The northern border started north of the Salt Sea at the mouth of the Jordan, ⁴⁴³  15:6 went up to Beth Hoglah, crossed north of Beth Arabah, and went up to the Stone of Bohan son of Reuben. 15:7 It then went up to Debir from the Valley of Achor, turning northward to Gilgal (which is opposite the Pass ⁴⁴⁴  of Adummim south of the valley), crossed to the waters of En Shemesh and extended to En Rogel. 15:8 It then went up the Valley of Ben Hinnom to the slope of the Jebusites on the south (that is, Jerusalem), ⁴⁴⁵  going up to the top of the hill opposite the Valley of Ben Hinnom to the west, which is at the end of the Valley of the Rephaites to the north. 15:9 It then went from the top of the hill to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah, extended to the cities of Mount Ephron, and went to Baalah (that is, Kiriath Jearim). 15:10 It then turned from Baalah westward to Mount Seir, crossed to the slope of Mount Jearim on the north (that is Kesalon), descended to Beth Shemesh, and crossed to Timnah. 15:11 It then extended to the slope of Ekron to the north, went toward Shikkeron, crossed to Mount Baalah, extended to Jabneel, and ended at the sea.

15:12 The western border was the Mediterranean Sea. ⁴⁴⁶  These were the borders of the tribe of Judah and its clans. ⁴⁴⁷ 

15:13 Caleb son of Jephunneh was assigned Kiriath Arba (that is Hebron) within the tribe of Judah, according to the Lord’s instructions to Joshua. (Arba was the father of Anak.) ⁴⁴⁸  15:14 Caleb drove out ⁴⁴⁹  from there three Anakites – Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, descendants of Anak. 15:15 From there he attacked the people of Debir. ⁴⁵⁰  (Debir used to be called Kiriath Sepher.) 15:16 Caleb said, “To the man who attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher I will give my daughter Acsah as a wife.” 15:17 When Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s brother, ⁴⁵¹  captured it, Caleb ⁴⁵²  gave Acsah his daughter to him as a wife.

15:18 One time Acsah ⁴⁵³  came and charmed her father ⁴⁵⁴  so that she could ask him for some land. When she got down from her donkey, Caleb said to her, “What would you like?” 15:19 She answered, “Please give me a special present. ⁴⁵⁵  Since you have given me land in the Negev, now give me springs of water. So he gave her both upper and lower springs.

15:20 This is the land assigned to the tribe of Judah by its clans: ⁴⁵⁶  15:21 These cities were located at the southern extremity of Judah’s tribal land near the border of Edom: ⁴⁵⁷  Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur, 15:22 Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah, 15:23 Kedesh, Hazor, ⁴⁵⁸  Ithnan, 15:24 Ziph, Telem, Bealoth, 15:25 Hazor Hadattah, Kerioth Hezron (that is, Hazor), 15:26 Amam, Shema, Moladah, 15:27 Hazar Gaddah, Heshbon, Beth Pelet, 15:28 Hazar Shual, Beer Sheba, Biziothiah, 15:29 Baalah, Iim, Ezem, 15:30 Eltolad, Kesil, Hormah, 15:31 Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah, 15:32 Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon – a total of twenty-nine cities and their towns. ⁴⁵⁹ 

15:33 These cities were ⁴⁶⁰  in the lowlands: ⁴⁶¹  Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah, 15:34 Zanoah, En Gannim, Tappuah, Enam, 15:35 Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah, 15:36 Shaaraim, Adithaim, and Gederah (or Gederothaim) – a total of fourteen cities and their towns.

15:37 Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal Gad, 15:38 Dilean, Mizpah, Joktheel, 15:39 Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon, 15:40 Cabbon, Lahmas, Kitlish, 15:41 Gederoth, Beth Dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah – a total of sixteen cities and their towns.

15:42 Libnah, Ether, Ashan, 15:43 Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib, 15:44 Keilah, Aczib, and Mareshah – a total of nine cities and their towns.

15:45 Ekron and its surrounding towns ⁴⁶²  and settlements; 15:46 from Ekron westward, all those in the vicinity of Ashdod and their towns; 15:47 Ashdod with its surrounding towns and settlements, and Gaza with its surrounding towns and settlements, as far as the Stream of Egypt ⁴⁶³  and the border at the Mediterranean Sea. ⁴⁶⁴ 

15:48 These cities were ⁴⁶⁵  in the hill country: Shamir, Jattir, Socoh, 15:49 Dannah, Kiriath Sannah (that is, Debir), 15:50 Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim, 15:51 Goshen, Holon, and Giloh – a total of eleven cities and their towns.

15:52 Arab, Dumah, ⁴⁶⁶  Eshan, 15:53 Janim, Beth Tappuah, Aphekah, 15:54 Humtah, Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron), and Zior – a total of nine cities and their towns.

15:55 Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah, 15:56 Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah, 15:57 Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah – a total of ten cities and their towns.

15:58 Halhul, Beth Zur, Gedor, 15:59 Maarath, Beth Anoth, and Eltekon – a total of six cities and their towns.

15:60 Kiriath Baal (that is, Kiriath Jearim) and Rabbah – a total of two cities and their towns.

15:61 These cities were ⁴⁶⁷  in the desert: Beth Arabah, Middin, Secacah, 15:62 Nibshan, the city of Salt, and En Gedi – a total of six cities and their towns.

15:63 The men of Judah were unable to conquer the Jebusites living in Jerusalem. ⁴⁶⁸  The Jebusites live with the people of Judah in Jerusalem to this very day. ⁴⁶⁹ 

Joseph’s Tribal Lands

16:1 The land allotted to Joseph’s descendants extended from the Jordan at Jericho ⁴⁷⁰  to the waters of Jericho to the east, through the desert and on up from Jericho into the hill country of Bethel. ⁴⁷¹  16:2 The southern border ⁴⁷²  extended from Bethel to Luz, ⁴⁷³  and crossed to Arkite territory at Ataroth. 16:3 It then descended westward to Japhletite territory, as far as the territory of lower Beth Horon and Gezer, and ended at the sea.

16:4 Joseph’s descendants, Manasseh and Ephraim, were assigned their land. ⁴⁷⁴  16:5 The territory of the tribe of Ephraim by its clans included the following: ⁴⁷⁵  The border of their assigned land to the east was Ataroth Addar as far as upper Beth Horon. 16:6 It then extended on to the sea, with Micmethath on the north. It turned eastward to Taanath Shiloh and crossed it on the east to Janoah. 16:7 It then descended from Janoah to Ataroth and Naarah, touched Jericho, ⁴⁷⁶  and extended to the Jordan River. ⁴⁷⁷  16:8 From Tappuah it went westward to the Valley of Kanah and ended at the sea. This is the land assigned to the tribe of Ephraim ⁴⁷⁸  by its clans. 16:9 Also included were the cities set apart for the tribe of Ephraim within Manasseh’s territory, along with their towns. ⁴⁷⁹ 

16:10 The Ephraimites ⁴⁸⁰  did not conquer the Canaanites living in Gezer. The Canaanites live among the Ephraimites to this very day and do hard labor as their servants.

17:1 The tribe of Manasseh, Joseph’s firstborn son, was also allotted land. ⁴⁸¹  The descendants of Makir, Manasseh’s firstborn and the father of Gilead, received land, for they were warriors. ⁴⁸²  They were assigned Gilead and Bashan. ⁴⁸³  17:2 The rest of Manasseh’s descendants were also assigned land ⁴⁸⁴  by their clans, including the descendants of Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida. These are the male descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph by their clans.

17:3 Now Zelophehad son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Makir, son of Manasseh, had no sons, only daughters. These are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 17:4 They went before Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders and said, “The Lord told Moses to assign us land among our relatives.” ⁴⁸⁵  So Joshua ⁴⁸⁶  assigned them land among their uncles, as the Lord had commanded. ⁴⁸⁷  17:5 Manasseh was allotted ten shares of land, ⁴⁸⁸  in addition to the land of Gilead and Bashan east of the Jordan, 17:6 for the daughters of Manasseh were assigned land among his sons. The land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the descendants of Manasseh.

17:7 The border of Manasseh went ⁴⁸⁹  from Asher to Micmethath which is near ⁴⁹⁰  Shechem. It then went south toward those who live in Tappuah. 17:8 (The land of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh, but Tappuah, located on the border of Manasseh, belonged to the tribe of Ephraim.) 17:9 The border then descended southward to the Valley of Kanah. Ephraim was assigned cities there among the cities of Manasseh, ⁴⁹¹  but the border of Manasseh was north of the valley and ended at the sea. 17:10 Ephraim’s territory was to the south, and Manasseh’s to the north. The sea was Manasseh’s ⁴⁹²  western border and their territory ⁴⁹³  touched Asher on the north and Issachar on the east. 17:11 Within Issachar’s and Asher’s territory Manasseh was assigned Beth Shean, Ibleam, the residents of Dor, En Dor, the residents of Taanach, the residents of Megiddo, ⁴⁹⁴  the three of Napheth, ⁴⁹⁵  and the towns surrounding all these cities. ⁴⁹⁶  17:12 But the men ⁴⁹⁷  of Manasseh were unable to conquer these cities; the Canaanites managed ⁴⁹⁸  to remain in those areas. 17:13 Whenever the Israelites were strong militarily, they forced the Canaanites to do hard labor, but they never totally conquered them. ⁴⁹⁹ 

17:14 The descendants of Joseph said to Joshua, “Why have you assigned us only one tribal allotment? After all, we have many people, for until now the Lord has enabled us to increase in number.” ⁵⁰⁰  17:15 Joshua replied to them, “Since you have so many people, ⁵⁰¹  go up into the forest and clear out a place to live in the land of the Perizzites and Rephaites, for the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you.” 17:16 The descendants of Joseph said, “The whole hill country ⁵⁰²  is inadequate for us, and the Canaanites living down in the valley in Beth Shean and its surrounding towns and in the Valley of Jezreel have chariots with iron-rimmed wheels.” ⁵⁰³  17:17 Joshua said to the family ⁵⁰⁴  of Joseph – to both Ephraim and Manasseh: “You have many people and great military strength. You will not have just one tribal allotment. 17:18 The whole hill country ⁵⁰⁵  will be yours; though it is a forest, you can clear it and it will be entirely yours. ⁵⁰⁶  You can conquer the Canaanites, though they have chariots with iron-rimmed wheels and are strong.”

The Tribes Meet at Shiloh

18:1 The entire Israelite community assembled at Shiloh and there they set up the tent of meeting. ⁵⁰⁷  Though they had subdued the land, ⁵⁰⁸  18:2 seven Israelite tribes had not been assigned their allotted land. ⁵⁰⁹  18:3 So Joshua said to the Israelites: “How long do you intend to put off occupying ⁵¹⁰  the land the Lord God of your ancestors ⁵¹¹  has given you? 18:4 Pick three men from each tribe. I will send them out to walk through the land and make a map of it for me. ⁵¹²  18:5 Divide it into seven regions. ⁵¹³  Judah will stay ⁵¹⁴  in its territory in the south, and the family ⁵¹⁵  of Joseph in its territory in the north. 18:6 But as for you, map out the land into seven regions and bring it to me. I will draw lots for you here before the Lord our God. 18:7 But the Levites will not have an allotted portion among you, for their inheritance is to serve the Lord. ⁵¹⁶  Gad, Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh have already received their allotted land ⁵¹⁷  east of the Jordan which Moses the Lord’s servant assigned them.”

18:8 When the men started out, Joshua told those going to map out the land, “Go, walk through the land, map it out, and return to me. Then I will draw lots for you before the Lord here in Shiloh.” 18:9 The men journeyed ⁵¹⁸  through the land and mapped it and its cities out into seven regions on a scroll. Then they came to Joshua at the camp in Shiloh. 18:10 Joshua drew lots for them in Shiloh before the Lord and divided the land among the Israelites according to their allotted portions.

