Joshua 15:1-8

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. ¹  15:2 Their southern border started at the southern tip of the Salt Sea, ²  15:3 extended ³  south of the Scorpion Ascent, ⁴  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, ⁵  and ended at the sea. This was their ⁶  southern border.

15:5 The eastern border was the Salt Sea to the mouth ⁷  of the Jordan River. ⁸ 

The northern border started north of the Salt Sea at the mouth of the Jordan, ⁹  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 ¹⁰  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), ¹¹  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.

Joshua 16:1-10

Joseph’s Tribal Lands

16:1 The land allotted to Joseph’s descendants extended from the Jordan at Jericho ¹²  to the waters of Jericho to the east, through the desert and on up from Jericho into the hill country of Bethel. ¹³  16:2 The southern border ¹⁴  extended from Bethel to Luz, ¹⁵  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. ¹⁶  16:5 The territory of the tribe of Ephraim by its clans included the following: ¹⁷  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, ¹⁸  and extended to the Jordan River. ¹⁹  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 ²⁰  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. ²¹ 

16:10 The Ephraimites ²²  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.

Deuteronomy 10:1-22

The Opportunity to Begin Again

10:1 At that same time the Lord said to me, “Carve out for yourself two stone tablets like the first ones and come up the mountain to me; also make for yourself a wooden ark. ²³  10:2 I will write on the tablets the same words ²⁴  that were on the first tablets you broke, and you must put them into the ark.” 10:3 So I made an ark of acacia ²⁵  wood and carved out two stone tablets just like the first ones. Then I went up the mountain with the two tablets in my hands. 10:4 The Lord ²⁶  then wrote on the tablets the same words, ²⁷  the ten commandments, ²⁸  which he ²⁹  had spoken to you at the mountain from the middle of the fire at the time of that assembly, and he ³⁰  gave them to me. 10:5 Then I turned, went down the mountain, and placed the tablets into the ark I had made – they are still there, just as the Lord commanded me.

Conclusion of the Historical Resume

10:6 “During those days the Israelites traveled from Beeroth Bene-Yaaqan ³¹  to Moserah. ³²  There Aaron died and was buried, and his son Eleazar became priest in his place. 10:7 From there they traveled to Gudgodah, ³³  and from Gudgodah to Jotbathah, ³⁴  a place of flowing streams. 10:8 At that time the Lord set apart the tribe of Levi ³⁵  to carry the ark of the Lord’s covenant, to stand before the Lord to serve him, and to formulate blessings ³⁶  in his name, as they do to this very day. 10:9 Therefore Levi has no allotment or inheritance ³⁷  among his brothers; ³⁸  the Lord is his inheritance just as the Lord your God told him. 10:10 As for me, I stayed at the mountain as I did the first time, forty days and nights. The Lord listened to me that time as well and decided not to destroy you. 10:11 Then he ³⁹  said to me, “Get up, set out leading ⁴⁰  the people so they may go and possess ⁴¹  the land I promised to give to their ancestors.” ⁴² 

An Exhortation to Love Both God and People

10:12 Now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you except to revere him, ⁴³  to obey all his commandments, ⁴⁴  to love him, to serve him ⁴⁵  with all your mind and being, ⁴⁶  10:13 and to keep the Lord’s commandments and statutes that I am giving ⁴⁷  you today for your own good? 10:14 The heavens – indeed the highest heavens – belong to the Lord your God, as does the earth and everything in it. 10:15 However, only to your ancestors did he ⁴⁸  show his loving favor, ⁴⁹  and he chose you, their descendants, ⁵⁰  from all peoples – as is apparent today. 10:16 Therefore, cleanse ⁵¹  your heart and stop being so stubborn! ⁵²  10:17 For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awesome God who is unbiased and takes no bribe, 10:18 who justly treats ⁵³  the orphan and widow, and who loves resident foreigners, giving them food and clothing. 10:19 So you must love the resident foreigner because you were foreigners in the land of Egypt. 10:20 Revere the Lord your God, serve him, be loyal to him and take oaths only in his name. 10:21 He is the one you should praise; ⁵⁴  he is your God, the one who has done these great and awesome things for you that you have seen. 10:22 When your ancestors went down to Egypt, they numbered only seventy, but now the Lord your God has made you as numerous as the stars of the sky. ⁵⁵ 

Deuteronomy 13:12

Punishment of Community Idolatry

13:12 Suppose you should hear in one of your cities, which the Lord your God is giving you as a place to live, that

[15:1]  ¹ 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]  ² tn Heb “Their southern border was from the end of the Salt Sea, from the tongue that faces to the south.”

[15:3]  ³ tn Heb “went out.”

[15:3]  ⁴ tn Or “the Ascent of Scorpions” (עַקְרַבִּים [’aqrabbim] means “scorpions” in Hebrew).

[15:4]  ⁵ tn Traditionally “the Brook of Egypt,” although a number of recent translations have “the Wadi of Egypt” (cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV).

[15:4]  ⁶ tn The translation follows the LXX at this point. The MT reads, “This will be your southern border.”

[15:5]  ⁷ tn Heb “end.”

[15:5]  ⁸ tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied for clarity.

[15:5]  ⁹ tn Heb “the border on the northern side was from the tongue of the sea, from the end of the Jordan.”

[15:7]  ¹⁰ tn Or “ascent.”

[15:8]  ¹¹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[16:1]  ¹² map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.

[16:1]  ¹³ 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]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “it”; the referent (the southern border) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:2]  ¹⁵ 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]  ¹⁶ tn Or “received their inheritance.”

[16:5]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “The territory of the sons of Ephraim was for their clans.”

[16:7]  ¹⁸ map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.

