Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Joshua 21:9
And they gave out of the tribe of the children of Judah, and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, these cities which are [here] mentioned by name,
9 19. The Cities of the Descendants of Aaron
9. And they gave ] We have now first a list of the cities of the priests of the line of Aaron.
out of the tribe of the children of Judah ] The list now given divides itself into two parts:
( a) The nine cities which the sons of Aaron received in the country of Simeon and Judah (Jos 21:9-16);
( b) The four cities which they received in the country of Benjamin (Jos 21:17-19).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The thirteen priestly cities (see the marginal references) were all in the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin. Thus, as Calvin remarks, God so overruled it that the priestly families were placed upon the spot which He had determined before hand to choose as the site of His temple.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Judah and
Simeon are mentioned together, because the cities of Simeon lay within Judahs portion.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
9-40. they gave . . . these citieswhich are here mentioned by nameIt was overruled by theunerring providence of the Divine Lawgiver that the cities of thepriests lay within the territories of Judah and Benjamin. This was aprovision, the admirable wisdom and propriety of which were fullymanifested on the schism that took place in the reign of Rehoboam.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And they gave out of the tribe of the children of Judah,…. Here follows a particular account of the several cities which were given out of each tribe, and first out of this:
and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon; which is joined with that of Judah, because the cities of it lay within it, Jos 19:1;
these cities which are [here] mentioned by name; Jos 21:13.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Names of the Levitical Towns.
(Note: There is a similar list in 1 Chron 6:54-81, though in some respects differently arranged, and with many variations in the names, and corruptions of different kinds in the text, which show that the author of the Chronicles has inserted an ancient document that was altogether independent of the book before us. Thus in the Chronicles there are only forty-two towns mentioned by name instead of forty-eight, although it is stated in 1Ch 6:45. that 13 + 10 + 13 + 12, i.e., forty-eight towns in all, were given up to the Levites. The names omitted are (1) Jutta in Judah; (2) Gibeon in Benjamin; (3 and 4) Ethekeh and Gibbethon in Dan; (5 and 6) and Jokneam and Nahalal in Zebulun (compare Jos 21:16, Jos 21:17, Jos 21:23, Jos 21:34, and Jos 21:35, with 1Ch 6:59-60, 1Ch 6:68, 1Ch 6:77. In some cases also the author of the Chronicles gives different names, though some of them indeed are only different forms of the same name, e.g., Hilen for Holon, Alemeth for Almon, Ashtaroth for Beeshterah, Mashal for Misheal, Hammon for Hammoth-dor, Kirjathaim for Kartan (compare 1Ch 6:58, 1Ch 6:60, 1Ch 6:71, 1Ch 6:74, 1Ch 6:76, with Jos 21:15, Jos 21:18, Jos 21:27, Jos 21:30, Jos 21:32); or in some cases possibly different names of the same town, e.g., Jokmeam for Kibzaim, and Ramoth for Jarmuth, and Anem for En-gannim (1Ch 6:68, 83, and Jos 21:22, Jos 21:29); whilst some evidently give the true reading, viz., Ashan for Ain, and Bileam for Gath-rimmon (1Ch 6:59, 1Ch 6:70; Jos 21:16, Jos 21:26). The majority, however, are faulty readings, viz., Aner for Tanach, Kedesh for Kishon, Hukok for Helkath, Rimmon and Tabor (compare 1Ch 6:70, 1Ch 6:72, 1Ch 6:75, 1Ch 6:77, with Jos 21:25, Jos 21:28, Jos 21:31, Jos 21:34-35).)
Jos 21:9-19 The priests’ towns: ( a) in Judah and Simeon (Jos 21:9-16); ( b) in Benjamin (Jos 21:17-19).
Jos 21:9-12 In the tribe of Judah the priests received Kirjath-arba, or Hebron, with the necessary pasturage round about the town (see Num 35:2), whilst the field of the town with the villages belonging to it remained in the hands of Caleb and his family as their possession (Jos 14:12.).
