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Texts -- Joshua 21:1-44 (NET)

Context
Levitical Cities
21:1 The tribal leaders of the Levites went before Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun and the Israelite tribal leaders 21:2 in Shiloh in the land of Canaan and said , “The Lord told Moses to assign us cities in which to live along with the grazing areas for our cattle .” 21:3 So the Israelites assigned these cities and their grazing areas to the Levites from their own holdings , as the Lord had instructed . 21:4 The first lot belonged to the Kohathite clans . The Levites who were descendants of Aaron the priest were allotted thirteen cities from the tribes of Judah , Simeon , and Benjamin . 21:5 The rest of Kohath’s descendants were allotted ten cities from the clans of the tribe of Ephraim , and from the tribe of Dan and the half-tribe of Manasseh . 21:6 Gershon’s descendants were allotted thirteen cities from the clans of the tribe of Issachar , and from the tribes of Asher and Naphtali and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan . 21:7 Merari’s descendants by their clans were allotted twelve cities from the tribes of Reuben , Gad , and Zebulun . 21:8 So the Israelites assigned to the Levites by lot these cities and their grazing areas , as the Lord had instructed Moses . 21:9 They assigned from the tribes of Judah and Simeon the cities listed below. 21:10 They were assigned to the Kohathite clans of the Levites who were descendants of Aaron , for the first lot belonged to them . 21:11 They assigned them Kiriath Arba (Arba was the father of Anak ), that is, Hebron , in the hill country of Judah , along with its surrounding grazing areas . 21:12 (Now the city’s fields and surrounding towns they had assigned to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his property .) 21:13 So to the descendants of Aaron the priest they assigned Hebron (a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter ), Libnah , 21:14 Jattir , Eshtemoa , 21:15 Holon , Debir , 21:16 Ain , Juttah , and Beth Shemesh , along with the grazing areas of each– a total of nine cities taken from these two tribes . 21:17 From the tribe of Benjamin they assigned Gibeon , Geba , 21:18 Anathoth , and Almon , along with the grazing areas of each– a total of four cities . 21:19 The priests descended from Aaron received thirteen cities and their grazing areas . 21:20 The rest of the Kohathite clans of the Levites were allotted cities from the tribe of Ephraim . 21:21 They assigned them Shechem (a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter ) in the hill country of Ephraim , Gezer , 21:22 Kibzaim , and Beth Horon , along with the grazing areas of each– a total of four cities . 21:23 From the tribe of Dan they assigned Eltekeh , Gibbethon , 21:24 Aijalon , and Gath Rimmon , along with the grazing areas of each – a total of four cities . 21:25 From the half-tribe of Manasseh they assigned Taanach and Gath Rimmon , along with the grazing areas of each– a total of two cities . 21:26 The rest of the Kohathite clans received ten cities and their grazing areas . 21:27 They assigned to the Gershonite clans of the Levites the following cities: from the half-tribe of Manasseh : Golan in Bashan (a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter ) and Beeshtarah , along with the grazing areas of each– a total of two cities ; 21:28 from the tribe of Issachar : Kishon , Daberath , 21:29 Jarmuth , and En Gannim , along with the grazing areas of each – a total of four cities ; 21:30 from the tribe of Asher : Mishal , Abdon , 21:31 Helkath , and Rehob , along with the grazing areas of each – a total of four cities ; 21:32 from the tribe of Naphtali : Kedesh in Galilee (a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter ), Hammoth Dor , and Kartan , along with the grazing areas of each– a total of three cities . 21:33 The Gershonite clans received thirteen cities and their grazing areas . 21:34 They assigned to the Merarite clans (the remaining Levites ) the following cities : from the tribe of Zebulun : Jokneam , Kartah , 21:35 Dimnah , and Nahalal , along with the grazing areas of each– a total of four cities ; 21:36 from the tribe of Reuben : Bezer , Jahaz , 21:37 Kedemoth , and Mephaath , along with the grazing areas of each – a total of four cities ; 21:38 from the tribe of Gad : Ramoth in Gilead (a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter ), Mahanaim , 21:39 Heshbon , and Jazer , along with the grazing areas of each – a total of four cities . 21:40 The Merarite clans (the remaining Levites ) were allotted twelve cities . 21:41 The Levites received within the land owned by the Israelites forty-eight cities in all and their grazing areas . 21:42 Each of these cities had grazing areas around it; they were alike in this regard. 21:43 So the Lord gave Israel all the land he had solemnly promised to their ancestors , and they conquered it and lived in it. 21:44 The Lord made them secure , in fulfillment of all he had solemnly promised their ancestors . None of their enemies could resist them.

