L’installation
The allotment for the tribe of Benjamin
The whole assembly of Israel gathers at Shiloh and sets up the tent of meeting. Joshua sends three men from each of the seven remaining tribes to map out the land into seven parts, then casts lots before the Lord. The lot falls first on the tribe of Benjamin, which receives its territory between Judah and the house of Joseph. The account describes the boundaries and lists the cities—twelve and fourteen—that belonged to the tribe, including Jericho and Jebus (Jerusalem).
Josué 18,1-28
1The whole congregation of the Israelites gathered at Shiloh and set up the tent of meeting there, and the land lay subdued before them.
וַיִּקָּ֨הֲל֜וּ כָּל־עֲדַ֤ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ שִׁלֹ֔ה וַיַּשְׁכִּ֥ינוּ שָׁ֖ם אֶת־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וְהָאָ֥רֶץ נִכְבְּשָׁ֖ה לִפְנֵיהֶֽם׃
2But seven tribes of Israel still remained without an allotted inheritance.
וַיִּוָּֽתְרוּ֙ בִּבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־חָלְק֖וּ אֶת־נֽ͏ַחֲלָתָ֑ם שִׁבְעָ֖ה שְׁבָטִֽים׃
3So Joshua said to the Israelites, "How long will you hold back from going in to take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, has given you?
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל עַד־אָ֙נָה֙ אַתֶּ֣ם מִתְרַפִּ֔ים לָבוֹא֙ לָרֶ֣שֶׁת אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר֙ נָתַ֣ן לָכֶ֔ם יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י אֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶֽם׃
4Choose three men from each tribe, and I will send them out to travel through the land and map it according to their inheritance; then let them come back to me.
הָב֥וּ לָכֶ֛ם שְׁלֹשָׁ֥ה אֲנָשִׁ֖ים לַשָּׁ֑בֶט וְאֶשְׁלָחֵ֗ם וְיָקֻ֜מוּ וְיִֽתְהַלְּכ֥וּ בָאָ֛רֶץ וְיִכְתְּב֥וּ אוֹתָ֛הּ לְפִ֥י נַֽחֲלָתָ֖ם וְיָבֹ֥אוּ אֵלָֽי׃
5They are to divide it into seven portions. Judah is to keep its territory in the south, and the house of Joseph its territory in the north.
וְהִֽתְחַלְּק֥וּ אֹתָ֖הּ לְשִׁבְעָ֣ה חֲלָקִ֑ים יְהוּדָ֞ה יַעֲמֹ֤ד עַל־גְּבוּלוֹ֙ מִנֶּ֔גֶב וּבֵ֥ית יוֹסֵ֛ף יַעַמְד֥וּ עַל־גְּבוּלָ֖ם מִצָּפֽוֹן׃
6You are to map out the land in seven portions and bring the record to me here, and I will cast lots for you here before the LORD our God.
וְאַתֶּ֞ם תִּכְתְּב֤וּ אֶת־הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ שִׁבְעָ֣ה חֲלָקִ֔ים וֽ͏ַהֲבֵאתֶ֥ם אֵלַ֖י הֵ֑נָּה וְיָרִ֨יתִי לָכֶ֤ם גּוֹרָל֙ פֹּ֔ה לִפְנֵ֖י יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃
7The Levites, however, have no portion among you, for the priesthood of the LORD is their inheritance. And Gad, Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh have already received their inheritance beyond the Jordan to the east, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave them."
כִּ֠י אֵֽין־חֵ֤לֶק לַלְוִיִּם֙ בְּקִרְבְּכֶ֔ם כִּֽי־כְהֻנַּ֥ת יְהוָ֖ה נַחֲלָת֑וֹ וְגָ֡ד וּרְאוּבֵ֡ן וַחֲצִי֩ שֵׁ֨בֶט הַֽמְנַשֶּׁ֜ה לָקְח֣וּ נַחֲלָתָ֗ם מֵעֵ֤בֶר לַיַּרְדֵּן֙ מִזְרָ֔חָה אֲשֶׁר֙ נָתַ֣ן לָהֶ֔ם מֹשֶׁ֖ה עֶ֥בֶד יְהוָֽה׃
8So the men set out on their way. Joshua charged those who went to map the land: "Go, travel through the land, map it, and return to me. Then I will cast lots for you here before the LORD at Shiloh."
וַיָּקֻ֥מוּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֖ים וַיֵּלֵ֑כוּ וַיְצַ֣ו יְהוֹשֻׁ֡עַ אֶת־הַהֹלְכִים֩ לִכְתֹּ֨ב אֶת־הָאָ֜רֶץ לֵאמֹ֗ר לְ֠כוּ וְהִתְהַלְּכ֨וּ בָאָ֜רֶץ וְכִתְב֤וּ אוֹתָהּ֙ וְשׁ֣וּבוּ אֵלַ֔י וּ֠פֹה אַשְׁלִ֨יךְ לָכֶ֥ם גּוֹרָ֛ל לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה בְּשִׁלֹֽה׃
9The men went and passed through the land, recording it in a scroll, town by town, in seven portions; then they returned to Joshua at the camp in Shiloh.
