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.
And they gave H5414 them Hebron H2275 in the land H776 of Judah, H3063 and the suburbs H4054 thereof round about H5439 it.
And Jacob H3290 came H935 unto Isaac H3327 his father H1 unto Mamre, H4471 unto the city of Arbah, H7153 which is Hebron, H2275 where Abraham H85 and Isaac H3327 sojourned. H1481
And the name H8034 of Hebron H2275 before H6440 was Kirjatharba; H7153 which Arba was a great H1419 man H120 among the Anakims. H6062 And the land H776 had rest H8252 from war. H4421
And unto Caleb H3612 the son H1121 of Jephunneh H3312 he gave H5414 a part H2506 among H8432 the children H1121 of Judah, H3063 according H413 to the commandment H6310 of the LORD H3068 to Joshua, H3091 even the city H7151 of Arba H704 H7153 the father H1 of Anak, H6061 which city is Hebron. H2275 And Caleb H3612 drove H3423 thence the three H7969 sons H1121 of Anak, H6061 Sheshai, H8344 and Ahiman, H289 and Talmai, H8526 the children H3211 of Anak. H6061
And Humtah, H2547 and Kirjatharba, H7153 which is Hebron, H2275 and Zior; H6730 nine H8672 cities H5892 with their villages: H2691
And they appointed H6942 Kedesh H6943 in Galilee H1551 in mount H2022 Naphtali, H5321 and Shechem H7927 in mount H2022 Ephraim, H669 and Kirjatharba, H7153 which is Hebron, H2275 in the mountain H2022 of Judah. H3063 And on the other side H5676 Jordan H3383 by Jericho H3405 eastward, H4217 they assigned H5414 Bezer H1221 in the wilderness H4057 upon the plain H4334 out of the tribe H4294 of Reuben, H7205 and Ramoth H7216 in Gilead H1568 out of the tribe H4294 of Gad, H1410 and Golan H1474 in Bashan H1316 out of the tribe H4294 of Manasseh. H4519 These were the cities H5892 appointed H4152 for all the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 and for the stranger H1616 that sojourneth H1481 among H8432 them, that whosoever killeth H5221 any person H5315 at unawares H7684 might flee H5127 thither, and not die H4191 by the hand H3027 of the avenger H1350 of blood, H1818 until he stood H5975 before H6440 the congregation. H5712
And it came to pass after this, H310 that David H1732 enquired H7592 of the LORD, H3068 saying, H559 Shall I go up H5927 into any H259 of the cities H5892 of Judah? H3063 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto him, Go up. H5927 And David H1732 said, H559 Whither shall I go up? H5927 And he said, H559 Unto Hebron. H2275 So David H1732 went up H5927 thither, and his two H8147 wives H802 also, Ahinoam H293 the Jezreelitess, H3159 and Abigail H26 Nabal's H5037 wife H802 the Carmelite. H3761 And his men H582 that were with him did David H1732 bring up, H5927 every man H376 with his household: H1004 and they dwelt H3427 in the cities H5892 of Hebron. H2275
Then came H935 all the tribes H7626 of Israel H3478 to David H1732 unto Hebron, H2275 and spake, H559 saying, H559 Behold, we are thy bone H6106 and thy flesh. H1320 Also in time past, H865 H8032 when Saul H7586 was king H4428 over us, thou wast he that leddest out H3318 and broughtest in H935 Israel: H3478 and the LORD H3068 said H559 to thee, Thou shalt feed H7462 my people H5971 Israel, H3478 and thou shalt be a captain H5057 over Israel. H3478 So all the elders H2205 of Israel H3478 came H935 to the king H4428 to Hebron; H2275 and king H4428 David H1732 made H3772 a league H1285 with them in Hebron H2275 before H6440 the LORD: H3068 and they anointed H4886 David H1732 king H4428 over Israel. H3478 David H1732 was thirty H7970 years H8141 old H1121 when he began to reign, H4427 and he reigned H4427 forty H705 years. H8141 In Hebron H2275 he reigned H4427 over Judah H3063 seven H7651 years H8141 and six H8337 months: H2320 and in Jerusalem H3389 he reigned H4427 thirty H7970 and three H7969 years H8141 over all Israel H3478 and Judah. H3063
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.