Pericope

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Bible Dictionary

  • Levites

    [smith] (descendants of Levi). Sometimes the name extends to the whole tribe, the priests included, (Exodus 6:25; Leviticus 25:32; Numbers 35:2; Joshua 21:3,41) etc; sometimes only to those members of the tribe who were not priests, ...
    [nave] LEVITES The descendants of Levi. Set apart as ministers of religion, Num. 1:47-54; 3:6-16; 16:9; 26:57-62; Deut. 10:8; 1 Chr. 15:2. Substituted in the place of the firstborn, Num. 3:12, 41-45; 8:14, 16-18; 18:6. Religious ...

  • TEXT OF THE OLD TESTAMENT

    [isbe] TEXT OF THE OLD TESTAMENT - || I. EARLIEST FORM OF WRITING IN ISRAEL 1. Invention of Alphabet 2. The Cuneiform 3. References to Writing in the Old Testament 4. Inscriptions after Settlement in Canaan 5. Orthography of the Pe...

  • LEVITICAL CITIES

    [isbe] LEVITICAL CITIES - le-vit'-i-kal I. LEGAL PROVISIONS 1. Numbers 2. Deuteronomy II. WELLHAUSEN'S VIEW III. ALTERNATIVE VIEW AND EVIDENCE 1. Traces of the Cities 2. Wellhausen's Arguments Answered 3. Van Hoonacker's Reply 4. E...

  • MERARI

    [isbe] MERARI - me-ra'-ri (merari, "bitter"; Mararei): (1) The 3rd son of Levi, his brothers, Gershon and Kohath, being always mentioned together with him (Gen 46:11; Ex 6:16 ff). He was among those 70 who went down to Egypt with J...

  • Israel

    [nave] ISRAEL 1. A name given to Jacob, Gen. 32:24-32; 2 Kin. 17:34; Hos. 12:3, 4. 2. A name of the Christ in prophecy, Isa. 49:3. 3. A name given to the descendants of Jacob, a nation. Called also Israelites, and Hebrews, Gen. 4...

  • Lot

    [nave] LOT, The Prov. 16:33; 18:18; Isa. 34:17; Joel 3:3. The scapegoat chosen by, Lev. 16:8-10. The land of Canaan divided among the tribes by, Num. 26:55; Josh. 15; 18:10; 19:51; 21; 1 Chr. 6:61, 65; Ezek. 45:1; 47:22; 48:29;...

  • Joshua

    [nave] JOSHUA 1. Called also Jehoshua, and Jehoshuah, and Oshea. Son of Nun, Num. 13:8; 1 Chr. 7:27. Intimately associated with Moses, Ex. 24:13; 32:17; 33:11. A religious zealot, Num. 11:28. Sent with others to view the promise...

  • Levite

    [ebd] a descendant of the tribe of Levi (Ex. 6:25; Lev. 25:32; Num. 35:2; Josh. 21:3, 41). This name is, however, generally used as the title of that portion of the tribe which was set apart for the subordinate offices of the sanc...

  • EZEKIEL, 2

    [isbe] EZEKIEL, 2 - II. Significance of Ezekiel in Israel's Religious History. Under the first head we will consider the formal characteristics and significance of the book; and the examination of its contents will form the subject...

  • PALESTINE, 2

    [isbe] PALESTINE, 2 - III. Palestine in the Historic Books of the Old Testament. 1. Book of Joshua: Joshua is the great geographical book of the Old Testament; and the large majority of the 600 names of places, rivers and mountains...

