Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Joshua 14:4
For the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim: therefore they gave no part unto the Levites in the land, save cities to dwell [in], with their suburbs for their cattle and for their substance.
4. For the children of Joseph ] There would have been only eight tribes and a half left, but the two sons of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, had been adopted by Jacob as his sons (Gen 48:5), and were reckoned as tribes, and therefore there were still nine tribes and a half to receive their inheritance.
therefore they gave ] Rather, and they gave. The repetition of these statements respecting the Levites is not due “to the redundancy of the Semitic style,” but is intended to shew the reader that the instructions left by Moses (Num 18:20; Num 35:2) had been literally and exactly fulfilled.
with their suburbs ] i. e. pasture-ground within the precincts of the cities, or certain districts round them in which their cattle might graze. These “pasture-grounds,” rendered by Bunsen “commons,” and in Switzerland called All-menden, are incorrectly translated in our version “suburbs,” from the Vulgate suburbana; “suburbis of hem to hous beestis and his feeld beestis to be fed,” Wyclif.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 4. The children of Joseph were two tribes] This was ascertained by the prophetic declaration of their grandfather Jacob, Ge 48:5-6; and as Levi was taken out of the tribes for the service of the sanctuary, one of these sons of Joseph came in his place, and Joseph was treated as the first-born of Jacob, in the place of Reuben, who forfeited his right of primogeniture.
With their suburbs for their cattle] For the meaning of this passage the reader is referred to Clarke’s note on “Nu 35:6“.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Were two tribes, i.e. had the double portion, or the portion of two tribes, 1Ch 5:1,2, and therefore though Levi was excluded, there remained nine tribes and a half, was said Jos 14:2, to be provided for in Canaan.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
4. The children of Joseph were twotribes, Manasseh and EphraimAs two and a half tribes weresettled on the east Jordan, and the Levites had no inheritanceassigned them in land, there would have been only eight and a halftribes to provide for. But Ephraim and Manasseh, the two sons ofJoseph, had been constituted two tribes (Ge48:5), and although Levi was excluded, the original number of thetribes of Israel was still preserved.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim,…. For the birthright being forfeited by Reuben, was given to Joseph, who had the double portion, the privilege of the firstborn; by which means the number of the twelve tribes was kept up in the division of the land, though that of Levi had no share in it; and which is also a reason why they had none, that Joseph’s two sons might be reckoned two tribes:
therefore they gave no part unto the Levites in the land; to make way for the sons of Joseph to have the double portion:
save cities to dwell [in]; and that only, for they might not sell them, as other Israelites could theirs:
with their suburbs, for their cattle, and for their substance; the Targum is,
“for all their beasts, and for their cattle;”
that is, for convenient places to put them into, and for pasturage for, them; which Kimchi and Ben Melech interpret of their larger and lesser cattle, their herds and their flocks, their oxen and sheep.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
4. They gave no part unto the Levites, etc It is here repeated for the third time with regard to the Levites, that they were not included in the number, so as to have the portion of a tribe assigned to them; but it is mentioned for a different purpose, for it is immediately after added, that the sons of Joseph were divided into two tribes, and were thus privileged to obtain a double portion. Thus had Jacob prophesied, (Gen 49:0) or rather, like an arbiter appointed by God, he had in this matter preferred the sons of Joseph to the others. God therefore assumed the Levites to himself as a peculiar inheritance, and in their stead substituted one of the two families of Joseph.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
4. Joseph two tribes So making up the twelve tribes without reckoning the tribe of Levi, who were to have no allotment, but were to be scattered among the tribes as judicial and ecclesiastical advisers and judges among the people.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘For the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim, and they gave no portion to the Levites in the land, except for cities to dwell in with their suburbs, for their cattle and for their substance.’
With the separation of Levi to the service of YHWH the twelve tribes had been maintained by the split of Joseph into Ephraim and Manasseh to ‘take over’ Levi’s portion. Thus the land would be fully occupied while Levi could be freed for their service. This demonstrates how important the ‘twelveness’ was seen to be. Twelve appears to have been a recognised number of covenant relationship which had to be maintained, compare Gen 22:20-24; Gen 25:13-16. Yet it was not said of Manasseh ‘this is the inheritance of the children of Manasseh’ although that is said of all the other tribes. They were still not seen as fully separate from Ephraim. This is an indication of the early date of the sources. They would not have thought that way later.
The portion of Levi has previously been described as ‘the offerings of YHWH, the God of Israel, made by fire’ (Jos 13:14) and ‘YHWH, the God of Israel’ (Jos 13:33). Thus it represented participation in supernatural things and special closeness to and separation to YHWH Himself. Now they were to be provided with the means of sustenance, but only as ‘sojourners’ in the land. The Levites were regularly described as sojourners (e.g. Deu 18:6; Jdg 17:7-9; Jdg 19:1) , those who dwell in but have no permanent rights in the land. This in their case was not because they were second class, but because they were super-class. In Lev 25:23 a similar concept was applied to all Israel demonstrating that the land belonged to YHWH and could not be sold in perpetuity but should be returned to its former owners at the year of yubile if not before.
“Cities to dwell in with their suburbs, for their cattle and for their substance.” The ‘suburbs’ were the common land round a city which were shared by all. Cities were to be set aside in the portions of all the tribes for the Levites to dwell in so that they could carry out their responsibilities to YHWH. This included the collection of tithes, watching over the covenant and the giving of guidance on matters to do with the sanctuary and the Law.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Jos 14:4 For the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim: therefore they gave no part unto the Levites in the land, save cities to dwell [in], with their suburbs for their cattle and for their substance.
Ver. 4. For the children of Joseph were two tribes. ] And so both Joseph had a double portion, the privilege of the firstborn which Reuben had forefeited, 1Ch 5:1 and the number of twelve tribes was made up, notwithstanding the Levites were not reckoned. The Papists, to make up the number of ten commandments, when they have cashiered the second, as making utterly against their image worship, divide the last into two; so loath are heretics to have their asses’ ears seen. But Paul, who knew better than any of them the analysis of the law, calleth that last “the commandment,” not commandments. Rom 7:7
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
the children: Gen 48:5, 1Ch 5:1, 1Ch 5:2
save cities: Jos 21:2-42, Num 35:2-8, 1Ch 6:54-81
Reciprocal: Gen 48:6 – and shall be called Deu 12:12 – General Jos 13:12 – these did Jos 13:14 – General Jdg 1:22 – the house
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jos 14:4-5. The children of Joseph were two tribes That is, had the portion of two tribes, and therefore, though Levi was excluded, there remained nine tribes and a half to be provided for in Canaan. They divided, &c. That is, the persons named, (Jos 14:1,) who acted in the name of the children of Israel. They were disposed to divide it; they began to take measures for doing it.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
14:4 For the children of Joseph were {b} two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim: therefore they gave no part unto the Levites in the land, save cities to dwell [in], with their suburbs for their cattle and for their substance.
(b) So though Levi lacked, yet were there still twelve tribes by this means.