Joshua 21

In Joshua 21, the Israelites distribute cities to the Levites as commanded by God through Moses. These cities are given from the inheritance of the other tribes, fulfilling the Lord's promise to provide for the Levites, who did not receive a tribal land inheritance like the other tribes. This chapter underscores God's faithfulness in keeping His promises and highlights the special role of the Levites in Israelite worship and society.

Joshua 21:1-5 (NKJV)
1 Then the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites came near to Eleazar the priest, to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the heads of the fathers’ houses of the tribes of the children of Israel.
2 And they spoke to them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, “The Lord commanded through Moses to give us cities to dwell in, with their common-lands for our livestock.”
3 So the children of Israel gave to the Levites from their inheritance, at the commandment of the Lord, these cities and their common-lands:
4 Now the lot came out for the families of the Kohathites. And the children of Aaron the priest, who were of the Levites, had thirteen cities by lot from the tribe of Judah, from the tribe of Simeon, and from the tribe of Benjamin.
5 The rest of the children of Kohath had ten cities by lot from the families of the tribe of Ephraim, from the tribe of Dan, and from the half-tribe of Manasseh.

The Levites approach the leaders of Israel, reminding them that the Lord commanded through Moses to give them cities. These cities, which included pasturelands for their livestock, were distributed by lot. The Kohathites, descendants of Levi, receive their share first. The family of Aaron, the priestly line, was given thirteen cities from Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin. The rest of the Kohathites received ten cities from Ephraim, Dan, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. This process highlights both the importance of the Levites and the fulfillment of God's promises.

Joshua 21:6 (NKJV)
6 And the children of Gershon had thirteen cities by lot from the families of the tribe of Issachar, from the tribe of Asher, from the tribe of Naphtali, and from the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.

The Gershonites, another Levitical family, were allocated thirteen cities from the territories of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan. The widespread distribution of cities among various tribes ensured that the Levites were present throughout the land, contributing to the spiritual leadership and teaching of all Israel.

Joshua 21:7 (NKJV)
7 The children of Merari, according to their families, had twelve cities from the tribe of Reuben, from the tribe of Gad, and from the tribe of Zebulun.

The Merarites, the third division of the Levites, received twelve cities from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun. Like the other Levitical families, the Merarites’ cities were distributed among different tribes, ensuring a balanced geographical spread of the Levites throughout Israel.

Joshua 21:8 (NKJV)
8 And the children of Israel gave these cities with their common-lands by lot to the Levites, as the Lord had commanded by the hand of Moses.

This verse reiterates that the cities, along with their pasturelands, were given to the Levites as instructed by the Lord through Moses. The allocation was done by lot, indicating that God was in control of the distribution, ensuring fairness and divine order in the process.

Joshua 21:9-12 (NKJV)
9 So they gave from the tribe of the children of Judah and from the tribe of the children of Simeon these cities which are here mentioned by name,
10 which were for the children of Aaron, one of the families of the Kohathites, who were of the children of Levi, for the lot was theirs first.
11 And they gave them Kirjath Arba (Arba was the father of Anak), which is Hebron, in the mountains of Judah, with the common-land surrounding it.
12 But the fields of the city and its villages they gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh as his possession.

The first allotment for the children of Aaron (the priestly line) was Hebron, also known as Kirjath Arba. Hebron had historical significance as the home of the Anakim. While the city itself and its surrounding pasturelands were given to the Levites, the fields and villages of the city were retained by Caleb as part of his inheritance, following his faithfulness to God.

Joshua 21:13-16 (NKJV)
13 Thus to the children of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron with its common-land (a city of refuge for the slayer), Libnah with its common-land,
14 Jattir with its common-land, Eshtemoa with its common-land,
15 Holon with its common-land, Debir with its common-land,
16 Ain with its common-land, Juttah with its common-land, and Beth Shemesh with its common-land: nine cities from those two tribes.

The children of Aaron received nine cities in total from Judah and Simeon, including Hebron, a city of refuge for those who accidentally killed someone. These cities and their surrounding lands provided both spiritual leadership and practical refuge for the people, demonstrating God's provision for the Levites and the nation of Israel.

Joshua 21:17-19 (NKJV)
17 And from the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with its common-land, Geba with its common-land,
18 Anathoth with its common-land, and Almon with its common-land: four cities.
19 All the cities of the children of Aaron, the priests, were thirteen cities with their common-lands.

