1 Then came near H5066 the heads H7218 of the fathers H1 of the Levites H3881 unto Eleazar H499 the priest, H3548 and unto Joshua H3091 the son H1121 of Nun, H5126 and unto the heads H7218 of the fathers H1 of the tribes H4294 of the children H1121 of Israel; H3478
2 And they spake H1696 unto them at Shiloh H7887 in the land H776 of Canaan, H3667 saying, H559 The LORD H3068 commanded H6680 by the hand H3027 of Moses H4872 to give H5414 us cities H5892 to dwell in, H3427 with the suburbs H4054 thereof for our cattle. H929
3 And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 gave H5414 unto the Levites H3881 out of their inheritance, H5159 at the commandment H6310 of the LORD, H3068 these cities H5892 and their suburbs. H4054
4 And the lot H1486 came out H3318 for the families H4940 of the Kohathites: H6956 and the children H1121 of Aaron H175 the priest, H3548 which were of the Levites, H3881 had by lot H1486 out of the tribe H4294 of Judah, H3063 and out of the tribe H4294 of Simeon, H8099 and out of the tribe H4294 of Benjamin, H1144 thirteen H7969 H6240 cities. H5892
5 And the rest H3498 of the children H1121 of Kohath H6955 had by lot H1486 out of the families H4940 of the tribe H4294 of Ephraim, H669 and out of the tribe H4294 of Dan, H1835 and out of the half H2677 tribe H4294 of Manasseh, H4519 ten H6235 cities. H5892
6 And the children H1121 of Gershon H1648 had by lot H1486 out of the families H4940 of the tribe H4294 of Issachar, H3485 and out of the tribe H4294 of Asher, H836 and out of the tribe H4294 of Naphtali, H5321 and out of the half H2677 tribe H4294 of Manasseh H4519 in Bashan, H1316 thirteen H7969 H6240 cities. H5892
7 The children H1121 of Merari H4847 by their families H4940 had out of the tribe H4294 of Reuben, H7205 and out of the tribe H4294 of Gad, H1410 and out of the tribe H4294 of Zebulun, H2074 twelve H8147 H6240 cities. H5892
8 And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 gave H5414 by lot H1486 unto the Levites H3881 these cities H5892 with their suburbs, H4054 as the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 by the hand H3027 of Moses. H4872
9 And they gave H5414 out of the tribe H4294 of the children H1121 of Judah, H3063 and out of the tribe H4294 of the children H1121 of Simeon, H8095 these cities H5892 which are here mentioned H7121 by name, H8034
10 Which the children H1121 of Aaron, H175 being of the families H4940 of the Kohathites, H6956 who were of the children H1121 of Levi, H3878 had: for theirs was the first H7223 H7223 lot. H1486
11 And they gave H5414 them the city H7151 of Arba H704 H7153 the father H1 of Anak, H6061 which city is Hebron, H2275 in the hill H2022 country of Judah, H3063 with the suburbs H4054 thereof round about H5439 it.
12 But the fields H7704 of the city, H5892 and the villages H2691 thereof, gave H5414 they to Caleb H3612 the son H1121 of Jephunneh H3312 for his possession. H272
13 Thus they gave H5414 to the children H1121 of Aaron H175 the priest H3548 Hebron H2275 with her suburbs, H4054 to be a city H5892 of refuge H4733 for the slayer; H7523 and Libnah H3841 with her suburbs, H4054
14 And Jattir H3492 with her suburbs, H4054 and Eshtemoa H851 with her suburbs, H4054
15 And Holon H2473 with her suburbs, H4054 and Debir H1688 with her suburbs, H4054
16 And Ain H5871 with her suburbs, H4054 and Juttah H3194 with her suburbs, H4054 and Bethshemesh H1053 with her suburbs; H4054 nine H8672 cities H5892 out of those two H8147 tribes. H7626
17 And out of the tribe H4294 of Benjamin, H1144 Gibeon H1391 with her suburbs, H4054 Geba H1387 with her suburbs, H4054
18 Anathoth H6068 with her suburbs, H4054 and Almon H5960 with her suburbs; H4054 four H702 cities. H5892
19 All the cities H5892 of the children H1121 of Aaron, H175 the priests, H3548 were thirteen H7969 H6240 cities H5892 with their suburbs. H4054
20 And the families H4940 of the children H1121 of Kohath, H6955 the Levites H3881 which remained H3498 of the children H1121 of Kohath, H6955 even they had the cities H5892 of their lot H1486 out of the tribe H4294 of Ephraim. H669
21 For they gave H5414 them Shechem H7927 with her suburbs H4054 in mount H2022 Ephraim, H669 to be a city H5892 of refuge H4733 for the slayer; H7523 and Gezer H1507 with her suburbs, H4054
22 And Kibzaim H6911 with her suburbs, H4054 and Bethhoron H1032 with her suburbs; H4054 four H702 cities. H5892
23 And out of the tribe H4294 of Dan, H1835 Eltekeh H514 with her suburbs, H4054 Gibbethon H1405 with her suburbs, H4054
24 Aijalon H357 with her suburbs, H4054 Gathrimmon H1667 with her suburbs; H4054 four H702 cities. H5892
25 And out of the half H4276 tribe H4294 of Manasseh, H4519 Tanach H8590 with her suburbs, H4054 and Gathrimmon H1667 with her suburbs; H4054 two H8147 cities. H5892
26 All the cities H5892 were ten H6235 with their suburbs H4054 for the families H4940 of the children H1121 of Kohath H6955 that remained. H3498
27 And unto the children H1121 of Gershon, H1648 of the families H4940 of the Levites, H3881 out of the other half H2677 tribe H4294 of Manasseh H4519 they gave Golan H1474 in Bashan H1316 with her suburbs, H4054 to be a city H5892 of refuge H4733 for the slayer; H7523 and Beeshterah H1203 with her suburbs; H4054 two H8147 cities. H5892
28 And out of the tribe H4294 of Issachar, H3485 Kishon H7191 with her suburbs, H4054 Dabareh H1705 with her suburbs, H4054
