21Then the leaders of the tribe of Levi came to consult with Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders of the other tribes of Israel.H5066H7218H1H3881H499H3548H3091H1121H5126H7218H1H4294H1121H3478 2They came to them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan and said, "The LORD commanded Moses to give us towns to live in and pasturelands for our livestock."H1696H7887H776H3667H559H3068H6680H3027H4872H5414H5892H3427H4054H929 3So by the command of the LORD the people of Israel gave the Levites the following towns and pasturelands out of their own grants of land.H1121H3478H5414H3881H5159H6310H3068H5892H4054 4The descendants of Aaron, who were members of the Kohathite clan within the tribe of Levi, were allotted thirteen towns that were originally assigned to the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.H1486H3318H4940H6956H1121H175H3548H3881H1486H4294H3063H4294H8099H4294H1144H7969H6240H5892 5The other families of the Kohathite clan were allotted ten towns from the tribes of Ephraim, Dan, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.H3498H1121H6955H1486H4940H4294H669H4294H1835H2677H4294H4519H6235H5892 6The clan of Gershon was allotted thirteen towns from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.H1121H1648H1486H4940H4294H3485H4294H836H4294H5321H2677H4294H4519H1316H7969H6240H5892 7The clan of Merari was allotted twelve towns from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.H1121H4847H4940H4294H7205H4294H1410H4294H2074H8147H6240H5892 8So the Israelites obeyed the LORD's command to Moses and assigned these towns and pasturelands to the Levites by casting sacred lots.H1121H3478H5414H1486H3881H5892H4054H3068H6680H3027H4872 9The Israelites gave the following towns from the tribes of Judah and SimeonH5414H4294H1121H3063H4294H1121H8095H5892H7121H8034 10to the descendants of Aaron, who were members of the Kohathite clan within the tribe of Levi, since the sacred lot fell to them first.H1121H175H4940H6956H1121H3878H7223H7223H1486 11Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), in the hill country of Judah, along with its surrounding pasturelands. (Arba was an ancestor of Anak.)H5414H7151H704H7153H1H6061H2275H2022H3063H4054H5439 12But the open fields beyond the town and the surrounding villages were given to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his possession.H7704H5892H2691H5414H3612H1121H3312H272 13The following towns with their pasturelands were given to the descendants of Aaron the priest: Hebron (a city of refuge for those who accidentally killed someone), Libnah,H5414H1121H175H3548H2275H4054H5892H4733H7523H3841H4054 14Jattir, Eshtemoa,H3492H4054H851H4054 15Holon, Debir,H2473H4054H1688H4054 16Ain, Juttah, and Beth-shemesh—nine towns from these two tribes.H5871H4054H3194H4054H1053H4054H8672H5892H8147H7626 17From the tribe of Benjamin the priests were given the following towns with their pasturelands: Gibeon, Geba,H4294H1144H1391H4054H1387H4054 18Anathoth, and Almon—four towns.H6068H4054H5960H4054H702H5892 19So in all, thirteen towns with their pasturelands were given to the priests, the descendants of Aaron.H5892H1121H175H3548H7969H6240H5892H4054 20The rest of the Kohathite clan from the tribe of Levi was allotted the following towns and pasturelands from the tribe of Ephraim.H4940H1121H6955H3881H3498H1121H6955H5892H1486H4294H669 21Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim (a city of refuge for those who accidentally killed someone), Gezer,H5414H7927H4054H2022H669H5892H4733H7523H1507H4054 22Kibzaim, and Beth-horon—four towns.H6911H4054H1032H4054H702H5892 23The following towns and pasturelands were allotted to the priests from the tribe of Dan: Eltekeh, Gibbethon,H4294H1835H514H4054H1405H4054 24Aijalon, and Gath-rimmon—four towns.H357H4054H1667H4054H702H5892 25The half-tribe of Manasseh allotted the following towns with their pasturelands to the priests: Taanach and Gath-rimmon—two towns.H4276H4294H4519H8590H4054H1667H4054H8147H5892 26So in all, ten towns with their pasturelands were given to the rest of the Kohathite clan.H5892H6235H4054H4940H1121H6955H3498 27The descendants of Gershon, another clan within the tribe of Levi, received the following towns with their pasturelands from the half-tribe of Manasseh: Golan in Bashan (a city of refuge for those who accidentally killed someone) and Be-eshterah—two towns.H1121H1648H4940H3881H2677H4294H4519H1474H1316H4054H5892H4733H7523H1203H4054H8147H5892 28From the tribe of Issachar they received the following towns with their pasturelands: Kishion, Daberath,H4294H3485H7191H4054H1705H4054 29Jarmuth, and En-gannim—four towns.H3412H4054H5873H4054H702H5892 30From the tribe of Asher they received the following towns with their pasturelands: Mishal, Abdon,H4294H836H4861H4054H5658H4054 31Helkath, and Rehob—four towns.H2520H4054H7340H4054H702H5892 32From the tribe of Naphtali they received the following towns with their pasturelands: Kedesh in Galilee (a city of refuge for those who accidentally killed someone), Hammoth-dor, and Kartan—three towns.H4294H5321H6943H1551H4054H5892H4733H7523H2576H4054H7178H4054H7969H5892 33So in all, thirteen towns with their pasturelands were allotted