Joshua 21:6-16

6 The descendants of Gershon received by lot thirteen cities from the families of the tribes of Yissakhar, Asher, Naftali and the half-tribe of M'nasheh in Bashan.

7 The descendants of M'rari according to their families received twelve cities from the tribes of Re'uven, Gad and Z'vulun.

8 The people of Isra'el gave by lot to the L'vi'im these cities with the surrounding open land, as ADONAI had ordered through Moshe.

9 They gave from the tribe of the descendants of Y'hudah and from the tribe of the descendants of Shim'on these cities here mentioned by name;

10 they were for the descendants of Aharon, of the families of the K'hati, who were among the descendants of Levi; because theirs was the first lot.

11 They gave them: Kiryat-Arba - this Arba was the father of 'Anak - (that is, Hevron), in the hills of Y'hudah, with the surrounding open land;

12 but the fields and villages of the city they gave to Kalev the son of Y'funeh as his possession.

13 Thus to the descendants of Aharon the cohen they gave: Hevron with its surrounding open land, already a city of refuge for the killer; Livnah with its surrounding open land;

14 Yatir with its surrounding open land; Esht'moa with its surrounding open land;

15 Holon with its surrounding open land; D'vir with its surrounding open land;

16 'Ayin with its surrounding open land, Yutah with its surrounding open land and Beit-Shemesh with its surrounding open land - nine cities out of 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.