Joshua 21:1

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

¶ Then came near the heads of the fathers of the Levites unto Eleazar the priest, and unto Joshua the son of Nun, and unto the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel;

Complete Jewish Bible:

Then the leaders of the ancestral clans of the L'vi'im approached El'azar the cohen, Y'hoshua the son of Nun and the leaders of the ancestral clans of the tribes of the people of Isra'el.

Berean Standard Bible:

Now the family heads of the Levites approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the other tribes of Israel

American Standard Version:

Then came near the heads of fathers’housesof the Levites unto Eleazar the priest, and unto Joshua the son of Nun, and unto the heads of fathers’ houses of the tribes of the children of Israel;

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

Then came near^{H5066} the heads^{H7218} of the fathers^{H1} of the Levites^{H3881} unto Eleazar^{H499} the priest^{H3548}, and unto Joshua^{H3091} the son^{H1121} of Nun^{H5126}, and unto the heads^{H7218} of the fathers^{H1} of the tribes^{H4294} of the children^{H1121} of Israel^{H3478};

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Commentary for Joshua 21:1

Joshua 21:1 is a verse that sets the stage for a significant event in the historical and religious narrative of the Israelites. This verse occurs after the Israelites, under the leadership of Joshua, have conquered and begun to settle the Promised Land of Canaan. The historical context is the distribution of the land among the twelve tribes of Israel, a process that is nearing completion.

In this verse, we see the leaders of the Levite clans approaching three key figures: Eleazar the priest, who is a spiritual leader and a descendant of Aaron; Joshua, the military and political leader who succeeded Moses; and the heads of the tribes of Israel. The Levites were the tribe designated for religious service and did not receive a territorial inheritance like the other tribes. Instead, they were to live among the other tribes and be supported by the offerings and tithes given by the Israelites.

The themes present in this verse include the organization of Israelite society, the role of religious leaders, and the importance of the Levites in maintaining the spiritual and ritual life of the nation. It also reflects the broader theme of inheritance and divine promise, as the distribution of the land was seen as the fulfillment of God's promise to the Israelites. The approach of the Levite leaders indicates a moment of collaboration and administrative action, as they work with the civil and religious leadership to secure their cities and pasturelands within the territories of their fellow Israelites, as commanded by God through Moses (Numbers 35:1-8; Deuteronomy 18:1-2). This event underscores the communal responsibility to care for the religious leaders who, in turn, were responsible for teaching the law, performing sacrifices, and maintaining the tabernacle, which was central to Israelite worship at the time.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H5066
   There are 112 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: נָגַשׁ
   Transliteration: nâgash
   Pronunciation: naw-gash'
   Description: a primitive root; to be or come (causatively, bring) near (for any purpose); euphemistically, to lie with a woman; as an enemy, to attack; religious to worship; causatively, to present; figuratively, to adduce an argument; by reversal, to stand back; (make to) approach (nigh), bring (forth, hither, near), (cause to) come (hither, near, nigh), give place, go hard (up), (be, draw, go) near (nigh), offer, overtake, present, put, stand.
   
2. Strong's Number: H7218
   There are 548 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: רֹאשׁ
   Transliteration: rôʼsh
   Pronunciation: roshe
   Description: from an unused root apparently meaning to shake; the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of place, time, rank, itc.); band, beginning, captain, chapiter, chief(-est place, man, things), company, end, [idiom] every (man), excellent, first, forefront, (be-)head, height, (on) high(-est part, (priest)), [idiom] lead, [idiom] poor, principal, ruler, sum, top.
   
3. Strong's Number: H1
   There are 15773 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אָב
   Transliteration: ʼâb
   Pronunciation: awb
   Description: a primitive word; father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application; chief, (fore-) father(-less), [idiom] patrimony, principal. Compare names in 'Abi-'.
   
4. Strong's Number: H3881
   There are 258 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: לֵוִיִּי
   Transliteration: Lêvîyîy
   Pronunciation: lay-vee-ee'
   Description: or לֵוִי; patronymically from לֵוִי; a Levite or descendant of Levi; Leviite.
   
5. Strong's Number: H499
   There are 123 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אֶלְעָזָר
   Transliteration: ʼElʻâzâr
   Pronunciation: el-aw-zawr'
   Description: from אֵל and עָזַר; God (is) helper; Elazar, the name of seven Israelites; Eleazar.
   
6. Strong's Number: H3548
   There are 653 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: כֹּהֵן
   Transliteration: kôhên
   Pronunciation: ko-hane'
   Description: active participle of כָּהַן; literally one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a layman); chief ruler, [idiom] own, priest, prince, principal officer.
   
7. Strong's Number: H3091
   There are 199 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יְהוֹשׁוּעַ
   Transliteration: Yᵉhôwshûwaʻ
   Pronunciation: yeh-ho-shoo'-ah
   Description: or יְהוֹשֻׁעַ; from יְהֹוָה and יָשַׁע; Jehovah-saved; Jehoshua (i.e. Joshua), the Jewish leader; Jehoshua, Jehoshuah, Joshua. Compare הוֹשֵׁעַ, יֵשׁוּעַ.
   
8. Strong's Number: H1121
   There are 3654 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: בֵּן
   Transliteration: bên
   Pronunciation: bane
   Description: from בָּנָה; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.); [phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, [idiom] came up in, child, colt, [idiom] common, [idiom] corn, daughter, [idiom] of first, [phrase] firstborn, foal, [phrase] very fruitful, [phrase] postage, [idiom] in, [phrase] kid, [phrase] lamb, ([phrase]) man, meet, [phrase] mighty, [phrase] nephew, old, ([phrase]) people, [phrase] rebel, [phrase] robber, [idiom] servant born, [idiom] soldier, son, [phrase] spark, [phrase] steward, [phrase] stranger, [idiom] surely, them of, [phrase] tumultuous one, [phrase] valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.
   
9. Strong's Number: H5126
   There are 30 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: נוּן
   Transliteration: Nûwn
   Pronunciation: noon
   Description: or נוֹן; (1 Chronicles 7:27), from נוּן; perpetuity,; Nun or Non, the father of Joshua; Non, Nun.
   
10. Strong's Number: H4294
    There are 204 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: מַטֶּה
    Transliteration: maṭṭeh
    Pronunciation: mat-teh'
    Description: or (feminine) מַטָּה; from נָטָה; a branch (as extending); figuratively, a tribe; also a rod, whether for chastising (figuratively, correction), ruling (a sceptre), throwing (a lance), or walking (a staff; figuratively, a support of life, e.g. bread); rod, staff, tribe.
    
11. Strong's Number: H3478
    There are 2229 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: יִשְׂרָאֵל
    Transliteration: Yisrâʼêl
    Pronunciation: yis-raw-ale'
    Description: from שָׂרָה and אֵל; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity; Israel.