English Standard Version ESV
The Message Bible MSG
1 The second lot came out for Simeon, for the tribe of the people of Simeon, according to their clans, and their inheritance was in the midst of the inheritance of the people of Judah.
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The second lot went to Simeon for its clans. Their inheritance was within the territory of Judah.
2 And they had for their inheritance Beersheba, Sheba, Moladah,
2
In their inheritance they had: Beersheba (or Sheba), Moladah,
3 Hazar-shual, Balah, Ezem,
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Hazar Shual, Balah, Ezem,
4 Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah,
4
Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah,
5 Ziklag, Beth-marcaboth, Hazar-susah,
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Ziklag, Beth Marcaboth, Hazar Susah,
6 Beth-lebaoth, and Sharuhen—thirteen cities with their villages;
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Beth Lebaoth, and Sharuhen - thirteen towns and their villages.
7 Ain, Rimmon, Ether, and Ashan—four cities with their villages,
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Ain, Rimmon, Ether, and Ashan -
8 together with all the villages around these cities as far as Baalath-beer, Ramah of the Negeb. This was the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Simeon according to their clans.
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plus all the villages around these towns as far as Baalath Beer, the Ramah of the Negev.
9 The inheritance of the people of Simeon formed part of the territory of the people of Judah. Because the portion of the people of Judah was too large for them, the people of Simeon obtained an inheritance in the midst of their inheritance.
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The inheritance of Simeon came out of the share of Judah, because Judah's portion turned out to be more than they needed. That's how the people of Simeon came to get their lot from within Judah's portion.
10 The third lot came up for the people of Zebulun, according to their clans. And the territory of their inheritance reached as far as Sarid.
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The third lot went to Zebulun, clan by clan:
11 Then their boundary goes up westward and on to Mareal and touches Dabbesheth, then the brook that is east of Jokneam.
11
It ran west to Maralah, met Dabbesheth, and then went to the brook opposite Jokneam.
12 From Sarid it goes in the other direction eastward toward the sunrise to the boundary of Chisloth-tabor. From there it goes to Daberath, then up to Japhia.
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In the other direction from Sarid, the border ran east; it followed the sunrise to the border of Kisloth Tabor, on to Daberath and up to Japhia.
13 From there it passes along on the east toward the sunrise to Gath-hepher, to Eth-kazin, and going on to Rimmon it bends toward Neah,
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It continued east to Gath Hepher and Eth Kazin, came out at Rimmon, and turned toward Neah.
14 then on the north the boundary turns about to Hannathon, and it ends at the Valley of Iphtahel;
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There the border went around on the north to Hannathon and ran out into the Valley of Iphtah El.
15 and Kattath, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem—twelve cities with their villages.
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It included Kattath, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem - twelve cities with their villages.
16 This is the inheritance of the people of Zebulun, according to their clans—these cities with their villages.
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This is the inheritance of the people of Zebulun for their clans - these towns and their villages.
17 The fourth lot came out for Issachar, for the people of Issachar, according to their clans.
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The fourth lot went to Issachar, clan by clan.
18 Their territory included Jezreel, Chesulloth, Shunem,
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Their territory included: Jezreel, Kesulloth, Shunem,
19 Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath,
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Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath,
20 Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez,
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Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez,
21 Remeth, En-gannim, En-haddah, Beth-pazzez.
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Remeth, En Gannim, En Haddah, and Beth Pazzez.
22 The boundary also touches Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth-shemesh, and its boundary ends at the Jordan—sixteen cities with their villages.
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The boundary touched Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth Shemesh and ended at the Jordan - sixteen towns and their villages.
23 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Issachar, according to their clans—the cities with their villages.
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These towns with their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Issachar, clan by clan.
24 The fifth lot came out for the tribe of the people of Asher according to their clans.
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The fifth lot went to the tribe of Asher, clan by clan:
25 Their territory included Helkath, Hali, Beten, Achshaph,
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Their territory included Helkath, Hali, Beten, Acshaph,
26 Allammelech, Amad, and Mishal. On the west it touches Carmel and Shihor-libnath,
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Allammelech, Amad, and Mishal. The western border touched Carmel and Shihor Libnath,
27 then it turns eastward, it goes to Beth-dagon, and touches Zebulun and the Valley of Iphtahel northward to Beth-emek and Neiel. Then it continues in the north to Cabul,
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then turned east toward Beth Dagon, touched Zebulun and the Valley of Iphtah El, and went north to Beth Emek and Neiel, skirting Cabul on the left.
