New International Version NIV
The Message Bible MSG
1 Now the family heads of the Levites approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the other tribal families of Israel
1
The ancestral heads of the Levites came to Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun and to the heads of the other tribes of the People of Israel.
2 at Shiloh in Canaan and said to them, “The LORD commanded through Moses that you give us towns to live in, with pasturelands for our livestock.”
2
This took place at Shiloh in the land of Canaan. They said, "God commanded through Moses that you give us cities to live in with access to pastures for our cattle."
3 So, as the LORD had commanded, the Israelites gave the Levites the following towns and pasturelands out of their own inheritance:
3
So the People of Israel, out of their own inheritance, gave the Levites, just as God commanded, the following cities and pastures:
4 The first lot came out for the Kohathites, according to their clans. The Levites who were descendants of Aaron the priest were allotted thirteen towns from the tribes of Judah, Simeon and Benjamin.
4
The lot came out for the families of the Kohathites this way: Levites descended from Aaron the priest received by lot thirteen cities out of the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.
5 The rest of Kohath’s descendants were allotted ten towns from the clans of the tribes of Ephraim, Dan and half of Manasseh.
5
The rest of the Kohathites received by lot ten cities from the families of the tribes of Ephraim, Dan, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.
6 The descendants of Gershon were allotted thirteen towns from the clans of the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.
6
The Gershonites received by lot thirteen cities from the families of the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.
7 The descendants of Merari, according to their clans, received twelve towns from the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Zebulun.
7
The families of the Merarites received twelve towns from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.
8 So the Israelites allotted to the Levites these towns and their pasturelands, as the LORD had commanded through Moses.
8
So the People of Israel gave these cities with their pastures to the Levites just as God had ordered through Moses, that is, by lot.
9 From the tribes of Judah and Simeon they allotted the following towns by name
9
They assigned from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin the following towns, here named individually
10 (these towns were assigned to the descendants of Aaron who were from the Kohathite clans of the Levites, because the first lot fell to them):
10
(these were for the descendants of Aaron who were from the families of the Kohathite branch of Levi because the first lot fell to them):
11 They gave them Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron), with its surrounding pastureland, in the hill country of Judah. (Arba was the forefather of Anak.)
11
Kiriath Arba (Arba was the ancestor of Anak), that is, Hebron, in the hills of Judah, with access to the pastures around it.
12 But the fields and villages around the city they had given to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his possession.
12
The fields of the city and its open lands they had already given to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his possession.
13 So to the descendants of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron (a city of refuge for one accused of murder), Libnah,
13
To the descendants of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron (the asylum-city for the unconvicted killers), Libnah,
14 Jattir, Eshtemoa,
14
Jattir, Eshtemoa
15 Holon, Debir,
15
, Holon, Debir
16 Ain, Juttah and Beth Shemesh, together with their pasturelands—nine towns from these two tribes.
16
, Ain, Juttah, and Beth Shemesh, all with their accompanying pastures - nine towns from these two tribes.
17 And from the tribe of Benjamin they gave them Gibeon, Geba,
17
And from the tribe of Benjamin: Gibeon, Geba,
18 Anathoth and Almon, together with their pasturelands—four towns.
18
Anathoth, and Almon, together with their pastures - four towns.
19 The total number of towns for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, came to thirteen, together with their pasturelands.
19
The total for the cities and pastures for the priests descended from Aaron came to thirteen.
20 The rest of the Kohathite clans of the Levites were allotted towns from the tribe of Ephraim:
20
The rest of the Kohathite families from the tribe of Levi were assigned their cities by lot from the tribe of Ephraim:
21 In the hill country of Ephraim they were given Shechem (a city of refuge for one accused of murder) and Gezer,
21
Shechem (the asylum-city for the unconvicted killer) in the hills of Ephraim, Gezer,
22 Kibzaim and Beth Horon, together with their pasturelands—four towns.
22
Kibzaim, and Beth Horon, with their pastures - four towns.
