Study Desk

So Y'hoshua captured all that land, the hills, the Negev, all the land of Goshen, the Sh'felah, the ‘Aravah and the Isra'el hills and Sh'felah,

For it was Adonai who caused them to harden their hearts and come against Isra'el in battle, so that they would be utterly destroyed, so that they would not find favor but be destroyed, in keeping with the orders Adonai had given Moshe.

So now, divide this land as an inheritance for the nine tribes and the half-tribe of M'nasheh."

As Adonai had ordered Moshe, so the people of Isra'el did — they divided the land.

So Hevron became the inheritance of Kalev the son of Y'funeh the K'nizi, as it is to this day; because he followed Adonai the God of Isra'el completely.

‘Otni'el the son of K'naz, Kalev's brother, captured it; so he gave him ‘Akhsah his daughter as his wife.

She said to him: "Give me a blessing: since you gave me land in the Negev, also give me sources of water." So Kalev gave her the Upper Springs and the Lower Springs.

As for the Y'vusi, who lived in Yerushalayim, the descendants of Y'hudah could not drive them out; so the Y'vusi live with the descendants of Y'hudah in Yerushalayim to this day.

So the descendants of Yosef, M'nasheh and Efrayim took the inheritance.

They did not drive out the Kena‘ani living in Gezer, so the Kena‘ani live together with Efrayim to this day, having become slaves to do the heavy work.

So the lot was drawn for the other descendants of M'nasheh according to their families — for the descendants of Avi‘ezer, Helek, Asri'el, Sh'khem, Hefer and Sh'mida; these were the male descendants of M'nasheh according to their families.

Then the descendants of Yosef spoke to Y'hoshua; they said, "Why have you given me only one lot and only one portion to inherit? After all, I am a great people, since Adonai has blessed me so."

So the men got up and went. Y'hoshua gave them this commission as they left to describe the land: "Go; walk through the land; and describe it; then come back to me, and I will cast lots for you here before Adonai in Shiloh."

The inheritance of the descendants of Shim‘on was taken out of the allotment for the descendants of Y'hudah, because the portion given to the descendants of Y'hudah was too much for them, so the descendants of Shim‘on had an inheritance inside the descendants of Y'hudah.

The territory of the descendants of Dan was too small for them, so the descendants of Dan went up and fought against Leshem, captured it, defeated it by the sword, took possession of it and lived there, calling Leshem "Dan" after Dan their ancestor.

According to Adonai 's order they gave him the city he had asked for, Timnat-Serach in the hills of Efrayim; so he built up the city and lived in it.

so that anyone who kills someone by mistake and unknowingly may escape there; they will serve as refuges for you from the next-of-kin avenger.

He is to flee to one of those cities, stand at the entrance to the city gate and state his cause to the city leaders. Then they will bring him into the city with them and give him a place, so that he may live among them.

So he will live in that city until he stands trial before the community, until the death of the cohen hagadol who is in office at the time. When that time comes, the killer may return to his own city and his own house, to the city from which he fled.'"

So they set apart Kedesh in the Galil, in the hills of Naftali; Sh'khem in the hills of Efrayim; and Kiryat-Arba (that is, Hevron) in the hills of Y'hudah.