Joshua 21

Cities of the Levites

1 The heads of the Levite families approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the families of the Israelite tribes.

2 They told them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan: "The Lord commanded through Moses that we be given cities to live in, with their pasturelands^[a] for our livestock."

3 So the Israelites, by the Lord's command, gave the Levites these cities with their pasturelands from their inheritance.

4 The lot came out for the Kohathite clans: The Levites who were the descendants of Aaron the priest received 13 cities by lot from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.

5 The remaining descendants of Kohath^[b] received 10 cities by lot from the clans of the tribes of Ephraim, Dan, and half the tribe of Manasseh.

6 Gershon's descendants received 13 cities by lot from the clans of the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and half the tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.

7 Merari's descendants received 12 cities for their clans from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.

8 The Israelites gave these cities with their pasturelands around them to the Levites by lot, as the Lord had commanded through Moses.

Cities of Aaron's Descendants

9 The Israelites gave these cities by name from the tribes of the descendants of Judah and Simeon

10 to the descendants of Aaron from the Kohathite clans of the Levites, because they received the first lot.

11 They gave them Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) with its surrounding pasturelands in the hill country of Judah. Arba was the father of Anak.

12 But they gave the fields and villages of the city to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his possession.

13 They gave to the descendants of Aaron the priest: Hebron, the city of refuge for the one who commits manslaughter, with its pasturelands, Libnah with its pasturelands,

14 Jattir with its pasturelands, Eshtemoa with its pasturelands,

15 Holon with its pasturelands, Debir with its pasturelands,

16 Ain with its pasturelands, Juttah with its pasturelands, and Beth-shemesh with its pasturelands-nine cities from these two tribes.

17 From the tribe of Benjamin [they gave]: Gibeon with its pasturelands, Geba with its pasturelands,

18 Anathoth with its pasturelands, and Almon with its pasturelands-four cities.

19 All 13 cities with their pasturelands were for the priests, the descendants of Aaron.

Cities of Kohath's Other Descendants

20 The allotted cities to the remaining clans of Kohath's descendants, who were Levites, came from the tribe of Ephraim.

21 The Israelites gave them: Shechem, the city of refuge for the one who commits manslaughter, with its pasturelands in the hill country of Ephraim, Gezer with its pasturelands,

22 Kibzaim with its pasturelands, and Beth-horon with its pasturelands-four cities.

23 From the tribe of Dan [they gave]: Elteke with its pasturelands, Gibbethon with its pasturelands,

24 Aijalon with its pasturelands, and Gath-rimmon with its pasturelands-four cities.

25 From half the tribe of Manasseh [they gave]: Taanach with its pasturelands and Gath-rimmon^[c] with its pasturelands-two cities.

26 All 10 cities with their pasturelands were for the clans of Kohath's other descendants.

Cities of Gershon's Descendants

27 From half the tribe of Manasseh, [they gave] to the descendants of Gershon, who were one of the Levite clans: Golan, the city of refuge for the one who commits manslaughter, with its pasturelands in Bashan, and Beeshterah with its pasturelands-two cities.

28 From the tribe of Issachar [they gave]: Kishion with its pasturelands, Daberath with its pasturelands,

29 Jarmuth with its pasturelands, and En-gannim with its pasturelands-four cities.

30 From the tribe of Asher [they gave]: Mishal with its pasturelands, Abdon with its pasturelands,

31 Helkath with its pasturelands, and Rehob with its pasturelands-four cities.

32 From the tribe of Naphtali [they gave]: Kedesh in Galilee, the city of refuge for the one who commits manslaughter, with its pasturelands, Hammoth-dor with its pasturelands, and Kartan with its pasturelands-three cities.

33 All 13 cities with their pasturelands were for the Gershonites by their clans.

Cities of Merari's Descendants

34 From the tribe of Zebulun, [they gave] to the clans of the descendants of Merari, who were the remaining Levites: Jokneam with its pasturelands, Kartah with its pasturelands,

35 Dimnah with its pasturelands, and Nahalal with its pasturelands-four cities.

36 From the tribe of Reuben, [they gave]: Bezer with its pasturelands, Jahzah^[d] with its pasturelands,

37 Kedemoth with its pasturelands, and Mephaath with its pasturelands-four cities.^[e][f]

38 From the tribe of Gad, [they gave]: Ramoth in Gilead, the city of refuge for the one who commits manslaughter, with its pasturelands, Mahanaim with its pasturelands,

39 Heshbon with its pasturelands, and Jazer with its pasturelands-four cities in all.

40 All 12 cities were allotted to the clans of Merari's descendants, the remaining Levite clans.

41 Within the Israelite possession there were 48 cities in all with their pasturelands for the Levites.

42 Each of these cities had its own surrounding pasturelands; this was true for all the cities.

The Lord's Promises Fulfilled

43 So the Lord gave Israel all the land He had sworn to give their fathers, and they took possession of it and settled there.

44 The Lord gave them rest on every side according to all He had sworn to their fathers. None of their enemies were able to stand against them, for the Lord handed over all their enemies to them.

45 None of the good promises the Lord had made to the house of Israel failed. Everything was fulfilled.

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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Nm 35:4-5
• [b]. descendants not in Aaron's priestly line
• [c]. Or Ibleam
• [d]. Or Jahaz
• [e]. Some Hb mss omit these vv.
• [f]. 1 Ch 6:63-64

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.