23 Also from the tribe of Dan they received Eltekeh, Gibbethon,
23
From the tribe of Dan they received Eltekeh, Gibbethon,
24 Aijalon and Gath Rimmon, together with their pasturelands—four towns.
24
Aijalon, and Gath Rimmon, all with their pastures - four towns.
25 From half the tribe of Manasseh they received Taanach and Gath Rimmon, together with their pasturelands—two towns.
25
And from the half-tribe of Manasseh they received Taanach and Gath Rimmon with their pastures - two towns.
26 All these ten towns and their pasturelands were given to the rest of the Kohathite clans.
26
All told, ten cities with their pastures went to the remaining Kohathite families.
27 The Levite clans of the Gershonites were given: from the half-tribe of Manasseh, Golan in Bashan (a city of refuge for one accused of murder) and Be Eshterah, together with their pasturelands—two towns;
27
The Gershonite families of the tribe of Levi were given from the half-tribe of Manasseh: Golan in Bashan (an asylum-city for the unconvicted killer), and Be Eshtarah, with their pastures - two cities.
28 from the tribe of Issachar, Kishion, Daberath,
28
And from the tribe of Issachar: Kishion, Daberath,
29 Jarmuth and En Gannim, together with their pasturelands—four towns;
29
Jarmuth, and En Gannim, with their pastures - four towns.
30 from the tribe of Asher, Mishal, Abdon,
30
From the tribe of Asher: Mishal, Abdon,
31 Helkath and Rehob, together with their pasturelands—four towns;
31
Helkath, and Rehob, with their pastures - four towns.
32 from the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee (a city of refuge for one accused of murder), Hammoth Dor and Kartan, together with their pasturelands—three towns.
32
From the tribe of Naphtali: Kedesh in Galilee (an asylum-city for the unconvicted killer), Hammoth Dor, and Kartan, with their pastures - three towns.
33 The total number of towns of the Gershonite clans came to thirteen, together with their pasturelands.
33
For the Gershonites and their families: thirteen towns with their pastures.
34 The Merarite clans (the rest of the Levites) were given: from the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam, Kartah,
34
The Merari families, the remaining Levites, were given from the tribe of Zebulun: Jokneam, Kartah,
35 Dimnah and Nahalal, together with their pasturelands—four towns;
35
Dimnah, and Nahalal, with their pastures - four cities.
36 from the tribe of Reuben, Bezer, Jahaz,
36
From the tribe of Reuben: Bezer, Jahaz,
37 Kedemoth and Mephaath, together with their pasturelands—four towns;
37
Kedemoth, and Mephaath, with their pastures - four towns.
38 from the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead (a city of refuge for one accused of murder), Mahanaim,
38
From the tribe of Gad: Ramoth in Gilead (an asylum-city for the unconvicted killer), Mahanaim,
39 Heshbon and Jazer, together with their pasturelands—four towns in all.
39
Heshbon, and Jazer, with their pastures - a total of four towns.
40 The total number of towns allotted to the Merarite clans, who were the rest of the Levites, came to twelve.
40
All these towns were assigned by lot to the Merarites, the remaining Levites - twelve towns.
41 The towns of the Levites in the territory held by the Israelites were forty-eight in all, together with their pasturelands.
41
The Levites held forty-eight towns with their accompanying pastures within the territory of the People of Israel.
42 Each of these towns had pasturelands surrounding it; this was true for all these towns.
42
Each of these towns had pastures surrounding it - this was the case for all these towns.
43 So the LORD gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their ancestors, and they took possession of it and settled there.
43
And so God gave Israel the entire land that he had solemnly vowed to give to their ancestors. They took possession of it and made themselves at home in it.
44 The LORD gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their ancestors. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the LORD gave all their enemies into their hands.
44
And God gave them rest on all sides, as he had also solemnly vowed to their ancestors. Not a single one of their enemies was able to stand up to them - God handed over all their enemies to them.
45 Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.
45
Not one word failed from all the good words God spoke to the house of Israel. Everything came out right.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
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.