191 And the second lot came forth to Simeon, for the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families; and their inheritance was within the inheritance of the children of Judah. 2 And they had in their inheritance Beer-sheba, and Sheba, and Moladah, 3 and Hazar-Shual, and Balah, and Ezem, 4 and Eltolad, and Bethul, and Hormah, 5 and Ziklag, and Beth-marcaboth, and Hazar-susah, 6 and Beth-lebaoth, and Sharuhen: thirteen cities and their hamlets; 7 Ain, Rimmon, and Ether, and Ashan: four cities and their hamlets; 8 and all the hamlets that are round these cities to Baalath-beer, [that is] Ramah of the south. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families. 9 Out of the lot of the children of Judah was the inheritance of the children of Simeon; for the portion of the children of Judah was too great for them, and the children of Simeon inherited within their inheritance.
10 And the third lot came up for the children of Zebulun according to their families. And the border of their inheritance was unto Sarid; 11 and their border went up westwards, and [to] Marealah, and reached to Dabbesheth, and reached to the torrent that is before Jokneam; 12 and turned from Sarid eastward, toward the sun-rising, to the border of Chisloth-Tabor, and went out to Dabrath, and went up to Japhia; 13 and from thence it passed eastward toward the sun-rising to Gath-Hepher, to Eth-kazin, and went out to Rimmon which reaches to Neah; 14 and the border turned round it northwards to Hannathon: and ended in the valley of Jiphthah-el; ... 15 and Kattath, and Nahalal, and Shimron, and Jidalah, and Beth-lehem: twelve cities and their hamlets. 16 This was the inheritance of the children of Zebulun according to their families, these cities and their hamlets.
17 The fourth lot came forth to Issachar, for the children of Issachar according to their families. 18 And their territory was toward Jizreel, and Chesulloth, and Shunem, 19 and Hapharaim, and Shion, and Anaharath, 20 and Rabbith, and Kishion, and Ebez, 21 and Remeth, and En-gannim, and En-haddah, and Beth-pazzez; 22 and the border reached to Tabor, and Shahazimah, and Beth-shemesh; and their border ended at the Jordan: sixteen cities and their hamlets. 23 This was the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Issachar according to their families, the cities and their hamlets.
24 And the fifth lot came forth for the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families. 25 And their territory was Helkath, and Hali, and Beten, and Acshaph, 26 and Allammelech, and Amead, and Mishal; and [the border] reached to Carmel westwards, and to Shihor-libnath, 27 and turned towards the sun-rising to Beth-Dagon, and reached to Zebulun, and to the valley of Jiphthah-el northward [to] Beth-emek and Neiel, and went out to Cabul on the left, 28 and Ebron, and Rehob, and Hammon, and Kanah, as far as great Zidon; 29 and the border turned to Ramah, and as far as the fortified city of Tyre; and the border turned to Hosah; and ended at the sea by the tract of country of Achzib; 30 and Ummah, and Aphek, and Rehob: twenty-two cities and their hamlets. 31 This was the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families, these cities and their hamlets.
32 The sixth lot came forth to the children of Naphtali, for the children of Naphtali according to their families. 33 And their border was from Heleph, from the oak of Zaanannim; and Adami-nekeb and Jabneel to Lakkum; and ended at the Jordan; 34 and the border turned westwards to Aznoth-Tabor, and went out from thence to Hukkok, and reached to Zebulun on the south, and reached to Asher on the west, and to Judah upon Jordan towards the sun-rising. 35 And the fortified cities were Ziddim, Zer, and Hammath, Rakkath, and Chinnereth, 36 and Adamah, and Ramah, and Hazor, 37 and Kedesh, and Edrei, and En-Hazor, 38 and Jiron, and Migdal-el, Horem, and Beth-anath, and Beth-shemesh: nineteen cities and their hamlets. 39 This was the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Naphtali according to their families, the cities and their hamlets.
