Joshua 21:40

Translations

Modern

In all, twelve cities were allotted to the clans of Merari, the remaining Levite clans.

Traditional

So all the cities for the children of Merari by their families, which were remaining of the families of the Levites, were by their lot twelve cities.

Literal

And all the cities for the sons of Merari by their clans, the remaining of the clans of the Levites, by their lot, were twelve cities.

Latin

Omnes urbes filiorum Merari per familias et cognationes suas, duodecim.

Original

Hebrew

English

In all, twelve cities were allotted to the clans of Merari, the remaining Levite clans.

Notes

Joshua 21:9–42

The descendants of Aaron received thirteen cities, the rest of the Kohathite clan received ten, the descendants of Gershon received thirteen, and the Merari clan received twelve. There were a total of forty-eight Levitical cities. Each tribe had four Levitical cities, except Judah had eight, Simeon had one, and Naphtali had three. Six of the Levitical cities were also cities of refuge (20:7–8).

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