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When Jabin king of Hazor heard this news, he sent a message to: Jobab king of Madon, the kings of Shimron and Achshaph,

and the kings of the north in the hill country, the Arabah south of Chinnereth,^(a) the Judean foothills,^[a] and the Slopes of Dor^[b] to the west,

the Canaanites in the east and west, the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, and Jebusites in the hill country, and the Hivites at the foot of Hermon in the land of Mizpah.^(b)

They went out with all their armies—a multitude as numerous as the sand on the seashore—along with a vast number of horses and chariots.

All these kings joined forces; they came together and camped at the waters of Merom to attack Israel.^(c)

The Lord said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid of them, for at this time tomorrow I will cause all of them to be killed before Israel.^(d) You are to hamstring their horses and burn up their chariots."^(e)

So Joshua and his whole military force surprised them at the waters of Merom and attacked them.

The Lord handed them over to Israel, and they struck them down, pursuing them as far as Great Sidon and Misrephoth-maim, and to the east as far as the Valley of Mizpeh.^[c](f) They struck them down, leaving no survivors.

Joshua treated them as the Lord had told him; he hamstrung their horses and burned up their chariots.

At that time Joshua turned back, captured Hazor, and struck down its king with the sword, because Hazor had formerly been the leader of all these kingdoms.

They struck down everyone in it with the sword, completely destroying^(g) them; he left no one alive. Then he burned down Hazor.

Joshua captured all these kings and their cities and struck them down with the sword. He completely destroyed them, as Moses the Lord 's servant^(h) had commanded.

However, Israel did not burn any of the cities that stood on their mounds except Hazor, which Joshua burned.

The Israelites plundered all the spoils and cattle of these cities for themselves. But they struck down every person with the sword until they had annihilated them, leaving no one alive.

Just as the Lord had commanded His servant Moses, Moses commanded Joshua. That is what Joshua did, leaving nothing undone of all that the Lord had commanded Moses.

So Joshua took all this land—the hill country, all the Negev, all the land of Goshen,⁽ⁱ⁾ the foothills,^[d] the Arabah, and the hill country of Israel with its foothills^[e]—

from Mount Halak,^(j) which ascends to Seir, as far as Baal-gad in the Valley of Lebanon at the foot of Mount Hermon. He captured all their kings and struck them down, putting them to death.^(k)

Joshua waged war with all these kings for a long time.

No city made peace with the Israelites except the Hivites who inhabited Gibeon;^(l) all of them were taken in battle.

For it was the Lord 's intention to harden their hearts, so that they would engage Israel in battle, be completely destroyed without mercy, and be annihilated, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

At that time Joshua proceeded to exterminate the Anakim^(m) from the hill country—Hebron, Debir, Anab—all the hill country of Judah and of Israel. Joshua completely destroyed them with their cities.

No Anakim were left in the land of the Israelites, except for some remaining in Gaza, Gath,⁽ⁿ⁾ and Ashdod.

So Joshua took the entire land, in keeping with all that the Lord had told Moses. Joshua then gave it as an inheritance to Israel according to their tribal allotments. After this, the land had rest from war.^(o)

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Joshua was now old, getting on in years,^(a) and the Lord said to him, "You have become old, getting on in years, but a great deal of the land remains to be possessed.^(b)

This is the land that remains: All the districts of the Philistines and the Geshurites:

from the Shihor east of Egypt to the border of Ekron on the north (considered to be Canaanite territory)—the five Philistine rulers of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron, as well as the Avvites

in the south; all the land of the Canaanites: from Arah of the Sidonians to Aphek and as far as the border of the Amorites;

the land of the Gebalites;^(c) and all Lebanon east from Baal-gad below Mount Hermon to the entrance of Hamath^[a](d)—

all the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephoth-maim,^(e) all the Sidonians. I will drive them out before the Israelites, only distribute the land as an inheritance for Israel, as I have commanded you.

Therefore, divide this land as an inheritance to the nine tribes and half the tribe of Manasseh."