Benjamin’s Tribal Lands

18:11 The first lot belonged to the tribe of Benjamin ⁵¹⁹  by its clans. Their allotted territory was between Judah and Joseph. ⁵²⁰  18:12 Their northern border started at the Jordan, went up to the slope of Jericho ⁵²¹  on the north, ascended westward to the hill country, and extended to the desert of Beth Aven. 18:13 It then crossed from there to Luz, to the slope of Luz to the south (that is, Bethel), ⁵²²  and descended to Ataroth Addar located on the hill that is south of lower Beth Horon. 18:14 It then turned on the west side southward from the hill near Beth Horon on the south and extended to Kiriath Baal (that is, Kiriath Jearim), a city belonging to the tribe ⁵²³  of Judah. This is the western border. ⁵²⁴  18:15 The southern side started on the edge of Kiriath Jearim and extended westward to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah. 18:16 The border then descended to the edge of the hill country near the Valley of Ben Hinnom located in the Valley of the Rephaites to the north. It descended through the Valley of Hinnom to the slope of the Jebusites to the south and then down to En Rogel. 18:17 It went northward, extending to En Shemesh and Geliloth opposite the Pass ⁵²⁵  of Adummim, and descended to the Stone of Bohan son of Reuben. 18:18 It crossed to the slope in front of the Arabah to the north and descended into the Arabah. 18:19 It then crossed to the slope of Beth Hoglah to the north and ended at the northern tip of the Salt Sea ⁵²⁶  at the mouth of the Jordan River. ⁵²⁷  This was the southern border. 18:20 The Jordan River borders it on the east. These were the borders of the land assigned to the tribe of Benjamin by its clans. ⁵²⁸ 

18:21 These cities belonged to the tribe ⁵²⁹  of Benjamin by its clans: Jericho, ⁵³⁰  Beth Hoglah, Emek Keziz, 18:22 Beth Arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel, ⁵³¹  18:23 Avvim, Parah, Ophrah, 18:24 Kephar Ammoni, Ophni, and Geba – a total of twelve cities and their towns.

18:25 Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth, 18:26 Mizpah, Kephirah, Mozah, 18:27 Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah, 18:28 Zelah, Haeleph, the Jebusite city ⁵³²  (that is, Jerusalem), ⁵³³  Gibeah, and Kiriath – a total of fourteen cities and their towns. ⁵³⁴  This was the land assigned to the tribe of Benjamin ⁵³⁵  by its clans.

Simeon’s Tribal Lands

19:1 The second lot belonged to the tribe of Simeon by its clans. ⁵³⁶  19:2 Their assigned land included ⁵³⁷  Beer Sheba, ⁵³⁸  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. ⁵³⁹  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. ⁵⁴⁰ 

Zebulun’s Tribal Lands

19:10 The third lot belonged to the tribe of Zebulun ⁵⁴¹  by its clans. The border of their territory ⁵⁴²  extended to Sarid. 19:11 Their border went up westward to Maralah and touched Dabbesheth and the valley near ⁵⁴³  Jokneam. 19:12 From Sarid it turned eastward ⁵⁴⁴  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; ⁵⁴⁵  in all they had twelve cities and their towns. ⁵⁴⁶  19:16 This was the land assigned to the tribe of Zebulun ⁵⁴⁷  by its clans, including these cities and their towns.

Issachar’s Tribal Lands

19:17 The fourth lot belonged to the tribe of Issachar ⁵⁴⁸  by its clans. 19:18 Their assigned land ⁵⁴⁹  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 ⁵⁵⁰  by its clans, including the cities and their towns.

Asher’s Tribal Lands

19:24 The fifth lot belonged to the tribe of Asher ⁵⁵¹  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 ⁵⁵²  19:28 and on to Ebron, ⁵⁵³  Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah, as far as Greater Sidon. ⁵⁵⁴  19:29 It then turned toward Ramah as far as the fortified city of Tyre, ⁵⁵⁵  turned to Hosah, and ended at the sea near Hebel, Aczib, 19:30 Umah, Aphek, and Rehob. In all they had ⁵⁵⁶  twenty-two cities and their towns. 19:31 This was the land assigned to the tribe of Asher ⁵⁵⁷  by its clans, including these cities and their towns.

Naphtali’s Tribal Lands

19:32 The sixth lot belonged to the tribe of Naphtali ⁵⁵⁸  by its clans. 19:33 Their border started at Heleph and the oak of Zaanannim, went to Adami Nekeb, Jabneel and on to Lakkum, ⁵⁵⁹  and ended at the Jordan River. ⁵⁶⁰  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 ⁵⁶¹  on the east. 19:35 The fortified cities included Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Kinnereth, 19:36 Adamah, Ramah, Hazor, ⁵⁶²  19:37 Kedesh, Edrei, En Hazor, 19:38 Yiron, ⁵⁶³  Migdal El, Horem, Beth Anath, and Beth Shemesh. In all they had ⁵⁶⁴  nineteen cities and their towns. 19:39 This was the land assigned to the tribe of Naphtali ⁵⁶⁵  by its clans, including the cities and their towns.

Dan’s Tribal Lands

19:40 The seventh lot belonged to the tribe of Dan ⁵⁶⁶  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, ⁵⁶⁷  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 ⁵⁶⁸  Dan after their ancestor. ⁵⁶⁹ ) 19:48 This was the land assigned to the tribe of Dan ⁵⁷⁰  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. ⁵⁷¹  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 ⁵⁷²  made by drawing lots in Shiloh before the Lord at the entrance of the tent of meeting. ⁵⁷³  So they finished dividing up the land.

Israel Designates Cities of Refuge

20:1 The Lord instructed Joshua: 20:2 “Have the Israelites select ⁵⁷⁴  the cities of refuge ⁵⁷⁵  that I told you about through Moses. 20:3 Anyone who accidentally kills someone can escape there; ⁵⁷⁶  these cities will be a place of asylum from the avenger of blood. 20:4 The one who committed manslaughter ⁵⁷⁷  should escape to one of these cities, stand at the entrance of the city gate, and present his case to the leaders of that city. ⁵⁷⁸  They should then bring him into the city, give him a place to stay, and let him live there. ⁵⁷⁹  20:5 When the avenger of blood comes after him, they must not hand over to him the one who committed manslaughter, for he accidentally killed his fellow man without premeditation. ⁵⁸⁰  20:6 He must remain ⁵⁸¹  in that city until his case is decided by the assembly ⁵⁸²  and the high priest dies. ⁵⁸³  Then the one who committed manslaughter may return home to the city from which he escaped.” ⁵⁸⁴ 

20:7 So they selected ⁵⁸⁵  Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah. 20:8 Beyond the Jordan east of Jericho ⁵⁸⁶  they selected ⁵⁸⁷  Bezer in the desert on the plain belonging to the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead belonging to the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan belonging to the tribe of Manasseh. 20:9 These were the cities of refuge ⁵⁸⁸  appointed for all the Israelites and for resident foreigners living among them. Anyone who accidentally killed someone could escape there and not be executed by ⁵⁸⁹  the avenger of blood, at least until his case was reviewed by the assembly. ⁵⁹⁰ 

Levitical Cities

21:1 The tribal leaders of the Levites went before Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun and the Israelite tribal leaders 21:2 in Shiloh in the land of Canaan and said, “The Lord told Moses to assign us cities in which to live along with the grazing areas for our cattle.” 21:3 So the Israelites assigned these cities and their grazing areas to the Levites from their own holdings, as the Lord had instructed.

21:4 The first lot belonged to ⁵⁹¹  the Kohathite clans. The Levites who were descendants of Aaron the priest were allotted thirteen cities from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin. 21:5 The rest of Kohath’s descendants were allotted ten cities from the clans of the tribe of Ephraim, and from the tribe of Dan and the half-tribe of Manasseh. 21:6 Gershon’s descendants were allotted thirteen cities from the clans of the tribe of Issachar, and from the tribes of Asher and Naphtali and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan. 21:7 Merari’s descendants by their clans were allotted twelve cities from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun. 21:8 So the Israelites assigned to the Levites by lot these cities and their grazing areas, as the Lord had instructed Moses.

21:9 They assigned from the tribes of Judah and Simeon the cities listed below. 21:10 They were assigned to the Kohathite clans of the Levites who were descendants of Aaron, ⁵⁹²  for the first lot belonged to them. 21:11 They assigned them Kiriath Arba (Arba was the father of Anak), that is, Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, along with its surrounding grazing areas. 21:12 (Now the city’s fields and surrounding towns they had assigned to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his property.) 21:13 So to the descendants of Aaron the priest they assigned Hebron (a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter), Libnah, 21:14 Jattir, Eshtemoa, 21:15 Holon, Debir, 21:16 Ain, Juttah, and Beth Shemesh, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of nine cities taken from these two tribes. 21:17 From the tribe of Benjamin they assigned ⁵⁹³  Gibeon, Geba, 21:18 Anathoth, and Almon, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of four cities. 21:19 The priests descended from Aaron received thirteen cities and their grazing areas.

21:20 The rest of the Kohathite clans of the Levites were allotted cities from the tribe of Ephraim. 21:21 They assigned them Shechem (a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter) in the hill country of Ephraim, Gezer, 21:22 Kibzaim, and Beth Horon, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of four cities. 21:23 From the tribe of Dan they assigned Eltekeh, Gibbethon, 21:24 Aijalon, and Gath Rimmon, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of four cities. 21:25 From the half-tribe of Manasseh they assigned Taanach and Gath Rimmon, ⁵⁹⁴  along with the grazing areas of each – a total of two cities. 21:26 The rest of the Kohathite clans received ten cities and their grazing areas.

21:27 They assigned to the Gershonite clans of the Levites the following cities: ⁵⁹⁵  from the half-tribe of Manasseh: Golan in Bashan (a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter) and Beeshtarah, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of two cities; 21:28 from the tribe of Issachar: Kishon, Daberath, 21:29 Jarmuth, and En Gannim, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of four cities; 21:30 from the tribe of Asher: Mishal, Abdon, 21:31 Helkath, and Rehob, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of four cities; 21:32 from the tribe of Naphtali: Kedesh in Galilee (a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter), Hammoth Dor, and Kartan, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of three cities. 21:33 The Gershonite clans received thirteen cities and their grazing areas.

21:34 They assigned to the Merarite clans (the remaining Levites) the following cities: from the tribe of Zebulun: Jokneam, Kartah, 21:35 Dimnah, and Nahalal, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of four cities; 21:36 ⁵⁹⁶  from the tribe of Reuben: Bezer, Jahaz, 21:37 Kedemoth, and Mephaath, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of four cities; 21:38 from the tribe of Gad: Ramoth in Gilead (a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter), Mahanaim, 21:39 Heshbon, and Jazer, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of four cities. 21:40 The Merarite clans (the remaining Levites) were allotted twelve cities.

21:41 The Levites received within the land owned by the Israelites ⁵⁹⁷  forty-eight cities in all and their grazing areas. 21:42 Each of these cities had grazing areas around it; they were alike in this regard. ⁵⁹⁸ 

21:43 So the Lord gave Israel all the land he had solemnly promised to their ancestors, ⁵⁹⁹  and they conquered ⁶⁰⁰  it and lived in it. 21:44 The Lord made them secure, ⁶⁰¹  in fulfillment of all he had solemnly promised their ancestors. ⁶⁰²  None of their enemies could resist them. ⁶⁰³  21:45 Not one of the Lord’s faithful promises to the family of Israel ⁶⁰⁴  was left unfulfilled; every one was realized. ⁶⁰⁵ 

[12:7]  ¹ tn The same Hebrew term זֶרַע (zera’) may mean “seed” (for planting), “offspring” (occasionally of animals, but usually of people), or “descendants” depending on the context.

