until the Lord took Israel away from his sight. And the Lord said this would happen! He sent his prophets to tell the people this would happen. So the Israelites were taken out of their country into Assyria. And they have been there to this day.
Some people came to Jerusalem from these towns of Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon, and Immer. But these people could not prove that their families really came from the people of Israel:
So Moses gave this command to the people of Israel, “That is the land that you will get. You will throw lots [382] to divide the land among the nine family groups and half of Manasseh’s family group.
If a man’s parents were not legally married, then that man may not join with the men of Israel to worship the Lord. And none of his descendants [142] to the tenth generation—may join in that group!
God Most-High separated
the people on earth and gave
each nation its own land.
God set up borders for those people.
He made as many nations
as there are angels. [211]
So each of your family groups should choose three men. I will send those men out to study the land. They will describe that land, and then they will come back to me.