Jos 21:13-16 Jos 21:13 contains a repetition of Jos 21:11, occasioned by the parenthetical remark in Jos 21:12. They also received Libnah in the lowland (see Jos 15:42; Jos 10:29); Jattir (Jos 15:48), Eshtemoah (Jos 15:50), Holon (Jos 15:51), and Debir (Jos 15:15, Jos 15:49; Jos 10:38) on the mountains of Judah; Ain, for which we should read Ashan (1Ch 6:44; cf. Jos 15:42), in the tribe of Simeon (Jos 19:7); Juttah on the mountains (Jos 15:55); and Beth-shemesh in the lowland (Jos 15:10).
Jos 21:17-19 In the tribe of Benjamin they received Gibeon (see Jos 9:3), Geba (Jos 18:24), also Anathoth and Almon, which are missing in the list of the towns of Benjamin (see at Jos 18:24).
Jos 21:20-25 Towns of the Levites. – Jos 21:20-26. The other Kohathites received four towns from the tribe of Ephraim (Jos 21:21, Jos 21:22), four from Dan (Jos 21:23, Jos 21:24), and two from the half tribe of Manasseh on this side of the Jordan (Jos 21:25). From Ephraim they received Shechem (see Jos 17:7), Gezer (Jos 10:33), Kibzaim – for which we find Jockmeam in 1Ch 6:68, possibly a different name for the same place, which has not yet been discovered – and Beth-horon, whether Upper or Lower is not stated (see Jos 10:10). From Dan they received Elthekeh and Gibbethon (Jos 19:44), Ajalon and Gath-rimmon (Jos 19:42, Jos 19:45). From half Manasseh they received Taanach (Jos 17:11; Jos 12:21) and Gath-rimmon – eye to the previous verse, for Bileam (1Ch 6:70), i.e., Jibleam (Jos 17:11).
Jos 21:26 Thus they received ten towns in all.
Jos 21:27-33 The Gershonites received two towns from eastern Manasseh: Golan (Jos 20:8; Deu 4:43), and Beeshterah. Beeshterah (contracted from Beth-eshterah, the house of Astarte), called Ashtaroth in 1Ch 6:56, may possibly have been the capital of king Og ( Ashtaroth-karnaim, Gen 14:5), if not one of the two villages named Astaroth, which are mentioned by Eusebius in the Onom. ( s. v. Astharoth-karnaim), and are described by Jerome as duo castella in Batanaea, novem inter se millibus separata inter Adaram et Abilam civitates , though Adara and Abila are too indefinite to determine the situation with any exactness. At any rate, the present Busra on the east of the Hauran cannot be thought of for a moment; for this was called or , i.e., , in ancient times, as it is at the present day (see 1 Macc. 5:26, and Joseph. Ant. xii. 8, 3), and was corrupted into Bostra by the Greeks and Romans. Nor can it be the present Kul’at Bustra on the north of Banyas upon a shoulder of the Hermon, where there are the ruins of a magnificent building, probably a temple of ancient date ( Burckhardt, Syr. pp. 93, 94; Rob. Bibl. Res. pp. 414-15), as Knobel supposes, since the territory of the Israelites did not reach so far north, the land conquered by Joshua merely extending to Baal-gad, i.e., Banyas, at the foot of the Hermon (see Jos 11:17), and the land to the east of the Jordan, or Bashan, only to the Hermon itself, or more correctly, merely to the districts of Geshuri and Maacah at the south-eastern border of the Hermon (see at Deu 3:8, Deu 3:14).
Jos 21:28-29 From Issachar they received four towns: Kishon (Jos 19:20), Dabrath (Jos 19:12), Jarmuth = Remeth (see Jos 19:21), and En-gannim (Jos 19:21, or Anem, 1Ch 6:73).
