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Joshua 21

Joshua 21:4

Forty-Eight Cities for the Levites · Joshua 21:1–45
Read Joshua 21

Translations

Modern
The first lot came out for the Kohathite clans. The Levites who were descendants of Aaron the priest received thirteen cities by lot from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.
Traditional
And the lot came out for the families of the Kohathites: and the children of Aaron the priest, which were of the Levites, had by lot out of the tribe of Judah, and out of the tribe of Simeon, and out of the tribe of Benjamin, thirteen cities.
Literal
And the lot came out for the clans of the Kohathite, and there were for the sons of Aaron the priest of the Levites, from the tribe of Judah, and from the tribe of the Simeonite, and from the tribe of Benjamin, by lot thirteen cities;
Latin
Egressaque est sors in familiam Caath filiorum Aaron sacerdotis, de tribubus Juda, et Simeon, et Benjamin, civitates tredecim:

Original

Hebrew
English
The first lot came out for the Kohathite clans. The Levites who were descendants of Aaron the priest received thirteen cities by lot from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.

Notes

Joshua 21:4

Those descended from Aaron the priest became Israel's priests. They received cities by lot. The towns of the priests were amongst tribes near Jerusalem, where the temple was later built.

Joshua 21:1–8

Israel's leaders assigned towns to the tribe of Levi by casting lots (see study note on 7:16–18).

Joshua 20:1–21:45

Before they fully divided the land, Joshua had to establish six cities of refuge and assign cities in which the Levites would live.

Joshua 13:1–21:45

  • As he had promised, God brought Israel into the land. Joshua then focused on dividing the land among Israel's tribes.

  • The tribal allowances made the covenant of the Israelites with God real. It showed the fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Since God owned the land, giving it to the tribes was a gift. God gave them the land to live in and guided its distribution.

  • In these lists of tribal allowances, the author describes some borders in great detail, allowing them to be mapped. With others, they are less plainly defined.

Theme notes and profiles

Joshua Inheriting the Land

Parallels

Numbers 35:1–8 1 Chronicles 6:54–81

People

Aaron: Moses' brother, first high priest of Israel Benjamin: Youngest son of Jacob and Rachel Judah: Israelite tribe, kingdom, and province Kohath: Son of Levi; Levite clan ancestor Levi: Son of Jacob; progenitor of the Levites Simeon: Son of Jacob and Leah, one of the twelve tribes

Glossary

Gershon, Gershonites Joshua (Person) Joshua, Book of Judges, Book of Kohath, Kohathites Levitical Cities Priests and Levites Shiloh Simeonite Tribe of Dan Tribe of Levi

Topics

Aaron: Lineage of Levites: Assigned To, by Families Priest: Benefits of Provided with Cities and Suburbs