The Bible (Old and New Testaments)

All the cities of the children of Aaron Priests, were thirteene cities with their suburbes.

But to the families of the children of Kohath of the Leuites, which were the rest of the children of Kohath (for the cities of their lot were out of the tribe of Ephraim)

They gaue them the citie of refuge for the slaier, Shechem with her suburbes in mount Ephraim, and Gezer with her suburbes,

And Kibzaim with her suburbs, and Bethhoron with her suburbes: foure cities.

And out of the tribe of Dan, Eltekeh with her suburbes, Gibethon with her suburbes,

Aiialon with her suburbes, Gath-rimmon with her suburbes: foure cities.

And out of the halfe tribe of Manasseh, Tanach with her suburbes, and Gath-rimmon with her suburbes: two cities.

All the cities for the other families of the children of Kohath were ten with their suburbes.

Also vnto the children of Gershon of the families of the Leuites, they gaue out of the halfe tribe of Manasseh, the citie of refuge for the slaier, Golan in Bashan with her suburbes, and Beeshterah with her suburbes: two cities.

And out of the tribe of Issachar, Kishon with her suburbes, Dabereh with her suburbes,

Iarmuth with her suburbes, En-gannim with her suburbes: foure cities.

And out of the tribe of Asher, Mishal with her suburbes, Abdon with her suburbes,

Helkah with her suburbs, and Rehob with her suburbes: foure cities.

And out of the tribe of Naphtali, the citie of refuge for the slaier, Kedesh in Galil with her suburbes, and Hammoth-dor with her suburbes, and Kartan with her suburbes: three cities.

Al the cities of the Gershonites according to their families, were thirteene cities with their suburbes.

Also vnto the families of the children of Merari the rest of the Leuites, they gaue out of the tribe of Zebulun, Iokneam with her suburbs, and Kartah with her suburbes,

Dimnah with her suburbes, Nahalal, with her suburbes: foure cities.

And out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer with her suburbs, and Iahazah with her suburbs,

Kedemoth with her suburbes, and Mephaath with her suburbes: foure cities.

And out of the tribe of Gad they gaue for a citie of refuge for the slaier, Ramoth in Gilead with her suburbes, and Mahanaim with her suburbes,

Heshbon with her suburbs, and Iazer with her suburbes: foure cities in all.

So all the cities of the children of Merari according to their families (which were the rest of the families of the Leuites) were by their lot, twelue cities.

And all the cities of the Leuites within the possession of the children of Israel, were eight and fourtie with their suburbes.

These cities lay euery one seuerallie with their suburbes round about them: so were all these cities.

So the Lord gaue vnto Israel all ye land, which hee had sworne to giue vnto their fathers: and they possessed it, and dwelt therein.

Then Ioshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the halfe tribe of Manasseh,

And sayd vnto them, Ye haue kept all that Moses the seruaunt of the Lord commanded you, and haue obeied my voice in all that I commanded you:

You haue not forsaken your brethren this long season vnto this day, but haue diligently kept the commandement of the Lord your God.

And nowe the Lord hath giuen rest vnto your brethren as he promised them: therefore nowe returne ye and goe to your tentes, to the land of your possession, which Moses the seruant of the Lord hath giuen you beyond Iorden.

But take diligent heede, to doe the commandement and Lawe, which Moses the seruant of the Lord commanded you: that is, that ye loue the Lord your God, and walke in all his wayes, and keepe his commandements, and cleaue vnto him, and serue him with all your heart and with all your soule.

So Ioshua blessed them and sent them away, and they went vnto their tents.

Nowe vnto one halfe of the tribe of Manasseh Moses had giuen a possession in Bashan: and vnto the other halfe thereof gaue Ioshua among their brethren on this side Iorden Westwarde: therefore when Ioshua sent them away vnto their tents, and blessed them,

Thus he spake vnto them, saying, Returne with much riches vnto your tents, and with a great multitude of cattell, with siluer and with golde, with brasse and with yron, and with great abundance of rayment: deuide the spoyle of your enemies with your brethren.

So the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and halfe the tribe of Manasseh returned, and departed from the children of Israel from Shiloh (which is in the land of Canaan) to goe vnto the countrey of Gilead to the land of their possession, which they had obteyned, according to ye word of the Lord by the hand of Moses.

And when they came vnto the borders of Iorden (which are in the land of Canaan) then the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and the halfe tribe of Manasseh, built there an altar by Iorden, a great altar to see to.

When the children of Israel heard say, Beholde, the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and the halfe tribe of Manasseh haue built an altar in the forefront of the lande of Canaan vpon the borders of Iorden at the passage of the children of Israel:

When the children of Israel heard it, then the whole Congregation of the children of Israel gathered them together at Shiloh to goe vp to warre against them.