Jos 21:30-31 From Asher they received four towns: Mishal or Masal (Jos 19:26; cf. 1Ch 6:74), Abdon (Jos 19:28), Helkath (Jos 19:25, called Hukok in 1Ch 6:75, probably a copyist’s error), and Rehob (Jos 19:28).
Jos 21:32 From Naphtali they received three towns: Kedesh (Jos 19:37 and Jos 12:22), Hammoth-dor (called Hammath in Jos 19:35, and Hammon in 1Ch 6:76), and Kartan (contracted from Kartain for Kirjatha i m, 1Ch 6:76; like Dothan in 2Ki 6:13, from Dothain in Gen 37:17). Kartan is not mentioned among the towns of Naphtali in Jos 19:33.; according to Knobel it may possibly be Katanah, a place with ruins to the north-east of Safed ( Van de Velde, Mem. p. 147).
Jos 21:33 They received thirteen towns in all.
Jos 21:34-35 The Merarites received twelve towns. From the tribe of Zebulun they received four: Jokneam (Jos 19:11: see at Jos 12:22), Kartah and Dimnah,
(Note: Many commentators identify Dimnah with Rimmono in 1Ch 6:77, but without sufficient reason; for the next of the Chronicles is no doubt corrupt in this passage, as it has only two names, Rimmono and Tabor, instead of four.)
which are not mentioned among the towns of Zebulun in Jos 19:11., and are unknown, and Nahalal (Jos 19:15).
Jos 21:36-37 From Reuben they received four: Gezer (Jos 20:8: see Deu 4:43), Jahza, Kedemoth, and Mephaath (Jos 13:18).
(Note: R. Jacob ben Chajim has omitted Jos 21:36 and Jos 21:37 from his Rabbinical Bible of the year 1525 as spurious, upon the authority of Kimchi and the larger Masora; but upon insufficient grounds, as these verses are to be found in many good MSS and old editions of an earlier date than 1525, as well as in all the ancient versions, and could not possibly have been wanting from the very first, since the Merarites received twelve towns, which included the four that belonged to Reuben. In those MSS in which they are wanting, the omission was, no doubt, a copyist’s error, occasioned by the homoioteleuto’n (see de Rossi variae lectt. ad h. l., and J. H. Michaelis’ Note to his Hebrew Bible).)
Jos 21:38-39 From Gad they received four towns: Ramoth in Gilead, and Mahanaim (see at Jos 13:26), Heshbon (Jos 13:17) and Jaezer (Jos 13:25: see at Num 21:32).
Jos 21:40-42 They received twelve towns in all. – In Jos 21:41 and Jos 21:42 the list of the Levitical towns is closed with a statement of their total number, and also with the repetition of the remark that “these cities were every one with their suburbs round about them.” , city city, i.e., every city, with its pasture round about it.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
9 And they gave out of the tribe of the children of Judah, and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, these cities which are here mentioned by name, 10 Which the children of Aaron, being of the families of the Kohathites, who were of the children of Levi, had: for theirs was the first lot. 11 And they gave them the city of Arba the father of Anak, which city is Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, with the suburbs thereof round about it. 12 But the fields of the city, and the villages thereof, gave they to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for his possession. 13 Thus they gave to the children of Aaron the priest Hebron with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Libnah with her suburbs, 14 And Jattir with her suburbs, and Eshtemoa with her suburbs, 15 And Holon with her suburbs, and Debir with her suburbs, 16 And Ain with her suburbs, and Juttah with her suburbs, and Beth-shemesh with her suburbs; nine cities out of those two tribes. 17 And out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with her suburbs, Geba with her suburbs, 18 Anathoth with her suburbs, and Almon with her suburbs; four cities. 19 All the cities of the children of Aaron, the priests, were thirteen cities with their suburbs. 20 And the families of the children of Kohath, the Levites which remained of the children of Kohath, even they had the cities of their lot out of the tribe of Ephraim. 21 For they gave them Shechem with her suburbs in mount Ephraim, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Gezer with her suburbs, 22 And Kibzaim with her suburbs, and Beth-horon with her suburbs; four cities. 