With the other half of the tribe, the Reubenites and Gadites had received the inheritance Moses gave them beyond the Jordan to the east, just as Moses the Lord 's servant had given them:^(f)

From Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Valley, along with the city in the middle of the valley,^(g) all the Medeba plateau as far as Dibon,

and all the cities of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, to the border of the Ammonites;

also Gilead^(h) and the territory of the Geshurites and Maacathites, all Mount Hermon, and all Bashan to Salecah—

the whole kingdom of Og in Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth and Edrei; he was one of the remaining Rephaim. Moses struck them down and drove them out,⁽ⁱ⁾

but the Israelites did not drive out the Geshurites and Maacathites.^(j) So Geshur and Maacath live in Israel to this day.^(k)

He did not give any inheritance to the tribe of Levi. This was its inheritance, just as He had promised: the offerings made by fire to the Lord , the God of Israel.^(l)

To the tribe of the Reubenites by their clans, Moses gave

this as their territory: From Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Valley, along with the city in the middle of the valley, to the whole plateau as far as^[b] Medeba,

with Heshbon and all its cities on the plateau—Dibon, Bamoth-baal, Beth-baal-meon,

Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath,^(m)

Kiriathaim, Sibmah, Zereth-shahar on the hill in the valley,⁽ⁿ⁾

Beth-peor, the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth-jeshimoth—

all the cities of the plateau, and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon. Moses had killed him and the chiefs of Midian—Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba—the princes of Sihon who lived in the land.^(o)

Along with those the Israelites put to death, they also killed the diviner, Balaam son of Beor, with the sword.

The border of the Reubenites was the Jordan and its plain. This was the inheritance of the Reubenites by their clans, with the cities and their villages.

To the tribe of the Gadites by their clans, Moses gave

this as their territory: Jazer and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the Ammonites to Aroer, near Rabbah;

from Heshbon to Ramath-mizpeh and Betonim, and from Mahanaim to the border of Debir;^[c]

in the valley:^[d] Beth-haram, Beth-nimrah, Succoth, and Zaphon—the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon. Their land also included the Jordan and its territory as far as the edge of the Sea of Chinnereth^[e] on the east side of the Jordan.^[f]

This was the inheritance of the Gadites by their clans, with the cities and their villages.

And to half the tribe of Manasseh, that is, to half the tribe of Manasseh's descendants by their clans, Moses gave

this as their territory: From Mahanaim through all Bashan—all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, including all of Jair's Villages^[g](p) that are in Bashan—60 cities.

But half of Gilead, and Og's royal cities in Bashan—Ashtaroth and Edrei—are for the descendants of Machir son of Manasseh, that is, half the descendants of Machir by their clans.

These were the portions Moses gave them on the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan east of Jericho.

But Moses did not give a portion to the tribe of Levi. The Lord , the God of Israel, was their inheritance, just as He had promised them.^(q)

The Israelites received these portions that Eleazar the priest,^(a) Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the families of the Israelite tribes gave them in the land of Canaan.^(b)

Their inheritance was by lot^(c) as the Lord commanded through Moses for the nine and a half tribes,

because Moses had given the inheritance to the two and a half tribes beyond the Jordan.^[a] But he gave no inheritance among them to the Levites.

The descendants of Joseph became two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. No portion of the land was given to the Levites except cities to live in, along with pasturelands for their cattle and livestock.

So the Israelites did as the Lord commanded Moses,^(d) and they divided the land.

The descendants of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, "You know what the Lord promised Moses the man of God at Kadesh-barnea about you and me.^(e)

I was 40 years old when Moses the Lord 's servant sent me from Kadesh-barnea to scout the land, and I brought back an honest report.^(f)

My brothers who went with me caused the people's hearts to melt with fear, but I remained loyal to the Lord my God.^(g)

On that day Moses promised me: ‘The land where you have set foot will be an inheritance for you and your descendants forever, because you have remained loyal to the Lord my God.'^(h)

"As you see, the Lord has kept me alive these 45 years as He promised,⁽ⁱ⁾ since the Lord spoke this word to Moses while Israel was journeying in the wilderness. Here I am today, 85 years old.

I am still as strong today as I was the day Moses sent me out. My strength for battle and for daily tasks^[b] is now as it was then.^(j)

Now give me this hill country the Lord promised me on that day, because you heard then that the Anakim are there, as well as large fortified cities.^(k) Perhaps the Lord will be with me and I will drive them out as the Lord promised."

Then Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as an inheritance.^(l)

Therefore, Hebron belongs to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite as an inheritance to this day,^(m) because he remained loyal to the Lord , the God of Israel.

Hebron's name used to be Kiriath-arba; Arba was the greatest man among the Anakim.⁽ⁿ⁾ After this, the land had rest from war.

Now the allotment for the tribe of the descendants of Judah by their clans^(a) was in the southernmost region, south to the Wilderness of Zin and over to the border of Edom.

Their southern border began at the tip of the Dead Sea on the south bay^[a]

and went south of the Ascent of Akrabbim,^[b] proceeded to Zin, ascended to the south of Kadesh-barnea, passed Hezron, ascended to Addar, and turned to Karka.