[12:7]  ² tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abram) has been supplied in the translation for clarification.

[13:14]  ³ tn Heb “and the Lord said to Abram after Lot separated himself from with him.” The disjunctive clause at the beginning of the verse signals a new scene.

[13:14]  ⁴ tn Heb “lift up your eyes and see.”

[13:15]  ⁵ tn Heb “for all the land which you see to you I will give it and to your descendants.”

[13:16]  ⁷ tn The translation “can be counted” (potential imperfect) is suggested by the use of יוּכַל (yukhal, “is able”) in the preceding clause.

[13:17]  ⁹ tn The connective “and” is not present in the Hebrew text; it has been supplied for purposes of English style.

[13:17]  ¹⁰ tn The Hitpael form הִתְהַלֵּךְ (hithallekh) means “to walk about”; it also can carry the ideas of moving about, traversing, going back and forth, or living in an area. It here has the connotation of traversing the land to survey it, to look it over.

[13:17]  ¹¹ tn Heb “the land to its length and to its breadth.” This phrase has not been included in the translation because it is somewhat redundant (see the note on the word “throughout” in this verse).

[15:18]  ¹¹ tn Heb “cut a covenant.”

[15:18]  ¹² tn The perfect verbal form is understood as instantaneous (“I here and now give”). Another option is to understand it as rhetorical, indicating certitude (“I have given” meaning it is as good as done, i.e., “I will surely give”).

[15:18]  ¹³ sn The river of Egypt is a wadi (a seasonal stream) on the northeastern border of Egypt, not to the River Nile.

[26:3]  ¹³ tn The Hebrew verb גּוּר (gur) means “to live temporarily without ownership of land.” Abraham’s family will not actually possess the land of Canaan until the Israelite conquest hundreds of years later.

[26:3]  ¹⁴ tn After the imperative “stay” the two prefixed verb forms with prefixed conjunction here indicate consequence.

[26:3]  ¹⁵ tn The Hebrew term זֶרַע (zera’) occurring here and in v. 18 may mean “seed” (for planting), “offspring” (occasionally of animals, but usually of people), or “descendants” depending on the context.

[26:3]  ¹⁶ tn The Hiphil stem of the verb קוּם (qum) here means “to fulfill, to bring to realization.” For other examples of this use of this verb form, see Lev 26:9; Num 23:19; Deut 8:18; 9:5; 1 Sam 1:23; 1 Kgs 6:12; Jer 11:5.

[26:3]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “the oath which I swore.”

[26:4]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “your descendants.”

[26:4]  ¹⁶ tn Traditionally the verb is taken as passive (“will be blessed”) here, as if Abraham’s descendants were going to be a channel or source of blessing to the nations. But the Hitpael is better understood here as reflexive/reciprocal, “will bless [i.e., pronounce blessings on] themselves/one another” (see also Gen 22:18). Elsewhere the Hitpael of the verb “to bless” is used with a reflexive/reciprocal sense in Deut 29:18; Ps 72:17; Isa 65:16; Jer 4:2. Gen 12:2 predicts that Abram will be held up as a paradigm of divine blessing and that people will use his name in their blessing formulae. For examples of blessing formulae utilizing an individual as an example of blessing see Gen 48:20 and Ruth 4:11. Earlier formulations of this promise (see Gen 12:2; 18:18) use the Niphal stem. (See also Gen 28:14.)

[28:3]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “El Shaddai.” See the extended note on the phrase “sovereign God” in Gen 17:1.

[28:3]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “and make you fruitful and multiply you.” See Gen 17:6, 20 for similar terminology.

[28:3]  ¹⁹ tn The perfect verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive here indicates consequence. The collocation הָיָה + preposition לְ (hayah + lÿ) means “become.”

[28:3]  ²⁰ tn Heb “an assembly of peoples.”

[28:4]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “and may he give to you the blessing of Abraham, to you and to your offspring with you.” The name “Abraham” is an objective genitive here; this refers to the blessing that God gave to Abraham.

[28:4]  ²⁰ tn The words “the land” have been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[28:4]  ²¹ tn Heb “the land of your sojournings,” that is, the land where Jacob had been living as a resident alien, as his future descendants would after him.

[28:13]  ²¹ tn Heb “the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac.” The Hebrew word for “father” can typically be used in a broader sense than the English word, in this case referring to Abraham (who was Jacob’s grandfather). For stylistic reasons and for clarity, the words “your father” are supplied with “Isaac” in the translation.

[28:13]  ²² tn The Hebrew term אֶרֶץ (’erets) can mean “[the] earth,” “land,” “region,” “piece of ground,” or “ground” depending on the context. Here the term specifically refers to the plot of ground on which Jacob was lying, but at the same time this stands by metonymy for the entire land of Canaan.

[48:4]  ²³ tn Heb “Look, I am making you fruitful.” The participle following הִנֵּה (hinneh) has the nuance of a certain and often imminent future.

[48:4]  ²⁴ tn The perfect verbal form with vav consecutive carries on the certain future idea.

[48:4]  ²⁵ tn The Hebrew text adds “after you,” which has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[48:4]  ²⁶ tn The Hebrew word אֲחֻזָּה (’akhuzzah), translated “possession,” describes a permanent holding in the land. It is the noun form of the same verb (אָחַז, ’akhaz) that was used for the land given to them in Goshen (Gen 47:27).

[3:8]  ²⁵ sn God’s coming down is a frequent anthropomorphism in Genesis and Exodus. It expresses his direct involvement, often in the exercise of judgment.

[3:8]  ²⁶ tn The Hiphil infinitive with the suffix is לְהַצִּילוֹ (lÿhatsilo, “to deliver them”). It expresses the purpose of God’s coming down. The verb itself is used for delivering or rescuing in the general sense, and snatching out of danger for the specific.

[3:8]  ²⁷ tn Heb “to a land good and large”; NRSV “to a good and broad land.” In the translation the words “that is both” are supplied because in contemporary English “good and” combined with any additional descriptive term can be understood as elative (“good and large” = “very large”; “good and spacious” = “very spacious”; “good and ready” = “very ready”). The point made in the Hebrew text is that the land to which they are going is both good (in terms of quality) and large (in terms of size).

[3:8]  ²⁸ tn This vibrant description of the promised land is a familiar one. Gesenius classifies “milk and honey” as epexegetical genitives because they provide more precise description following a verbal adjective in the construct state (GKC 418-19 §128.x). The land is modified by “flowing,” and “flowing” is explained by the genitives “milk and honey.” These two products will be in abundance in the land, and they therefore exemplify what a desirable land it is. The language is hyperbolic, as if the land were streaming with these products.

[3:8]  ²⁹ tn Each people group is joined to the preceding by the vav conjunction, “and.” Each also has the definite article, as in other similar lists (3:17; 13:5; 34:11). To repeat the conjunction and article in the translation seems to put more weight on the list in English than is necessary to its function in identifying what land God was giving the Israelites.

[6:1]  ²⁷ map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.

[6:1]  ²⁸ tn Heb “was shutting and shut up.” HALOT 2:743 paraphrases, “blocking [any way of access] and blocked [against any who would leave].”

[6:1]  ²⁹ tn Heb “there was no one going out and there was no one coming in.”

[6:2]  ²⁹ tn Heb “I have given into your hand Jericho.” The Hebrew verb נָתַתִּי (natatti, “I have given”) is probably best understood as a perfect of certitude, indicating the certainty of the action. The Hebrew pronominal suffix “your” is singular, being addressed to Joshua as the leader and representative of the nation. To convey to the modern reader what is about to happen and who is doing it, the translation “I am about to defeat Jericho for you” has been used.

[6:3]  ³¹ tn Heb “and go around the city, all [you] men of war, encircling the city one time.” The Hebrew verb וְסַבֹּתֶם (vÿsabbotem, “and go around”) is plural, being addressed to the whole army.

[6:4]  ³³ tn Heb “rams’ horns, trumpets.”

[6:5]  ³⁵ tn Heb “and it will be at the sounding of the horn, the ram’s horn, when you hear the sound of the ram’s horn.” The text of Josh 6:5 seems to be unduly repetitive, so for the sake of English style and readability, it is best to streamline the text here. The reading in the Hebrew looks like a conflation of variant readings, with the second (“when you hear the sound of the ram’s horn”) being an interpolation that assimilates the text to verse 20 (“when the army heard the sound of the horn”). Note that the words “when you hear the sound of the ram's horn” do not appear in the LXX of verse 5.

[6:5]  ³⁶ tn Heb “all the people will shout with a loud shout.”

[6:5]  ³⁷ tn Heb “fall in its place.”

[6:5]  ³⁸ tn Heb “and the people will go up, each man straight ahead.”

[6:7]  ³⁷ tn An alternative reading is “and they said.” In this case the subject is indefinite and the verb should be translated as passive, “[the army] was told.”

[6:7]  ³⁸ tn Heb “the people.”

[6:7]  ³⁹ tn Heb “pass by.”

[6:8]  ³⁹ tn Heb “when Joshua spoke to the people.”

[6:10]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “the people.”

[6:10]  ⁴² tn Or “the shout.”

[6:10]  ⁴³ tn Heb “do not let a word come out of your mouths.”

[6:10]  ⁴⁴ tn Or “the shout.”

[6:10]  ⁴⁵ tn Or “the shout.”

[6:11]  ⁴³ tn Heb “and he made the ark of the Lord go around the city, encircling one time.”

[6:11]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “and they entered the camp and spent the night in the camp.”

[6:12]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “Joshua rose early in the morning and the priests picked up the ark of the Lord.”

[6:15]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “On the seventh day they rose early, when the dawn ascended.”

[6:15]  ⁴⁸ tn Heb “and they went around the city according to this manner seven times, only on that day they went around the city seven times.”

[6:16]  ⁴⁹ tn Heb “the people.”

[6:16]  ⁵⁰ tn Or “the shout.”

[6:16]  ⁵¹ tn Heb “for the Lord has given to you the city.” The verbal form is a perfect, probably indicating certitude here.

[6:17]  ⁵¹ tn Or “dedicated to the Lord.”

[6:17]  ⁵² tn Heb “messengers.”

[6:18]  ⁵³ tn Heb “Only you keep [away] from what is set apart [to the Lord] so that you might not, as you are setting [it] apart, take some of what is set apart [to the Lord] and make the camp of Israel set apart [to destruction by the Lord] and bring trouble on it.”

[6:19]  ⁵⁵ tn Heb “it is holy to the Lord.”

[6:20]  ⁵⁷ tc Heb “and the people shouted and they blew the rams’ horns.” The initial statement (“and the people shouted”) seems premature, since the verse goes on to explain that the battle cry followed the blowing of the horns. The statement has probably been accidentally duplicated from what follows. It is omitted in the LXX.

[6:20]  ⁵⁸ tn Heb “the people.”

[6:20]  ⁵⁹ tn Heb “the sound of the horn.”

[6:20]  ⁶⁰ tn Heb “they shouted with a loud shout.”

[6:20]  ⁶¹ tn Heb “fell in its place.”

[6:20]  ⁶² tn Heb “and the people went up into the city, each one straight ahead, and they captured the city.”

[6:21]  ⁵⁹ tn Heb “all which was in the city.”

[6:22]  ⁶¹ tn Heb “the house of the woman, the prostitute.”

[6:22]  ⁶² tn Heb “and bring out from there the woman and all who belong to her as you swore on oath to her.”

[6:23]  ⁶³ tn Or “placed them outside.”

[6:24]  ⁶⁵ tn The Hebrew text adds “with fire.”

[6:24]  ⁶⁶ tn Heb “the treasury of the house of the Lord.” Technically the Lord did not have a “house” yet, so perhaps this refers to the tabernacle using later terminology.

