5 And the rest H3498 of the children H1121 of Kohath H6955 had by lot H1486 out of the families H4940 of the tribe H4294 of Ephraim, H669 and out of the tribe H4294 of Dan, H1835 and out of the half H2677 tribe H4294 of Manasseh, H4519 ten H6235 cities. H5892
And the families H4940 of the children H1121 of Kohath, H6955 the Levites H3881 which remained H3498 of the children H1121 of Kohath, H6955 even they had the cities H5892 of their lot H1486 out of the tribe H4294 of Ephraim. H669 For they gave H5414 them Shechem H7927 with her suburbs H4054 in mount H2022 Ephraim, H669 to be a city H5892 of refuge H4733 for the slayer; H7523 and Gezer H1507 with her suburbs, H4054 And Kibzaim H6911 with her suburbs, H4054 and Bethhoron H1032 with her suburbs; H4054 four H702 cities. H5892 And out of the tribe H4294 of Dan, H1835 Eltekeh H514 with her suburbs, H4054 Gibbethon H1405 with her suburbs, H4054 Aijalon H357 with her suburbs, H4054 Gathrimmon H1667 with her suburbs; H4054 four H702 cities. H5892 And out of the half H4276 tribe H4294 of Manasseh, H4519 Tanach H8590 with her suburbs, H4054 and Gathrimmon H1667 with her suburbs; H4054 two H8147 cities. H5892 All the cities H5892 were ten H6235 with their suburbs H4054 for the families H4940 of the children H1121 of Kohath H6955 that remained. H3498
And these are the names H8034 of the sons H1121 of Levi H3878 according to their generations; H8435 Gershon, H1648 and Kohath, H6955 and Merari: H4847 and the years H8141 of the life H2416 of Levi H3878 were an hundred H3967 thirty H7970 and seven H7651 years. H8141 The sons H1121 of Gershon; H1648 Libni, H3845 and Shimi, H8096 according to their families. H4940 And the sons H1121 of Kohath; H6955 Amram, H6019 and Izhar, H3324 and Hebron, H2275 and Uzziel: H5816 and the years H8141 of the life H2416 of Kohath H6955 were an hundred H3967 thirty H7970 and three H7969 years. H8141 And the sons H1121 of Merari; H4847 Mahali H4249 and Mushi: H4187 these are the families H4940 of Levi H3878 according to their generations. H8435 And Amram H6019 took H3947 him Jochebed H3115 his father's sister H1733 to wife; H802 and she bare H3205 him Aaron H175 and Moses: H4872 and the years H8141 of the life H2416 of Amram H6019 were an hundred H3967 and thirty H7970 and seven H7651 years. H8141 And the sons H1121 of Izhar; H3324 Korah, H7141 and Nepheg, H5298 and Zichri. H2147 And the sons H1121 of Uzziel; H5816 Mishael, H4332 and Elzaphan, H469 and Zithri. H5644 And Aaron H175 took H3947 him Elisheba, H472 daughter H1323 of Amminadab, H5992 sister H269 of Naashon, H5177 to wife; H802 and she bare H3205 him Nadab, H5070 and Abihu, H30 Eleazar, H499 and Ithamar. H385 And the sons H1121 of Korah; H7141 Assir, H617 and Elkanah, H511 and Abiasaph: H23 these are the families H4940 of the Korhites. H7145 And Eleazar H499 Aaron's H175 son H1121 took H3947 him one of the daughters H1323 of Putiel H6317 to wife; H802 and she bare H3205 him Phinehas: H6372 these are the heads H7218 of the fathers H1 of the Levites H3881 according to their families. H4940
And the residue of the families H4940 of the sons H1121 of Kohath H6955 had cities H5892 of their coasts H1366 out of the tribe H4294 of Ephraim. H669 And they gave H5414 unto them, of the cities H5892 of refuge, H4733 Shechem H7927 in mount H2022 Ephraim H669 with her suburbs; H4054 they gave also Gezer H1507 with her suburbs, H4054 And Jokmeam H3361 with her suburbs, H4054 and Bethhoron H1032 with her suburbs, H4054 And Aijalon H357 with her suburbs, H4054 and Gathrimmon H1667 with her suburbs: H4054 And out of the half H4276 tribe H4294 of Manasseh; H4519 Aner H6063 with her suburbs, H4054 and Bileam H1109 with her suburbs, H4054 for the family H4940 of the remnant H3498 of the sons H1121 of Kohath. H6955
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Joshua 21
Commentary on Joshua 21 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 21
Jos 21:1-8. Eight and Forty Cities Given by Lot Out of the Other Tribes unto the Levites.
1-3. Then came near the heads of the fathers of the Levites—The most venerable and distinguished members of the three Levitical families, on behalf of their tribe, applied for the special provision that had been promised them to be now awarded (see on Nu 35:2). Their inheritance lay within the territory of every tribe. It was assigned in the same place and manner, and by the same commissioners as the other allotments. While the people, knowing the important duties they were to perform, are described (Jos 21:3) as readily conceding this "peculiar" to them, it had most probably been specified and reserved for their use while the distribution of the land was in progress.
4-8. the lot came out for the families of the Kohathites—The Levites were divided into Kohathites, Gershonites, and Merarites. Among the former the family of Aaron were exclusively appointed to the priesthood, and all the rest were ranked in the common order of Levites. The first lot was drawn by the Kohathites; and the first of theirs again by the priests, to whom thirteen cities were granted, and ten to the rest of the Kohathites (Jos 21:5); thirteen to the Gershonites (Jos 21:6), and twelve to the Merarites (Jos 21:7).
Jos 21:9-42. The Cities of the Priests.
9-40. they gave … these cities which are here mentioned by name—It was overruled by the unerring providence of the Divine Lawgiver that the cities of the priests lay within the territories of Judah and Benjamin. This was a provision, the admirable wisdom and propriety of which were fully manifested on the schism that took place in the reign of Rehoboam.
41. All the cities of the Levites within the possession of the children of Israel were forty and eight cities with their suburbs—This may appear too great a proportion compared with those of the other tribes. But it must be borne in mind that the list given here contains the names of every Levitical city (see on 1Ch 6:39-66); whereas only those cities of the other tribes are mentioned which lay on the frontier or along the boundary line. Besides, the Levites were not the exclusive inhabitants of those forty-eight cities; for there must have been also a considerable number of people kept there to cultivate the glebe lands and tend the cattle. Still further, the Levitical cities had nothing but "their suburbs round about them" [Jos 21:42]; whereas the other cities in Israel possessed a group of independent villages (see Jos 17:1-19:51).
Jos 21:43-45. God Gave Them Rest.
43-45. the Lord gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to give unto their fathers—This is a general winding up of the history from the thirteenth chapter, which narrates the occupation of the land by the Israelites. All the promises made, whether to the people or to Joshua (Jos 1:5), had been, or were in the course of being fulfilled; and the recorded experience of the Israelites (Jos 21:45), is a ground of hope and confidence to the people of God in every age, that all other promises made to the Church will, in due time, be accomplished.