44 And the LORD H3068 gave them rest H5117 round about, H5439 according to all that he sware H7650 unto their fathers: H1 and there stood H5975 not a man H376 of all their enemies H341 before H6440 them; the LORD H3068 delivered H5414 all their enemies H341 into their hand. H3027
So Joshua H3091 took H3947 the whole land, H776 according to all that the LORD H3068 said H1696 unto Moses; H4872 and Joshua H3091 gave H5414 it for an inheritance H5159 unto Israel H3478 according to their divisions H4256 by their tribes. H7626 And the land H776 rested H8252 from war. H4421
And I will set H7896 thy bounds H1366 from the Red H5488 sea H3220 even unto the sea H3220 of the Philistines, H6430 and from the desert H4057 unto the river: H5104 for I will deliver H5414 the inhabitants H3427 of the land H776 into your hand; H3027 and thou shalt drive them out H1644 before H6440 thee.
And the LORD H3068 thy God H430 will put out H5394 those H411 nations H1471 before H6440 thee by little H4592 and little: H4592 thou mayest H3201 not consume H3615 them at once, H4118 lest the beasts H2416 of the field H7704 increase H7235 upon thee. But the LORD H3068 thy God H430 shall deliver H5414 them unto thee, H6440 and shall destroy H1949 them with a mighty H1419 destruction, H4103 until they be destroyed. H8045 And he shall deliver H5414 their kings H4428 into thine hand, H3027 and thou shalt destroy H6 their name H8034 from under heaven: H8064 there shall no man H376 be able to stand H3320 before H6440 thee, until thou have destroyed H8045 them.
The LORD H3068 thy God, H430 he will go over H5674 before H6440 thee, and he will destroy H8045 these nations H1471 from before H6440 thee, and thou shalt possess H3423 them: and Joshua, H3091 he shall go over H5674 before H6440 thee, as the LORD H3068 hath said. H1696 And the LORD H3068 shall do H6213 unto them as he did H6213 to Sihon H5511 and to Og, H5747 kings H4428 of the Amorites, H567 and unto the land H776 of them, whom he destroyed. H8045 And the LORD H3068 shall give them up H5414 before your face, H6440 that ye may do H6213 unto them according unto all the commandments H4687 which I have commanded H6680 you.
Remember H2142 the word H1697 which Moses H4872 the servant H5650 of the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 you, saying, H559 The LORD H3068 your God H430 hath given you rest, H5117 and hath given H5414 you this land. H776
Until the LORD H3068 have given H5117 your brethren H251 rest, H5117 as he hath given you, and they also have possessed H3423 the land H776 which the LORD H3068 your God H430 giveth H5414 them: then ye shall return H7725 unto the land H776 of your possession, H3425 and enjoy H3423 it, which Moses H4872 the LORD'S H3068 servant H5650 gave H5414 you on this side H5676 Jordan H3383 toward the sunrising. H4217 H8121
And now the LORD H3068 your God H430 hath given rest H5117 unto your brethren, H251 as he promised H1696 them: therefore now return H6437 ye, and get H3212 you unto your tents, H168 and unto the land H776 of your possession, H272 which Moses H4872 the servant H5650 of the LORD H3068 gave H5414 you on the other side H5676 Jordan. H3383
And the children H1121 of Reuben H7205 and the children H1121 of Gad H1410 and the half H2677 tribe H7626 of Manasseh H4519 returned, H7725 and departed H3212 from the children H1121 of Israel H3478 out of Shiloh, H7887 which is in the land H776 of Canaan, H3667 to go H3212 unto the country H776 of Gilead, H1568 to the land H776 of their possession, H272 whereof they were possessed, H270 according to the word H6310 of the LORD H3068 by the hand H3027 of Moses. H4872
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.