Section 14:1-5 The Israelites divided the land west of the Jordan River
In this section the nine and a half tribes who were to live on the west side of the Jordan River received their allotment of land. The tribe of Levi received only towns to live in.
Here are some other possible section headings:
The land west of the Jordan River
-or-
Dividing up the land
Paragraph 14:1-5
14:1a
Now these are the portions that the Israelites inherited in the land of Canaan: This sentence introduces a new topic. The topic is the areas of land which each tribe received on the west side of the Jordan River. Begin this sentence in a way that is natural in your language.
these are the portions: This phrase refers to the detailed description of land areas in chapters 14-19.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
forWhat follows is an account of how the land…was divided (Good News Translation)
-or-
Here are the pieces of land that the people of Israel received
portions: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as portions is more literally “gave them as a possession.” God gave some land to each tribe of Israel. He intended that their children and grandchildren would inherit those lands forever.
Here are some other ways to translate this word:
the land that God gave them
-or-
the lands they received as a possession
the land of Canaan: The phrase the land of Canaan refers to the land on the west side of the Jordan River, and also to some of the other nearby lands. God first promised this land to Abraham in Genesis 15:17-21.
14:1b
as distributed by Eleazar the priest: Eleazar was the son of Aaron and he became the high priest after Aaron died. The word priest was used in 3:3 and you should translate it the same way in both places.
as distributed: The phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as as distributed can also be translated “divided” or “gave.”
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
they divided it among the people
-or-
they decided what land to give to each group
Joshua son of Nun: This phrase was used in Joshua 1:1 and you should translate it the same way in both places.
14:1c
and the heads of the families of the tribes of Israel: This phrase refers to the leaders of the Israelite tribes. In Numbers 34:16-29 Yahweh commanded Moses to appoint one leader from each of the tribes of Israel to help assign the land along with Joshua and Eleazar the priest. Moses decided who each of these leaders would be.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
the leaders of the families of the Israelite tribes (Good News Translation)
-or-
the leaders of all the tribes of Israel (New Century Version)
General Comment on 14:1a-c
In some languages it may be more natural to change the order of the clauses in this verse. For example:
1b Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, 1c and the leaders of all the tribes of Israel 1a decided what land to give to the people in the land of Canaan. (New Century Version)
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