Then the children of Israel sent vnto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to ye halfe tribe of Manasseh into the land of Gilead, Phinehas the sonne of Eleazar the Priest,

And with him ten princes, of euery chiefe house a prince, according to all the tribes of Israel: for euery one was chiefe of their fathers housholde among the thousands of Israel.

So they went vnto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the halfe tribe of Manasseh, vnto the land of Gilead, and spake with them, saying,

Thus saith the whole congregation of the Lord, What transgression is this that ye haue transgressed against the God of Israel, to turne away this day from the Lord, in that ye haue built you an altar for to rebell this day against the Lord?

Haue we too litle for the wickednesse of Peor, whereof we are not clensed vnto this day, though a plague came vpon the Congregation of the Lord?

Ye also are turned away this day from the Lord: and seeing ye rebell to day against ye Lord, euen to morowe he will be wroth with all the Congregation of Israel.

Notwithstanding if the land of your possession be vncleane, come ye ouer vnto the land of the possession of the Lord, wherein the Lordes Tabernacle dwelleth, and take possession among vs: but rebell not against the Lord, nor rebell not against vs in building you an altar, beside the altar of the Lord our God.

Did not Achan ye sonne of Zerah trespasse grieuously in the execrable thing, and wrath fell on all the Congregation of Israel? and this man alone perished not in his wickednesse.

Then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad, and halfe the tribe of Manasseh answered, and saide vnto the heads ouer the thousands of Israel,

The Lord God of gods, the Lord God of gods, he knoweth, and Israel himselfe shall know: if by rebellion, or by transgression against ye Lord we haue done it, saue thou vs not this day.

If we haue built vs an altar to returne away from the Lord, either to offer thereon burnt offering, or meate offering, or to offer peace offerings thereon, let the Lord himselfe require it:

And if we haue not rather done it for feare of this thing, saying, In time to come your children might say vnto our children, What haue ye to doe with the Lord God of Israel?

For the Lord hath made Iorden a border betweene vs and you, ye children of Reuben, and of Gad: therefore ye haue no part in the Lord: so shall your children make our children cease from fearing the Lord.

Therefore we said, We will nowe go about to make vs an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice,

But it shall be a witnesse betweene vs and you, and betweene our generations after vs, to execute the seruice of the Lord before him in our burnt offerings, and in our sacrifices, and in our peace offerings, and that your children should not say to our children in time to come, Ye haue no part in the Lord.

Therefore said we, If so be that they should so say to vs or to our generations in time to come, then will we answere, Beholde the facion of the altar of the Lord, which our fathers made, not for burnt offering nor for sacrifice, but it is a witnesse betweene vs and you.

God forbid, that we should rebell against the Lord, and turne this day away from the Lord to builde an altar for burnt offering, or for meate offering, or for sacrifice, saue the altar of the Lord our God, that is before his Tabernacle.

And when Phinehas the Priest, and the princes of the Congregation and heads ouer the thousands of Israel which were with him, heard the wordes, that the children of Reuben, and children of Gad, and the children of Manasseh spake, they were well content.

And Phinehas the sonne of Eleazar the Priest said vnto the children of Reuben and to the children of Gad, and to the children of Manasseh, This day we perceiue, that the Lord is among vs, because ye haue not done this trespasse against the Lord: nowe ye haue deliuered the children of Israel out of the hand of the Lord.

Then Phinehas the sonne of Eleazar the Priest with the princes returned from the children of Reuben, and from the children of Gad, out of the land of Gilead, vnto the land of Canaan, to the children of Israel, and brought them answere.

And the saying pleased the children of Israel: and the children of Israel blessed God, and minded not to goe against them in battell, for to destroy the land, wherein the children of Reuben, and Gad dwelt.

Then the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad called the altar Ed: for it shall be a witnesse betweene vs, that the Lord is God.

And a long season after that the Lord had giuen rest vnto Israel from all their enemies round about, and Ioshua was olde, and stricken in age,

Then Ioshua called all Israel, and their Elders, and their heads, and their iudges, and their officers, and said vnto them, I am old, and stricken in age.

Also ye haue seene all that the Lord your God hath done vnto al these nations before you, howe the Lord your God him selfe hath fought for you.

Beholde, I haue deuided vnto you by lot these nations that remaine, to be an inheritance according to your tribes, from Iorden, with all the nations that I haue destroyed, euen vnto the great Sea Westward.

And the Lord your God shall expell them before you, and cast them out of your sight, and ye shall possesse their land, as the Lord your God hath said vnto you.