  • Priest

    [smith] The English word is derived from the Greek presbyter , signifying an "elder" (Heb. cohen). Origin. --The idea of a priesthood connects itself in all its forms, pure or corrupted, with the consciousness, more or less distinct ...
    [nave] PRIEST. Before Moses Melchizedek, Gen. 14:18; Heb. 5:6, 10, 11; 6:20; 7:1-21. Jethro, Ex. 2:16. Priests in Israel before the giving of the law, Ex. 19:22, 24. Called angel, Eccl. 5:6. Mosaic Ex. 28:1-4; 29:9, 44; Num....

  • Judah, Tribe of

    [ebd] Judah and his three surviving sons went down with Jacob into Egypt (Gen. 46:12; Ex. 1:2). At the time of the Exodus, when we meet with the family of Judah again, they have increased to the number of 74,000 males (Num. 1:26, ...

  • GERSHON; GERSHONITES

    [isbe] GERSHON; GERSHONITES - gur'-shon, gur'-shon-its (gereshon, written also gereshom): Firstborn of the 3 sons of Levi (Ex 6:16; Nu 3:17; 1 Ch 6:1,16 m; 23:6). He had two sons, Libni, also known as Ladan (1 Ch 23:7; 26:21), and ...

  • Merarites

    [ebd] the descendants of Merari (Num. 26:57). They with the Gershonites and the Kohathites had charge of the tabernacle, which they had to carry from place to place (Num. 3:20, 33-37; 4:29-33). In the distribution of the oxen and ...

  • Gershon

    [ebd] =Ger'shom expulsion, the eldest of Levi's three sons (Gen. 46:11; Ex. 6:16). In the wilderness the sons of Gershon had charge of the fabrics of the tabernacle when it was moved from place to place, the curtains, veils, tent-...
    [nave] GERSHON, called also Gershom. Son of Levi, Gen. 46:11; Ex. 6:16, 17; Num. 3:17-26; 4:22-28, 38; 7:7; 10:17; 26:57; Josh. 21:6; 1 Chr. 6:1, 16, 17, 20, 43, 62, 71; 15:7; 23:6.

  • Gath-rimmon

    [ebd] press of the pomegranate. (1.) A Levitical city in the tribe of Dan (Josh. 19:45; 21:24; 1 Chr. 6:69). (2.) Another city of the same name in Manasseh, west of the Jordan (Josh. 21:25), called also Bileam (1 Chr. 6:70).
    [isbe] GATH-RIMMON - gath-rim'-un (gath rimmon, "winepress of Rimmon"): (1) A city in the territory of Dan named with Bene-berak and Me-jarkon, in the plain not far from Joppa (Josh 19:45), assigned to the Kohathite Levites (Josh 2...
    [nave] GATH-RIMMON 1. A Levitical city of Dan, Josh. 19:45. 2. A city of Manasseh, Josh. 21:24, 25; 1 Chr. 6:69. Called also Bileam, 1 Chr. 6:70.

  • CITIES OF REFUGE

    [smith] six Levitical cities specially chosen for refuge to the involuntary homicide until released from banishment by the death of the high priest. (Numbers 35:6,13,15; Joshua 20:2,7,9) There were three on each side of Jordan. KEDE...

  • Mahanaim

    [ebd] two camps, a place near the Jabbok, beyond Jordan, where Jacob was met by the "angels of God," and where he divided his retinue into "two hosts" on his return from Padan-aram (Gen. 32:2). This name was afterwards given to th...
    [isbe] MAHANAIM - ma-ha-na'-im (machanayim; the Greek is different in every case where the name occurs, Codex Vaticanus and Codex Alexandrinus also giving variant forms; the dual form may be taken as having arisen from an old locat...
    [smith] a town on the east of the Jordan. The name signifies two hosts or two camps,and was given to it by Jacob, because he there met "the angels of God." (Genesis 32:1,2) We next meet with it in the records of the conquest. (Joshua...
    [nave] MAHANAIM The place where Jacob had the vision of angels, Gen. 32:2. The town of, allotted to Gad, Josh. 13:26, 30. One of the Levitical cities, Josh. 21:38. Ish-bosheth establishes himself at, when made king over Israel, ...

