<p class="bodytext">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,<n id="1" />

I will drive out before the Israelites all who live in the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim,<n id="1" /> all the Sidonians; you be sure to parcel it out to Israel as I instructed you.&#8221;<n id="2" />

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.<n id="1" />

I was forty years old when Moses, the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s servant, sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy on the land and I brought back to him an honest report.<n id="1" />

That day Moses made this solemn promise:<n id="1" /> &#8216;Surely the land on which you walked<n id="2" /> will belong to you and your descendants permanently,<n id="3" /> for you remained loyal to the <sc>Lordsc> your God.&#8217;

So Hebron remains the assigned land of Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this very day<n id="1" /> because he remained loyal to the <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel.

It then went up the Valley of Ben Hinnom to the slope of the Jebusites on the south (that is, Jerusalem),<n id="1" /> 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.

They went before Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders and said, &#8220;The <sc>Lordsc> told Moses to assign us land among our relatives.&#8221;<n id="1" /> So Joshua<n id="2" /> assigned them land among their uncles, as the <sc>Lordsc> had commanded.<n id="3" />

<p class="bodytext">The descendants of Joseph said to Joshua, &#8220;Why have you assigned us only one tribal allotment? After all, we have many people, for until now the <sc>Lordsc> has enabled us to increase in number.&#8221;<n id="1" />

The descendants of Joseph said, &#8220;The whole hill country<n id="1" /> 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.&#8221;<n id="2" />

So Joshua said to the Israelites: &#8220;How long do you intend to put off occupying<n id="1" /> the land the <sc>Lordsc> God of your ancestors<n id="2" /> has given you?

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<n id="1" /> of Judah. This is the western border.<n id="2" />

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.

These were the cities of refuge<n id="1" /> 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<n id="2" /> the avenger of blood, at least until his case was reviewed by the assembly.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="bodytext">The first lot belonged to<n id="1" /> the Kohathite clans. The Levites who were descendants of Aaron the priest were allotted thirteen cities from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.

<p class="bodytext">They assigned to the Gershonite clans of the Levites the following cities:<n id="1" /> 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 &#8211; a total of two cities;

When Achan son of Zerah disobeyed the command about the city&#8217;s riches, the entire Israelite community was judged,<n id="1" /> though only one man had sinned. He most certainly died for his sin!&#8217;&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

Indeed, for forty years the Israelites traveled through the desert until all the men old enough to fight when they left Egypt, the ones who had disobeyed the <sc>Lordsc>, died off.<n id="1" /> For the <sc>Lordsc> had sworn a solemn oath to them that he would not let them see the land he had sworn on oath to give them,<n id="2" /> a land rich in<n id="3" /> milk and honey.

So now, look, the <sc>Lordsc> has preserved my life, just as he promised, these past forty-five years since the <sc>Lordsc> spoke these words to Moses, during which Israel traveled through the wilderness. Now look, I am today eighty-five years old.