9 And they gave H5414 out of the tribe H4294 of the children H1121 of Judah, H3063 and out of the tribe H4294 of the children H1121 of Simeon, H8095 these cities H5892 which are here mentioned H7121 by name, H8034
10 Which the children H1121 of Aaron, H175 being of the families H4940 of the Kohathites, H6956 who were of the children H1121 of Levi, H3878 had: for theirs was the first H7223 H7223 lot. H1486
11 And they gave H5414 them the city H7151 of Arba H704 H7153 the father H1 of Anak, H6061 which city is Hebron, H2275 in the hill H2022 country of Judah, H3063 with the suburbs H4054 thereof round about H5439 it.
12 But the fields H7704 of the city, H5892 and the villages H2691 thereof, gave H5414 they to Caleb H3612 the son H1121 of Jephunneh H3312 for his possession. H272
13 Thus they gave H5414 to the children H1121 of Aaron H175 the priest H3548 Hebron H2275 with her suburbs, H4054 to be a city H5892 of refuge H4733 for the slayer; H7523 and Libnah H3841 with her suburbs, H4054
14 And Jattir H3492 with her suburbs, H4054 and Eshtemoa H851 with her suburbs, H4054
15 And Holon H2473 with her suburbs, H4054 and Debir H1688 with her suburbs, H4054
16 And Ain H5871 with her suburbs, H4054 and Juttah H3194 with her suburbs, H4054 and Bethshemesh H1053 with her suburbs; H4054 nine H8672 cities H5892 out of those two H8147 tribes. H7626
17 And out of the tribe H4294 of Benjamin, H1144 Gibeon H1391 with her suburbs, H4054 Geba H1387 with her suburbs, H4054
18 Anathoth H6068 with her suburbs, H4054 and Almon H5960 with her suburbs; H4054 four H702 cities. H5892
19 All the cities H5892 of the children H1121 of Aaron, H175 the priests, H3548 were thirteen H7969 H6240 cities H5892 with their suburbs. H4054
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Joshua 21
Commentary on Joshua 21 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 21
It had been often said that the tribe of Levi should have "no inheritance with their brethren,' no particular part of the country assigned them, as the other tribes had, no, not the country about Shiloh, which one might have expected to be appropriated to them as the lands of the church; but, though they were not thus cast into a country by themselves, it appears, by the provision made for them in this chapter, that they were no losers, but the rest of the tribes were very much gainers, by their being dispersed. We have here,
Jos 21:1-8
Here is,
Jos 21:9-42
We have here a particular account of the cities which were given to the children of Levi out of the several tribes, not only to be occupied and inhabited by them, as tenants to the several tribes in which they lay-no, their interest in them was not dependent and precarious, but to be owned and possessed by them as lords and proprietors, and as having the same title to them that the rest of the tribes had to their cities or lands, as appears by the law which preserved the house in the Levites' cities from being alienated any longer than till the year of jubilee, Lev. 25:32, 33. Yet it is probable that the Levites having only the cities and suburbs, while the land about pertained to the tribes in which they lay, those of that tribe, for the convenience of occupying that land, might commonly rent houses of the Levites, as they could spare them in their cities, and so live among them as their tenants. Several things may be observed in this account, besides what was observed in the law concerning it, Num. 35.
Upon the whole, it appears that effectual care was taken that the Levites should live both comfortably and usefully: and those, whether ministers or others, for whom Providence has done well, must look upon themselves as obliged thereby to do good, and, according as their capacity and opportunity are, to serve their generation.
Jos 21:43-45
We have here the conclusion of this whole matter, the foregoing history summed up, and, to make it appear the more bright, compared with the promise of which it was the full accomplishment. God's word and his works mutually illustrate each other. The performance makes the promise appear very true and the promise makes the performance appear very kind.