וַיֵּלְכ֤וּ הֽ͏ָאֲנָשִׁים֙ וַיַּעַבְר֣וּ בָאָ֔רֶץ וַיִּכְתְּב֧וּהָ לֶֽעָרִ֛ים לְשִׁבְעָ֥ה חֲלָקִ֖ים עַל־סֵ֑פֶר וַיָּבֹ֧אוּ אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַ אֶל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֖ה שִׁלֹֽה׃
10And Joshua cast lots for them at Shiloh before the LORD, and there he divided the land among the Israelites according to their divisions.
וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ֩ לָהֶ֨ם יְהוֹשֻׁ֧עַ גּוֹרָ֛ל בְּשִׁלֹ֖ה לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וַיְחַלֶּק־שָׁ֨ם יְהוֹשֻׁ֧עַ אֶת־הָאָ֛רֶץ לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל כְּמַחְלְקֹתָֽם׃ פ
11The lot came up for the tribe of Benjamin by its clans, and the territory allotted to them lay between the descendants of Judah and the descendants of Joseph.
וַיַּ֗עַל גּוֹרַ֛ל מַטֵּ֥ה בְנֵֽי־בִנְיָמִ֖ן לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם וַיֵּצֵא֙ גְּב֣וּל גּֽוֹרָלָ֔ם בֵּ֚ין בְּנֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה וּבֵ֖ין בְּנֵ֥י יוֹסֵֽף׃
12On the north side their boundary began at the Jordan, went up the slope north of Jericho, then up into the hill country westward, and came out at the wilderness of Beth Aven.
וַיְהִ֨י לָהֶ֧ם הַגְּב֛וּל לִפְאַ֥ת צָפ֖וֹנָה מִן־הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן וְעָלָ֣ה הַגְּבוּל֩ אֶל־כֶּ֨תֶף יְרִיח֜וֹ מִצָּפ֗וֹן וְעָלָ֤ה בָהָר֙ יָ֔מָּה *והיה **וְהָיוּ֙ תֹּֽצְאֹתָ֔יו מִדְבַּ֖רָה בֵּ֥ית אָֽוֶן׃
13From there the boundary passed on to Luz, to the southern slope of Luz—that is, Bethel—and went down to Ataroth Addar, on the mountain south of Lower Beth Horon.
וְעָבַר֩ מִשָּׁ֨ם הַגְּב֜וּל ל֗וּזָה אֶל־כֶּ֤תֶף ל֙וּזָה֙ נֶ֔גְבָּה הִ֖יא בֵּֽית־אֵ֑ל וְיָרַ֤ד הַגְּבוּל֙ עַטְר֣וֹת אַדָּ֔ר עַל־הָהָ֕ר אֲשֶׁ֛ר מִנֶּ֥גֶב לְבֵית־חֹר֖וֹן תַּחְתּֽוֹן׃
14On the west side the boundary turned and bent southward from the mountain facing Beth Horon on the south, and it came out at Kiriath Baal—that is, Kiriath Jearim—a town of Judah. This was the western side.
וְתָאַ֣ר הַגְּבוּל֩ וְנָסַ֨ב לִפְאַת־יָ֜ם נֶ֗גְבָּה מִן־הָהָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר עַל־פְּנֵ֥י בֵית־חֹרוֹן֮ נֶגְבָּה֒ *והיה **וְהָי֣וּ תֹֽצְאֹתָ֗יו אֶל־קִרְיַת־בַּ֙עַל֙ הִ֚יא קִרְיַ֣ת יְעָרִ֔ים עִ֖יר בְּנֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֑ה זֹ֖את פְּאַת־יָֽם׃
15The southern side began at the edge of Kiriath Jearim, and the boundary ran west and came out at the spring of the waters of Nephtoah.
וּפְאַת־נֶ֕גְבָּה מִקְצֵ֖ה קִרְיַ֣ת יְעָרִ֑ים וְיָצָ֤א הַגְּבוּל֙ יָ֔מָּה וְיָצָ֕א אֶל־מַעְיַ֖ן מֵ֥י נֶפְתּֽוֹחַ׃
16Then it went down to the foot of the mountain that faces the Valley of Ben Hinnom, at the north end of the Valley of Rephaim, and continued down the Valley of Hinnom along the southern slope of the Jebusite city, and on down to En Rogel.