It proceeded to Azmon and to the Brook of Egypt and so the border ended at the Mediterranean Sea. This is your^[c] southern border.

Now the eastern border was along the Dead Sea to the mouth of the Jordan.^[d] The border on the north side was from the bay of the sea at the mouth of the Jordan.

It ascended to Beth-hoglah, proceeded north of Beth-arabah, and ascended to the Stone of Bohan son of Reuben.

Then the border ascended to Debir from the Valley of Achor, turning north to the Gilgal that is opposite the Ascent of Adummim, which is south of the ravine. The border proceeded to the waters of En-shemesh and ended at En-rogel.

From there the border ascended the Valley of Hinnom to the southern Jebusite slope (that is, Jerusalem) and ascended to the top of the hill that faces the Valley of Hinnom on the west, at the northern end of the Valley of Rephaim.

From the top of the hill the border curved to the spring of the Waters of Nephtoah, went to the cities of Mount Ephron, and then curved to Baalah (that is, Kiriath-jearim^(b)).

The border turned westward from Baalah to Mount Seir, went to the northern slope of Mount Jearim (that is, Chesalon), descended to Beth-shemesh, and proceeded to Timnah.^(c)

Then the border reached to the slope north of Ekron, curved to Shikkeron, proceeded to Mount Baalah, went to Jabneel, and ended at the Mediterranean Sea.

Now the western border was the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea. This was the boundary of the descendants of Judah around their clans.

He gave Caleb son of Jephunneh the following portion among the descendants of Judah based on the Lord 's instruction to Joshua: Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron; Arba was the father of Anak).

Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak: Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, descendants of Anak.

From there he marched against the inhabitants of Debir whose name used to be Kiriath-sepher,^(d)

and Caleb said, "I will give my daughter Achsah as a wife to the one who strikes down and captures Kiriath-sepher."

So Othniel^(e) son of Caleb's brother, Kenaz, captured it, and Caleb gave his daughter Achsah to him as a wife.^(f)

When she arrived, she persuaded Othniel to ask her father for a field. As she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, "What do you want?"

She replied, "Give me a blessing. Since you have given me land in the Negev, give me the springs of water also." So he gave her the upper and lower springs.

This was the inheritance of the tribe of the descendants of Judah by their clans.

These were the outermost cities of the tribe of the descendants of Judah toward the border of Edom in the Negev: Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur,^(g)

Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah,

Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan,

Ziph, Telem, Bealoth,

Hazor-hadattah, Kerioth-hezron (that is, Hazor),

Amam, Shema, Moladah,

Hazar-gaddah, Heshmon, Beth-pelet,

Hazar-shual, Beer-sheba, Biziothiah,^(h)

Baalah, Iim, Ezem,

Eltolad, Chesil, Hormah,

Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah,⁽ⁱ⁾

Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon—29 cities in all, with their villages.

In the Judean foothills:^[e] Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah,

Zanoah, En-gannim, Tappuah,^[f] Enam,

Jarmuth, Adullam,^(j) Socoh,^[g] Azekah,

Shaaraim, Adithaim, Gederah, and Gederothaim—14 cities, with their villages;

Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal-gad,

Dilan, Mizpeh, Jokthe-el,

Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon,

Cabbon, Lahmam, Chitlish,

Gederoth, Beth-dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah—16 cities, with their villages;

Libnah, Ether, Ashan,

Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib,

Keilah, Achzib, and Mareshah—nine cities, with their villages;

Ekron, with its towns and villages;

from Ekron to the sea, all the cities near Ashdod, with their villages;

Ashdod, with its towns and villages; Gaza, with its towns and villages, to the Brook of Egypt and the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea.

In the hill country: Shamir, Jattir, Socoh,

Dannah, Kiriath-sannah (that is, Debir),

Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim,

Goshen, Holon, and Giloh—11 cities, with their villages;

Arab, Dumah,^[h] Eshan,

Janim, Beth-tappuah, Aphekah,

Humtah, Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), and Zior—nine cities, with their villages;

Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah,

Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah,

Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah—10 cities, with their villages;

Halhul, Beth-zur, Gedor,

Maarath, Beth-anoth, and Eltekon—six cities, with their villages;^[i]

Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim), and Rabbah—two cities, with their villages.

In the wilderness: Beth-arabah, Middin, Secacah,

Nibshan, the City of Salt,^[j] and En-gedi—six cities, with their villages.

But the descendants of Judah could not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem.^(k) So the Jebusites live in Jerusalem among the descendants of Judah to this day.^(l)