Joshua 21:6-16

6 The sons of Gershon received thirteen * cities by lot from the families of the tribe of Issachar and from the tribe of Asher and from the tribe of Naphtali and from the half-tribe * of Manasseh in Bashan.

7 The sons of Merari according to their families received twelve * cities from the tribe of Reuben and from the tribe of Gad and from the tribe of Zebulun.

8 Now the ¹sons of Israel gave by lot to the Levites these cities with their pasture lands, as the LORD had commanded through Moses.

9 They gave these cities which are here mentioned by name from the tribe of the sons of Judah and from the tribe of the sons of Simeon;

10 and they were for the sons of Aaron, one of the families of the Kohathites, of the sons of Levi, for the lot was theirs first.

11 Thus ²they gave them Kiriath-arba, Arba being the ³father of Anak (that is, Hebron ), in the hill country of Judah, with its surrounding pasture lands.

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

13 So ⁴to the sons of Aaron the priest they gave ⁵Hebron, the city of refuge for the manslayer, with its pasture lands, and ⁶Libnah with its pasture lands,

14 and ⁷Jattir with its pasture lands and ⁸Eshtemoa with its pasture lands,

15 and Holon with its pasture lands and ⁹Debir with its pasture lands,

16 and Ain with its pasture lands and ¹⁰Juttah with its pasture lands and ¹¹Beth-shemesh with its pasture lands; nine cities from these two tribes.

Joshua 21:6-16 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

• 1. Genesis 49:5f
• 2. 1 Chronicles 6:55
• 3. Joshua 14:15; Joshua 15:13
• 4. 1 Chronicles 6:57
• 5. Joshua 15:54
• 6. Joshua 15:42
• 7. Joshua 15:48
• 8. Joshua 15:50
• 9. Joshua 15:49
• 10. Joshua 15:55
• 11. Joshua 15:10

Footnotes

• [a] Lit "had"
• [b] Lit "had"
• [c] Lit "by the hand of"
• [d] In 1 Chr 6:58, "Hilen"
• [e] In 1 Chr 6:59, "Ashan"