Joshua 21

1 Then the heads of the fathers of the Levites came near unto Eleazar the priest and unto Joshua, the son of Nun, and unto the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the sons of Israel;

2 and they spoke unto them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, The LORD commanded by the hand of Moses to give us cities to dwell in with the suburbs thereof for our beasts.

3 Then the sons of Israel gave unto the Levites out of their possessions, according to the word of the LORD, these cities and their suburbs.

4 And the lot came out for the families of the Kohathites; and the sons of Aaron the priest, who were of the Levites, had by lot out of the tribe of Judah and out of the tribe of Simeon and out of the tribe of Benjamin, thirteen cities.

5 And the rest of the sons of Kohath had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Ephraim and out of the tribe of Dan and out of the half tribe of Manasseh, ten cities.

6 And the sons of Gershon had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar and out of the tribe of Asher and out of the tribe of Naphtali and out of the half tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities.

7 The sons of Merari by their families had out of the tribe of Reuben and out of the tribe of Gad and out of the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities.

8 Thus the sons of Israel gave by lot unto the Levites these cities with their suburbs, as the LORD had commanded by the hand of Moses.

9 And they gave out of the tribe of the sons of Judah and out of the tribe of the sons of Simeon these cities which are here mentioned by name;

10 and the first lot was of the sons of Aaron, of the family of Kohath, of the sons of Levi;

11 and they gave them the city of Arba of the father of Anak, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah, with its suburbs round about.

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

13 Thus they gave to the sons of Aaron the priest Hebron with its suburbs, to be a city of refuge for manslayers and Libnah with its suburbs

14 and Jattir with its suburbs and Eshtemoa with its suburbs

15 and Holon with its suburbs and Debir with its suburbs

16 and Ain with its suburbs and Juttah with its suburbs and Bethshemesh with its suburbs: nine cities out of those two tribes.

17 And out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with its suburbs, Geba with its suburbs,

18 Anathoth with its suburbs, and Almon with its suburbs: four cities.

19 All these cities of the priests, the sons of Aaron, are thirteen cities with their suburbs.

20 But the families of the sons of Kohath, Levites, those who remained of the sons of Kohath, received cities by lot out of the tribe of Ephraim.

21 For they gave them Shechem with its suburbs in the mountain of Ephraim, to be a city of refuge for manslayers, and Gezer with its suburbs,

22 Kibzaim with its suburbs, Bethhoron with its suburbs: four cities.

23 And out of the tribe of Dan, Eltekeh with its suburbs, Gibbethon with its suburbs,

24 Aijalon with its suburbs, Gathrimmon with its suburbs: four cities.

25 And out of the half tribe of Manasseh, Tanach with its suburbs and Gathrimmon with its suburbs: two cities.

26 All the cities were ten with their suburbs for the remaining families of the sons of Kohath.

27 And unto the sons of Gershon, of the families of the Levites, out of the other half tribe of Manasseh they gave Golan in Bashan with its suburbs, to be a city of refuge for manslayers, and Beeshterah with its suburbs: two cities.

28 And out of the tribe of Issachar, Kishon with its suburbs, Dabareh with its suburbs,

29 Jarmuth with its suburbs, Engannim with its suburbs: four cities.

30 And out of the tribe of Asher, Mishal with its suburbs, Abdon with its suburbs,

31 Helkath with its suburbs, and Rehob with its suburbs: four cities.

32 And out of the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee with its suburbs, to be a city of refuge for manslayers, and Hammothdor with its suburbs and Kartan with its suburbs: three cities.

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

34 And unto the families of the sons of Merari, Levites that remained, out of the tribe of Zebulun they gave them, Jokneam with its suburbs and Kartah with its suburbs,

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

36 And out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer and Jahazah,

37 Kedemoth, and Mephaath: four cities.

38 And out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with its suburbs, to be a city of refuge for manslayers; and Mahanaim with its suburbs,

39 Heshbon with its suburbs, Jazer with its suburbs; four cities in all.

40 So all the cities for the sons of Merari by their families, who remained of the families of the Levites, were by their lot twelve cities.

41 All the cities of the Levites within the possession of the sons of Israel were forty-eight cities with their suburbs.

42 Each one of these cities were separated with their suburbs round about them; thus were all these cities.

43 Thus the LORD gave unto Israel all the land which he swore to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it and dwelt therein.

44 And the LORD gave them rest round about, according to all that he had sworn unto their fathers; and none of their enemies could stand before them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hands.

45 There failed not a word of all the good things which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; all of it 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.