Joshua 21:9-19

9 (Out) Of [the] possessions of the lineages of the sons of Judah, and of Simeon, Joshua gave (these) cities;

10 to the sons of Aaron, by the families of Kohath, of the kin of Levi (to the sons of Aaron, who were of the Kohathite families of the Levites), of the which cities these be the names; for the first lot went out to them;

11 Kiriatharba, of the father of Anak, which is called Hebron, in the hill of Judah, and the suburbs thereof by compass; (Kiriatharba, that is, the City of Arba, who was the father of the Anak, that is, the Anakim, in the hill country of Judah, which is now called Hebron, and the suburbs around it;)

12 soothly he gave the fields and towns thereof to Caleb, son of Jephunneh, to have in possession. (and he gave its fields and towns to Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, to have for a possession.)

13 Therefore Joshua gave to the sons of Aaron, the priest, Hebron, to be a city of refuge, and the suburbs thereof, and Libnah with his suburbs (and Libnah with its suburbs),

14 and Jattir, and Eshtemoa,

15 and Holon, and Debir,

16 and Ain, and Juttah, and Bethshemesh, with their suburbs; nine cities, of [the] two lineages, as it is said (nine cities, from these two tribes).

17 And (out) of the lineage of the sons of Benjamin, he gave Gibeon, and Geba,

18 and Anathoth, and Almon, with their suburbs; four cities.

19 All the cities together of the sons of Aaron, the priest, were thirteen, with their suburbs. (All the cities given to the sons of Aaron, the priest, were thirteen cities, with their suburbs.)

Joshua 21:9-19 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.