23 And out of the tribe of Dan, Eltekeh with her suburbs, Gibbethon with her suburbs, 24 Aijalon with her suburbs, Gath-rimmon with her suburbs; four cities. 25 And out of the half tribe of Manasseh, Tanach with her suburbs, and Gath-rimmon with her suburbs; two cities. 26 All the cities were ten with their suburbs for the families of the children of Kohath that remained. 27 And unto the children of Gershon, of the families of the Levites, out of the other half tribe of Manasseh they gave Golan in Bashan with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Beesh-terah with her suburbs; two cities. 28 And out of the tribe of Issachar, Kishon with her suburbs, Dabareh with her suburbs, 29 Jarmuth with her suburbs, En-gannim with her suburbs; four cities. 30 And out of the tribe of Asher, Mishal with her suburbs, Abdon with her suburbs, 31 Helkath with her suburbs, and Rehob with her suburbs; four cities. 32 And out of the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Hammoth-dor with her suburbs, and Kartan with her suburbs; three cities. 33 All the cities of the Gershonites according to their families were thirteen cities with their suburbs. 34 And unto the families of the children of Merari, the rest of the Levites, out of the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam with her suburbs, and Kartah with her suburbs, 35 Dimnah with her suburbs, Nahalal with her suburbs; four cities. 36 And out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer with her suburbs, and Jahazah with her suburbs, 37 Kedemoth with her suburbs, and Mephaath with her suburbs; four cities. 38 And out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Mahanaim with her suburbs, 39 Heshbon with her suburbs, Jazer with her suburbs; four cities in all. 40 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. 41 All the cities of the Levites within the possession of the children of Israel were forty and eight cities with their suburbs. 42 These cities were every one with their suburbs round about them: thus were all these cities.
We have here a particular account of the cities which were given to the children of Levi out of the several tribes, not only to be occupied and inhabited by them, as tenants to the several tribes in which they lay–no, their interest in them was not dependent and precarious, but to be owned and possessed by them as lords and proprietors, and as having the same title to them that the rest of the tribes had to their cities or lands, as appears by the law which preserved the house in the Levites’ cities from being alienated any longer than till the year of jubilee, Lev 25:32; Lev 25:33. Yet it is probable that the Levites having only the cities and suburbs, while the land about pertained to the tribes in which they lay, those of that tribe, for the convenience of occupying that land, might commonly rent houses of the Levites, as they could spare them in their cities, and so live among them as their tenants. Several things may be observed in this account, besides what was observed in the law concerning it, Num. xxxv.
I. That the Levites were dispersed into all the tribes, and not suffered to live all together in any one part of the country. This would find them all with work, and employ them all for the good of others; for ministers, of all people, must neither be idle nor live to themselves or to one another only. Christ left his twelve disciples together in a body, but left orders that they should in due time disperse themselves, that they might preach the gospel to every creature. The mixing of the Levites thus with the other tribes would be an obligation upon them to walk circumspectly, and as became their sacred function, and to avoid every thing that might disgrace it. Had they lived all together, they would have been tempted to wink at one another’s faults, and to excuse one another when they did amiss; but by this means they were made to see the eyes of all Israel upon them, and therefore saw it their concern to walk so as that their ministry might in nothing be blamed nor their high character suffer by their ill carriage.