40 The seventh lot came forth for the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families. 41 And the territory of their inheritance was Zoreah, and Eshtaol, and Ir-shemesh, 42 and Shaalabbin, and Ajalon, and Jithlah, 43 and Elon, and Timnathah, and Ekron, 44 and El-tekeh, and Gibbethon, and Baalath, 45 and Jehud, and Beneberak, and Gath-Rimmon, 46 and Me-jarkon, and Rakkon, with the border over against Japho. 47 And the border of the children of Dan ended with these; and the children of Dan went up and fought against Leshem, and took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and took possession of it, and dwelt in it, and called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their father. 48 This was the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families, these cities and their hamlets.
49 And they ended dividing the land for inheritance according to its borders. And the children of Israel gave an inheritance to Joshua the son of Nun among them. 50 According to the word of Jehovah they gave him the city that he asked, Timnath-serah in the hill-country of Ephraim; and he built the city, and dwelt in it. 51 These were the inheritances, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the chief fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed by lot in Shiloh before Jehovah, at the entrance of the tent of meeting. And they ended dividing the land.
201 And Jehovah spoke to Joshua, saying, 2 Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint for yourselves the cities of refuge, whereof I spoke unto you through Moses, 3 that the slayer who unwittingly without intent smiteth any one mortally may flee thither: and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood. 4 And he shall flee unto one of those cities and stand at the entrance of the city-gate, and shall declare his matter in the ears of the elders of that city; and they shall take him into the city unto them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them. 5 And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand; for he smote his neighbour unwittingly, and hated him not previously. 6 And he shall dwell in that city, until he have stood before the assembly in judgment, until the death of the high-priest that shall be in those days; then shall the slayer return, and come unto his own city, and unto his own house, unto the city from whence he fled.
7 And they hallowed Kedesh in Galilee in the hill-country of Naphtali, and Shechem in the hill-country of Ephraim, and Kirjath-Arba, that is, Hebron, in the hill-country of Judah. 8 And beyond the Jordan from Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness, in the plateau, out of the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan of the tribe of Manasseh. 9 These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them, that whosoever smiteth any one mortally without intent might flee thither, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stood before the assembly.
211 Then the chief fathers of the Levites drew near to Eleazar the priest, and to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the chief fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel; 2 and they spoke to them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, Jehovah commanded through Moses to give us cities to dwell in, and their suburbs for our cattle. 3 And the children of Israel gave to the Levites out of their inheritance, according to the word of Jehovah, these cities and their suburbs. 4 And the lot came forth for the families of the Kohathites. And the children of Aaron the priest, of the Levites, had by lot out of the tribe of Judah, and out of the tribe of the Simeonites, and out of the tribe of Benjamin, thirteen cities. 5 And the children of Kohath that remained had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Ephraim, and out of the tribe of Dan, and out of the half tribe of Manasseh, ten cities. 6 And the children of Gershon had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities. 7 The children of Merari according to their families had by lot out of the tribe of Reuben, and out of the tribe of Gad, and out of the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities. 8 And the children of Israel gave by lot to the Levites these cities and their suburbs, as Jehovah commanded through Moses.
9 And they gave out of the tribe of the children of Judah, and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, these cities which were mentioned by name, 10 and which the children of Aaron, of the families of the Kohathites, of the children of Levi had (for theirs was the first lot); 11 and they gave them Kirjath-Arba, [which Arba was] the father of Anak, that is, Hebron, in the mountain of Judah, with its suburbs round about it. 12 But the fields of the city and the hamlets thereof gave they to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for his possession. 13 And they gave to the children of Aaron the priest the city of refuge for the slayer, Hebron and its suburbs; and Libnah and its suburbs, 14 and Jattir and its suburbs, and Eshtemoa and its suburbs, 15 and Holon and its suburbs, and Debir and its suburbs, 16 and Ain and its suburbs, and Juttah and its suburbs, [and] Beth-shemesh and its suburbs: nine cities out of those two tribes; 17 and out of the tribe of Benjamin: Gibeon and its suburbs, Geba and its suburbs, 18 Anathoth and its suburbs, and Almon and its suburbs; four cities. 