  • ASSASSINATION

    [isbe] ASSASSINATION - a-sas-i-na'-shun. 1. Meaning of the Term: The language of Scripture distinguishes less clearly than the modern juridical between assassination and murder. "Murderer" = rotseach (Nu 35:16-19,21,30,31; 2 Ki 6:3...

  • Libnah

    [ebd] transparency; whiteness. (1.) One of the stations of the Israelites in the wilderness (Num. 33:20, 21). (2.) One of the royal cities of the Canaanites taken by Joshua (Josh. 10:29-32; 12:15). It became one of the Levitical t...
    [isbe] LIBNAH - lib'-na (libhnah "whiteness," "transparency," "pavement" (compare Ex 24:10 where libhnath, is translated "paved work" or a "compact foundation"); Lebna): (1) A desert camp of the Israelites between Rimmon-perez and ...
    [smith] (whiteness). A royal city of the Canaanites which lay in the southwest part of the Holy Land, taken by Joshua immediately after the rout of Beth-horon. It was near Lachish, west of Makkedah. It was appropriated with its "sub...
    [nave] LIBNAH 1. A station of the Israelites in the desert, Num. 33:20. 2. A city of Judah, captured by Joshua, Josh. 10:29-32, 39; 12:15. Allotted to the priests, Josh. 21:13; 1 Chr. 6:57. Seacherib besieged; his army defeated ...
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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • Jacob blessed all 12 of his sons and foretold what would become of each of them and their descendants. He disqualified Reuben, Simeon, and Levi from leadership and gave that blessing to Judah. He granted the double portion to...
  • The previous chapter dealt with the general borders of the land and its tribal boundaries. This one gives regulations concerning special towns in the land.285According to the plan of revelation established previously in Numbe...
  • Six of these Levitical towns were also cities of refuge.The appointment of cities of refuge was a divine provision for the safety of a killer who was not guilty of premeditated murder (cf. Deut. 19:1-13; Josh. 20:1-9). God ha...
  • When the Israelites entered the land they were to bring a special offering of firstfruits they harvested from the land to Yahweh at the tabernacle (cf. 14:22-27). It was to be an expression of their gratitude to God for fulfi...
  • I. The conquest of the land chs. 1-12A. Preparations for entering Canaan chs. 1-21. God's charge to Joshua 1:1-92. Joshua's charge to Israel 1:10-183. The spying out of Jericho ch. 2B. Entrance into the land 3:1-5:121. Passag...
  • In one sense verses 1-9 are a preamble to the whole book. They contain the basic principles that were to guide Joshua and Israel so they could obtain all that God had promised their forefathers.1:1 The first word of the book ...
  • Having received his marching orders from Yahweh, Joshua prepared to mobilize the nation.1:10-11 Joshua expected to be able to cross the Jordan within three days."The Jordan River wanders about two hundred miles to cover the s...
  • The residents of the town of Gibeon decided that if they could not defeat the Israelites they would join them. This has been a strategy that enemies of believers have employed for centuries (cf. Num. 25:1-2).9:1-2 Israel is t...
  • The writer identified 31 kings in the order in which Joshua defeated them."Many of the same names appear in the Amarna letters, thus confirming the historicity of our text."158"The description was not complete. Shechem is not...
  • Chapters 13-24 describe how Joshua divided the land and the results of that division. Many if not all the Israelite tribes did not conquer or control all the land allotted to them (15:63; 16:10; 17:12-13). The record of the a...
  • After the process of assigning land to the three tribes mentioned above, Israel's attention turned to relocating the tabernacle in a more central location (v. 1). God undoubtedly made the choice of Shiloh (lit. rest; cf. Deut...
  • Probably the leaders identified the towns first and then assigned the various groups of Levites to particular cities by lot (vv. 3-4). The priests (Aaron's descendants) received 13 cities within the tribal territories of Juda...
  • The Lord spread out the priests' 13 towns as follows. Nine were in Judah and Simeon (vv. 9-16), and four were in Benjamin (vv. 17-19)....
  • There were 10 of these towns: four in Ephraim (vv. 21-22), four in Dan (vv. 23-24), and two in western Manasseh (v. 25)....
  • The Gershonites occupied 13 towns: two in eastern Manasseh (v. 27), four in Issachar (vv. 28-29), four in Asher (vv. 30-31), and three in Naphtali (v. 32)....
