Joshua 21

Towns Are Given to the Levites

1 The leaders of the Levite family groups approached the priest Eleazar and Joshua, the son of Nun. They also approached the leaders of the family groups of Israel's other tribes.

2 They went to all of them at Shiloh in Canaan. They said to them, "Give us towns to live in. Also give us grasslands for our livestock. That's what the LORD commanded through Moses."

3 So the people of Israel gave the Levites towns and grasslands out of their own shares of land. They did what the LORD had commanded. Here are the towns the Levites were given.

4 The first lot that was drawn out was for the people of Kohath, family group by family group. Some of the Levites came from the family line of the priest Aaron. They were given 13 towns from the tribes of Judah, Simeon and Benjamin.

5 The rest of Kohath's family groups were given ten towns from the family groups of the tribes of Ephraim and Dan and half of the tribe of Manasseh.

6 The family groups of Gershon were given 13 towns from the family groups of the tribes of Issachar, Asher and Naphtali and half of the tribe of Manasseh. That part of Manasseh was in the land of Bashan.

7 The family groups of Merari received 12 towns from the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Zebulun. Each family group received its share.

8 So the people of Israel gave those towns and their grasslands to the Levites. They did what the LORD had commanded through Moses.

9 They gave some towns from the territories of the tribes of Judah and Simeon

10 to the members of the family line of Aaron. The towns were given to the family groups of Kohath. They were Levites. The first lot that was drawn out was for them. Here are the towns the family groups of Kohath were given.

11 The people of Israel gave them Kiriath Arba and the grasslands that were around it. Kiriath Arba is also called Hebron. It's in the hill country of Judah. Anak came from the family line of Arba.

12 But Israel had already given away the fields and villages around the city. They had given them to Caleb as his share. Caleb was the son of Jephunneh.

13 So they gave Hebron to the members of the family line of the priest Aaron. Hebron was a city where anyone who was charged with murder could go for safety. They also gave them Libnah,

14 Jattir, Eshtemoa,

15 Holon, Debir,

16 Ain, Juttah and Beth Shemesh. They gave those towns and their grasslands to the family groups of Kohath. The total number of towns from the tribes of Judah and Simeon was nine.

17 The people of Israel gave some towns from the tribe of Benjamin to the family groups of Kohath. The towns were Gibeon, Geba,

18 Anathoth and Almon. The total number of those towns and their grasslands was four.

19 So the total number of towns and their grasslands that were given to the priests in the family line of Aaron was 13.

20 There were other family groups of Kohath among the Levites. They were given towns from the tribe of Ephraim. Here are the towns those other family groups of Kohath were given.

21 In the hill country of Ephraim they were given Shechem. It was a city where anyone who was charged with murder could go for safety. They were also given Gezer,

22 Kibzaim and Beth Horon. The total number of those towns and their grasslands was four.

23 From the tribe of Dan they received Eltekeh, Gibbethon,

24 Aijalon and Gath Rimmon. The total number of those towns and their grasslands was four.

25 From half of the tribe of Manasseh they received Taanach and Gath Rimmon. The total number of those towns and their grasslands was two.

26 So all of those ten towns and their grasslands were given to the other family groups of Kohath.

27 Here are the towns the family groups of Gershon among the Levites were given. From half of the tribe of Manasseh they received Golan in the land of Bashan. Golan was a city where anyone who was charged with murder could go for safety. They also received Be Eshtarah. The total number of those towns and their grasslands was two.

28 From the tribe of Issachar they received Kishion, Daberath,

29 Jarmuth and En Gannim. The total number of those towns and their grasslands was four.

30 From the tribe of Asher they received Mishal, Abdon,

31 Helkath and Rehob. The total number of those towns and their grasslands was four.

32 From the tribe of Naphtali they received Kedesh in Galilee. Kedesh was a city where anyone who was charged with murder could go for safety. They also received Hammoth Dor and Kartan. The total number of those towns and their grasslands was three.

33 So the total number of towns and their grasslands that were given to the family groups of Gershon was 13.

34 The rest of the Levites were from the family groups of Merari. Here are the towns they were given. From the tribe of Zebulun they received Jokneam, Kartah,

35 Dimnah and Nahalal. The total number of those towns and their grasslands was four.

36 From the tribe of Reuben they received Bezer, Jahaz,

37 Kedemoth and Mephaath. The total number of those towns and their grasslands was four.

38 From the tribe of Gad they received Ramoth in Gilead. Ramoth was a city where anyone who was charged with murder could go for safety. They also received Mahanaim,

39 Heshbon and Jazer. The total number of those towns and their grasslands was four.

40 So the total number of towns that were given to the family groups of Merari was 12. That concludes the list of towns the rest of the Levites received.

41 The total number of Levite towns and their grasslands in the territory that was given to Israel was 48.

42 Each of those towns had grasslands around it. That was true of all of them.

43 So the LORD gave Israel all of the land he had promised with an oath to give to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And Israel took it over. Then they settled down there.

44 The LORD gave them peace and rest on every side. That's what he had promised their fathers he would do. Not one of their enemies was able to fight against Israel and win. The LORD handed all of their enemies over to them.

45 The LORD kept all of the good promises he had made to the people of Israel. Every one of them came true.

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.