1 The second lot came out for Simeon, even for the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families. Their inheritance was in the middle of the inheritance of the children of Judah.
2 They had for their inheritance Beersheba (or Sheba), Moladah,
3 Hazar Shual, Balah, Ezem,
4 Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah,
5 Ziklag, Beth Marcaboth, Hazar Susah,
6 Beth Lebaoth, and Sharuhen ; thirteen cities with their villages ;
7 Ain, Rimmon, Ether, and Ashan ; four cities with their villages ;
8 and all the villages that were around these cities to Baalath Beer, Ramah of the South. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families.
9 Out of the part of the children of Judah was the inheritance of the children of Simeon ; for the portion of the children of Judah was too much for them. Therefore the children of Simeon had inheritance in the middle of their inheritance.
Note · Josué 19.1–9
La portion de Juda n’est pas traitée comme intouchable
L’héritage de Siméon est pris à l’intérieur de celui de Juda parce que la part de Juda est trop grande. Le texte donne une raison pratique à cette articulation. Le partage reçu n’exclut donc pas l’ajustement aux besoins d’autres membres du peuple ; il n’est pas décrit seulement comme la défense illimitée d’un avantage initial.
10 The third lot came up for the children of Zebulun according to their families. The border of their inheritance was to Sarid.
11 Their border went up westward, even to Maralah, and reached to Dabbesheth. It reached to the brook that is before Jokneam.
12 It turned from Sarid eastward toward the sunrise to the border of Chisloth Tabor. It went out to Daberath, and went up to Japhia.
13 From there it passed along eastward to Gath Hepher, to Ethkazin ; and it went out at Rimmon which stretches to Neah.
14 The border turned around it on the north to Hannathon ; and it ended at the valley of Iphtah El ;
15 Kattath, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem : twelve cities with their villages.
16 This is the inheritance of the children of Zebulun according to their families, these cities with their villages.
17 The fourth lot came out for Issachar, even for the children of Issachar according to their families.
18 Their border was to Jezreel, Chesulloth, Shunem,
19 Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath,
20 Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez,
21 Remeth, Engannim, En Haddah, and Beth Pazzez.
22 The border reached to Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth Shemesh. Their border ended at the Jordan : sixteen cities with their villages.
23 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Issachar according to their families, the cities with their villages.
Note · Josué 19.10–23
Zabulon et Issacar reçoivent des lieux de vie identifiés
Les frontières et les villes poursuivent la même attention aux familles. Leur longueur ne signifie pas que ces passages seraient étrangers à la théologie du livre : la promesse y devient un espace où demeurer. La Bethléhem mentionnée pour Zabulon doit être distinguée de celle de Juda ; un même nom ne suffit pas à identifier un même lieu.
24 The fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families.
25 Their border was Helkath, Hali, Beten, Achshaph,
26 Allammelech, Amad, Mishal. It reached to Carmel westward, and to Shihorlibnath.
27 It turned toward the sunrise to Beth Dagon, and reached to Zebulun, and to the valley of Iphtah El northward to Beth Emek and Neiel. It went out to Cabul on the left hand,
28 and Ebron, Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah, even to great Sidon.
29 The border turned to Ramah, to the fortified city of Tyre ; and the border turned to Hosah. It ended at the sea by the region of Achzib ;
30 Ummah also, and Aphek, and Rehob : twenty-two cities with their villages.
31 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families, these cities with their villages.
32 The sixth lot came out for the children of Naphtali, even for the children of Naphtali according to their families.
33 Their border was from Heleph, from the oak in Zaanannim, Adami-nekeb, and Jabneel, to Lakkum. It ended at the Jordan.
34 The border turned westward to Aznoth Tabor, and went out from there to Hukkok. It reached to Zebulun on the south, and reached to Asher on the west, and to Judah at the Jordan toward the sunrise.
35 The fortified cities were Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Chinnereth,
36 Adamah, Ramah, Hazor,
37 Kedesh, Edrei, En Hazor,
38 Iron, Migdal El, Horem, Beth Anath, and Beth Shemesh ; nineteen cities with their villages.
39 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Naphtali according to their families, the cities with their villages.
Note · Josué 19.24–39
Le nord du pays se dessine par ses voisinages
Aser et Nephthali sont décrits à partir de villes, de limites et de points de contact. La mention de régions côtières ou de cités puissantes exprime le périmètre de l’attribution ; elle ne prouve pas à elle seule une souveraineté continue sur chacun de ces lieux. La lecture gagne à distinguer le projet du partage de l’histoire détaillée de son occupation.
40 The seventh lot came out for the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families.
41 The border of their inheritance was Zorah, Eshtaol, Irshemesh,
42 Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Ithlah,
43 Elon, Timnah, Ekron,
44 Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath,
45 Jehud, Bene Berak, Gath Rimmon,
46 Me Jarkon, and Rakkon, with the border opposite Joppa.
47 The border of the children of Dan went out beyond them ; for the children of Dan went up and fought against Leshem, and took it, and struck it with the edge of the sword, and possessed it, and lived therein, and called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their forefather.
48 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families, these cities with their villages.
Note · Josué 19.40–48
Le déplacement de Dan conserve une mémoire de violence
La notice de Léshem raconte la prise d’une ville et son changement de nom. Juges 18 développera une histoire de migration de Dan avec des questions religieuses et morales propres. Le changement de nom ne rend pas sans importance la mort des habitants précédents : une nouvelle installation ne doit pas être racontée comme si le lieu avait été vide.
49 So they finished distributing the land for inheritance by its borders. The children of Israel gave an inheritance to Joshua the son of Nun among them.
50 According to Yahweh’s commandment, they gave him the city which he asked, even Timnathserah in the hill country of Ephraim ; and he built the city, and lived there.
51 These are the inheritances, which Eleazar the priest, Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers’ houses of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed for inheritance by lot in Shiloh before Yahweh, at the door of the Tent of Meeting. So they finished dividing the land.
Note · Josué 19.49–51
Josué reçoit sa part au milieu des autres
La ville demandée est donnée après la répartition des héritages tribaux, puis Josué la rebâtit et y demeure. Le chef est lui aussi un habitant dans le pays partagé. La conclusion rappelle Éléazar, Josué et les chefs des familles, maintenant une responsabilité commune plutôt qu’une propriété du territoire par le seul conquérant.