to the clan of Gershon.H5892H1649H4940H7969H6240H5892H4054 34The rest of the Levites—the Merari clan—were given the following towns with their pasturelands from the tribe of Zebulun: Jokneam, Kartah,H4940H1121H4847H3498H3881H4294H2074H3362H4054H7177H4054 35Dimnah, and Nahalal—four towns.H1829H4054H5096H4054H702H5892 36From the tribe of Reuben they received the following towns with their pasturelands: Bezer, Jahaz,H7205H1221H3096 37Kedemoth, and Mephaath—four towns.H6932H4158H702H5892 38From the tribe of Gad they received the following towns with their pasturelands: Ramoth in Gilead (a city of refuge for those who accidentally killed someone), Mahanaim,H4294H1410H7433H1568H4054H5892H4733H7523H4266H4054 39Heshbon, and Jazer—four towns.H2809H4054H3270H4054H702H5892 40So in all, twelve towns were allotted to the clan of Merari.H5892H1121H4847H4940H3498H4940H3881H1486H8147H6240H5892 41The total number of towns and pasturelands within Israelite territory given to the Levites came to forty-eight.H5892H3881H8432H272H1121H3478H705H8083H5892H4054 42Every one of these towns had pasturelands surrounding it.H5892H5892H5892H4054H5439H5892 43So the LORD gave to Israel all the land he had sworn to give their ancestors, and they took possession of it and settled there.H3068H5414H3478H776H7650H5414H1H3423H3427 44And the LORD gave them rest on every side, just as he had solemnly promised their ancestors. None of their enemies could stand against them, for the LORD helped them conquer all their enemies.H3068H5117H5439H7650H1H5975H376H341H6440H3068H5414H341H3027 45Not a single one of all the good promises the LORD had given to the family of Israel was left unfulfilled; everything he had spoken came true.H5307H1697H2896H1697H3068H1696H1004H3478H935
22Then Joshua called together the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.H3091H7121H7206H1425H2677H4294H4519 2He told them, "You have done as Moses, the servant of the LORD, commanded you, and you have obeyed every order I have given you.H559H8104H4872H5650H3068H6680H8085H6963H6680 3During all this time you have not deserted the other tribes. You have been careful to obey the commands of the LORD your God right up to the present day.H5800H251H7227H3117H3117H8104H4931H4687H3068H430 4And now the LORD your God has given the other tribes rest, as he promised them. So go back home to the land that Moses, the servant of the LORD, gave you as your possession on the east side of the Jordan River.H3068H430H5117H251H1696H6437H3212H168H776H272H4872H5650H3068H5414H5676H3383 5But be very careful to obey all the commands and the instructions that Moses gave to you. Love the LORD your God, walk in all his ways, obey his commands, hold firmly to him, and serve him with all your heart and all your soul."H3966H8104H6213H4687H8451H4872H5650H3068H6680H157H3068H430H3212H1870H8104H4687H1692H5647H3824H5315 6So Joshua blessed them and sent them away, and they went home.H3091H1288H7971H3212H168 7Moses had given the land of Bashan, east of the Jordan River, to the half-tribe of Manasseh. (The other half of the tribe was given land west of the Jordan.) As Joshua sent them away and blessed them,H2677H7626H4519H4872H5414H1316H2677H5414H3091H5973H251H5676H3383H3220H3091H7971H168H1288 8he said to them, "Go back to your homes with the great wealth you have taken from your enemies—the vast herds of livestock, the silver, gold, bronze, and iron, and the large supply of clothing. Share the plunder with your relatives."H559H559H7725H7227H5233H168H3966H7227H4735H3701H2091H5178H1270H3966H7235H8008H2505H7998H341H251 9So the men of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh left the rest of Israel at Shiloh in the land of Canaan. They started the journey back to their own land of Gilead, the territory that belonged to them according to the LORD's command through Moses.H1121H7205H1121H1410H2677H7626H4519H7725H3212H1121H3478H7887H776H3667H3212H776H1568H776H272H270H6310H3068H3027H4872 10But while they were still in Canaan, and when they came to a place called Geliloth near the Jordan River, the men of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh stopped to build a large and imposing altar.H935H1552H3383H776H3667H1121H7205H1121H1410H2677H7626H4519H1129H4196H3383H1419H4196H4758 11The rest of Israel heard that the people of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had built an altar at Geliloth at the edge of the land of Canaan, on the west side of the Jordan River.H1121H3478H8085H559H1121H7205H1121H1410H2677H7626H4519H1129H4196H4136H776H3667H1552H3383H5676H1121H3478 12So the whole community of Israel gathered at Shiloh and prepared to go to war against them.H1121H3478H8085H5712H1121H3478H6950H7887H5927H6635 13First, however, they sent a delegation led by Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, to talk with the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.H1121H3478H7971H1121H7205H1121H1410H2677H7626H4519H776H1568H6372H1121H499H3548 14In this delegation were ten leaders of Israel, one from each of the ten tribes, and each the head of his family within the clans of Israel.H6235H5387H259H259H5387H5387H1004H1H4294H3478H376H7218H1004H1H505H3478 15When they arrived in