1 And the heads of the fathers of the Levites draw nigh unto Eleazar the priest, and unto Joshua son of Nun, and unto the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the sons of Israel,
And these `are' they `of' the sons of Israel who inherited in the land of Canaan, whom Eleazar the priest, and Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the sons of Israel, caused to inherit;
and they draw near before Eleazar the priest, and before Joshua son of Nun, and before the princes, saying, `Jehovah commanded Moses to give to us an inheritance in the midst of our brethren;' and he giveth to them, at the command of Jehovah, an inheritance in the midst of the brethren of their father.
These `are' the inheritances which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the sons of Israel, have caused to inherit by lot, in Shiloh, before Jehovah, at the opening of the tent of meeting; and they finish to apportion the land.
These `are' heads of the house of their fathers: Sons of Reuben first-born of Israel `are' Hanoch, and Phallu, Hezron, and Carmi: these `are' families of Reuben.
And Eleazar, Aaron's son, hath taken to him `one' of the daughters of Putiel for a wife to himself, and she beareth to him Phinehas: these `are' heads of the fathers of the Levites, as to their families.
`These `are' the names of the men who give to you the inheritance of the land: Eleazar the priest, and Joshua son of Nun, and one prince -- one prince -- for a tribe ye do take to give the land by inheritance. `And these `are' the names of the men: of the tribe of Judah, Caleb son of Jephunneh; and of the tribe of the sons of Simeon, Shemuel son of Aminihud; of the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad son of Chislon; and of the tribe of the sons of Dan, the prince Bukki son of Jogli; of the sons of Joseph, of the tribe of the sons of Manasseh, the prince Hanniel son of Ephod; and of the tribe of the sons of Ephraim, the prince Kemuel son of Shiphtan; and of the tribe of the sons of Zebulun, the prince Elizaphan son of Parnach; and of the tribe of the sons of Issachar, the prince Paltiel son of Azzan; and of the tribe of the sons of Asher, the prince Ahihud son of Shelomi; and of the tribe of the sons of Naphtali, the prince Pedahel son of Ammihud.' These `are' those whom Jehovah hath commanded to give the sons of Israel inheritance in the land of Canaan.
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Commentary on Joshua 21 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 21
It had been often said that the tribe of Levi should have "no inheritance with their brethren,' no particular part of the country assigned them, as the other tribes had, no, not the country about Shiloh, which one might have expected to be appropriated to them as the lands of the church; but, though they were not thus cast into a country by themselves, it appears, by the provision made for them in this chapter, that they were no losers, but the rest of the tribes were very much gainers, by their being dispersed. We have here,
Jos 21:1-8
Here is,
Jos 21:9-42
We have here a particular account of the cities which were given to the children of Levi out of the several tribes, not only to be occupied and inhabited by them, as tenants to the several tribes in which they lay-no, their interest in them was not dependent and precarious, but to be owned and possessed by them as lords and proprietors, and as having the same title to them that the rest of the tribes had to their cities or lands, as appears by the law which preserved the house in the Levites' cities from being alienated any longer than till the year of jubilee, Lev. 25:32, 33. Yet it is probable that the Levites having only the cities and suburbs, while the land about pertained to the tribes in which they lay, those of that tribe, for the convenience of occupying that land, might commonly rent houses of the Levites, as they could spare them in their cities, and so live among them as their tenants. Several things may be observed in this account, besides what was observed in the law concerning it, Num. 35.
Upon the whole, it appears that effectual care was taken that the Levites should live both comfortably and usefully: and those, whether ministers or others, for whom Providence has done well, must look upon themselves as obliged thereby to do good, and, according as their capacity and opportunity are, to serve their generation.
Jos 21:43-45
We have here the conclusion of this whole matter, the foregoing history summed up, and, to make it appear the more bright, compared with the promise of which it was the full accomplishment. God's word and his works mutually illustrate each other. The performance makes the promise appear very true and the promise makes the performance appear very kind.