[6:25]  ⁶⁷ tn Heb “kept alive.”

[6:25]  ⁶⁸ tn Heb the house of her father.”

[6:25]  ⁶⁹ tn Or “among the Israelites”; Heb “in the midst of Israel.”

[6:25]  ⁷⁰ map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.

[6:26]  ⁶⁹ tn Normally the Hiphil of שָׁבַע (shava’) has a causative sense (“make [someone] take an oath”; see Josh 2:17, 20), but here (see also Josh 23:7) no object is stated or implied. If Joshua is calling divine judgment down upon the one who attempts to rebuild Jericho, then “make a solemn appeal [to God as judge]” or “pronounce a curse” would be an appropriate translation. However, the tone seems stronger. Joshua appears to be announcing the certain punishment of the violator. 1 Kgs 16:34, which records the fulfillment of Joshua’s prediction, supports this. Casting Joshua in a prophetic role, it refers to Joshua’s statement as the “word of the Lord” spoken through Joshua.

[6:26]  ⁷⁰ tn Heb “rises up and builds.”

[6:26]  ⁷¹ tc The LXX omits “Jericho.” It is probably a scribal addition.

[6:26]  ⁷² tn The Hebrew phrase אָרוּר לִפְנֵי יְהוָה (’arur lifney yÿhvah, “cursed [i.e., condemned] before the Lord”) also occurs in 1 Sam 26:19.

[6:26]  ⁷³ tn Heb “With his firstborn he will lay its foundations and with his youngest he will erect its gates.” The Hebrew verb יַצִּיב (yatsiv, “he will erect”) is imperfect, not jussive, suggesting Joshua’s statement is a prediction, not an imprecation.

[6:27]  ⁷¹ tn Heb “and the report about him was in all the land.” The Hebrew term אֶרֶץ (’erets, “land”) may also be translated “earth.”

[7:1]  ⁷³ tn Heb “But the sons of Israel were unfaithful with unfaithfulness concerning what was set apart [to the Lord].”

[7:1]  ⁷⁴ tn 1 Chr 2:6 lists a “Zimri” (but no Zabdi) as one of the five sons of Zerah (cf. also 1 Chr 7:17, 18).

[7:1]  ⁷⁵ tn Heb “took from what was set apart [to the Lord].”

[7:1]  ⁷⁶ tn Heb “the anger of the Lord burned against the sons of Israel.”

[7:2]  ⁷⁵ map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.

[7:2]  ⁷⁶ map For the location of Bethel see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.

[7:3]  ⁷⁷ tn Heb “and they returned to Joshua and said to him.”

[7:3]  ⁷⁸ tn Heb “Don’t let all the people go up.”

[7:3]  ⁷⁹ tn Heb “Let about two thousand men or about three thousand men go up to defeat Ai.”

[7:3]  ⁸⁰ tn Heb “all the people for they are small.”

[7:5]  ⁷⁹ tn The meaning and correct translation of the Hebrew word שְׁבָרִים (shÿvarim) is uncertain. The translation “fissures” is based on usage of the plural form of the noun in Ps 60:4 HT (60:2 ET), where it appears to refer to cracks in the earth caused by an earthquake. Perhaps deep ravines or gorges are in view, or the word is a proper noun (“all the way to Shebarim”).

[7:5]  ⁸⁰ sn The precise geographical location of the Israelite defeat at this “steep slope” is uncertain.

[7:5]  ⁸¹ tn Or “army’s.”

[7:5]  ⁸² tn Heb “and the heart of the people melted and became water.”

[7:6]  ⁸¹ sn Tearing one’s clothes was an outward expression of extreme sorrow (see Gen 37:34; 44:13).

[7:6]  ⁸² tn Or “elders.”

[7:6]  ⁸³ tn Heb “and fell on his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord until evening, he and the elders of Israel.”

[7:6]  ⁸⁴ sn Throwing dirt on one’s head was an outward expression of extreme sorrow (see Lam 2:10; Ezek 27:30).

[7:7]  ⁸³ tn Heb “said.”

[7:8]  ⁸⁵ tn Heb “turned [the] back.”

[7:9]  ⁸⁷ tn Heb “and cut off our name.”

[7:9]  ⁸⁸ tn Heb “What will you do for your great name?”

[7:10]  ⁸⁹ tn Heb “said.”

[7:10]  ⁹⁰ tn Heb “Why are you falling on your face?”

[7:11]  ⁹¹ tn Heb “They have violated my covenant which I commanded them.”

[7:11]  ⁹² tn Heb “what was set apart [to the Lord].”

[7:11]  ⁹³ tn Heb “and also they have stolen, and also they have lied, and also they have placed [them] among their items.”

[7:12]  ⁹³ tn Heb “they turn [the] back before their enemies because they are set apart [to destruction by the Lord].”

[7:12]  ⁹⁴ tn The second person pronoun is plural in Hebrew, indicating these words are addressed to the entire nation.

[7:12]  ⁹⁵ tn Heb “what is set apart [to destruction by the Lord] from your midst.”

[7:13]  ⁹⁵ tn Heb “what is set apart [to destruction by the Lord] [is] in your midst.”

[7:13]  ⁹⁶ tn Heb “remove what is set apart [i.e., to destruction by the Lord] from your midst.”

[7:14]  ⁹⁷ tn Heb “by your tribes.”

[7:14]  ⁹⁸ tn Heb “takes forcefully, seizes.”

[7:14]  ⁹⁹ tn Heb “houses.”

[7:14]  ¹⁰⁰ tn Heb “by men.”

[7:15]  ⁹⁹ tn Heb “with what was set apart [to the Lord].”

[7:15]  ¹⁰⁰ tn Heb “burned with fire.”

[7:16]  ¹⁰¹ tn Heb “by tribes.”

[7:17]  ¹⁰³ tn See the note on “Zabdi” in 1 Chr 7:1.

[7:17]  ¹⁰⁴ tn Heb “and he selected Zabdi.” The Lord is the apparent subject. The LXX supports reading a passive (Niphal) form here, as does the immediate context.

[7:18]  ¹⁰⁵ tn Heb “his”; the referent (Zabdi) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:18]  ¹⁰⁶ tn Heb “by men.”

[7:19]  ¹⁰⁷ tn Heb “give glory to.”

[7:20]  ¹⁰⁹ tn Heb “like this and like this I did.”

[7:21]  ¹¹¹ tn Heb “Shinar,” a reference to Babylon (cf. Gen 10:10; 11:2; 14:1). Many modern translations retain the Hebrew name “Shinar” (cf. NEB, NRSV) but some use the more familiar “Babylon” (cf. NIV, NLT).

[7:21]  ¹¹² tn Heb “shekels.”

[7:22]  ¹¹³ tn Heb “Look, [it was] hidden in his tent, and the silver was beneath it.”

[7:23]  ¹¹⁵ tn Heb “poured out,” probably referring to the way the silver pieces poured out of their container.

[7:24]  ¹¹⁷ tn Or “Trouble” The name is “Achor” in Hebrew, which means “disaster” or “trouble” (also in v. 26).

[7:25]  ¹¹⁹ tn Or “trouble.” The word is “achor” in Hebrew (also in the following clause).

[7:25]  ¹²⁰ tc Heb “and they burned them with fire and they stoned them with stones.” These words are somewhat parenthetical in nature and are omitted in the LXX; they may represent a later scribal addition.

[7:26]  ¹²¹ tc Heb “to this day.” The phrase “to this day” is omitted in the LXX and may represent a later scribal addition.

[8:1]  ¹²³ tn Or perhaps “and don’t get discouraged!”

[8:1]  ¹²⁴ tn Heb “Take with you all the people of war and arise, go up against Ai!”

[8:1]  ¹²⁵ tn Heb “I have given into our hand.” The verbal form, a perfect, is probably best understood as a perfect of certitude, indicating the certainty of the action.

[8:2]  ¹²⁵ map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.

[8:3]  ¹²⁷ tn “And Joshua and all the people of war arose to go up [against] Ai.”

[8:4]  ¹²⁹ tn Or “commanded, ordered.”

[8:5]  ¹³¹ tn Heb “the people.”

[8:6]  ¹³³ tn Heb “come out after.”

[8:7]  ¹³⁵ tn Heb “from the ambush.”

[8:7]  ¹³⁶ tn Heb “take possession of.”

[8:8]  ¹³⁷ tn Heb “the city.”

[8:8]  ¹³⁸ tn Heb “I have commanded you.”

[8:9]  ¹³⁹ tn Or “the place of ambush.”

[8:9]  ¹⁴⁰ map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.

[8:9]  ¹⁴¹ tn Heb “and they stayed between Bethel and Ai, west of Ai.”

[8:9]  ¹⁴² tn Heb “in the midst of the people.”

[8:10]  ¹⁴¹ tn Or “summoned, mustered.”

[8:10]  ¹⁴² tn Heb “the people.”

[8:10]  ¹⁴³ tn Or “elders.”

[8:10]  ¹⁴⁴ tn Heb “went up.”

[8:10]  ¹⁴⁵ tn Heb “them” (referring to “the people” in the previous clause, which requires a plural pronoun). Since the translation used “army” in the previous clause, a singular pronoun (“it”) is required in English.

[8:11]  ¹⁴³ tn Heb “All the people of war who were with him went up and approached and came opposite the city.”

[8:11]  ¹⁴⁴ tn Heb “and the valley [was] between them and Ai.”

[8:12]  ¹⁴⁵ map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.

[8:13]  ¹⁴⁷ tn Some Hebrew mss read, “spent the night in.”

[8:14]  ¹⁴⁹ tn Heb “When the king of Ai saw, the men of Ai hurried and rose early and went out to meet Israel for battle, he and all his people at the meeting place before the Arabah.”

[8:14]  ¹⁵⁰ tn Or “know.”

[8:14]  ¹⁵¹ tn Heb “that (there was) an ambush for him behind the city.”

[8:16]  ¹⁵¹ tn Heb “All the people.”

[8:16]  ¹⁵² tc Some textual witnesses read “the city.”

[8:16]  ¹⁵³ tn Or “were summoned”; or “were mustered.”

[8:17]  ¹⁵³ tc The LXX omits the words “or Bethel.”

[8:17]  ¹⁵⁴ tn Heb “who did not go out after Israel.”

[8:18]  ¹⁵⁵ tn Heb “it”; the referent (the city of Ai) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:19]  ¹⁵⁷ tn Heb “and ran.”

[8:20]  ¹⁵⁹ tn Heb “and they saw, and look.” The Hebrew term הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) draws attention to the scene and invites the audience to view the events from the perspective of the men of Ai.

[8:20]  ¹⁶⁰ tn Heb “and there was not in them hands to flee here or there.” The Hebrew term יָדַיִם (yadayim, “hands”) is idiomatic for “strength.”

[8:21]  ¹⁶¹ tn Heb “and that the smoke of the city ascended.”

[8:22]  ¹⁶³ tn Heb “and these went out from the city to meet them and they were for Israel in the middle, some on this side, and others on the other side.”

[8:24]  ¹⁶⁵ tn Heb “residents.”

[8:24]  ¹⁶⁶ tn Heb “in the field, in the desert in which they chased them.”

[8:24]  ¹⁶⁷ tc Heb “and all of them fell by the edge of the sword until they were destroyed.” The LXX omits the words, “and all of them fell by the edge of the sword.” They may represent a later scribal addition.

[8:25]  ¹⁶⁷ tn Heb “fell.”

[8:26]  ¹⁶⁹ tn Heb “Joshua did not draw back his hand which held out the curved sword until he had annihilated all the residents of Ai.”

[8:27]  ¹⁷¹ tn Heb “according to the word of the Lord which he commanded Joshua.”

