Joshua 21

1 Then came near the heads of fathers' [houses] of the Levites to El`azar the Kohen, and to Yehoshua the son of Nun, and to the heads of fathers' [houses] of the tribes of the children of Yisra'el;

2 and they spoke to them at Shiloh in the land of Kana`an, saying, the LORD commanded Moshe to give us cities to dwell in, with the suburbs of it for our cattle.

3 The children of Yisra'el gave to the Levites out of their inheritance, according to the mitzvah of the LORD, these cities with their suburbs.

4 The lot came out for the families of the Kehati: and the children of Aharon the Kohen, who were of the Levites, had by lot out of the tribe of Yehudah, and out of the tribe of the Shim`oni, and out of the tribe of Binyamin, thirteen cities.

5 The rest of the children of Kehat had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Efrayim, and out of the tribe of Dan, and out of the half-tribe of Menashsheh, ten cities.

6 The children of Gershon had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Yissakhar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naftali, and out of the half-tribe of Menashsheh in Bashan, thirteen cities.

7 The children of Merari according to their families had out of the tribe of Re'uven, and out of the tribe of Gad, and out of the tribe of Zevulun, twelve cities.

8 The children of Yisra'el gave by lot to the Levites these cities with their suburbs, as the LORD commanded by Moshe.

9 They gave out of the tribe of the children of Yehudah, and out of the tribe of the children of Shim`on, these cities which are [here] mentioned by name:

10 and they were for the children of Aharon, of the families of the Kehati, who were of the children of Levi; for theirs was the first lot.

11 They gave them Kiryat-Arba, [which Arba was] the father of `Anak (the same is Hevron), in the hill-country of Yehudah, with the suburbs of it round about it.

12 But the fields of the city, and the villages of it, gave they to Kalev the son of Yefunneh for his possession.

13 To the children of Aharon the Kohen they gave Hevron with its suburbs, the city of refuge for the manslayer, and Livna with its suburbs,

14 and Yattir with its suburbs, and Eshtemoa with its suburbs,

15 and Holon with its suburbs, and Devir with its suburbs,

16 and `Ayin with its suburbs, and Yuttah with its suburbs, [and] Beit-Shemesh with its suburbs; nine cities out of those two tribes.

17 Out of the tribe of Binyamin, Giv`on with its suburbs, Geva with its suburbs,

18 `Anatot with its suburbs, and `Almon with its suburbs; four cities.

19 All the cities of the children of Aharon, the Kohanim, were thirteen cities with their suburbs.

20 The families of the children of Kehat, the Levites, even the rest of the children of Kehat, they had the cities of their lot out of the tribe of Efrayim.

21 They gave them Shekhem with its suburbs in the hill-country of Efrayim, the city of refuge for the manslayer, and Gezer with its suburbs,

22 and Kivtza`im with its suburbs, and Beit-Horon with its suburbs; four cities.

23 Out of the tribe of Dan, Elteke with its suburbs, Gibbeton with its suburbs,

24 Ayalon with its suburbs, Gat-Rimmon with its suburbs; four cities.

25 Out of the half-tribe of Menashsheh, Ta`nakh with its suburbs, and Gat-Rimmon with its suburbs; two cities.

26 All the cities of the families of the rest of the children of Kehat were ten with their suburbs.

27 To the children of Gershon, of the families of the Levites, out of the half-tribe of Menashsheh [they gave] Galon in Bashan with its suburbs, the city of refuge for the manslayer, and Be`eshterah with its suburbs; two cities.

28 Out of the tribe of Yissakhar, Kishyon with its suburbs, Daverat with its suburbs,

29 Yarmut with its suburbs, `En-Gannim with its suburbs; four cities.

30 Out of the tribe of Asher, Mish'al with its suburbs, `Avdon with its suburbs,

31 Helkat with its suburbs, and Rechov with its suburbs; four cities.

32 Out of the tribe of Naftali, Kedesh in the Galil with its suburbs, the city of refuge for the manslayer, and Hammot-dor with its suburbs, and Kartan with its suburbs; three cities.