the land of Gilead, they said to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh,H935H1121H7205H1121H1410H2677H7626H4519H776H1568H1696H559 16"The whole community of the LORD demands to know why you are betraying the God of Israel. How could you turn away from the LORD and build an altar for yourselves in rebellion against him?H559H5712H3068H4604H4603H430H3478H7725H3117H310H3068H1129H4196H4775H3117H3068 17Was our sin at Peor not enough? To this day we are not fully cleansed of it, even after the plague that struck the entire community of the LORD.H5771H6465H4592H2891H3117H5063H5712H3068 18And yet today you are turning away from following the LORD. If you rebel against the LORD today, he will be angry with all of us tomorrow.H7725H3117H310H3068H4775H3117H3068H4279H7107H5712H3478 19"If you need the altar because the land you possess is defiled, then join us in the LORD's land, where the Tabernacle of the LORD is situated, and share our land with us. But do not rebel against the LORD or against us by building an altar other than the one true altar of the LORD our God.H389H776H272H2931H5674H776H272H3068H3068H4908H7931H270H8432H4775H3068H408H4775H1129H4196H1107H4196H3068H430 20Didn't divine anger fall on the entire community of Israel when Achan, a member of the clan of Zerah, sinned by stealing the things set apart for the LORD? He was not the only one who died because of his sin."H5912H1121H2226H4603H4604H2764H7110H1961H5712H3478H376H1478H259H5771 21Then the people of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered the heads of the clans of Israel.H1121H7205H1121H1410H2677H7626H4519H6030H1696H7218H505H3478 22"The LORD, the Mighty One, is God! The LORD, the Mighty One, is God! He knows the truth, and may Israel know it, too! We have not built the altar in treacherous rebellion against the LORD. If we have done so, do not spare our lives this day.H3068H410H430H3068H410H430H3045H3478H3045H4777H4604H3068H3467H3117 23If we have built an altar for ourselves to turn away from the LORD or to offer burnt offerings or grain offerings or peace offerings, may the LORD himself punish us.H1129H4196H7725H310H3068H5927H5930H4503H6213H8002H2077H3068H1245 24"The truth is, we have built this altar because we fear that in the future your descendants will say to ours, 'What right do you have to worship the LORD, the God of Israel?H6213H1674H1697H559H4279H1121H559H1121H559H3068H430H3478 25The LORD has placed the Jordan River as a barrier between our people and you people of Reuben and Gad. You have no claim to the LORD.' So your descendants may prevent our descendants from worshiping the LORD.H3068H5414H3383H1366H1121H7205H1121H1410H2506H3068H1121H7673H1121H7673H1115H3372H3068 26"So we decided to build the altar, not for burnt offerings or sacrifices,H559H6213H1129H4196H5930H2077 27but as a memorial. It will remind our descendants and your descendants that we, too, have the right to worship the LORD at his sanctuary with our burnt offerings, sacrifices, and peace offerings. Then your descendants will not be able to say to ours, 'You have no claim to the LORD.'H5707H1755H310H5647H5656H3068H6440H5930H2077H8002H1121H559H1121H4279H2506H3068 28"If they say this, our descendants can reply, 'Look at this copy of the LORD's altar that our ancestors made. It is not for burnt offerings or sacrifices; it is a reminder of the relationship both of us have with the LORD.'H559H559H1755H4279H559H7200H8403H4196H3068H1H6213H5930H2077H5707 29Far be it from us to rebel against the LORD or turn away from him by building our own altar for burnt offerings, grain offerings, or sacrifices. Only the altar of the LORD our God that stands in front of the Tabernacle may be used for that purpose."H2486H4775H3068H7725H3117H310H3068H1129H4196H5930H4503H2077H4196H3068H430H6440H4908 30When Phinehas the priest and the leaders of the community—the heads of the clans of Israel—heard this from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, they were satisfied.H6372H3548H5387H5712H7218H505H3478H8085H1697H1121H7205H1121H1410H1121H4519H1696H3190H5869 31Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, replied to them, "Today we know the LORD is among us because you have not committed this treachery against the LORD as we thought. Instead, you have rescued Israel from being destroyed by the hand of the LORD."H6372H1121H499H3548H559H1121H7205H1121H1410H1121H4519H3117H3045H3068H8432H4603H4604H3068H227H5337H1121H3478H3027H3068 32Then Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, and the other leaders left the tribes of Reuben and Gad in Gilead and returned to the land of Canaan to tell the Israelites what had happened.H6372H1121H499H3548H5387H7725H1121H7205H1121H1410H776H1568H776H3667H1121H3478H7725H1697H7725 33And all the Israelites were satisfied and praised God and spoke no more of war against Reuben and Gad.H1697H3190H5869H1121H3478H1121H3478H1288H430H559H5927H6635H7843H776H1121H7205H1410H3427 34The people of Reuben and Gad named the altar "Witness," for they said, "It is a witness between us and them that the LORD is our God, too."H1121H7205H1121H1410H7121H4196H5707H3068H430
Dublin, OH
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