[8:28]  ¹⁷³ tn Heb “and made it a permanent mound, a desolation, to this day.”

[8:29]  ¹⁷⁵ tn Heb “on a tree until evening.” The words “leaving him exposed” are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[8:29]  ¹⁷⁶ sn For the legal background of this action, see Deut 21:22-23.

[8:29]  ¹⁷⁷ tn Heb “to this day.”

[8:31]  ¹⁷⁷ tn Heb “as it is written in the scroll of the law of Moses, an altar of whole stones on which no one had wielded iron.” The expression “whole stones” refers to stones in their natural condition, i.e., not carved or shaped artificially with tools (“wielded iron”).

[8:31]  ¹⁷⁸ tn Or “peace offerings.”

[8:32]  ¹⁷⁹ tn Heb “and he wrote there on the stones a duplicate of the law of Moses which he wrote before the sons of Israel.”

[8:33]  ¹⁸¹ tn Heb “All Israel.”

[8:33]  ¹⁸² tn Or “elders.”

[8:33]  ¹⁸³ tn Heb “like the resident alien, like the citizen.” The language is idiomatic, meaning that both groups were treated the same, at least in this instance.

[8:33]  ¹⁸⁴ tn Heb “as Moses, the Lord’s servant, commanded to bless the people, Israel, formerly.”

[8:34]  ¹⁸³ tn Or “afterward.”

[8:35]  ¹⁸⁵ tn Heb “There was not a word from all which Moses commanded that Joshua did not read aloud.”

[8:35]  ¹⁸⁶ tn Heb “walked in their midst.”

[9:1]  ¹⁸⁷ tn Heb “When all the kings who were beyond the Jordan heard.”

[9:1]  ¹⁸⁸ tn Or “foothills”; Heb “the Shephelah.”

[9:1]  ¹⁸⁹ tn Heb “all the coast of the Great Sea.” The “Great Sea” was the typical designation for the Mediterranean Sea.

[9:1]  ¹⁹⁰ tn Heb “in front of.”

[9:2]  ¹⁸⁹ tn Heb “they gathered together to fight against Joshua and Israel [with] one mouth.”

[9:3]  ¹⁹¹ map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.

[9:4]  ¹⁹³ tc Heb “and they went and [?].” The root and meaning of the verb form יִצְטַיָּרוּ (yitstayyaru) are uncertain. The form is most likely a corruption of יִצְטַיָּדוּ (yitstayyadu), read by some Hebrew mss and ancient versions, from the root צוּד (tsud, “take provisions,” BDB 845 s.v. II צוד) which also occurs in v. 11. Note NRSV “they went and prepared provisions”; cf. NEB “They went and disguised themselves”; NIV “they went as a delegation.”

[9:5]  ¹⁹⁵ tn Heb “all the bread of their provisions.”

[9:5]  ¹⁹⁶ tn Or “moldy.”

[9:7]  ¹⁹⁷ tn Heb “in our midst.”

[9:8]  ¹⁹⁹ tn Heb “we are your servants.”

[9:9]  ²⁰¹ tn Or “servants.”

[9:9]  ²⁰² tn Heb “name.”

[9:9]  ²⁰³ tn Heb “the report about him, all that he did in Egypt.”

[9:11]  ²⁰³ tn Heb “your servants.”

[9:12]  ²⁰⁵ tn Heb “in the day we went out to come to you.”

[9:12]  ²⁰⁶ tn Or “moldy.”

[9:14]  ²⁰⁷ tn Heb “took.” This probably means they tasted some of the food to make sure it was stale.

[9:14]  ²⁰⁸ tn Heb “but they did not ask the mouth of the Lord.” This refers to seeking the Lord’s will and guidance through an oracle.

[9:15]  ²⁰⁹ tn Or “assembly.”

[9:15]  ²¹⁰ tn Heb “Joshua made peace with them and made a treaty with them to let them live, and the leaders of the community swore an oath to them.”

[9:16]  ²¹¹ tn Heb “At the end of three days, after they made the treaty with them, they heard that they were neighbors to them and in their midst they were living.”

[9:18]  ²¹³ tn Heb “by the Lord God of Israel.”

[9:18]  ²¹⁴ tn Or “grumbled against.”

[9:19]  ²¹⁵ tn Heb “to them by….”

[9:19]  ²¹⁶ tn Or “touch.”

[9:20]  ²¹⁷ tn Heb “This is what we will do to them, keeping them alive so there will not be upon us anger concerning the oath which we swore to them.”

[9:21]  ²¹⁹ tc Heb “and the leaders said to them.” The LXX omits the words “and the leaders said to them.”

[9:21]  ²²⁰ tn The vav (ו) consecutive construction in the Hebrew text suggests that the narrative resumes at this point. The LXX reads here, “and they will be,” understanding what follows to be a continuation of the leaders’ words rather than a comment by the narrator.

[9:21]  ²²¹ tn Heb “as the leaders said to them.”

[9:22]  ²²¹ sn Verses 22-27 appear to elaborate on v. 21b.

[9:22]  ²²² tn Heb “them.”

[9:22]  ²²³ tn Or “deceive.”

[9:22]  ²²⁴ tn Heb “live in our midst?”

[9:23]  ²²³ tn Heb “Now you are cursed and a servant will not be cut off from you, woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”

[9:24]  ²²⁵ tn Heb “your servants.”

[9:24]  ²²⁶ tn Or “we were very afraid.”

[9:25]  ²²⁷ tn Heb “so now, look, we are in your hand.”

[9:25]  ²²⁸ tn Heb “according to what is good and according to what is upright in your eyes to do us, do.”

[9:26]  ²²⁹ tn Heb “And he did to them so and he rescued them from the hand of the sons of Israel and they did not kill them.”

[9:27]  ²³¹ tn Heb “and Joshua made them in that day woodcutters and water carriers for the community, and for the altar of the Lord to this day at the place which he chooses.”

[10:1]  ²³³ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[10:1]  ²³⁴ map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.

[10:1]  ²³⁵ tn Heb “as he had done to Jericho and to its king, so he did to Ai and to its king.”

[10:1]  ²³⁶ tn Heb “and how.”

[10:2]  ²³⁵ tn This statement is subordinated to v. 1 in the Hebrew text, which reads literally, “When Adoni-Zedek…they feared greatly.” The subject of the plural verb at the beginning of v. 2 is probably the residents of Jerusalem.

[10:4]  ²³⁷ tn Heb “Come up to me and help me.”

[10:5]  ²³⁹ tn Heb “and they camped against Gibeon and fought against it.”

[10:6]  ²⁴¹ tn Heb “do not let your hand drop from us.”

[10:6]  ²⁴² tn Heb “your servants!”

[10:6]  ²⁴³ tn Heb “have gathered against us.”

[10:7]  ²⁴³ tn Heb “And Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, and all the brave warriors.”

[10:8]  ²⁴⁵ tn Heb “I have given them into your hand.” The verbal form is a perfect of certitude, emphasizing the certainty of the action.

[10:8]  ²⁴⁶ tn Heb “and not a man [or “one”] of them will stand before you.”

[10:9]  ²⁴⁷ tn Heb “Joshua came upon them suddenly, all the night he went up from Gilgal.”

[10:10]  ²⁴⁹ tn Or “caused to panic.”

[10:10]  ²⁵⁰ tn Heb “he.” The referent is probably Israel (mentioned at the end of the previous sentence in the verse; cf. NIV, NRSV), but it is also possible that the Lord should be understood as the referent (cf. NASB “and He slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon”), or even Joshua (cf. NEB “and Joshua defeated them utterly in Gibeon”).

[10:10]  ²⁵¹ tn Heb “struck them down with a great striking down.”

[10:10]  ²⁵² tn Or “ascent.”

[10:11]  ²⁵¹ tn Heb “on the descent of.”

[10:11]  ²⁵² tn Or “heaven” (also in v. 13). The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heaven(s)” or “sky” depending on the context.

[10:12]  ²⁵³ tn Heb “Then Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day the Lord placed the Amorites before the sons of Israel and he said in the eyes of Israel.” It is uncertain whether the phrase “before the sons of Israel” modifies the verb “placed” (as in the present translation, “delivered the Amorites over to the Israelites”) or the verb “spoke” (“Joshua spoke to the Lord before the sons of Israel in the day the Lord delivered over the Amorites”).

[10:13]  ²⁵⁵ tn Heb “Is it not written down in the Scroll of the Upright One.” Many modern translations render, “the Scroll [or Book] of Jashar,” leaving the Hebrew name “Jashar” (which means “Upright One”) untranslated.

[10:13]  ²⁵⁶ tn Heb “and did not hurry to set [for] about a full day.”

[10:14]  ²⁵⁷ tn Heb “listened to the voice of.”

[10:16]  ²⁵⁹ tn Heb “these five kings.”

[10:18]  ²⁶¹ tn Heb “and appoint by it men to guard them.”

[10:19]  ²⁶³ tn Heb “But [as for] you, don’t stand still, chase after your enemies and attack them from the rear.”

[10:19]  ²⁶⁴ tn Or “enter into.”

[10:19]  ²⁶⁵ tn Heb “has given them into your hand.” The verbal form is a perfect of certitude, emphasizing the certainty of the action.

[10:20]  ²⁶⁵ tn Heb “When Joshua and the sons of Israel finished defeating them with a very great defeat until they were destroyed (now the survivors escaped to the fortified cities).” In the Hebrew text the initial temporal clause (“when Joshua…finished”) is subordinated to v. 21 (“the whole army returned”).

[10:21]  ²⁶⁷ tn Heb “all the people returned to the camp, to Joshua [at] Makkedah [in] peace.”

[10:21]  ²⁶⁸ tc Heb “No man.” The lamed (ל) prefixed to אִישׁ (’ish, “man”) is probably dittographic (note the immediately preceding יִשְׂרָאֵל [isra’el] which ends in lamed, ל); cf. the LXX.

[10:21]  ²⁶⁹ tn Heb “no man sharpened [or perhaps, “pointed”] his tongue against the sons of Israel.” Cf. NEB “not a man of the Israelites suffered so much as a scratch on his tongue,” which understands “sharpened” as “scratched” (referring to a minor wound). Most modern translations understand the Hebrew expression “sharpened his tongue” figuratively for opposition or threats against the Israelites.

[10:22]  ²⁶⁹ tn Heb “these five kings.”

[10:23]  ²⁷¹ tn Heb “they did so.”

[10:23]  ²⁷² tn Heb “these five kings.”

[10:23]  ²⁷³ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[10:24]  ²⁷³ tn Heb “Joshua.” The translation has replaced the proper name with the pronoun (“he”) because a repetition of the proper name here would be redundant according to English style.

[10:24]  ²⁷⁴ tn Or “Draw near.”

[10:24]  ²⁷⁵ tn Or “drew near.”

[10:25]  ²⁷⁵ tn Or perhaps “and don’t get discouraged!”

[10:26]  ²⁷⁷ tn Heb “struck them down and killed them.”

[10:27]  ²⁷⁹ sn For the legal background of the removal of the corpses before sundown, see Deut 21:22-23.

[10:27]  ²⁸⁰ tn Heb “to this very day.” The words “They remain” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[10:28]  ²⁸¹ map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.

[10:29]  ²⁸³ tn Heb “Libnah.” Repetition of the proper name here would be redundant according to English style, so the pronoun (“it”) has been employed in the translation.

[10:30]  ²⁸⁵ tn Heb “he”; the implied subject may be Israel, or Joshua (as the commanding general of the army).

[10:30]  ²⁸⁶ tn Heb “he”; the implied subject may be Israel, or Joshua (as the commanding general of the army).

[10:30]  ²⁸⁷ tn Heb “He”; the implied subject may be Israel, or Joshua (as the commanding general of the army).