  • There were 12 towns in which the Merarites resided: four in Zebulun (vv. 34-35), four in Reuben (vv. 36-37), and four in Gad (vv. 38-39).In all, the Levites received 48 cities with their surrounding pasture lands including th...
  • These verses conclude the account of the division of the land proper (chs. 13-21; cf. 1:2-6; 11:23). They bind the two parts of the second half of the book together. They form a theological conclusion to the entire book up to...
  • The main part of the second half of the Book of Joshua dealing with the division of the land ends with the appointment of the Levitical cities (chs. 13-21). The rest of the book deals with settlement in the land (chs. 22-24)....
  • Joshua had reached what he believed were the final days of his life. Before he died, he wished to address the whole nation, as Moses had done before his death (Deut. 31). Therefore he assembled all the leaders of the people f...
  • The 11 tribes wisely tried to settle this problem with the Benjamites peacefully (v. 12; cf. Josh. 22:13-20). Unfortunately the Benjamites decided to support the residents of Gibeah who were their kinsmen. They should have si...
  • The Book of Ruth is one of the most fascinating and important short stories that anyone has ever written. As a piece of literature it is almost perfect. The German poet Goethe called it "the loveliest complete work on a small...
  • God eventually withdrew the famine from Judah (v. 6) probably in response to His people's calling out to Him for deliverance (cf. Judg. 3:9, 15; 4:3; 6:6; 10:10; 16:28). This verse sounds one of the major themes of the story:...
  • The Book of Samuel covers the period of Israel's history bracketed by Samuel's conception and the end of David's reign. David turned the kingdom over to Solomon in 971 B.C.3David reigned for 40 and one-half years (2 Sam. 2:11...
  • Bethshemesh was the closest Israelite town to Ekron. It stood about 12 miles east-southeast of Ekron. To get there the cows walked east up the Sorek Valley, Samson's home area. Evidently the Israelites who were reaping their ...
  • Baale-judah (v. 2) may have been the later name of Kiriath-jearim (cf. Josh. 15:9-10).76This was where the ark had evidently rested since the Israelites had moved it from Bethshemesh in Samuel's days (1 Sam. 6; cf. Ps. 132:6-...
  • It was when God had subdued all of David's enemies that He gave this covenant to him (vv. 1, 9). Those enemies included the Ammonites with whom David was at war when he committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband Ur...
  • Most of the prophetical books begin with some indication of authorship and date to put them in their historical contexts, and this is true of the Book of Jeremiah.1:1 The words (Heb. debarim, writings, prophecies, deeds, and ...
  • Jeremiah first viewed Jerusalem's destruction as an outsider looking in. Verses 1-7 describe the extent of the desolation and verses 8-11 its cause.1:1 Jeremiah bewailed the abandoned city of Jerusalem that had once been so g...
  • This is the sixth and last message that Ezekiel received from the Lord the night before the refugees reached the exiles with the message that Jerusalem had fallen (cf. 33:21-22). It too deals with God's plans for Israel in th...
  • The tribe of Dan was to receive the northernmost section of the Promised Land. The order of tribes from north to south, north of the sacred district, was Dan, Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, Ephraim, Reuben and Judah--seven tribal...
  • "The comparison between Christ and Moses leads to one between their followers. The writer uses the conduct of the Israelites as a means of challenging his readers to a closer walk with God."109The writer next reminded his rea...
  • The writer returned again from exhortation to exposition. He now posed the alternatives of rest and peril that confronted the new people of God, Christians.127The writer warned his readers so they would not fail to enter into...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

  • Joshua 21:43-45; 22:1-9The old order changeth, giving place to new.' In this passage we have the breaking up of the congregation and the disbanding of the victorious army. The seven years of fighting had come to an end. The s...
  • Forty thousand fighting men, of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half of Manasseh, had willingly helped in the conquest, leaving their own newly-won homes on the eastern side of Jordan, and for seven long years taking their...
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