II. That every tribe of Israel was adorned and enriched with its share of Levites’ cities in proportion to its compass, even those that lay most remote. They were all God’s people, and therefore they all had Levites among them. 1. To show kindness to, as God appointed them, Deu 12:19; Deu 14:29. They were God’s receivers, to whom the people might give their grateful acknowledgments of God’s goodness, as the occasion and disposition were. 2. To receive advice and instruction from; when they could not go up to the tabernacle, to consult those who attended there, they might go to a Levites’ city, and be taught the good knowledge of the Lord. Thus God set up a candle in every room of his house, to give light to all his family; as those that attended the altar kept the charge of the Lord, to see that no divine appointment was neglected there, so those that were scattered in the country had their charge too, which was to see that no idolatrous superstitious usages were introduced at a distance and to watch for the souls of God’s Israel. Thus did God graciously provide for the keeping up of religion among them, and that they might have the word nigh them; yet, blessed be God, we, under the gospel, have it yet nigher, not only Levites in every county, but Levites in every parish, whose office it is still to teach the people knowledge, and to go before them in the things of God.
III. That there were thirteen cities, and those some of the best, appointed for the priests, the sons of Aaron, v. 19. Aaron left but two sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, yet his family was now so much increased, and it was foreseen that it would in process of time grow so numerous, as to replenish all these cities, though a considerable number must of necessity be resident wherever the ark and the altar were. We read in both Testaments of such numbers of priests that we may suppose none of all the families of Israel that came out of Egypt increased afterwards so much as that of Aaron did; and the promise afterwards to the house of Aaron is, God shall increase you more and more, you and your children,Psa 115:12; Psa 115:14. He will raise up a seed to serve him.
IV. That some of the Levites’ cities were afterwards famous upon other accounts. Hebron was the city in which David began his reign, and in Manhanaim, another Levites’ city (v. 38), he lay, and had his headquarters when he fled from Absalom. The first Israelite that ever wore the title of king (namely, Abimelech, the son of Gideon) reigned in Shechem, another Levites’ city, v. 21.
V. That the number of them in all was more than of most of the tribes, except Judah, though the tribe of Levi was one of the least of the tribes, to show how liberal God is, and his people should be, to his ministers; yet the disproportion will not appear so great as at first it seems, if we consider that the Levites had cities only with their suburbs to dwell in, but the rest of the tribes, besides their cities (and those perhaps were many more than are named in the account of their lot), had many unwalled towns and villages which they inhabited, besides country houses.
Upon the whole, it appears that effectual care was taken that the Levites should live both comfortably and usefully: and those, whether ministers or others, for whom Providence has done well, must look upon themselves as obliged thereby to do good, and, according as their capacity and opportunity are, to serve their generation.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Priest Cities, Vs. 9-19
Now the thirteen cities of the priests are listed. The famous city of Hebron is the first mentioned. It had been the chief city of the giants, and had been given to Caleb for his inheritance.
In assigning it to the Levites it is not meant that Caleb was dispossessed. The Levites merely lived among the regular inhabitants of the cities they were assigned, where they had their houses.
The pasture areas immediately adjacent to the city walls were for the exclusive use of the Levites, but the outlying lands remained in the possession of Caleb, or in the case of other cities, whomever had been allotted them.
In Judah Hebron was also a city of refuge, and later the chief center of the tribe of Judah during the period of the judges and until the time of David, (see 2Sa 2:1 ff). Debir was another former giant city, conquered by Othniel, Caleb’s relative, (Jos 15:16 ff).
Beth-shemesh lay in the west, and was the city to which the Philistines sent the ark when they returned it (1Sa 6:12 ff). In the tribe of Benjamin the priest were assigned Gibeon, the old Hivite city, whose deceiving inhabitants had been made servants of the tabernacle, (Jos 9:27). Anathoth was the residence of the Prophet Jeremiah, who was of a priest family, (Jer 1:1).
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
Cities Given to the Family of Aaron Jos. 21:9-19
9 And they gave out of the tribe of the children of Judah, and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, these cities which are here mentioned by name.
10 Which the children of Aaron, being of the families of the Kohathites, who were of the children of Levi, had: for theirs was the first lot.
11 And they gave them the city of Arba the father of Anak, which city is Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, with the suburbs thereof round about it.
12 But the fields of the city, and the villages thereof, gave they to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for his possession.