19 All the cities of the children of Aaron, the priests, were thirteen cities and their suburbs. 20 And to the families of the children of Kohath, the Levites that remained of the children of Kohath, [they gave cities]. And the cities of their lot were out of the tribe of Ephraim, 21 and they gave them the city of refuge for the slayer, Shechem and its suburbs in mount Ephraim; and Gezer and its suburbs, 22 and Kibzaim and its suburbs, and Beth-horon and its suburbs: four cities; 23 and out of the tribe of Dan, Eltekeh and its suburbs, Gibbethon and its suburbs, 24 Ajalon and its suburbs, Gath-Rimmon and its suburbs: four cities; 25 and out of half the tribe of Manasseh, Taanach and its suburbs and Gath-Rimmon and its suburbs: two cities. 26 All the cities were ten and their suburbs, for the families of the children of Kohath that remained. 27 And to the children of Gershon, of the families of the Levites, out of half the tribe of Manasseh, [they gave] the city of refuge for the slayer, Golan in Bashan and its suburbs; and Beeshterah and its suburbs: two cities; 28 and out of the tribe of Issachar, Kishion and its suburbs, Dabrath and its suburbs, 29 Jarmuth and its suburbs, En-gannim and its suburbs: four cities; 30 and out of the tribe of Asher, Mishal and its suburbs, Abdon and its suburbs, 31 Helkath and its suburbs, and Rehob and its suburbs: four cities; 32 and out of the tribe of Naphtali, the city of refuge for the slayer, Kedesh in Galilee, and its suburbs; and Hammoth-Dor and its suburbs, and Kartan and its suburbs: three cities. 33 All the cities of the Gershonites according to their families were thirteen cities and their suburbs. 34 And to the families of the children of Merari, that remained of the Levites, [they gave] out of the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam and its suburbs, Kartah and its suburbs, 35 Dimnah and its suburbs, Nahalal and its suburbs: four cities; 36 and out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer and its suburbs, and Jahzah and its suburbs, 37 Kedemoth and its suburbs, and Mephaath and its suburbs: four cities; 38 and out of the tribe of Gad, the city of refuge for the slayer, Ramoth in Gilead and its suburbs; and Mahanaim and its suburbs, 39 Heshbon and its suburbs, Jaazer and its suburbs: four cities in all. 40 [These were] all the cities of the children of Merari according to their families, which remained of the families of the Levites, and their lot was twelve cities. 41 All the cities of the Levites within the possession of the children of Israel were forty-eight cities and their suburbs. 42 Each one of these cities had its suburbs round about it: thus were all these cities.
43 And Jehovah gave to Israel all the land which he swore to give unto their fathers; and they took possession of it, and dwelt in it. 44 And Jehovah gave them rest round about, according to all that he had sworn unto their fathers; and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them: Jehovah gave all their enemies into their hand. 45 There failed nothing of all the good things that Jehovah had spoken to the house of Israel: all came to pass.
25 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was just and pious, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and [the] Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it was divinely communicated to him by the Holy Spirit, that he should not see death before he should see [the] Lord's Christ. 27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and as the parents brought in the child Jesus that they might do for him according to the custom of the law, 28 he received him into his arms, and blessed God, and said, 29 Lord, now thou lettest thy bondman go, according to thy word, in peace; 30 for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, 31 which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples; 32 a light for revelation of [the] Gentiles and [the] glory of thy people Israel. 33 And his father and mother wondered at the things which were said concerning him. 34 And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother, Lo, this [child] is set for the fall and rising up of many in Israel, and for a sign spoken against; 35 (and even a sword shall go through thine own soul;) so that [the] thoughts may be revealed from many hearts. 36 And there was a prophetess, Anna, daughter of Phanuel, of [the] tribe of Asher, who was far advanced in years, having lived with [her] husband seven years from her virginity, 37 and herself a widow up to eighty-four years; who did not depart from the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers; 38 and she coming up the same hour gave praise to the Lord, and spoke of him to all those who waited for redemption in Jerusalem.
39 And when they had completed all things according to the law of [the] Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own city Nazareth. 40 And the child grew and waxed strong [in spirit], filled with wisdom, and God's grace was upon him.
