Then [those of] the Negevwill possessthe mountainof Esau,And [those of] the Shephelahthe Philistine[plain]; Also, possessthe territoryof Ephraimand the territoryof Samaria,And Benjamin[will possess] Gilead.
The kingof Assyriabrought[men] from Babylonand from Cuthahand from Avvaand from Hamathand Sephar-vaim,and settled[them] in the citiesof Samariain placeof the sonsof Israel.So they possessedSamariaand livedin its cities.
So the Godof Israelstirredup the spiritof Pul,kingof Assyria,even the spiritof Tilgath-pilneserkingof Assyria,and he carriedthem awayinto exile,namely the Reubenites,the Gaditesand the half-tribeof Manasseh,and broughtthem to Halah,Habor,Haraand to the riverof Gozan,to thisday.
[Then] the kingsentan answerto Rehumthe commander,to Shimshaithe scribe,and to the restof their colleagueswholivein Samariaand in the restof [the provinces] beyondthe River:"Peace.And now
they approachedZerubbabeland the headsof fathers'[households], and saidto them, "Let us buildwith you, for we, like you, seekyour God;and we have been sacrificingto Him sincethe daysof Esarhaddonkingof Assyria,who broughtus up here."
For Godwill saveZionand buildthe citiesof Judah,That they may dwellthereand possessit.
Men will buyfieldsfor money,signand sealdeeds,and callin witnessesin the landof Benjamin,in the environsof Jerusalem,in the citiesof Judah,in the citiesof the hillcountry,in the citiesof the lowlandand in the citiesof the Negev;for I will restoretheir fortunes,'declaresthe LORD."
Concerning the sonsof Ammon.Thussaysthe LORD:"Does Israelhavenosons?Orhashe noheirs?Whythen has Malcamtakenpossessionof GadAnd his peoplesettledin its cities?
thereforethussaysthe LordGOD,"Behold,I will stretchout My handagainstthe Philistines,even cutoffthe Cherethitesand destroythe remnantof the seacoast.
"You will livein the landthat I gaveto your forefathers;so you will be My people,and I will be your God.
Thussaysthe LORD,"For threetransgressionsof the sonsof Ammonand for fourI will not revokeits [punishment], Becausethey rippedopenthe pregnantwomenof GileadIn orderto enlargetheir borders.
"I will also cutoffthe inhabitantfrom Ashdod,And him who holdsthe scepter,from Ashkelon;I will even unleashMy powerupon Ekron,And the remnantof the Philistineswill perish,"Saysthe LordGOD.
That they may possessthe remnantof EdomAnd allthe nationswhoare calledby My name,"Declaresthe LORDwho doesthis.
ShepherdYour peoplewith Your scepter,The flockof Your possessionWhich dwellsby itselfin the woodland,In the midstof a fruitfulfield.Let them feedin Bashanand GileadAs in the daysof old.
Of the sonsof Joseph,[namely], of the sonsof Ephraim,their genealogicalregistrationby their families,by their fathers'households,according to the numberof names,from twentyyearsoldand upward,whoever[was able to] goout to war,
Their territorywas Jazer,and allthe citiesof Gilead,and halfthe landof the sonsof Ammon,as faras Aroerwhichis beforeRabbah;
also halfof Gilead,with Ashtarothand Edrei,the citiesof the kingdomof Ogin Bashan,[were] for the sonsof Machirthe sonof Manasseh,for halfof the sonsof Machiraccording to their families.
Now the citiesat the extremityof the tribeof the sonsof Judahtowardthe borderof Edomin the southwere Kabzeeland Ederand Jagur,
In the lowland:Eshtaoland Zorahand Ashnah,