The tribe of Benjamin contributed four cities to the children of Aaron, making a total of thirteen cities for the priests. The inclusion of cities from multiple tribes shows how the Levites were strategically placed throughout the land to serve as spiritual leaders and to ensure access to priestly services for all the people.

Joshua 21:20-26 (NKJV)
20 And the families of the children of Kohath, the Levites, the rest of the children of Kohath, even they had the cities of their lot from the tribe of Ephraim.
21 For they gave them Shechem with its common-land in the mountains of Ephraim (a city of refuge for the slayer), Gezer with its common-land,
22 Kibzaim with its common-land, and Beth Horon with its common-land: four cities.
23 And from the tribe of Dan, Eltekeh with its common-land, Gibbethon with its common-land,
24 Aijalon with its common-land, and Gath Rimmon with its common-land: four cities.
25 And from the half-tribe of Manasseh, Taanach with its common-land, and Gath Rimmon with its common-land: two cities.
26 All the ten cities with their common-lands were for the rest of the families of the children of Kohath.

The remaining Kohathites received ten cities from the tribes of Ephraim, Dan, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.

Joshua 21:27-33 (NKJV)
27 Also to the children of Gershon, of the families of the Levites, from the other half-tribe of Manasseh they gave Golan in Bashan with its common-land (a city of refuge for the slayer), and Beeshterah with its common-land: two cities;
28 And from the tribe of Issachar, Kishion with its common-land, Daberath with its common-land,
29 Jarmuth with its common-land, and En Gannim with its common-land: four cities;
30 And from the tribe of Asher, Mishal with its common-land, Abdon with its common-land,
31 Helkath with its common-land, and Rehob with its common-land: four cities;
32 And from the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee with its common-land (a city of refuge for the slayer), Hammoth Dor with its common-land, and Kartan with its common-land: three cities.
33 All the cities of the Gershonites according to their families were thirteen cities with their common-lands.

The Gershonites, another branch of the Levites, received thirteen cities from the territories of Manasseh, Issachar, Asher, and Naphtali. Among these, notable cities like Golan in Bashan and Kedesh in Galilee served as cities of refuge, which provided asylum for those who accidentally committed manslaughter. These cities further highlight the special role the Levites played in safeguarding justice and mercy within Israel.

Joshua 21:34-40 (NKJV)
34 And to the families of the children of Merari, the rest of the Levites, from the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam with its common-land, Kartah with its common-land,
35 Dimnah with its common-land, and Nahalal with its common-land: four cities;
36 And from the tribe of Reuben, Bezer with its common-land, Jahaz with its common-land,
37 Kedemoth with its common-land, and Mephaath with its common-land: four cities;
38 And from the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with its common-land (a city of refuge for the slayer), Mahanaim with its common-land,
39 Heshbon with its common-land, and Jazer with its common-land: four cities in all.
40 So all the cities for the children of Merari according to their families, the rest of the families of the Levites, were by their lot twelve cities.

The Merarites, the last division of the Levites, received twelve cities from Zebulun, Reuben, and Gad. Noteworthy among these were Bezer and Ramoth in Gilead, which were also cities of refuge. The cities allocated to the Merarites, like those of the other Levitical families, were spread across Israel, ensuring that Levites were present in all regions, contributing to the nation's spiritual and social structure.

Joshua 21:41-42 (NKJV)
41 All the cities of the Levites within the possession of the children of Israel were forty-eight cities with their common-lands.
42 Every one of these cities had its common-land surrounding it; thus were all these cities.

In total, forty-eight cities were given to the Levites from the inheritance of the other tribes. Each city included common lands for the Levites’ livestock and other needs. This distribution ensured that the Levites had sufficient means to live, while also being integrated among the rest of the tribes to fulfill their duties as spiritual leaders and teachers.

Joshua 21:43-45 (NKJV)
43 So the Lord gave to Israel all the land of which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they took possession of it and dwelt in it.
44 The Lord gave them rest all around, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers. And not a man of all their enemies stood against them; the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand.
45 Not a word failed of any good thing which the Lord had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass.

These verses serve as a conclusion to this chapter and a powerful testimony of God's faithfulness to Israel. The Lord fulfilled His promises to give the Israelites the land He had sworn to their ancestors, providing rest from their enemies. Every promise made by God was fulfilled, emphasizing His unwavering commitment to His people. This passage reinforces the theme of God’s faithfulness, showing that He always keeps His word.