41 And his parents went yearly to Jerusalem at the feast of the passover. 42 And when he was twelve years old, and they went up [to Jerusalem] according to the custom of the feast 43 and had completed the days, as they returned, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, and his parents knew not [of it]; 44 but, supposing him to be in the company that journeyed together, they went a day's journey, and sought him among their relations and acquaintances: 45 and not having found him they returned to Jerusalem seeking him. 46 And it came to pass, after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers and hearing them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. 48 And when they saw him they were amazed: and his mother said to him, Child, why hast thou dealt thus with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee distressed. 49 And he said to them, Why [is it] that ye have sought me? did ye not know that I ought to be [occupied] in my Father's business? 50 And they understood not the thing that he said to them. 51 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and he was in subjection to them. And his mother kept all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus advanced in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men.
(Read Luke 2:25-35)
The same Spirit that provided for the support of Simeon's hope, provided for his joy. Those who would see Christ must go to his temple. Here is a confession of his faith, that this Child in his arms was the Saviour, the salvation itself, the salvation of God's appointing. He bids farewell to this world. How poor does this world look to one that has Christ in his arms, and salvation in his view! See here, how comfortable is the death of a good man; he departs in peace with God, peace with his own conscience, in peace with death. Those that have welcomed Christ, may welcome death. Joseph and Mary marvelled at the things which were spoken of this Child. Simeon shows them likewise, what reason they had to rejoice with trembling. And Jesus, his doctrine, and people, are still spoken against; his truth and holiness are still denied and blasphemed; his preached word is still the touchstone of men's characters. The secret good affections in the minds of some, will be revealed by their embracing Christ; the secret corruptions of others will be revealed by their enmity to Christ. Men will be judged by the thoughts of their hearts concerning Christ. He shall be a suffering Jesus; his mother shall suffer with him, because of the nearness of her relation and affection.
(Read Luke 2:36-40)
There was much evil then in the church, yet God left not himself without witness. Anna always dwelt in, or at least attended at, the temple. She was always in a praying spirit; gave herself to prayer, and in all things she served God. Those to whom Christ is made known, have great reason to thank the Lord. She taught others concerning him. Let the example of the venerable saints, Simeon and Anna, give courage to those whose hoary heads are, like theirs, a crown of glory, being found in the way of righteousness. The lips soon to be silent in the grave, should be showing forth the praises of the Redeemer. In all things it became Christ to be made like unto his brethren, therefore he passed through infancy and childhood as other children, yet without sin, and with manifest proofs of the Divine nature in him. By the Spirit of God all his faculties performed their offices in a manner not seen in any one else. Other children have foolishness bound in their hearts, which appears in what they say or do, but he was filled with wisdom, by the influence of the Holy Ghost; every thing he said and did, was wisely said and wisely done, above his years. Other children show the corruption of their nature; nothing but the grace of God was upon him.
(Read Luke 2:41-52)
It is for the honour of Christ that children should attend on public worship. His parents did not return till they had stayed all the seven days of the feast. It is well to stay to the end of an ordinance, as becomes those who say, It is good to be here. Those that have lost their comforts in Christ, and the evidences of their having a part in him, must bethink themselves where, and when, and how they lost them, and must turn back again. Those that would recover their lost acquaintance with Christ, must go to the place in which he has put his name; there they may hope to meet him. They found him in some part of the temple, where the doctors of the law kept their schools; he was sitting there, hearkening to their instructions, proposing questions, and answering inquiries, with such wisdom, that those who heard were delighted with him. Young persons should seek the knowledge of Divine truth, attend the ministry of the gospel, and ask such questions of their elders and teachers as may tend to increase their knowledge. Those who seek Christ in sorrow, shall find him with the greater joy. Know ye not that I ought to be in my Father's house; at my Father's work; I must be about my Father's business. Herein is an example; for it becomes the children of God, in conformity to Christ, to attend their heavenly Father's business, and make all other concerns give way to it. Though he was the Son of God, yet he was subject to his earthly parents; how then will the foolish and weak sons of men answer it, who are disobedient to their parents? However we may neglect men's sayings, because they are obscure, yet we must not think so of God's sayings. That which at first is dark, may afterwards become plain and easy. The greatest and wisest, those most eminent, may learn of this admirable and Divine Child, that it is the truest greatness of soul to know our own place and office; to deny ourselves amusements and pleasures not consistent with our state and calling.