[10:30]  ²⁸⁸ tn Heb “he”; the implied subject may be Israel, or Joshua (as the commanding general of the army).

[10:30]  ²⁸⁹ map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.

[10:31]  ²⁸⁷ tn Heb “encamped against it.”

[10:32]  ²⁸⁹ tn Heb “he”; the implied subject may be Israel, or Joshua (as the commanding general of the army).

[10:33]  ²⁹¹ tn Heb “people.”

[10:34]  ²⁹³ tn Heb “they encamped against it.”

[10:35]  ²⁹⁵ tn Heb “he”; the implied subject may be Israel, or Joshua (as the commanding general of the army).

[10:35]  ²⁹⁶ tn Heb “he”; the implied subject may be Israel, or Joshua (as the commanding general of the army).

[10:37]  ²⁹⁷ tn Heb “he”; the implied subject may be Israel, or Joshua (as the commanding general of the army).

[10:37]  ²⁹⁸ tn Heb “he”; the implied subject may be Israel, or Joshua (as the commanding general of the army).

[10:37]  ²⁹⁹ tn Heb “he”; the implied subject may be Israel, or Joshua (as the commanding general of the army).

[10:39]  ²⁹⁹ tn Heb “He”; the implied subject may be Israel, or Joshua (as the commanding general of the army).

[10:39]  ³⁰⁰ tn Heb “he”; the implied subject may be Israel, or Joshua (as the commanding general of the army).

[10:39]  ³⁰¹ tn Heb “He”; the implied subject may be Israel, or Joshua (as the commanding general of the army).

[10:39]  ³⁰² tn Heb “he”; the implied subject may be Israel, or Joshua (as the commanding general of the army).

[10:39]  ³⁰³ tn Heb “as he did to Hebron, so he did to Debir and its king, and as he did to Libnah and its king.” The clauses have been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[10:40]  ³⁰¹ tn Or “foothills”; Heb “the Shephelah.”

[10:41]  ³⁰³ tn Heb “and Joshua struck them down, from Kadesh Barnea even to Gaza, and all the land of Goshen, even to Gibeon.”

[10:42]  ³⁰⁵ tn Heb “at one time.”

[11:1]  ³⁰⁷ map For location see Map1 D2; Map2 D3; Map3 A2; Map4 C1.

[11:1]  ³⁰⁸ tn Heb “he sent to.”

[11:2]  ³⁰⁹ tn Heb “and to the kings who [are] from the north in.”

[11:2]  ³¹⁰ tn Heb “Chinneroth,” a city and plain located in the territory of Naphtali in Galilee (BDB 490 s.v. כִּנֶּרֶת, כִּנֲרוֹת).

[11:3]  ³¹¹ tn The verb “came” is supplied in the translation (see v. 4).

[11:3]  ³¹² tn Or “land.”

[11:4]  ³¹³ tn Heb “They and all their camps with them came out, a people as numerous as the sand which is on the edge of the sea in multitude, and [with] horses and chariots very numerous.”

[11:5]  ³¹⁵ tn Heb “and came and camped together.”

[11:6]  ³¹⁷ tn Heb “burn with fire”; the words “with fire” are redundant in English and have not been included in the translation.

[11:7]  ³¹⁹ tn Heb “Joshua and all the people of war with him came upon them at the Waters of Merom suddenly and fell upon them.”

[11:8]  ³²¹ map For location see Map1 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.

[11:8]  ³²² tn The meaning of the Hebrew name “Misrephoth Maim” is perhaps “lime-kilns by the water” (see HALOT 2:641).

[11:9]  ³²³ tn Heb “burned with fire”; the words “with fire” are redundant in English and have not been included in the translation.

[11:10]  ³²⁵ map For location see Map1 D2; Map2 D3; Map3 A2; Map4 C1.

[11:10]  ³²⁶ tn Or “formerly.”

[11:11]  ³²⁷ tn Heb “and they struck down all life which was in it with the edge of the sword, annihilating.”

[11:11]  ³²⁸ tn Heb “burned with fire”; the words “with fire” are redundant in English and have not been included in the translation.

[11:12]  ³²⁹ tn Heb “and he struck them down with the edge of the sword, he annihilated them.”

[11:13]  ³³¹ tn Heb “standing on their mounds.”

[11:13]  ³³² map For location see Map1 D2; Map2 D3; Map3 A2; Map4 C1.

[11:14]  ³³³ tn Heb “but all the people they struck down with the edge of the sword until they destroyed them.”

[11:15]  ³³⁵ tn Heb “As the Lord commanded Moses his servant, so Moses commanded Joshua, and Joshua acted accordingly; he did not turn aside a thing from all which the Lord commanded Moses.”

[11:16]  ³³⁷ tn Heb “Joshua took all this land.”

[11:16]  ³³⁸ tn Or “foothills”; Heb “the Shephelah.”

[11:17]  ³³⁹ tn Heb “and struck them down and killed them.”

[11:18]  ³⁴¹ tn Heb “made war with.”

[11:18]  ³⁴² tn Heb “for many days.”

[11:19]  ³⁴³ tn The LXX omits this parenthetical note, which may represent a later scribal addition.

[11:19]  ³⁴⁴ tn Heb “the whole they took in battle.”

[11:20]  ³⁴⁵ tn Heb “for from the Lord it was to harden their heart[s] to meet for the battle with Israel, in order to annihilate them, so that they would receive no mercy, in order annihilate them, as the Lord commanded Moses.”

[11:21]  ³⁴⁷ tn Heb “went and cut off the Anakites from the hill country.”

[11:21]  ³⁴⁸ tn Heb “and from all the hill country of Israel.”

[11:23]  ³⁴⁹ tn Heb “took.”

[11:23]  ³⁵⁰ tn Heb “according to all which the Lord said to Moses.” The translation assumes this refers to the promise of the land (see 1:3). Another possibility is that it refers to the Lord’s instructions, in which case the phrase could be translated, “just as the Lord had instructed Moses” (so NLT; cf. also NIV “had directed Moses”).

[11:23]  ³⁵¹ tn Heb “and Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel according to their allotted portions by their tribes.”

[12:1]  ³⁵¹ tn Heb “and took possession of their land.”

[12:1]  ³⁵² tn Heb “beyond the Jordan, toward the rising of the sun.”

[12:2]  ³⁵³ tn Or perhaps, “reigned.”

[12:2]  ³⁵⁴ tc The MT reads here, “and the middle of the valley,” but the reading “the city in the middle of valley” can be reconstructed on the basis of Josh 13:9, 16.

[12:3]  ³⁵⁵ tn The words “his kingdom included” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[12:3]  ³⁵⁶ sn The Sea of Kinnereth is another name for the Sea of Galilee. See the note on the word “Kinnereth” in 11:2.

[12:3]  ³⁵⁷ sn The Salt Sea is another name for the Dead Sea.

[12:4]  ³⁵⁷ tn Heb “from the remnant of the Rephaites.”

[12:4]  ³⁵⁸ tn Or perhaps “who reigned.”

[12:6]  ³⁵⁹ tn Heb “gave it for a possession.”

[12:7]  ³⁶¹ tn Heb “Joshua gave it to the tribes of Israel as a possession according to their allotted portions.”

[12:8]  ³⁶³ tn Or “the foothills”; Heb “the Shephelah.”

[12:8]  ³⁶⁴ tn The words “the land of” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[12:9]  ³⁶⁵ map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.

[12:10]  ³⁶⁷ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[12:16]  ³⁶⁹ map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.

[12:19]  ³⁷¹ map For location see Map1 D2; Map2 D3; Map3 A2; Map4 C1.

[12:21]  ³⁷³ map For location see Map1 D4; Map2 C1; Map4 C2; Map5 F2; Map7 B1.

[13:1]  ³⁷⁵ tn Heb “was old, coming into the days.” This expression, referring to advancing in years, also occurs in the following clause.

[13:3]  ³⁷⁷ tn Heb “the Shihor”; the word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied to clarify the meaning.

[13:3]  ³⁷⁸ tn Heb “in front of.”

[13:3]  ³⁷⁹ tn Heb “it is reckoned to the Canaanites.”

[13:3]  ³⁸⁰ tn Heb “the five lords of the Philistines, the Gazaite, the Ashdodite, the Ashkelonite, the Gathite, and the Ekronite, and the Avvites.”

[13:4]  ³⁷⁹ tn Or “from Teman.” The phrase is especially problematic if taken with what follows, as the traditional verse division suggests. For further discussion see T. C. Butler, Joshua (WBC), 146.

[13:4]  ³⁸⁰ tn Heb “all the land of the Canaanites.”

[13:4]  ³⁸¹ tc The reading “Arah” assumes a slight emendation of the Hebrew vowel pointing. The MT reads, “and a cave,” or “and Mearah” (if one understands the word as a proper noun).

[13:4]  ³⁸² tn Heb “which belongs to the Sidonians.”

[13:5]  ³⁸¹ tn Heb “and the land of the Gebalites.”

[13:5]  ³⁸² tn Or “the entrance to Hamath.” Most modern translations take the phrase “Lebo Hamath” to be a proper name, but often provide a note with the alternative, where “Hamath” is the proper name and לְבוֹא (lÿvo’) is taken to mean “entrance to.”

[13:6]  ³⁸³ tn The meaning of the Hebrew name “Misrephoth Maim” is perhaps “lime-kilns by the water” (see HALOT 2:641).

[13:6]  ³⁸⁴ tn Heb “only you, assign it by lots to Israel as an inheritance as I commanded you.”

[13:7]  ³⁸⁵ tn Heb “now apportion this land as an inheritance.”

[13:8]  ³⁸⁷ tn The MT reads “with him,” which is problematic, since the reference would be to the other half of the tribe of Manasseh (not the half mentioned in v. 7).

[13:8]  ³⁸⁸ tn Heb “received their inheritance, which Moses had assigned to them beyond the Jordan.”

[13:9]  ³⁸⁹ tn The words “their territory started” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[13:11]  ³⁹¹ tn The words “their territory also included” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[13:12]  ³⁹³ tn Heb “from the remnant of the Rephaites.”

[13:12]  ³⁹⁴ tn Or “dispossessed them.”

[13:13]  ³⁹⁵ tn Or “dispossess.”

[13:14]  ³⁹⁷ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Moses) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:14]  ³⁹⁸ tn Heb “did not assign an inheritance.”

[13:14]  ³⁹⁹ tn That is, “their source of food and life.”

[13:14]  ⁴⁰⁰ tn Or “offerings made by fire.”

[13:14]  ⁴⁰¹ tn Or “promised” (Heb “spoke”).

[13:15]  ³⁹⁹ tn Heb “assigned to the sons of Reuben.”

[13:16]  ⁴⁰¹ tn Heb “their territory was from.”

[13:21]  ⁴⁰³ tn The words “it encompassed” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[13:21]  ⁴⁰⁴ tn Heb “princes of Sihon, inhabitants of the land.”

[13:22]  ⁴⁰⁵ tn Or “diviner.”

[13:22]  ⁴⁰⁶ tn Heb “Balaam son of Beor, the omen-reader, the Israelites killed with the sword, along with their slain ones.”

[13:23]  ⁴⁰⁷ tn Heb “This is the inheritance of the sons of Reuben by their clans, the cities and their towns.”

[13:24]  ⁴⁰⁹ tn Heb “assigned to the tribe of Gad, to the sons of Gad.”

[13:25]  ⁴¹¹ tn Heb “and half of the land of the sons of Ammon.”

[13:25]  ⁴¹² tn Heb “in front of.”

[13:26]  ⁴¹³ tn The words “Their territory ran” are not in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied for clarification.

[13:27]  ⁴¹⁵ tn Or “it included in the valley, Beth Haram.”

[13:27]  ⁴¹⁶ sn The Sea of Kinnereth is another name for the Sea of Galilee. See the note on the word “Kinnereth” in 11:2.

