Joshua 21:31-41

31 Helkath with its pasture lands and Rehob with its pasture lands; four cities.
32 From the tribe of Naphtali, they gave 1Kedesh in Galilee, the city of refuge for the manslayer, with its pasture lands and Hammoth-dor with its pasture lands and Kartan with its pasture lands; three cities.
33 All the cities of the Gershonites according to their families were thirteen * cities with their pasture lands.
34 To the families of 2the sons of Merari, the rest of the Levites, they gave from the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam with its pasture lands and Kartah with its pasture lands.
35 Dimnah with its pasture lands, Nahalal with its pasture lands; four cities.
36 From the tribe of Reuben, they gave 3Bezer with its pasture lands and Jahaz with its pasture lands,
37 Kedemoth with its pasture lands and Mephaath with its pasture lands; four cities.
38 From the tribe of Gad, they gave 4Ramoth in Gilead, the city of refuge for the manslayer, with its pasture lands and 5Mahanaim with its pasture lands,
39 Heshbon with its pasture lands, Jazer with its pasture lands; four cities in all.
40 All these were the cities of the sons of Merari according to their families, the rest of the families of the Levites; and their lot was twelve * cities.
41 6All the cities of the Levites in the midst of the possession of the sons of Israel were forty-eight * cities with their pasture lands.

Joshua 21:31-41 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Cross References 6

  • 1. Joshua 20:7
  • 2. 1 Chronicles 6:77
  • 3. Deuteronomy 4:43; Joshua 20:8
  • 4. Deuteronomy 4:43; 1 Kings 4:13
  • 5. Genesis 32:2; 2 Samuel 2:8
  • 6. Numbers 35:7
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