וְיָרַ֨ד הַגְּב֜וּל אֶל־קְצֵ֣ה הָהָ֗ר אֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־פְּנֵי֙ גֵּ֣י בֶן־הִנֹּ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֛ר בְּעֵ֥מֶק רְפָאִ֖ים צָפ֑וֹנָה וְיָרַד֩ גֵּ֨י הִנֹּ֜ם אֶל־כֶּ֤תֶף הַיְבוּסִי֙ נֶ֔גְבָּה וְיָרַ֖ד עֵ֥ין רֹגֵֽל׃
17It bent northward and went out to En Shemesh, then on to Geliloth, which faces the Ascent of Adummim, and down to the Stone of Bohan son of Reuben.
וְתָאַ֣ר מִצָּפ֗וֹן וְיָצָא֙ עֵ֣ין שֶׁ֔מֶשׁ וְיָצָא֙ אֶל־גְּלִיל֔וֹת אֲשֶׁר־נֹ֖כַח מַעֲלֵ֣ה אֲדֻמִּ֑ים וְיָרַ֕ד אֶ֥בֶן בֹּ֖הַן בֶּן־רְאוּבֵֽן׃
18It passed along to the northern slope facing the Arabah and went down into the Arabah.
וְעָבַ֛ר אֶל־כֶּ֥תֶף מוּל־הֽ͏ָעֲרָבָ֖ה צָפ֑וֹנָה וְיָרַ֖ד הָעֲרָבָֽתָה׃
19Then the boundary passed along to the northern slope of Beth Hoglah and came out at the northern bay of the Salt Sea, at the southern end of the Jordan. This was the southern boundary.
וְעָבַ֨ר הַגְּב֜וּל אֶל־כֶּ֣תֶף בֵּית־חָגְלָה֮ צָפוֹנָה֒ *והיה **וְהָי֣וּ ׀ *תצאותיו **תֹּצְא֣וֹת הַגְּב֗וּל אֶל־לְשׁ֤וֹן יָם־הַמֶּ֙לַח֙ צָפ֔וֹנָה אֶל־קְצֵ֥ה הַיַּרְדֵּ֖ן נֶ֑גְבָּה זֶ֖ה גְּב֥וּל נֶֽגֶב׃
20The Jordan formed the boundary on the eastern side. This was the inheritance of the Benjaminites, with its boundaries on every side, according to their clans.
וְהַיַּרְדֵּ֥ן יִגְבֹּל־אֹת֖וֹ לִפְאַת־קֵ֑דְמָה זֹ֡את נַחֲלַת֩ בְּנֵ֨י בִנְיָמִ֧ן לִגְבֽוּלֹתֶ֛יהָ סָבִ֖יב לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָֽם׃
21The towns of the tribe of Benjamin, according to their clans, were: Jericho, Beth Hoglah, Emek Keziz,
וְהָי֣וּ הֽ͏ֶעָרִ֗ים לְמַטֵּ֛ה בְּנֵ֥י בִנְיָמִ֖ן לְמִשְׁפְּחֽוֹתֵיהֶ֑ם יְרִיח֥וֹ וּבֵית־חָגְלָ֖ה וְעֵ֥מֶק קְצִֽיץ׃
22Beth Arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel,
וּבֵ֧ית הֽ͏ָעֲרָבָ֛ה וּצְמָרַ֖יִם וּבֵֽית־אֵֽל׃
23Avvim, Parah, Ophrah,
וְהָעַוִּ֥ים וְהַפָּרָ֖ה וְעָפְרָֽה׃
24Kephar Ammoni, Ophni, and Geba—twelve towns with their villages;
וּכְפַ֧ר *העמני **הָֽעַמֹּנָ֛ה וְהָֽעָפְנִ֖י וָגָ֑בַע עָרִ֥ים שְׁתֵּים־עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽן׃
25Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth,
גִּבְע֥וֹן וְהָֽרָמָ֖ה וּבְאֵרֽוֹת׃
26Mizpeh, Kephirah, Mozah,
וְהַמִּצְפֶּ֥ה וְהַכְּפִירָ֖ה וְהַמֹּצָֽה׃
27Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah,
וְרֶ֥קֶם וְיִרְפְּאֵ֖ל וְתַרְאֲלָֽה׃
28Zelah, Haeleph, the Jebusite city—that is, Jerusalem—Gibeah, and Kiriath—fourteen towns with their villages. This was the inheritance of the Benjaminites according to their clans.
וְצֵלַ֡ע הָאֶ֜לֶף וְהַיְבוּסִ֨י הִ֤יא יְרֽוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ גִּבְעַ֣ת קִרְיַ֔ת עָרִ֥ים אַרְבַּֽע־עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה וְחַצְרֵיהֶ֑ן זֹ֛את נַֽחֲלַ֥ת בְּנֵֽי־בִנְיָמִ֖ן לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָֽם׃ פ