Read the Modern Pastor’s Version

Joshua was old and advanced in years. The Lord spoke to him, saying, "You are old and advanced in years, and there remains much land yet to be possessed by your people.

This is the land that still needs to be conquered: all the regions of the Philistines and the Geshurites, stretching from Sihor near Egypt up to the borders of Ekron northward. The five territories ruled by the Philistines are those of the Gazathites, Ashdothites, Eshkalonites, Gittites, and Ekronites, as well as the Avites.

The land south of Canaan extends from the Sidonians to Aphek, encompassing all the territory of the Amorites. To the east lies the land of the Gebalites and all of Lebanon, up to Mount Hermon and into Hamath. The Lord promises to drive out the inhabitants of the hill country, from Lebanon down to Misrephoth-maim, as well as the Sidonians; He will give this land to Israel by lot, just as He commanded.

Divide this land among the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh. The Reubenites and Gadites have already received their inheritance on the other side of the Jordan River, given to them by Moses, the Lord's servant.

Their territory began at Aroer on the bank of the river Arnon and included all the cities in the plain up to Medeba. It stretched from Heshbon, the city of Sihon the Amorite king, all the way to the border with the children of Ammon. Gilead and the land of the Geshurites and Maachathites lay beyond Mount Hermon and Bashan as far as Salcah.

All the kingdom of Og in Bashan remained, a remnant of the giants that Moses had defeated. The Lord did not expel the Geshurites and the Maachathites; instead, they lived among the Israelites to this day.

The tribe of Levi received no inheritance except for their portion of the sacrifices offered to the Lord God of Israel by fire, as He promised. Instead, their inheritance was His presence among them.

Moses gave the Reubenites their land according to their families. Their territory started at Aroer on the river Arnon and included all the cities in the plain up to Medeba, including Heshbon and its cities Dibon, Bamoth-baal, and Beth-baal-meon.

Their territory also covered Jahaza, Kedemoth, Mephaath, Kirjathaim, Sibmah, Zarethshahar, Bethpeor, Ashdothpisgah, and Bethjeshimoth. This included all the cities in the plain as well as the kingdom of Sihon the Amorite king, which Moses had defeated along with Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba.

The border of the children of Reuben was along the Jordan River, defining their inheritance that included cities and villages distributed among their families. Moses gave the Gadites their land according to their families.

Their territory started at Jazer and covered all the cities in Gilead as well as half the land of the Ammonites up to Aroer before Rabbah. From Heshbon it went on to Ramath-mizpeh, Bethonim, Mahanaim, and Debir in the valley.

In the valley lay Betharam, Bethnimrah, Succoth, Zaphon, which completed the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon from Jordan up to the edge of the Sea of Chinnereth on the eastern side. The Gadites' inheritance included cities and villages given to them by Moses.

Moses gave an inheritance to the half-tribe of Manasseh according to their families. Their territory started at Mahanaim, covering all Bashan as well as the entire kingdom of Og king of Bashan. It included sixty towns in Bashan belonging to Jair, plus half of Gilead and Ashtaroth and Edrei.

These were the territories assigned by Moses to the tribes of Israel on the eastern side of the Jordan River near Jericho in Moab's plains. The tribe of Levi received no inheritance except for their portion of the sacrifices offered to the Lord God of Israel by fire, just as He said to them.