Numbers 34
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 34
Canaan’s Boundaries. 1 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Command the people of Israel and say to them, ‘When you come into the land of Canaan, this is the land that will fall to you as an inheritance: the land of Canaan to its borders.
3 “ ‘Your southern section will run from the Desert of Zin along the border of Edom. Your southern border will be along the eastern coast of the Salt Sea. 4 Your border in the south will extend from the Ascent of Akrabbim on to Zin, and then passing on the south of Kadesh-barnea on to Hazar-addar and Azmon. 5 From Azmon the border will stretch to the Wadi of Egypt,[a] ending where it enters the sea.
6 “ ‘Your western border will be the great sea. This will be your western border.
7 “ ‘Your northern border will run from the great sea to Mount Hor. 8 From Mount Hor it will run to the Pass of Hamath. The border will then run to Zedad. 9 The border will continue on to Ziphron and it will end at Hazar-enan. This will be your northern border.
10 “ ‘Your eastern border will run from Hazar-enan to Shepham. 11 The border will run down from Shepham to Riblah on the eastern side of Ain. The border will run down until it reaches the eastern shore of the Sea of Chinnereth.[b] 12 The border will run down along the Jordan until it enters the Salt Sea. This will be your land, with your borders on every side.’ ”
13 Moses commanded the people of Israel, saying, “This is the land that you will inherit by lot, as the Lord commanded. Give it to the nine and one-half tribes. 14 The tribe of the Reubenites, according to their ancestral tribe, has received their inheritance. The tribe of the Gadites, according to their ancestral tribe, as well as the half-tribe of Manasseh, have received their inheritance. 15 The two and one-half tribes have received their inheritance across the Jordan, opposite Jericho, to the east, toward the direction of sunrise.”
16 Appointed Leaders.[c] The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 17 “The names of the men who will divide the land for you are: Eleazar the priest and Joshua, the son of Nun. 18 You will choose one leader from each tribe to divide the land for inheritance. 19 These are the names of the men: from the tribe of Judah: Caleb, the son of Jephunneh; 20 from the tribe of Simeon: Samuel, the son of Ammihud; 21 from the tribe of Benjamin: Elidad, the son of Chislon; 22 from the tribe of Dan, a leader: Bukki, the son of Jogli; 23 from the tribe of Joseph, from the tribe of Manasseh, a leader: Hanniel, the son of Ephod; 24 from the tribe of Ephraim, a leader: Kemuel, the son of Shiphtan; 25 from the tribe of Zebulun, a leader: Elizaphan, the son of Parnach; 26 from the tribe of Issachar, a leader: Paltiel, the son of Azzan; 27 from the tribe of Asher, a leader: Ahihud, the son of Shelomi; 28 from the tribe of Naphtali, a leader: Pedahel, the son of Ammihud.” 29 These are the ones whom the Lord commanded to divide the inheritance of the people of Israel in the land of Canaan.
Footnotes
- Numbers 34:5 The Wadi of Egypt was the border between Egypt and Palestine. The sea is the Mediterranean.
- Numbers 34:11 Sea of Chinnereth: the Lake of Tiberias/Gennesaret, which a people of non-sailors might consider a “sea.” Also called the Sea of Galilee.
- Numbers 34:16 The new leaders would assist Joshua and Eleazar in the division of the land among the ten tribes entering Canaan.
