Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah,
English Standard Version (ESV)
These three cities – Rekem, Irpeel, and Taralah – are not mentioned elsewhere in Scripture, making them obscure yet significant. Their inclusion in Benjamin's inheritance list, despite their unknown history, highlights how God meticulously assigns every piece of land, even those with records lost to time, to His chosen people.
Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah,
English Standard Version (ESV)
The tribes of Israel are dividing the land of Canaan by lot, and this passage describes the specific cities that fall within the inheritance of the tribe of Benjamin. These three cities, Rekem, Irpeel, and Taralah, are listed among many others as the allotted territory for Benjamin, situated between the lands of Judah and Joseph.
Ever wondered about the people behind the place names? Sometimes Scripture lists cities, and we barely know their stories.
In Joshua 18, the tribe of Benjamin is assigned its inheritance. Verse 27 lists three cities: Rekem, Irpeel, and Taralah.
Forgotten Footprints
Imagine getting your assigned homeland. Where you end up matters – it shapes your life, your neighbors, and your opportunities.
The tribe of Benjamin received its inheritance in a unique and pivotal position.
Sandwiched Between Giants
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The specific cities of Rekem, Irpeel, and Taralah are mentioned as part of Benjamin's inheritance, but their historical obscurity highlights how God's plan included every location, not just the prominent ones, as the tribes settled the Promised Land.
c. 1400 BC
Joshua Leads Israel into Canaan
Following the Exodus and 40 years in the wilderness, Joshua leads the Israelites across the Jordan River to begin the conquest of the Promised Land.
c. 1400-1390 BC
Land Division Begins
After the conquest, the land is systematically divided among the twelve tribes of Israel through the casting of lots, with the tabernacle set up at Shiloh.
c. 1400-1390 BC— this verse
Benjamin's Inheritance Assigned
The tribe of Benjamin receives its allotment, strategically located between the larger tribes of Judah and Joseph (Ephraim and Manasseh), with Jerusalem eventually falling within its borders.
c. 1400-1390 BC
Listing Benjamin's Cities
The specific cities and their boundaries within Benjamin's inheritance are enumerated, including well-known locations like Jericho and Gibeon, alongside others that are less documented like Rekem, Irpeel, and Taralah.
This verse from Jacob's blessing on Benjamin foretells a fierce, almost predatory nature, which Calvin suggests might explain the tribe's historical character despite their allotted land.
Judges 1:21This passage states that Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites from Jerusalem, highlighting a failure to fully possess their inheritance, which is relevant to the context of territorial allotment in Joshua.
Nehemiah 11:31-36This list of Benjamite cities and their inhabitants after the exile shows the persistence of some of these locations, suggesting the historical continuity of the tribe's territory.
1 Chronicles 8:1-28This chapter provides genealogies of Benjamin, listing many of his descendants and the cities they inhabited, offering a broader picture of the tribe's settlement.
gillJoshua 18:27: "And Rekem, and Irpeel, and Taralah,"
And Rekem, and Irpeel, and Taralah. Of these cities there is no mention made elsewhere.
calvinJoshua 18:11-28: "And the lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin came up according to their families: and the coast of their lot came forth between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph."
And their border on the north side was from Jordan; and the border went up to the side of Jericho on the north side, and went up through the mountains westward; and the goings out thereof were at the wilderness of Bethaven.
Fuitque eis terminus ad latus Aquilonis a Jordane: et ascendi…
These three cities – Rekem, Irpeel, and Taralah – are not mentioned elsewhere in Scripture, making them obscure yet significant. Their inclusion in Benjamin's inheritance list, despite their unknown history, highlights how God meticulously assigns every piece of land, even those with records lost to time, to His chosen people.
The tribes of Israel are dividing the land of Canaan by lot, and this passage describes the specific cities that fall within the inheritance of the tribe of Benjamin. These three cities, Rekem, Irpeel, and Taralah, are listed among many others as the allotted territory for Benjamin, situated between the lands of Judah and Joseph.
The tribes of Israel are dividing the land of Canaan by lot, and this passage describes the specific cities that fall within the inheritance of the tribe of Benjamin. These three cities, Rekem, Irpeel, and Taralah, are listed among many others as the allotted territory for Benjamin, situated between the lands of Judah and Joseph.
"Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah," — These three cities – Rekem, Irpeel, and Taralah – are not mentioned elsewhere in Scripture, making them obscure yet significant. Their inclusion in Benjamin's inheritance list, despite their unknown…
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Last reviewed October 2026