Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Joshua 21:3
And the children of Israel gave unto the Levites out of their inheritance, at the commandment of the LORD, these cities and their suburbs.
3. And the children of Israel gave ] The successor of Moses did not fail to carry out faithfully the Divine Command, and preparations were made for assigning to them certain cities for their possession.
out of their inheritance ] “Distinctness and diffusion” were the great points to be attained in their case, and therefore out of the inheritance of their brethren provision was made for them in such a way that, as during the wanderings they had guarded the Tabernacle of Jehovah, so now they should be “scattered” as widely as possible in Israel, to bear witness that the people still owed allegiance to Him.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 3. And the children of Israel gave unto the Levites] They cheerfully obeyed the Divine command, and cities for habitations were appointed to them out of the different tribes by lot, that it might as fully appear that God designed them their habitations, as he designed the others their inheritances.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
It seems most probable that they gave to the Levites promiscuously such cities as God commanded, and that the lot appropriated them to their several houses or families.
Out of their inheritance, i.e. out of their several possessions; partly that the burden and loss might be equally divided and principally, that the Levites being dispersed among the several tribes, according to Jacobs prediction, Gen 49:7, might more easily, and frequently, and effectually teach the Israelites Gods law and judgments, which they were engaged to do, Deu 33:10; and that the people might upon all occasions resort to them, and require the meaning of the law at their mouths, Mal 2:7.
These cities and their suburbs; not only the use, but the absolute dominion of them, as is manifest both from Jos 21:11,12, where a distinction is made between
the city and suburbs of Hebron, and the fields and villages thereof, and the former are given to the Levites, the latter to Caleb; and from the return of these cities in the jubilee unto the Levites, as to their proper owners, Lev 25:33,34.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And the children of Israel gave unto the Levites out of their inheritance,…. Knowing full well there was such a command, made no objection to their motion, but freely gave them cities out of the portion of inheritance allotted to them; this they did
at the commandment of the Lord, and in obedience to it, even gave these cities and suburbs; after mentioned: this was done by the tribes themselves; as there were a certain number fixed by the commandment of God, they agreed among themselves how many and what cities should be given out of each tribe; and then lots were cast for them by Joshua, what and which cities should be appropriated to their several divisions, as the Kohathites that sprang from Aaron, and the rest of them that did not, and the Gershonites and Merarites, as follows.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
‘ And the children of Israel gave to the Levites out of their inheritance, in accordance with the commandment of YHWH, these cities with their suburbs.’
The response of the people was immediate, and cities were allocated by lot to the Levites. There was no guarantee that those cities were all available to dwell in. Like the general allocations they had in many cases still to be possessed. It was an act of faith, just like the allocation of the land, that God would give them their inheritance.
The Levites are regularly described as ‘sojourning’ in the land (Deu 18:6; Jdg 17:7-8; Jdg 19:1). They were not to have permanent possession like the other tribes for their inheritance was YHWH (Numbers 18:20; 23:62). They had to have places to live in throughout the tribes so that they could fulfil their function, but these were not to be seen as their own but as lent by God. This was the ideal. And at the great feasts theirs was the responsibility of ministering at the Tabernacle (Num 18:22 compare Deu 18:7), although the priesthood itself was restricted to the ‘family’ of Aaron (for example, as well as in Leviticus 8 and regularly in Numbers, priests and Levites were clearly represented as distinct from each other in Deu 18:3-8). It is quite probable that suitably dedicated people could be adopted into the tribe, and indeed into the family of Aaron, as considered appropriate (e.g. Samuel), just as they could be adopted into any of the tribes, but all was no doubt done ‘before YHWH’.
Allocated along with the cities provided for the Levites was to be a certain amount of land for their cattle (Num 35:4-5), an ideal probably never fully realised. The distances were ideal representations and not to be treated literally. The idea would seem to be that the city was to be seen as within a square each side of which was 2000 cubits, similar to idea of the square of the Holy of Holies. Thus the first 1000 cubits of land around the city belonged to the Levites. They indicated the ‘holiness’ of the cities as being dwelt in by the representatives of YHWH (compare Jos 3:4). But this land could never be sold (Lev 25:34).
What precisely was meant by the giving of the cities is not absolutely clear. They were certainly not given the cities outright with the inhabitants moving out to make way for them. What was probably given to them was a portion of the city, or selected houses within the city (see Lev 25:32-33 which only makes sense if Levite houses were in general walled cities), and land close to the city walls. (Certainly Shechem did not become a totally levitical city – Judges 9. Nor could that idea have been in mind in the short, or even middle, term in view of its nature). It is possible that there was in mind in the distant future that eventually most would become wholly levitical cities.
That the cities were spread throughout the land was necessary because the Levites represented the redeemed firstborn of the children of Israel (Exo 13:2; Exo 13:13 with Num 3:40-44) as separated to the service of YHWH.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Out of their inheritance, means that the Levites were to be settled in the midst of their brethren, their office of ministering before the Lord, made it necessary that every tribe should be near the Levites. Sweet type this of the presence of Jesus in the midst of his people. It was the promise of the Old Testament, that God would dwell in the midst of his people. Zec 2:10 . And Jesus, who is the promise itself in the new, assured his people of his being always with them, even to the end of the world. Mat 28:20 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jos 21:3 And the children of Israel gave unto the Levites out of their inheritance, at the commandment of the LORD, these cities and their suburbs.
Ver. 3. These cities and their suburbs. ] In their cities others dwelt with them: for how could they subsist without those of other professions? See Ezr 2:70 . And as for the suburbs, they were for pasture, pleasure, and other country commodities, not for tillage; for the Levites were not to have any such employment. Num 18:20-24
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
unto the Levites: Gen 49:7, Deu 33:8-10, 1Ch 6:54-81
Reciprocal: Num 35:6 – six cities for refuge Num 35:7 – General Num 35:8 – possession Jos 21:8 – by lot
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jos 21:3. The children of Israel gave Probably they gave the Levites promiscuously such cities as God commanded, and the lot appropriated them to their several houses or families. Out of their inheritance That is, out of their several possessions, that the burden might be equally divided; and that the Levites, being dispersed among the several tribes, according to Jacobs prediction, (Gen 49:7,) might more easily and effectually teach the Israelites Gods law and judgments, which they were engaged to do, Deu 33:10; and that the people might upon all occasions resort to them, and inquire the meaning of the law at their mouths. And suburbs Not only the use, but the absolute dominion of them, as is manifest both from Jos 21:11-12, where a distinction is made between the city and suburbs of Hebron, and the fields and villages thereof; (the former being given to the Levites, the latter to Caleb;) and from the return of these cities in the jubilee unto the Levites as to their proper owners, Lev 25:33-34.