Yehoshua 21

1 1 Then came near the Rashei Avot Levi’im unto Eleazar HaKohen, and unto Yehoshua ben Nun, and unto the Rashei Avot of the tribes of the Bnei Yisroel;

2 And they spoke unto them at Shiloh in Eretz Kena’an, saying, Hashem commanded by the yad Moshe to give us towns to dwell in, with the migrashim thereof for our livestock.

3 And the Bnei Yisroel gave unto the Levi’im out of their nachalah, at the commandment of Hashem, these towns and their migrashim.

4 And the goral (lot) came out for the mishpekhot of the Kehati. And the Bnei Aharon HaKohen, which were of the Levi’im, had by lot 13 towns out of the tribe of Yehudah, and out of the tribe of Shim’on, and out of the tribe of Binyamin.

5 And the rest of the Bnei Kehat had by goral out of the mishpekhot of the tribe of Ephrayim, and out of the tribe of Dan, and out of the half tribe of Menasheh, 10 towns.

6 And the Bnei Gershon had by goral out of the mishpekhot of the tribe of Yissakhar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half-tribe of Menasheh in Bashan, 13 towns.

7 The Bnei Merari by their mishpekhot had out of the tribe of Reuven, and out of the tribe of Gad, and out of the tribe of Zevulun, 12 towns.

8 And the Bnei Yisroel gave by goral unto the Levi’im these towns with their migrashim, just as Hashem commanded by the yad Moshe.

9 And they allotted out of the tribe of the Bnei Yehudah, and out of the tribe of the Bnei Shim’on, these towns which are here called b’shem (by name),

10 Which the Bnei Aharon, being of the mishpekhot of the Kehati, who were of the Bnei Levi, had; for theirs was the goral rishonah.

11 And they gave them Kiryat-Arba (Arba, Avi HaAnak), which is Chevron, in the har Yehudah, with the migrash (pastureland) thereof around it.

12 But the sadeh haIr, and the villages thereof, they gave to Kalev ben Yephunneh for his achuzzah (possession, property, estate).

13 Thus they gave to the Bnei Aharon HaKohen Chevron with its migrash, to be an Ir Miklat HaRotzeiach (City of Refuge of the Slayer); and Livnah with its migrash,

14 And Yatir with its migrashim, and Eshtemoa with its migrash,

15 And Cholon with its migrash, and Devir with its migrash,

16 And Ayin with its migrash, and Yutah with its migrash, and Beit Shemesh with its migrash; 9 towns out of those two shevatim (tribes).

17 And out of the tribe of Binyamin, Giveon with its migrash, Geva with its migrash,

18 Anatot with its migrash, and Almon with its migrash; 4 towns.

19 All the towns of the Bnei Aharon, the Kohanim, were 13 towns with their migrash.

20 And the mishpekhot of the Bnei Kehat, the Levi’im which remained of the Bnei Kehat, even they had the towns of their goral out of the tribe of Ephrayim.

21 For they gave them Shechem with its migrash in har Ephrayim, to be an Ir Miklat HaRotzeiach; and Gezer with its migrash,

22 And Kivtzayim with its migrash, and Beit Choron with its migrash; 4 towns.

23 And out of the tribe of Dan, Eltekeh with its migrash, Gibbeton with its migrash,

24 Ayalon with its migrash, Gat-Rimmon with its migrash; 4 towns.

25 And out of the half-tribe of Menasheh, Tanach with its migrash, and Gat-Rimmon with its migrash; 2 towns.

26 All the towns were 10 with their migrash for the mishpekhot of the Bnei Kehat that remained.

27 And unto the Bnei Gershon, of the mishpekhot Levi’im, out of the other half tribe of Menasheh they gave Golan in Bashan with its migrash, to be an Ir Miklat HaRotzeiach; and Be’eshterah with its migrash; 2 towns.

28 And out of the tribe of Yissakhar, Kishyon with its migrash, Dovrat with its migrash,

29 Yarmut with its migrash, Ein Gannim with its migrash; 4 towns.

30 And out of the tribe of Asher, Mishal with its migrash, Avdon with its migrash,

31 Chelkat with its migrash, and Rechov with its migrash; 4 towns.

32 And out of the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in the Galil with its migrash, to be an Ir Miklat HaRotzeiach; and Chammmot Dor with its migrash, and Kartan with its migrash; 3 towns.

33 All the towns of the Gershuni according to their mishpekhot were 13 towns with their migrash.

34 And unto the mishpekhot Bnei Merari, the rest of the Levi’im, out of the tribe of Zevulun, Yokneam with its migrash, and Kartah with its migrash,

35 Dimnah with its migrash, Nahalal with its migrash; 4 towns.

36 And out of the tribe of Reuven, Betzer with its migrash, and Yachtzah with its migrash,

37 Kedemot with its migrash, and Mephaat with its migrash; 4 towns.

38 And out of the tribe of Gad, Ramot in Gil‘ad with its migrash, to be an Ir Miklat HaRotzeiach; and Machanayim with its migrash,

39 Cheshbon with its migrash, Yazer with its migrash; 4 towns in all.

40 So all the towns for the Bnei Merari by their mishpekhot, which were remaining of the mishpekhot Levi’im, were by their goral 12 towns.

41 All the towns of the Levi’im within the achuzzat Bnei Yisroel (possession, estate of the Sons of Israel) were 48 towns with their migrashim.

42 These towns were every one with their migrash around them; thus were all these towns.

43 And Hashem gave unto Yisroel Kol HaAretz which He swore to give unto their Avot; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein.

44 And Hashem gave them manoach (rest, peace) on every side, according to all that He swore unto their Avot; and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; Hashem delivered all their enemies into their yad.

45 There naphal (failed, fell) not davar mikol hadavar hatov (any promise from all the good promises) which Hashem had spoken unto Bais Yisroel; hakol bo (all came, all came to pass).

Yehoshua 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.