Boundaries of the Promised Land

34 The Lord spoke to Moses, “Command the Israelites and say to them: When you enter the land of Canaan, it will be allotted to you as an inheritance[a] with these borders:

Your southern side will be from the Wilderness of Zin along the boundary of Edom. Your southern border on the east will begin at the east end of the Dead Sea. Your border will turn south of the Ascent of Akrabbim,[b] proceed to Zin, and end south of Kadesh-barnea. It will go to Hazar-addar and proceed to Azmon.(A) The border will turn from Azmon(B) to the Brook of Egypt,(C) where it will end at the Mediterranean Sea.

Your western border will be the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea; this will be your western border.

This will be your northern border: From the Mediterranean Sea draw a line to Mount Hor;[c](D) from Mount Hor draw a line to the entrance of Hamath,[d](E) and the border will reach Zedad.(F) Then the border will go to Ziphron and end at Hazar-enan.(G) This will be your northern border.

10 For your eastern border, draw a line from Hazar-enan to Shepham. 11 The border will go down from Shepham to Riblah east of Ain.(H) It will continue down and reach the eastern slope of the Sea of Chinnereth.[e](I) 12 Then the border will go down to the Jordan and end at the Dead Sea. This will be your land defined by its borders on all sides.”

13 So Moses commanded the Israelites, “This is the land you are to receive by lot as an inheritance, which the Lord commanded to be given to the nine and a half tribes. 14 For the tribe of the Reubenites and the tribe of the Gadites have received their inheritance according to their ancestral houses, and half the tribe of Manasseh has received its inheritance. 15 The two and a half tribes have received their inheritance(J) across the Jordan from Jericho, eastward toward the sunrise.”

Leaders for Distributing the Land

16 The Lord spoke to Moses, 17 “These are the names of the men who are to distribute the land as an inheritance for you: Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun. 18 Take one leader from each tribe to distribute the land. 19 These are the names of the men:

Caleb(K) son of Jephunneh from the tribe of Judah;
20 Shemuel son of Ammihud from the tribe of Simeon;
21 Elidad son of Chislon from the tribe of Benjamin;
22 Bukki son of Jogli, a leader from the tribe of Dan;
23 from the sons of Joseph:
Hanniel son of Ephod, a leader from the tribe of Manasseh,
24 Kemuel son of Shiphtan, a leader from the tribe of Ephraim;
25 Eli-zaphan son of Parnach, a leader from the tribe of Zebulun;
26 Paltiel son of Azzan, a leader from the tribe of Issachar;
27 Ahihud son of Shelomi, a leader from the tribe of Asher;
28 Pedahel son of Ammihud, a leader from the tribe of Naphtali.”

29 These are the ones the Lord commanded to distribute the inheritance to the Israelites in the land of Canaan.

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 34:2 Lit inheritance—the land of Canaan
  2. Numbers 34:4 Lit of Scorpions; Jos 15:3; Jdg 1:36
  3. Numbers 34:7 In Lebanon; Nm 20:22-28; 33:37-56
  4. Numbers 34:8 Or to Lebo-hamath
  5. Numbers 34:11 = the Sea of Galilee; Jos 12:3; 13:27; Lk 5:1

Boundaries of Canaan

34 The Lord said to Moses, “Command the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter Canaan,(A) the land that will be allotted to you as an inheritance(B) is to have these boundaries:(C)

“‘Your southern side will include some of the Desert of Zin(D) along the border of Edom. Your southern boundary will start in the east from the southern end of the Dead Sea,(E) cross south of Scorpion Pass,(F) continue on to Zin and go south of Kadesh Barnea.(G) Then it will go to Hazar Addar and over to Azmon,(H) where it will turn, join the Wadi of Egypt(I) and end at the Mediterranean Sea.

“‘Your western boundary will be the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.(J) This will be your boundary on the west.(K)

“‘For your northern boundary,(L) run a line from the Mediterranean Sea to Mount Hor(M) and from Mount Hor to Lebo Hamath.(N) Then the boundary will go to Zedad, continue to Ziphron and end at Hazar Enan. This will be your boundary on the north.

10 “‘For your eastern boundary,(O) run a line from Hazar Enan to Shepham. 11 The boundary will go down from Shepham to Riblah(P) on the east side of Ain(Q) and continue along the slopes east of the Sea of Galilee.[a](R) 12 Then the boundary will go down along the Jordan and end at the Dead Sea.

“‘This will be your land, with its boundaries on every side.’”

13 Moses commanded the Israelites: “Assign this land by lot(S) as an inheritance.(T) The Lord has ordered that it be given to the nine and a half tribes, 14 because the families of the tribe of Reuben, the tribe of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance.(U) 15 These two and a half tribes have received their inheritance east of the Jordan across from Jericho, toward the sunrise.”

16 The Lord said to Moses, 17 “These are the names of the men who are to assign the land for you as an inheritance: Eleazar the priest and Joshua(V) son of Nun. 18 And appoint one leader from each tribe to help(W) assign the land.(X) 19 These are their names:(Y)

Caleb(Z) son of Jephunneh,

from the tribe of Judah;(AA)

20 Shemuel son of Ammihud,

from the tribe of Simeon;(AB)

21 Elidad son of Kislon,

from the tribe of Benjamin;(AC)

22 Bukki son of Jogli,

the leader from the tribe of Dan;

23 Hanniel son of Ephod,

the leader from the tribe of Manasseh(AD) son of Joseph;

24 Kemuel son of Shiphtan,

the leader from the tribe of Ephraim(AE) son of Joseph;

25 Elizaphan son of Parnak,

the leader from the tribe of Zebulun;(AF)

26 Paltiel son of Azzan,

the leader from the tribe of Issachar;

27 Ahihud son of Shelomi,

the leader from the tribe of Asher;(AG)

28 Pedahel son of Ammihud,

the leader from the tribe of Naphtali.”

29 These are the men the Lord commanded to assign the inheritance to the Israelites in the land of Canaan.(AH)

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 34:11 Hebrew Kinnereth