Joshua 21:26

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

All the cities [were] ten with their suburbs for the families of the children of Kohath that remained.

Complete Jewish Bible:

All the cities of the families of the rest of the descendants of K'hat numbered ten with their surrounding open land.

Berean Standard Bible:

In all, ten cities, together with their pasturelands, were given to the rest of the Kohathite clans.

American Standard Version:

All the cities of the families of the rest of the children of Kohath were ten with their suburbs.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

All the cities{H5892} were ten{H6235} with their suburbs{H4054} for the families{H4940} of the children{H1121} of Kohath{H6955} that remained{H3498}.

Cross-References (KJV):


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Commentary for Joshua 21:26

Joshua 21:26 is part of a larger passage in the Bible that deals with the allocation of cities and pasturelands to the Levites, who were the priestly tribe of Israel. According to the Pentateuch, the Levites were not given a territorial inheritance like the other tribes of Israel because the Lord himself was their inheritance (Deuteronomy 18:1-2). Instead, they were to live among the other tribes and be supported by the tithes and offerings of the Israelites.

In the context of Joshua 21, the Israelites are in the process of settling the land of Canaan, which God had promised to their ancestors. The Levites, who were responsible for religious duties and the maintenance of the Tabernacle, were apportioned cities within the territories of the other tribes. These cities were to serve as places of refuge and centers for religious and educational activities.

Verse 21:26 specifically refers to the allocation given to the families of the Kohathites, who were one of the three clans of the Levites. The Kohathites were responsible for the most sacred objects of the tabernacle, such as the ark of the covenant, the table of showbread, the lampstand, and the altars. The verse mentions that the Kohathites received ten cities with their suburbs or pasturelands. These suburbs were important for their livestock and for agricultural purposes, ensuring that the priests had the necessary resources to sustain themselves and perform their duties.

The historical context of this verse is rooted in the fulfillment of God's promises to the Israelites. It reflects the careful organization of Israelite society after the conquest of Canaan, with attention to the religious and social structures that would support the nation's life and worship. The distribution of these cities was a tangible expression of the Israelites' commitment to God's law and the proper functioning of the religious aspects of their community.

*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: H5892
    There are 937 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: עִיר
    Transliteration: ʻîyr
    Pronunciation: eer
    Description: or (in the plural) עָר; or עָיַר; (Judges 10:4), from עוּר; a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post); Ai (from margin), city, court (from margin), town.
  2. Strong's Number: H6235
    There are 157 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: עֶשֶׂר
    Transliteration: ʻeser
    Pronunciation: eh'ser
    Description: masculine of term עֲשָׂרָה; from עָשַׂר; ten (as an accumulation to the extent of the digits); ten, (fif-, seven-) teen.
  3. Strong's Number: H4054
    There are 67 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: מִגְרָשׁ
    Transliteration: migrâsh
    Pronunciation: mig-rawsh'
    Description: also (in plural) feminine (Ezekiel 27:28) מִגְרָשָׁה; from גָּרַשׁ; a suburb (i.e. open country whither flocks are driven from pasture); hence, the area around abuilding, or the margin of the sea; cast out, suburb.
  4. Strong's Number: H4940
    There are 224 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: מִשְׁפָּחָה
    Transliteration: mishpâchâh
    Pronunciation: mish-paw-khaw'
    Description: from שָׁפָה (compare שִׁפְחָה); a family, i.e. circle of relatives; figuratively, a class (of persons), a species (of animals) or sort (of things); by extension a tribe or people; family, kind(-red).
  5. 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.
  6. Strong's Number: H6955
    There are 29 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: קְהָת
    Transliteration: Qᵉhâth
    Pronunciation: keh-hawth'
    Description: from an unused root meaning to ally oneself; allied; Kehath, an Israelite; Kohath.
  7. Strong's Number: H3498
    There are 101 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: יָתַר
    Transliteration: yâthar
    Pronunciation: yaw-thar'
    Description: a primitive root; to jut over or exceed; by implication, to excel; (intransitively) to remain or be left; causatively, to leave, cause to abound, preserve; excel, leave (a remnant), left behind, too much, make plenteous, preserve, (be, let) remain(-der, -ing, -nant), reserve, residue, rest.