[13:28]  ⁴¹⁷ tn Heb “This is the inheritance of the sons of Gad by their clans, the cities and their towns.”

[13:29]  ⁴¹⁹ tn Heb “assigned to the half-tribe of Manasseh, and it belonged to the half-tribe of Manasseh.”

[13:30]  ⁴²¹ tn The words “their territory started at” are not in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied for clarification.

[13:30]  ⁴²² sn The Hebrew name Havvoth Jair means “the tent villages of Jair.”

[13:32]  ⁴²³ tn Heb “These are [the lands] which Moses gave as an inheritance.”

[13:32]  ⁴²⁴ tn Heb “beyond the Jordan, east of Jericho.” The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied to clarify the meaning.

[13:33]  ⁴²⁵ tn Heb “Moses did not assign an inheritance.” The word “land” has been supplied in the translation to clarify what the inheritance consisted of.

[13:33]  ⁴²⁶ tn That is, “their source of food and life.”

[13:33]  ⁴²⁷ tn Or “as he promised”; Heb “as he spoke to.”

[14:1]  ⁴²⁷ tn Heb “These are [the lands] which the sons of Israel received as an inheritance in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes assigned as an inheritance to the sons of Israel.”

[14:2]  ⁴²⁹ tn Heb “By lot was their inheritance, as the Lord had commanded by Moses, to the nine tribes and the half-tribe.”

[14:3]  ⁴³¹ tn Or “assigned an inheritance.”

[14:3]  ⁴³² tn Or “no inheritance.”

[14:3]  ⁴³³ tn The Hebrew text adds, “in their midst.”

[14:4]  ⁴³³ tn Heb “and they did not assign a portion to the Levites in the land, except cities [in which] to live and their pastures for their cattle and property.”

[14:5]  ⁴³⁵ tn Heb “Just as the Lord had commanded Moses, so the sons of Israel did, and they divided up the land.”

[14:6]  ⁴³⁷ tn Heb “You know the word which the Lord spoke to Moses, the man of God, because of me and because of you in Kadesh Barnea.”

[14:7]  ⁴³⁹ tn Heb “and I brought back to him a word just as [was] in my heart.”

[14:8]  ⁴⁴¹ tn Heb “brothers.”

[14:8]  ⁴⁴² tn Heb “went up with.”

[14:8]  ⁴⁴³ tn Heb “made the heart[s] of the people melt.”

[14:8]  ⁴⁴⁴ tn Heb “I filled up after the Lord my God,” an idiomatic statement meaning that Caleb remained loyal to the Lord.

[14:9]  ⁴⁴³ tn Heb “swore an oath.”

[14:9]  ⁴⁴⁴ tn Heb “on which your foot has walked.”

[14:9]  ⁴⁴⁵ tn Heb “will belong to you for an inheritance, and to your sons forever.”

[14:11]  ⁴⁴⁵ tn Heb “like my strength then, like my strength now, for battle and for going out and coming in.”

[14:12]  ⁴⁴⁷ tn Heb “are there and large, fortified cities.”

[14:12]  ⁴⁴⁸ tn Or “will dispossess.”

[14:13]  ⁴⁴⁹ tn Heb “Joshua blessed him and gave Hebron to Caleb son of Jephunneh as an inheritance.”

[14:14]  ⁴⁵¹ tn Heb “Therefore Hebron belongs to Caleb son of Jephunneh for an inheritance to this day.”

[14:15]  ⁴⁵³ tn Heb “And he was the great man among the Anakites.”

[15:1]  ⁴⁵⁵ tn Heb “The lot was to the tribe of the sons of Judah by their clans to the border of Edom, the wilderness of Zin toward the south, southward.”

[15:2]  ⁴⁵⁷ tn Heb “Their southern border was from the end of the Salt Sea, from the tongue that faces to the south.”

[15:3]  ⁴⁵⁹ tn Heb “went out.”

[15:3]  ⁴⁶⁰ tn Or “the Ascent of Scorpions” (עַקְרַבִּים [’aqrabbim] means “scorpions” in Hebrew).

[15:4]  ⁴⁶¹ tn Traditionally “the Brook of Egypt,” although a number of recent translations have “the Wadi of Egypt” (cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV).

[15:4]  ⁴⁶² tn The translation follows the LXX at this point. The MT reads, “This will be your southern border.”

[15:5]  ⁴⁶³ tn Heb “end.”

[15:5]  ⁴⁶⁴ tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied for clarity.

[15:5]  ⁴⁶⁵ tn Heb “the border on the northern side was from the tongue of the sea, from the end of the Jordan.”

[15:7]  ⁴⁶⁵ tn Or “ascent.”

[15:8]  ⁴⁶⁷ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[15:12]  ⁴⁶⁹ tn Heb “the Great Sea,” the typical designation for the Mediterranean Sea.

[15:12]  ⁴⁷⁰ tn Heb “this was the border of the sons of Judah round about, by their clans.”

[15:13]  ⁴⁷¹ tn Heb “To Caleb son of Jephunneh he gave a portion in the midst of the sons of Judah according to the mouth [i.e., command] of the Lord to Joshua, Kiriath Arba (the father of Anak), it is Hebron.”

[15:14]  ⁴⁷³ tn Or “dispossessed.”

[15:15]  ⁴⁷⁵ tn Heb “he went up against the inhabitants of Debir.”

[15:17]  ⁴⁷⁷ tn “Caleb’s brother” may refer either to Othniel or to Kenaz. If Kenaz was the brother of Caleb, Othniel is Caleb’s nephew.

[15:17]  ⁴⁷⁸ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Caleb) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[15:18]  ⁴⁷⁹ tn Heb “she”; the referent (Acsah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[15:18]  ⁴⁸⁰ tn Heb “him.” The referent of the pronoun could be Othniel, in which case the translation would be, “she incited him [Othniel] to ask her father for a field.” This is problematic, however, for Acsah, not Othniel, makes the request in v. 19. The LXX has “he [Othniel] urged her to ask her father for a field.” This appears to be an attempt to reconcile the apparent inconsistency and probably does not reflect the original text. If Caleb is understood as the referent of the pronoun, the problem disappears. For a fuller discussion of the issue, see P. G. Mosca, “Who Seduced Whom? A Note on Joshua 15:18//Judges 1:14,” CBQ 46 (1984): 18-22. This incident is also recorded in Judg 1:14.

[15:19]  ⁴⁸¹ tn Elsewhere this Hebrew word (בְּרָכָה, bÿrakhah) is often translated “blessing,” but here it refers to a gift (as in Gen 33:11; 1 Sam 25:27; 30:26; and 2 Kgs 5:15).

[15:20]  ⁴⁸³ tn Heb “This is the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Judah by their clans.”

[15:21]  ⁴⁸⁵ tn Heb “and the cities were at the end of the tribe of the sons of Judah, at the border of Edom, to the south.”

[15:23]  ⁴⁸⁷ map For location see Map1 D2; Map2 D3; Map3 A2; Map4 C1.

[15:32]  ⁴⁸⁹ tn The total number of names in the list is thirty-six, not twenty-nine. Perhaps (1) some of the names are alternatives (though the text appears to delineate clearly such alternative names here and elsewhere, see vv. 8, 9, 10, 13, 25b) or (2), more likely, later scribes added to a list originally numbering twenty-nine and failed to harmonize the concluding summary statement with the expanded list.

[15:33]  ⁴⁹¹ tn The words “these cities were” have been supplied for English stylistic reasons.

[15:33]  ⁴⁹² tn Or “the foothills”; Heb “the Shephelah.”

[15:45]  ⁴⁹³ tn Heb “daughters.”

[15:47]  ⁴⁹⁵ tn See the note on this place name in 15:4.

[15:47]  ⁴⁹⁶ tn Heb “the Great Sea,” the typical designation for the Mediterranean Sea.

[15:48]  ⁴⁹⁷ tn The words “These cities were” have been supplied in the translation for English stylistic reasons.

[15:52]  ⁴⁹⁹ tc Some Hebrew mss and some mss of the LXX read “Rumah” in place of “Dumah.”

[15:61]  ⁵⁰¹ tn The words “These cities were” have been supplied for English stylistic reasons.

[15:63]  ⁵⁰³ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[15:63]  ⁵⁰⁴ sn The statement to this very day reflects the perspective of the author, who must have written prior to David’s conquest of the Jebusites (see 2 Sam 5:6-7).

[16:1]  ⁵⁰⁵ map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.

[16:1]  ⁵⁰⁶ tn Heb “The lot went out to the sons of Joseph from the Jordan [at] Jericho to the waters of Jericho to the east, the desert going up from Jericho into the hill country of Bethel.”

[16:2]  ⁵⁰⁷ tn Heb “it”; the referent (the southern border) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:2]  ⁵⁰⁸ tn In the Hebrew text the place name “Luz” has the directive ending, indicating that the border went from Bethel to Luz. Elsewhere Luz and Bethel appear to be names for the same site (cf. Judg 1:23), but here they appear to be distinct. Note that the NIV translates “from Bethel (that is, Luz)” here, following the reading of the LXX, εἰς Βαιθηλ Λουζα (eis Baiqhl Louza, “from Bethel [Luz]”).

[16:4]  ⁵⁰⁹ tn Or “received their inheritance.”

[16:5]  ⁵¹¹ tn Heb “The territory of the sons of Ephraim was for their clans.”

[16:7]  ⁵¹³ map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.

[16:7]  ⁵¹⁴ tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[16:8]  ⁵¹⁵ tn Heb “This is the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Ephraim.”

[16:9]  ⁵¹⁷ tn Heb “and the cities set apart for the sons of Ephraim in the midst of the inheritance of the sons of Manasseh, all the cities and their towns.”

[16:10]  ⁵¹⁹ tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Ephraimites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[17:1]  ⁵²¹ tn Heb “and the lot belonged to the tribe of Manasseh, for he was the firstborn of Joseph.”

[17:1]  ⁵²² tn Heb “to Makir, the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead, for he was a man of war.”

[17:1]  ⁵²³ tn Heb “Gilead and Bashan belonged to him.”

[17:2]  ⁵²³ tn Heb “and it belonged to the sons of Manasseh who remained.”

[17:4]  ⁵²⁵ tn Heb “The Lord commanded Moses to assign to us an inheritance in the midst of our brothers.” Since Zelophehad had no sons, “brothers” must refer to their uncles, as the next sentence makes clear.

[17:4]  ⁵²⁶ tn Heb “he.” The referent is probably Joshua, although Eleazar is mentioned first in the preceding list.

[17:4]  ⁵²⁷ tn Heb “and he assigned to them in accordance with the mouth [i.e., command] of the Lord an inheritance in the midst of the brothers of their father.”

[17:5]  ⁵²⁷ tn Heb “and the allotted portions of Manasseh fell out ten.”

[17:7]  ⁵²⁹ tn Heb “was.”

[17:7]  ⁵³⁰ tn Heb “in front of”; perhaps “east of.”

[17:9]  ⁵³¹ tn Heb “these cities belonged to Ephraim in the midst of the cities of Manasseh.”

[17:10]  ⁵³³ tn Heb “his”; the referent (Manasseh) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[17:10]  ⁵³⁴ tn Heb “they”; the referent (their territory) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[17:11]  ⁵³⁵ map For location see Map1 D4; Map2 C1; Map4 C2; Map5 F2; Map7 B1.

[17:11]  ⁵³⁶ tn Or “the third [is] Napheth”; or “Napheth-dor.” The meaning of the Hebrew phrase is uncertain.

[17:11]  ⁵³⁷ tn Heb “Beth Shean and its surrounding towns, Ibleam and its surrounding towns, the residents of Dor and its surrounding towns, the residents of En Dor and its surrounding towns, the residents of Taanach and its surrounding towns, the residents of Megiddo and its surrounding towns, three of Nepheth.”

