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Joshua 21

Joshua 21:6

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

Translations

Modern
The descendants of Gershon received thirteen cities by lot from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.
Traditional
And the children of Gershon had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities.
Literal
…and for the sons of Gershon, from the clans of the tribe of Issachar, and from the tribe of Asher, and from the tribe of Naphtali, and from the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, by lot thirteen cities;
Latin
Porro filii Gerson egressa est sors, ut acciperent de tribubus Issachar et Aser et Nephthali, dimidiaque tribu Manasse in Basan, civitates numero tredecim.

Interlinear

Hebrew
English
The descendants of Gershon received thirteen cities by lot from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.

Notes

Joshua 21:6

The clan of Gershon received cities among the four northernmost tribes in Israel.

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

Asher: Son of Jacob and Zilpah, founder of the tribe of Asher Gershon: Firstborn son of Levi; head of the Gershonite Levites Issachar: Son of Jacob and Leah, forefather of tribe Manasseh: Firstborn son of Joseph, blessed by Jacob Naphtali: Son of Jacob, founder of the tribe of Naphtali

Places

Bashan: Region east of the Jordan, known for its fertility

Glossary

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

Topics

Gershon: Son of Levi Levites: Assigned To, by Families