[16:7]  ¹⁹ tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[16:8]  ²⁰ tn Heb “This is the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Ephraim.”

[16:9]  ²¹ 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]  ²² tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Ephraimites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:1]  ²³ tn Or “chest” (so NIV, CEV); NLT “sacred chest”; TEV “wooden box.” This chest was made of acacia wood; it is later known as the ark of the covenant.

[10:2]  ²⁴ sn The same words. The care with which the replacement copy must be made underscores the importance of verbal precision in relaying the Lord’s commandments.

[10:3]  ²⁵ sn Acacia wood (Heb “shittim wood”). This is wood from the acacia, the most common timber tree of the Sinai region. Most likely it is the species Acacia raddiana because this has the largest trunk. See F. N. Hepper, Illustrated Encyclopedia of Bible Plants, 63.

[10:4]  ²⁶ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:4]  ²⁷ tn Heb “according to the former writing.” See note on the phrase “the same words” in v. 2.

[10:4]  ²⁸ tn Heb “ten words.” The “Ten Commandments” are known in Hebrew as the “Ten Words,” which in Greek became the “Decalogue.”

[10:4]  ²⁹ tn Heb “the Lord.” The pronoun has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons to avoid redundancy.

[10:4]  ³⁰ tn Heb “the Lord.” See note on “he” earlier in this verse.

[10:6]  ³¹ sn Beeroth Bene-Yaaqan. This Hebrew name could be translated “the wells of Bene-Yaaqan” or “the wells of the sons of Yaaqan,” a site whose location cannot be determined (cf. Num 33:31-32; 1 Chr 1:42).

[10:6]  ³² sn Moserah. Since Aaron in other texts (Num 20:28; 33:38) is said to have died on Mount Hor, this must be the Arabah region in which Hor was located.

[10:7]  ³³ sn Gudgodah. This is probably the same as Haggidgad, which is also associated with Jotbathah (Num 33:33).

[10:7]  ³⁴ sn Jotbathah. This place, whose Hebrew name can be translated “place of wadis,” is possibly modern Ain Tabah, just north of Eilat, or Tabah, 6.5 mi (11 km) south of Eilat on the west shore of the Gulf of Aqaba.

[10:8]  ³⁵ sn The Lord set apart the tribe of Levi. This was not the initial commissioning of the tribe of Levi to this ministry (cf. Num 3:11-13; 8:12-26), but with Aaron’s death it seemed appropriate to Moses to reiterate Levi’s responsibilities. There is no reference in the Book of Numbers to this having been done, but the account of Eleazar’s succession to the priesthood there (Num 20:25-28) would provide a setting for this to have occurred.

[10:8]  ³⁶ sn To formulate blessings. The most famous example of this is the priestly “blessing formula” of Num 6:24-26.

[10:9]  ³⁷ sn Levi has no allotment or inheritance. As the priestly tribe, Levi would have no land allotment except for forty-eight towns set apart for their use (Num 35:1-8; Josh 21:1-42). But theirs was a far greater inheritance, for the Lord himself was their apportionment, that is, service to him would be their full-time and lifelong privilege (Num 18:20-24; Deut 18:2; Josh 13:33).

[10:9]  ³⁸ tn That is, among the other Israelite tribes.

[10:11]  ³⁹ tn Heb “the Lord.” See note on “he” in 10:4.

[10:11]  ⁴⁰ tn Heb “before” (so KJV, ASV); NAB, NRSV “at the head of.”

[10:11]  ⁴¹ tn After the imperative these subordinated jussive forms (with prefixed vav) indicate purpose or result.

[10:11]  ⁴² tn Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 15, 22).

[10:12]  ⁴³ tn Heb “the Lord your God.” See note on “he” in 10:4.

[10:12]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “to walk in all his ways” (so KJV, NIV, NRSV); NAB “follow his ways exactly”; NLT “to live according to his will.”

[10:12]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “the Lord your God.” See note on “he” in 10:4.

[10:12]  ⁴⁶ tn Heb “heart and soul” or “heart and being”; NCV “with your whole being.” See note on the word “being” in Deut 6:5.

[10:13]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “commanding” (so NASB, NRSV). For stylistic reasons, to avoid redundancy, “giving” has been used in the translation.

[10:15]  ⁴⁸ tn Heb “the Lord.” See note on “he” in 10:4.

[10:15]  ⁴⁹ tn Heb “take delight to love.” Here again the verb אָהַב (’ahav, “love”), juxtaposed with בָחַר (bakhar, “choose”), is a term in covenant contexts that describes the Lord’s initiative in calling the patriarchal ancestors to be the founders of a people special to him (cf. the note on the word “loved” in Deut 4:37).

[10:15]  ⁵⁰ tn The Hebrew text includes “after them,” but it is redundant in English style and has not been included in the translation.

[10:16]  ⁵¹ tn Heb “circumcise the foreskin of” (cf. KJV, ASV, NRSV). Reference to the Abrahamic covenant prompts Moses to recall the sign of that covenant, namely, physical circumcision (Gen 17:9-14). Just as that act signified total covenant obedience, so spiritual circumcision (cleansing of the heart) signifies more internally a commitment to be pliable and obedient to the will of God (cf. Deut 30:6; Jer 4:4; 9:26).

[10:16]  ⁵² tn Heb “your neck do not harden again.” See note on the word “stubborn” in Deut 9:6.

[10:18]  ⁵³ tn Or “who executes justice for” (so NAB, NRSV); NLT “gives justice to.”

[10:21]  ⁵⁴ tn Heb “your praise.” The pronoun is subjective and the noun “praise” is used here metonymically for the object of their praise (the Lord).

[10:22]  ⁵⁵ tn Or “heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heaven(s)” or “sky” depending on the context.