29 Jarmuth H3412 with her suburbs, H4054 Engannim H5873 with her suburbs; H4054 four H702 cities. H5892
30 And out of the tribe H4294 of Asher, H836 Mishal H4861 with her suburbs, H4054 Abdon H5658 with her suburbs, H4054
31 Helkath H2520 with her suburbs, H4054 and Rehob H7340 with her suburbs; H4054 four H702 cities. H5892
32 And out of the tribe H4294 of Naphtali, H5321 Kedesh H6943 in Galilee H1551 with her suburbs, H4054 to be a city H5892 of refuge H4733 for the slayer; H7523 and Hammothdor H2576 with her suburbs, H4054 and Kartan H7178 with her suburbs; H4054 three H7969 cities. H5892
33 All the cities H5892 of the Gershonites H1649 according to their families H4940 were thirteen H7969 H6240 cities H5892 with their suburbs. H4054
34 And unto the families H4940 of the children H1121 of Merari, H4847 the rest H3498 of the Levites, H3881 out of the tribe H4294 of Zebulun, H2074 Jokneam H3362 with her suburbs, H4054 and Kartah H7177 with her suburbs, H4054
35 Dimnah H1829 with her suburbs, H4054 Nahalal H5096 with her suburbs; H4054 four H702 cities. H5892
36 And out of the tribe of Reuben, H7205 Bezer H1221 with her suburbs, and Jahazah H3096 with her suburbs,
37 Kedemoth H6932 with her suburbs, and Mephaath H4158 with her suburbs; four H702 cities. H5892
38 And out of the tribe H4294 of Gad, H1410 Ramoth H7433 in Gilead H1568 with her suburbs, H4054 to be a city H5892 of refuge H4733 for the slayer; H7523 and Mahanaim H4266 with her suburbs, H4054
39 Heshbon H2809 with her suburbs, H4054 Jazer H3270 with her suburbs; H4054 four H702 cities H5892 in all.
40 So all the cities H5892 for the children H1121 of Merari H4847 by their families, H4940 which were remaining H3498 of the families H4940 of the Levites, H3881 were by their lot H1486 twelve H8147 H6240 cities. H5892
41 All the cities H5892 of the Levites H3881 within H8432 the possession H272 of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 were forty H705 and eight H8083 cities H5892 with their suburbs. H4054
42 These cities H5892 were every one H5892 H5892 with their suburbs H4054 round about H5439 them: thus were all these cities. H5892
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Joshua 21
Commentary on Joshua 21 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 21
Jos 21:1-8. Eight and Forty Cities Given by Lot Out of the Other Tribes unto the Levites.
1-3. Then came near the heads of the fathers of the Levites—The most venerable and distinguished members of the three Levitical families, on behalf of their tribe, applied for the special provision that had been promised them to be now awarded (see on Nu 35:2). Their inheritance lay within the territory of every tribe. It was assigned in the same place and manner, and by the same commissioners as the other allotments. While the people, knowing the important duties they were to perform, are described (Jos 21:3) as readily conceding this "peculiar" to them, it had most probably been specified and reserved for their use while the distribution of the land was in progress.
4-8. the lot came out for the families of the Kohathites—The Levites were divided into Kohathites, Gershonites, and Merarites. Among the former the family of Aaron were exclusively appointed to the priesthood, and all the rest were ranked in the common order of Levites. The first lot was drawn by the Kohathites; and the first of theirs again by the priests, to whom thirteen cities were granted, and ten to the rest of the Kohathites (Jos 21:5); thirteen to the Gershonites (Jos 21:6), and twelve to the Merarites (Jos 21:7).
Jos 21:9-42. The Cities of the Priests.
9-40. they gave … these cities which are here mentioned by name—It was overruled by the unerring providence of the Divine Lawgiver that the cities of the priests lay within the territories of Judah and Benjamin. This was a provision, the admirable wisdom and propriety of which were fully manifested on the schism that took place in the reign of Rehoboam.
41. All the cities of the Levites within the possession of the children of Israel were forty and eight cities with their suburbs—This may appear too great a proportion compared with those of the other tribes. But it must be borne in mind that the list given here contains the names of every Levitical city (see on 1Ch 6:39-66); whereas only those cities of the other tribes are mentioned which lay on the frontier or along the boundary line. Besides, the Levites were not the exclusive inhabitants of those forty-eight cities; for there must have been also a considerable number of people kept there to cultivate the glebe lands and tend the cattle. Still further, the Levitical cities had nothing but "their suburbs round about them" [Jos 21:42]; whereas the other cities in Israel possessed a group of independent villages (see Jos 17:1-19:51).
Jos 21:43-45. God Gave Them Rest.
43-45. the Lord gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to give unto their fathers—This is a general winding up of the history from the thirteenth chapter, which narrates the occupation of the land by the Israelites. All the promises made, whether to the people or to Joshua (Jos 1:5), had been, or were in the course of being fulfilled; and the recorded experience of the Israelites (Jos 21:45), is a ground of hope and confidence to the people of God in every age, that all other promises made to the Church will, in due time, be accomplished.