33 All the cities of the Gershoni according to their families were thirteen cities with their suburbs.

34 To the families of the children of Merari, the rest of the Levites, out of the tribe of Zevulun, Yokne`am with its suburbs, and Kartah with its suburbs,

35 Dimnah with its suburbs, Nahalal with its suburbs; four cities.

36 Out of the tribe of Re'uven, Betzer with its suburbs, and Yahatz with its suburbs,

37 Kedemot with its suburbs, and Mefa`at with its suburbs; four cities.

38 Out of the tribe of Gad, Ramot in Gil`ad with its suburbs, the city of refuge for the manslayer, and Machanayim with its suburbs,

39 Heshbon with its suburbs, Ya`zer with its suburbs; four cities in all.

40 All [these were] the cities of the children of Merari according to their families, even the rest of the families of the Levites; and their lot was twelve cities.

41 All the cities of the Levites in the midst of the possession of the children of Yisra'el were forty-eight cities with their suburbs.

42 These cities were every one with their suburbs round about them: thus it was with all these cities.

43 So the LORD gave to Yisra'el all the land which he swore to give to their fathers; and they possessed it, and lived therein.

44 The LORD gave them rest round about, according to all that he swore to their fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand.

45 There failed not anything of any good thing which the LORD had spoken to the house of Yisra'el; all came to pass.

Joshua 21 Commentary

Chapter 21

Cities for the Levites. (1-8) The cities allotted to the Levites. (9-42) God gave the land and rest to the Israelites, according to his promise. (43-45)

Verses 1-8 The Levites waited till the other tribes were provided for, before they preferred their claim to Joshua. They build their claim upon a very good foundation; not their own merits or services, but the Divine precept. The maintenance of ministers is not a thing left merely to the will of the people, that they may let them starve if they please; they which preach the gospel should live by the gospel, and should live comfortably.

Verses 9-42 By mixing the Levites with the other tribes, they were made to see that the eyes of all Israel were upon them, and therefore it was their concern to walk so that their ministry might not be blamed. Every tribe had its share of Levites' cities. Thus did God graciously provide for keeping up religion among them, and that they might have the word in all parts of the land. Yet, blessed be God, we have the gospel more diffused amongst us.

Verses 43-45 God promised to give to the seed of Abraham the land of Canaan for a possession, and now they possessed it, and dwelt therein. And the promise of the heavenly Canaan is as sure to all God's spiritual Israel; for it is the promise of Him that cannot lie. There stood not a man before them. The after-prevalence of the Canaanites was the effect of Israel's slothfulness, and the punishment of their sinful inclination to the idolatries and abominations of the heathen whom they harboured and indulged. There failed not aught of any good thing, which the Lord had spoken to the house of Israel. In due season all his promises will be accomplished; then will his people acknowledge that the Lord has exceeded their largest expectations, and made them more than conquerors, and brought them to their desired rest.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 21

This chapter contains the address of the Levites to the court, to have the cities and suburbs given them according to the command of God by Moses, Jos 21:1,2; the grant of them by lot out of the several tribes, Jos 21:3-8; the particular cities out of the tribes of Judah and Simeon are mentioned by name, Jos 21:9-16; then those out of the tribe of Benjamin, Jos 21:17-19; next those out of the tribe of Ephraim, Jos 21:20-22; afterwards those out of the tribe of Dan, Jos 21:23-26; then those out of the half tribe of Manasseh, Jos 21:27; and out of the tribe of Issachar, Jos 21:28,29; and out of the tribe of Asher, Jos 21:30,31; and of Naphtali, Jos 21:32,33; and of Zebulun, Jos 21:34,35; and of Reuben, Jos 21:36,37; and of Gad, Jos 21:38-40; which in all made forty eight, Jos 21:41,42; and the chapter is concluded with observing, that God gave Israel all the land of Canaan, and rest in it, according to his promise, very faithfully and punctually, Jos 21:43-45.