28 Ebron, Rehob, Hammon, Kanah, as far as Sidon the Great.
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It went on to Abdon, Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah, all the way to Greater Sidon.
29 Then the boundary turns to Ramah, reaching to the fortified city of Tyre. Then the boundary turns to Hosah, and it ends at the sea; Mahalab, Achzib,
29
The border circled back toward Ramah, extended to the fort city of Tyre, turned toward Hosah, and came out at the Sea in the region of Aczib,
30 Ummah, Aphek and Rehob—twenty-two cities with their villages.
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Ummah, Aphek, and Rehob - twenty-two towns and their villages.
31 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Asher according to their clans—these cities with their villages.
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These towns and villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Asher, clan by clan.
32 The sixth lot came out for the people of Naphtali, for the people of Naphtali, according to their clans.
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The sixth lot came to Naphtali and its clans.
33 And their boundary ran from Heleph, from the oak in Zaanannim, and Adami-nekeb, and Jabneel, as far as Lakkum, and it ended at the Jordan.
33
Their border ran from Heleph, from the oak at Zaanannim, passing Adami Nekeb and Jabneel to Lakkum and ending at the Jordan.
34 Then the boundary turns westward to Aznoth-tabor and goes from there to Hukkok, touching Zebulun at the south and Asher on the west and Judah on the east at the Jordan.
34
The border returned on the west at Aznoth Tabor and came out at Hukkok, meeting Zebulun on the south, Asher on the west, and the Jordan on the east.
35 The fortified cities are Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Chinnereth,
35
The fort cities were: Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Kinnereth,
36 Adamah, Ramah, Hazor,
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Adamah, Ramah, Hazor,
37 Kedesh, Edrei, En-hazor,
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Kedesh, Edrei, En Hazor,
38 Yiron, Migdal-el, Horem, Beth-anath, and Beth-shemesh—nineteen cities with their villages.
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ron, Migdal El, Horem, Beth Anath, and Beth Shemesh - nineteen towns and their villages.
39 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Naphtali according to their clans—the cities with their villages.
39
This is the inheritance of the tribe of Naphtali, the cities and their villages, clan by clan.
40 The seventh lot came out for the tribe of the people of Dan, according to their clans.
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The seventh lot fell to Dan.
41 And the territory of its inheritance included Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir-shemesh,
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The territory of their inheritance included: Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir Shemesh,
42 Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Ithlah,
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Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Ithlah,
43 Elon, Timnah, Ekron,
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Elon, Timnah, Ekron,
44 Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath,
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Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath,
45 Jehud, Bene-berak, Gath-rimmon,
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Jehud, Bene Berak, Gath Rimmon,
46 and Me-jarkon and Rakkon with the territory over against Joppa.
46
Me Jarkon, and Rakkon, with the region facing Joppa.
47 When the territory of the people of Dan was lost to them, the people of Dan went up and fought against Leshem, and after capturing it and striking it with the sword they took possession of it and settled in it, calling Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their ancestor.
47
But the people of Dan failed to get rid of the Westerners (Amorites), who pushed them back into the hills. The Westerners kept them out of the plain and they didn't have enough room. So the people of Dan marched up and attacked Leshem. They took it, killed the inhabitants, and settled in. They renamed it Leshem Dan after the name of Dan their ancestor.
48 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Dan, according to their clans—these cities with their villages.
48
This is the inheritance of the tribe of Dan, according to its clans, these towns with their villages.
49 When they had finished distributing the several territories of the land as inheritances, the people of Israel gave an inheritance among them to Joshua the son of Nun.
49
They completed the dividing of the land as inheritance and the setting of its boundaries. The People of Israel then gave an inheritance among them to Joshua son of Nun.
50 By command of the Lord they gave him the city that he asked, Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim. And he rebuilt the city and settled in it.
50
In obedience to God's word, they gave him the city which he had requested, Timnath Serah in the hill country of Ephraim. He rebuilt the city and settled there.
51 These are the inheritances that Eleazar the priest and Joshua the son of Nun and the heads of the fathers’ houses of the tribes of the people of Israel distributed by lot at Shiloh before the Lord, at the entrance of the tent of meeting. So they finished dividing the land.
51
These are the inheritances which Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun and the ancestral leaders assigned by lot to the tribes of Israel at Shiloh in the presence of God at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. They completed the dividing of the land.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.