1 Depois da conquista - apesar de sete das tribos de Israel ainda não terem tomado posse e conquistado totalmente a terra que Deus lhes deu - todo o povo se juntou em Silo para montar o tabernáculo.3 Josué perguntou-lhes: Quanto tempo vão ainda esperar para expelirem as gentes que vivem na terra que o Senhor vosso Deus vos deu? Seleccionem três homens de cada tribo e eu enviá-los-ei para explorarem o território ainda não conquistado e depois vos fazerem um relatório quanto à sua extensão e às suas divisões naturais, para que possa reparti-la por vocês. Esses exploradores dividi-la-ão em sete partes, e em seguida eu lançarei o dado sagrado para decidir quais as partes que caberão a cada tribo.7 Contudo lembrem-se de que os levitas não deverão receber terra alguma; eles são sacerdotes do Senhor. Essa é a parte maravilhosa que lhes é atribuída. Além disso, também as tribos de Gad, de Rúben e a meia-tribo de Manassés não poderão receber mais terra nenhuma, visto que tiveram o seu quinhão na margem leste do Jordão, onde Moisés lhes prometeu que poderiam estabelecer-se.8 E assim foi que os batedores se foram para estabelecerem uma carta de toda a terra e trazerem depois um relatório disso a Josué. Só após isso o Senhor concediria as diversas secções da terra às tribos, lançando o dado sagrado. Os homens fizeram como lhes tinha sido dito e dividiram todo o território em sete secções, estabelecendo uma lista das cidades que havia em cada secção. Depois vieram ter com Josué ao campo de Silo.10 Ali no tabernáculo em Silo o Senhor mostrou a Josué, tirando à sorte na presença de Deus, a que tribo calhava cada secção:11 A terra dada à tribo de Benjamim: A secção de território cedida às famílias da tribo de Benjamim ficou entre a terra atribuída às tribos de Judá e de José.12 A linha de demarcação a norte começava no rio Jordão, ia até ao norte de Jericó, depois inflectia para ocidente através da zona das colinas e do deserto de Bete-Aven.13 Dali a linha descia para sul até Luz (também chamada Betel), e prosseguia até Atarote-Adar, na terra de colinas a sul de Bete-Horon de Baixo. Ali a demarcação voltava de novo para o sul, passando a montanha perto de Bete-Horon e terminava na localidade de Quiriate-Baal (também chamada por vezes Quiriate-Jearim), uma das cidades da tribo de Judá. Era esta a linha de separação do ocidente.20 A baliza oriental era constituída pelo próprio rio Jordão. Esta foi a terra conferida à tribo de Benjamim.21 Todas estas cidades mais as localidades dos arredores foram dadas à tribo de Benjamim.

1 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of the congregation there: and the land was subdued before them.2 And there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes, which had not yet received their inheritance.3 And Joshua said to the children of Israel, How long are ye slack to go to possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers hath given you?4 Select from among you three men for each tribe: and I will send them, and they shall rise, and go through the land, and describe it according to the inheritance of them, and they shall come again to me.5 And they shall divide it into seven parts: Judah shall abide in their border on the south, and the house of Joseph shall abide in their borders on the north.6 Ye shall therefore describe the land in seven parts, and bring the description hither to me, that I may cast lots for you here before the LORD our God.7 But the Levites have no part among you; for the priesthood of the LORD is their inheritance. And Gad, and Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh, have received their inheritance beyond Jordan on the east, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave them.8 And the men arose, and departed: and Joshua charged them that went to describe the land, saying, Go, and walk through the land, and describe it, and come again to me, that I may here cast lots for you before the LORD in Shiloh.9 And the men went and passed through the land, and described it by cities in seven parts in a book, and came again, to Joshua to the host at Shiloh.10 And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the LORD: and there Joshua divided the land to the children of Israel according to their divisions.11 And the lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin came up according to their families: and the border of their lot came forth between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph.12 And their border on the north side was from Jordan; and the border went up to the side of Jericho on the north side, and went up through the mountains westward; and the limits of it were at the wilderness of Beth-aven.13 And the border went over from thence towards Luz, to the side of Luz (which is Beth-el) southward; and the border descended to Ataroth-adar, near the hill that lieth on the south side of the nether Beth-horon.14 And the border was drawn thence, and compassed the corner of the sea southward, from the hill that lieth before Beth-horon southward; and the limits of it were at Kirjath-baal (which is Kirjath-jearim) a city of the children of Judah. This was the west quarter.15 And the south quarter was from the end of Kirjah-jearim, and the border went out on the west, and went out to the well of waters of Nephtoah:16 And the border came down to the end of the mountain that lieth before the valley of the son of Hinnom, and which is in the valley of the giants on the north, and descended to the valley of Hinnom, to the side of Jebusi on the south, and descended to En-rogel,17 And was drawn from the north, and went forth to En-shemesh, and went forth towards Geliloth, which is over against the going up of Adummim, and descended to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben,18 And passed along towards the side over against Arabah northward, and went down to Arabah:19 And the border passed along to the side of Beth-hoglah northward: and the limits of the border were at the north bay of the salt sea at the south end of Jordan. This was the south border.20 And Jordan was the border of it on the east side. This was the inheritance of the children of Benjamin, by the limits of it round about, according to their families.21 Now the cities of the tribe of the children of Benjamin, according to their families, were Jericho, and Beth-hoglah, and the valley of Keziz,22 And Beth-arabah, and Zemaraim, and Beth-el,23 And Avim, and Parah, and Ophrah,24 And Chephar-haamonai, and Ophni, and Gaba; twelve cities with their villages:25 Gibeon, and Ramah, and Beeroth,26 And Mizpeh, and Chephirah, and Mozah,27 And Rekem, and Irpeel, and Taralah,28 And Zelah, Eleph, and Jebusi, (which is Jerusalem) Gibeath, and Kirjath; fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the children of Benjamin according to their families.