[17:12]  ⁵³⁷ tn Heb “sons”; “men” has been used in the translation because the context involves the conquest of cities; therefore, warriors (hence males) would be in view here.

[17:12]  ⁵³⁸ tn Or “were determined.”

[17:13]  ⁵³⁹ sn On the Israelites’ failure to conquer the Canaanites completely, see Judg 1:27-28.

[17:14]  ⁵⁴¹ tn Heb “Why have you given me as an inheritance one lot and one portion, though I am a great people until [the time] which, until now the Lord has blessed me?” The construction עַד אֲשֶׁר־עַד־כֹּה (’ad-’asher-’ad-koh, “until [the time] which, until now”) is extremely awkward. An emendation of the first עַד (’ad) to עַל (’al) yields a more likely reading: “for until now” (see HALOT 2:787).

[17:15]  ⁵⁴³ tn Heb “If you are a great people.”

[17:16]  ⁵⁴⁵ tn The Hebrew text has simply “the hill country,” which must here include the hill country of Ephraim and the forest regions mentioned in v. 15.

[17:16]  ⁵⁴⁶ tn Heb “and there are iron chariots among all the Canaanites who live in the land of the valley, to those who are in Beth Shean and its daughters and to those who are in the Valley of Jezreel.” Regarding the translation “chariots with iron-rimmed wheels” see Y. Yadin, The Art of Warfare in Biblical Lands, 255 and R. Drews, “The ‘Chariots of Iron’ of Joshua and Judges,” JSOT 45 (1989): 15-23.

[17:17]  ⁵⁴⁷ tn Heb “house.”

[17:18]  ⁵⁴⁹ tn The Hebrew text has simply “the hill country,” which must here include the hill country of Ephraim and the forest regions mentioned in v. 15.

[17:18]  ⁵⁵⁰ tn Heb “and its limits will be yours.”

[18:1]  ⁵⁵¹ tn Heb “the tent of assembly.”

[18:1]  ⁵⁵² tn Heb “and the land was subdued before them.”

[18:2]  ⁵⁵³ tn Heb “there were left among the sons of Israel who had not divided up their inheritance seven tribes.”

[18:3]  ⁵⁵⁵ tn Heb “How long are you putting off entering and possessing.”

[18:3]  ⁵⁵⁶ tn Or “fathers.”

[18:4]  ⁵⁵⁷ tn Heb “I will send them so they may arise and walk about in the land and describe it in writing according to their inheritance and come to me.”

[18:5]  ⁵⁵⁹ tn Heb “portions.”

[18:5]  ⁵⁶⁰ tn Heb “stand.”

[18:5]  ⁵⁶¹ tn Heb “the house.”

[18:7]  ⁵⁶¹ tn Or “the priesthood of the Lord.”

[18:7]  ⁵⁶² tn Or “inheritance.”

[18:9]  ⁵⁶³ tn Heb “went and passed through.”

[18:11]  ⁵⁶⁵ tn Heb “and the lot came up for the tribe of the sons of Benjamin.”

[18:11]  ⁵⁶⁶ tn Heb “and the territory of their allotment went out between the sons of Judah and the sons of Joseph.”

[18:12]  ⁵⁶⁷ map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.

[18:13]  ⁵⁶⁹ map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.

[18:14]  ⁵⁷¹ tn Heb “sons,” here referring to the tribe.

[18:14]  ⁵⁷² tn Or “side.”

[18:17]  ⁵⁷³ tn Or “ascent.”

[18:19]  ⁵⁷⁵ sn The Salt Sea is another name for the Dead Sea.

[18:19]  ⁵⁷⁶ tn Heb “to the tongue of the Salt Sea to the north, to the end of the Jordan to the south.” The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity (also in the following verse).

[18:20]  ⁵⁷⁷ tn Heb “This was the inheritance of the sons of Benjamin by its borders round about, by their clans.”

[18:21]  ⁵⁷⁹ tn Heb “the sons,” here referring to the tribe.

[18:21]  ⁵⁸⁰ map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.

[18:22]  ⁵⁸¹ map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.

[18:28]  ⁵⁸³ tn The word “city” is supplied in the translation for clarification.

[18:28]  ⁵⁸⁴ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[18:28]  ⁵⁸⁵ tn The structure of this list presents problems. In v. 28 no conjunction appears before “Haeleph” or “Kiriath” in the Hebrew text. This suggests they should be compounded with the preceding names, yielding “Zelah Haeleph” and “Gibeah Kiriath” respectively. This results in a list of only twelve cities, however, while the summary statement (v. 28) gives the number fourteen. One should note, however, that the city lists in chap. 15 do not consistently use the conjunction before the name of each city. See also Josh 19:7, where no conjunction appears before “Rimmon,” but the summary assumes that Ain and Rimmon are distinct.

[18:28]  ⁵⁸⁶ tn Heb “This is the inheritance of the sons of Benjamin.”

[19:1]  ⁵⁸⁵ tn Heb “and the second lot came out for Simeon, for the tribe of the sons of Simeon by their clans.”

[19:2]  ⁵⁸⁷ tn Heb “and they had in their inheritance.”

[19:2]  ⁵⁸⁸ 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).

[19:8]  ⁵⁸⁹ tn Heb “this was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Simeon.”

[19:9]  ⁵⁹¹ 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.”

[19:10]  ⁵⁹³ tn Heb “and the third lot came up for the sons of Zebulun.”

[19:10]  ⁵⁹⁴ tn Or “inheritance.”

[19:11]  ⁵⁹⁵ tn Heb “in front of”; perhaps “east of.”

[19:12]  ⁵⁹⁷ tn Heb “eastward toward the rising of the sun.”

[19:15]  ⁵⁹⁹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.

[19:15]  ⁶⁰⁰ 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.

[19:16]  ⁶⁰¹ tn Heb “this is the inheritance of the sons of Zebulun.”

[19:17]  ⁶⁰³ tn Heb “the fourth lot came out for the sons of Issachar.”

[19:18]  ⁶⁰⁵ tn Or “their inheritance.”

[19:23]  ⁶⁰⁷ tn Heb “this was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Issachar.”

[19:24]  ⁶⁰⁹ tn Heb “and the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the sons of Asher.”

[19:27]  ⁶¹¹ tn Heb “left.”

[19:28]  ⁶¹³ tc Some Hebrew mss read “Abdon.”

[19:28]  ⁶¹⁴ map For location see Map1 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.

[19:29]  ⁶¹⁵ map For location see Map1 A2; Map2 G2; Map4 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.

[19:30]  ⁶¹⁷ tn The words “in all they had” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[19:31]  ⁶¹⁹ tn Heb “this was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Asher.”

[19:32]  ⁶²¹ tn Heb “the sixth lot came out for the sons of Naphtali, for the sons of Naphtali.”

[19:33]  ⁶²³ tn Heb “and their border was from Heleph, from the oak of Zaanannim, and Adami Nekeb, and Jabneel to Lakkum.”

[19:33]  ⁶²⁴ tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied for clarity.

[19:34]  ⁶²⁵ 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.

[19:36]  ⁶²⁷ map For location see Map1 D2; Map2 D3; Map3 A2; Map4 C1.

[19:38]  ⁶²⁹ sn Instead of Yiron some English translations read Iron.

[19:38]  ⁶³⁰ tn The words “in all they had” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[19:39]  ⁶³¹ tn Heb “this was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Naphtali.”

[19:40]  ⁶³³ tn Heb “the seventh lot came out for the sons of Dan.”

[19:47]  ⁶³⁵ tn Heb “the territory of the sons of Dan went out from them.”

[19:47]  ⁶³⁶ tn Heb “Leshem.” The pronoun (“it”) has replaced the name “Leshem” in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[19:47]  ⁶³⁷ tn Heb “according to the name of their father.”

[19:48]  ⁶³⁷ tn Heb “this was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Dan.”

[19:49]  ⁶³⁹ tn Heb “an inheritance in their midst.”

[19:51]  ⁶⁴¹ tn Heb “the leaders of the fathers of the tribes.”

[19:51]  ⁶⁴² tn Heb “at the entrance of the tent of assembly.”

[20:2]  ⁶⁴³ tn Heb “Say to the sons of Israel, ‘Set aside for yourselves.’”

[20:2]  ⁶⁴⁴ tn Or “asylum.”

[20:3]  ⁶⁴⁵ tn Heb “so that the one who kills, taking life accidentally without knowledge, may flee there.”

[20:4]  ⁶⁴⁷ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the one who accidentally kills another, cf. v. 2) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:4]  ⁶⁴⁸ tn Heb “and speak into the ears of the elders of that city his words.”

[20:4]  ⁶⁴⁹ tn Heb “and they should gather him into the city to themselves, give to him a place, and he will live with them.”

[20:5]  ⁶⁴⁹ tn Heb “for without knowledge he killed his neighbor, and he was not hating him prior to that.”

[20:6]  ⁶⁵¹ tn Or “live.”

[20:6]  ⁶⁵² tn Heb “until he stands before the assembly for judgment.”

[20:6]  ⁶⁵³ tn Heb “until the death of the high priest who is in those days.”

[20:6]  ⁶⁵⁴ tn Heb “may return and enter his city and his house, the city from which he escaped.”

[20:7]  ⁶⁵³ tn Heb “set apart.”

[20:8]  ⁶⁵⁵ map For the location of Jericho see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.

[20:8]  ⁶⁵⁶ tn Or “set aside.”

[20:9]  ⁶⁵⁷ tn The Hebrew text reads simply “the cities.” The words “for refuge” are supplied for clarification.

[20:9]  ⁶⁵⁸ tn Heb “and not die by the hand of.”

[20:9]  ⁶⁵⁹ tn Heb “until he stands before the assembly.” The words “at least” are supplied for clarification.

[21:4]  ⁶⁵⁹ tn Heb “came out for.”

[21:10]  ⁶⁶¹ tn Heb “and it belonged to the sons of Aaron, from the Kohathite clans, from the sons of Levi.”

[21:17]  ⁶⁶³ tn The words “they assigned” are supplied for clarification (also in vv. 23, 25).

[21:25]  ⁶⁶⁵ tn The name “Gath Rimmon” is problematic here, for it appears in the preceding list of Danite cities. The LXX reads “Iebatha”; 1 Chr 6:55 HT (6:70 ET) reads “Bileam.” Most modern translations retain the name “Gath Rimmon,” however.

[21:27]  ⁶⁶⁷ tn The words “they assigned” and “the following cities” are supplied for clarification (also in v. 34).

[21:36]  ⁶⁶⁹ tc 21:36-37 are accidentally omitted from a number of significant Hebrew mss. They are, however, found in some Hebrew mss, the LXX and Vulgate.

[21:41]  ⁶⁷¹ tn Heb “in the midst of the possession of the sons of Israel.”

[21:42]  ⁶⁷³ tn Heb “these cities were city [by] city, and its grazing areas [were] around it; so [it was] for all these cities.”

[21:43]  ⁶⁷⁵ tn Heb “which he had sworn to give to their fathers.”

[21:43]  ⁶⁷⁶ tn Or “possessed.”

[21:44]  ⁶⁷⁷ tn Heb “gave them rest all around.”

[21:44]  ⁶⁷⁸ tn Heb “according to all he swore to their fathers.”

[21:44]  ⁶⁷⁹ tn Heb “not a man stood from before them from all their enemies.”

[21:45]  ⁶⁷⁹ tn Heb “the house of Israel.” Cf. NCV “the Israelites”; TEV “the people of Israel”; CEV, NLT “Israel.”

[21:45]  ⁶⁸⁰ tn Heb “not a word from all the good word which the Lord spoke to the house of Israel fell; the whole came to pass.”