13 Thus they gave to the children of Aaron the priest Hebron with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Libnah with her suburbs,
14 And Jattir with her suburbs, and Eshtemoa with her suburbs,
15 And Holon with her suburbs, and Debir with her suburbs,
16 And Ain with her suburbs, and Juttah with her suburbs, and Beth-shemesh with her suburbs; nine cities out of those two tribes.
17 And out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with her suburbs, Geba with her suburbs,
18 Anathoth with her suburbs, and Almon with her suburbs; four cities.
19 All the cities of the children of Aaron, the priests, were thirteen cities with their suburbs.
7.
What important cities were given to the children of Aaron? Jos. 21:10-19
Several of the cities given to the children of Aaron were well known and figured prominently in later Israelite history. Jattir, for example, was one of the cities to which David sent spoils from Ziklag (1Sa. 30:27). This town lay twelve miles south of Hebron. The ruins of Attir have been located on a hill at this point. Hebron, a city of refuge, was one of the most famous cities in the entire land. Gibeon was famous as the home of the Hivites, who had tricked Joshua into making a peace treaty with them. Anathoth was the home of high priests in the times of David.
8.
What special provision was made with regard to Hebron? Jos. 21:11
Since Caleb had asked for territory in the South and had been given Hebron and its suburbs, a provision was made for him to have jurisdiction over the villages which belonged to Hebron. The fields that surrounded the city were also left in Calebs possession.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
‘ And they gave out of the tribe of the children of Judah, and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, these cities which are here mentioned by name (literally ‘which one calls by name’), and these were for the children of Aaron, of the families of the Kohathites, who were of the children of Levi, for theirs was the first lot.’
The first lot was for the family of Aaron as priests of the land. The names of the cities allocated to them in Judah and Simeon are to be listed. Their descent is clearly outlined.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The Cities of the Priests
v. 9. And they gave out of the tribe of the children of Judah and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, v. 10. which the children of Aaron, being of the families of the Kohathites, who were of the children of Levi, had; for theirs was the first lot.
v. 11. And they gave them the city of Arba, the father of Anak, v. 12. But the fields of the city, v. 13. Thus they gave to the children of Aaron, the priest, Hebron with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer, v. 14. and Jattir with her suburbs, and Eshtemoa with her suburbs, v. 15. and Holon with her suburbs, and Debir with her suburbs, v. 16. and Ain with her suburbs, and Juttah with her suburbs, and Beth-shemesh with her suburbs: nine cities out of those two tribes, v. 17. And out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with her suburbs, v. 18. Anathoth with her suburbs, and Almon with her suburbs, v. 19. All the cities of the children of Aaron, the priests, were thirteen cities with their suburbs.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
NASB (UPDATED TEXT): Jos 21:9-12
9They gave these cities which are here mentioned by name from the tribe of the sons of Judah and from the tribe of the sons of Simeon; 10and they were for the sons of Aaron, one of the families of the Kohathites, of the sons of Levi, for the lot was theirs first. 11Thus they gave them Kiriath-arba, Arba being the father of Anak (that is, Hebron), in the hill country of Judah, with its surrounding pasture lands. 12But the fields of the city and its villages they gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh as his possession.
Jos 21:10 the sons of Aaron This is the special family from the tribe of Levi from which the High Priest and Priests would come (cf. Exo 28:1).
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
these cities: Jos 21:13-18, 1Ch 6:65
mentioned: Heb. called
Reciprocal: 2Ch 31:15 – the cities Luk 1:39 – into
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jos 21:9-10. Judah and Simeon These are mentioned together, because the cities of Simeon lay within Judahs portion. Families That is, of the family, the plural number being put for the singular which is not unusual.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The priests’ towns 21:9-19
The Lord spread out the priests’ 13 towns as follows. Nine were in Judah and Simeon (Jos 21:9-16), and four were in Benjamin (Jos 21:17-19).