Be ye therefore of a valiant courage, to obserue and doe all that is written in the booke of the Lawe of Moses, that ye turne not therefrom to the right hand nor to the left,

Neither companie with these nations: that is, with them which are left with you, neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to sweare by them, neither serue them nor bowe vnto them:

But sticke fast vnto the Lord your God, as ye haue done vnto this day.

For ye Lord hath cast out before you great nations and mightie, and no man hath stand before your face hitherto.

One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the Lord your God, he fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.

Take good heede therefore vnto your selues, that ye loue the Lord your God.

Els, if ye goe backe, and cleaue vnto the rest of these nations: that is, of them that remaine with you, and shall make marriages with them, and goe vnto them, and they to you,

Knowe ye for certaine, that the Lord your God will cast out no more of these nations from before you: but they shall be a snare and destruction vnto you, and a whip on your sides, and thornes in your eyes, vntill ye perish out of this good land, which ye Lord your God hath giue you.

And beholde, this day do I enter into the way of all ye world, and ye know in al your heartes and in all your soules, that nothing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God promised you, but all are come to passe vnto you: nothing hath failed thereof.

Therefore as all good things are come vpon you, which the Lord your God promised you, so shall the Lord bring vpon you euery euill thing, vntill he haue destroyed you out of this good land, which ye Lord your God hath giue you.

When ye shall transgresse the couenant of the Lord your God, which he commanded you, and shall goe and serue other gods, and bowe your selues to them, then shall the wrath of the Lord waxe hote against you, and ye shall perish quickely out of the good lande which he hath giuen you.

And Ioshua assembled againe all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called the Elders of Israel, and their heades, and their iudges, and their officers, and they presented themselues before God.

Then Ioshua said vnto all the people, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt beyond the flood in olde time, euen Terah the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor, and serued other gods.

And I tooke your father Abraham from beyond the flood, and brought him through all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seede, and gaue him Izhak.

And I gaue vnto Izhak, Iaakob and Esau: and I gaue vnto Esau mount Seir, to possesse it: but Iaakob and his children went downe into Egypt.

I sent Moses also and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt: and when I had so done among them, I brought you out.

So I brought your fathers out of Egypt, and ye came vnto the Sea, and the Egyptians pursued after your fathers with charets and horsemen vnto the red sea.

Then they cryed vnto the Lord, and he put a darkenesse betweene you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea vpon them, and couered them: so your eyes haue seene what I haue done in Egypt also ye dwelt in the wildernesse a long season.

After, I brought you into the land of the Amorites, which dwelt beyond Iorden, and they fought with you: but I gaue them into your hand, and ye possessed their countrey, and I destroyed them out of your sight.

Also Balak the sonne of Zippor King of Moab arose and warred against Israel, and sent to call Balaam the sonne of Beor for to curse you,

But I would not heare Balaam: therefore he blessed you, and I deliuered you out of his hand.

And ye went ouer Iorden, and came vnto Iericho, and the men of Iericho fought against you, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Girgashites, the Hiuites and the Iebusites, and I deliuered them into your hand.

And I sent hornets before you, which cast them out before you, euen the two kings of the Amorites, and not with thy sword, nor with thy bow.

And I haue giuen you a land, wherein ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not, and yee dwell in them, and eate of the vineyards and oliue trees, which yee planted not.

Nowe therefore feare the Lord, and serue him in vprightnesse and in trueth, and put away the gods, which your fathers serued beyonde the flood and in Egypt, and serue the Lord.

And if it seeme euill vnto you to serue the Lord, choose you this day whome yee will serue, whether the gods which your fathers serued (that were beyond the flood) or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwel: but I and mine house will serue the Lord.

Then the people answered and saide, God forbid, that we shoulde forsake the Lord, to serue other gods.

For the Lord our God, he brought vs and our fathers out of the lande of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and he did those great miracles in our sight, and preserued vs in all the way that we went, and among all the people through whome we came.

And the Lord did cast out before vs all the people, euen the Amorites which dwelt in the lande: therefore will we also serue the Lord, for he is our God.

And Ioshua saide vnto the people, Ye can not serue the Lord: for he is an holie God: he is a ielous God: hee will not pardon your iniquitie nor your sinnes.

If yee forsake the Lord and serue strange gods, then he will returne and bring euill vpon you, and consume you, after that hee hath done you good.

And the people saide vnto Ioshua, Nay, but we will serue the Lord.

And Ioshua saide vnto the people, Yee are witnesses against your selues, that yee haue chosen you the Lord, to serue him: and they sayd, We are witnesses.

Then put away nowe, saide he, the strange gods which are among you, and bowe your hearts vnto the Lord God of Israel.