Joshua 21:1-7

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.

Joshua 21:1-7 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.