Joshua 21:3-45
Levites <03881> [unto the Levites.]
descendants <01121> [the children.]
tribes <04294> [the tribe.]
These tribes furnished more habitation to the Levites, in proportion, than any of the other tribes, because they possessed a more extensive inheritance, agreeably to what Moses had commanded (Nu 35:8.) It is worthy of remark, that the principal part of this tribe, whose business was to minister at the sanctuary, which sanctuary was afterwards established at Jerusalem, had their appointment nearest to that city; so that they were always within reach of the sacred work which God had appointed them.
lot <01486> [by lot.]
Lord <03068> [as the Lord.]
cities <05892> [these cities.]
listed <07121> [mentioned. Heb. called.]
assigned <05414> [And they.]
<0704 07151> [the city of Arba. or, Kirjath-arba.]
Hebron <02275> [is Hebron.]
hill country <02022> [in the hill.]
assigned <05414> [they gave.]
Hebron <02275> [Hebron.]
city <05892> [a city.]
Libnah <03841> [Libnah.]
Jattir <03492> [Jattir.]
Jattir or Jether, according to Eusebius, was situated in the district of Daroma, or the southern part of Judah, 20 miles (south) from Eleutheropolis, towards the city of Malatha.
Eshtemoa <0851> [Eshtemoa.]
Eusebius says Eshtemoa, or Esthema, was a great city in the south of Judah, and in the district of Eleutheropolis, north of that city.
[Eshtemoh.]
Holon <02473> [Holon.]
[Hilen. Debir.]
Ain <05871> [Ain.]
[Ashan. Juttah.]
Eusebius says Juttah was a great town 18 miles south from Eleutheropolis.
Beth Shemesh <01053> [Beth-shemesh.]
Gibeon <01391> [Gibeon.]
Geba <01387> [Geba.]
[Gaba.]
Anathoth <06068> [Anathoth.]
Anathoth was situated about three miles northward from Jerusalem according to Eusebius and Jerome (in Jer ch. 1:20;) or twenty furlongs, according to Josephus. Ant. I. viii. c. 10.
Almon <05960> [Almon.]
[Alemeth.]
Shechem <07927> [Shechem.]
Gezer <01507> [Gezer.]
Beth Horon <01032> [Beth-horon.]
Eltekeh <0514> [Eltekeh.]
Gibbethon <01405> [Gibbethon.]
Probably the Gabatha mentioned by Eusebius and Jerome, as situated in the south of Judah, 12 miles from Eleutheropolis, where the prophet Habakkuk's sepulchre was shown.
Aijalon <0357> [Aijalon.]
[Ajalon.]
Gath Rimmon <01667> [Gathrimmon.]
Gathrimmon is said by Jerome to be a great town 10 miles from Diospolis, or Lydda, towards Eleutheropolis.
Aner and Bileam are mentioned in Chronicles, instead of Tanach and Gath-rimmon. (1 Ch 6:70.) Either the cities had at this time different names, or afterwards their names were changed; or the Levites, being by some means dispossessed of the cities first assigned them, received others from their brethren. A careful examination of the marginal references will discover other variations of this kind, which may be accounted for in the same manner.
Taanach <08590> [Tanach.]
<01121> [And unto.]
Golan <01474> [Golan.]
Beeshtarah <01203> [Beesh-terah.]
It is very probable that Beesh-terah is a contraction of {baith ashtaroth,} "the house of Ashtaroth," and the same as Ashtaroth, which is the reading in 1 Ch 6:71.
Daberath <01705> [Dabareh.]
Jarmuth <03412> [Jarmuth.]
This seems to be the same city with Remeth, Jos 10:19, 21, and Ramoth, 1 Ch 6:73, mentioned with Engannim.
Mishal <04861> [Mishal.]
[Misheal.]
[Mashal.]
Rehob <07340> [Rehob.]
See the note on Nu 13:21.
Kedesh <06943> [Kedesh.]
Hammoth Dor <02576> [Hammoth-dor.]
Supposed by many to be the same as Tiberias; so called from the hot-baths, as the word {Chammoth} may denote, in its vicinity.
[Hammath. Kartan.]
Supposed to be the same as Kirjathaim.
clans <04940> [And unto.]
Jokneam <03362> [Jokneam.]
Dimnah <01829> [Dimnah.]
This and the following verse are wholly omitted by the Masora, and many Hebrew Bibles which are esteemed very highly; though, without them, neither the twelve cities of the Merarites in particular (ver. 40,) nor the forty-eight Levitical cities in general (ver. 41), nor the six cities of refuge, can be made up. But these two verses, are thus absolutely necessary for the truth and consistency of this chapter, are happily preserved in no less than 149 MSS. collated by Dr. Kennicott, and upwards of 40 collated by De Rossi.
Bezer <01221> [Bezer.]
Jahaz <03096> [Jahazah.]
[Jahzah.]
Ramoth <07433> [Ramoth.]
Mahanaim <04266> [Mahanaim.]
Heshbon <02809> [Heshbon.]
Jazer <03270> [Jazer.]
[Jaazer.]
within <08432> [within.]
forty-eight <0705> [forty.]
At the last census, the tribe of Levi amounted only to 23,000 (Nu 36:62); and it is thought by some that forty-eight cities was too great a proportion for this tribe. But it should be considered, that cities in ancient times were little more than villages.
