King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
[So] all the cities which ye shall give to the Levites [shall be] forty and eight cities: them [shall ye give] with their suburbs.
Complete Jewish Bible:
Thus you will give the L'vi'im forty-eight cities, with their surrounding open land.
Berean Standard Bible:
The total number of cities you give the Levites will be forty-eight, with their corresponding pasturelands.
American Standard Version:
All the cities which ye shall give to the Levites shall be forty and eight cities; them shall ye give with their suburbs.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
So all the cities{H5892} which ye shall give{H5414} to the Levites{H3881} shall be forty{H705} and eight{H8083} cities{H5892}: them shall ye give with their suburbs{H4054}.
Cross-References (KJV):
1 Chronicles 6:54
- ¶ Now these [are] their dwelling places throughout their castles in their coasts, of the sons of Aaron, of the families of the Kohathites: for theirs was the lot.
1 Chronicles 6:81
- And Heshbon with her suburbs, and Jazer with her suburbs.
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.
Joshua 21:42
- These cities were every one with their suburbs round about them: thus [were] all these cities.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Numbers 35:7
Numbers 35:7 is a part of the legal and organizational instructions given by God to the Israelites through Moses, as recorded in the Book of Numbers. This verse specifically addresses the allocation of cities within the Promised Land to the Levites, the priestly tribe of Israel. The Levites were not given a territorial inheritance like the other tribes because their service to God was their inheritance (Deuteronomy 10:9). Instead, they received 48 cities scattered throughout the other tribes' territories, along with the pasturelands around them.
The historical context of this verse is rooted in the Israelites' preparation to enter and possess the land of Canaan, which God had promised to their ancestors. The distribution of these cities was crucial for the religious and social structure of Israelite society. It ensured that the Levites, who were responsible for the care of the tabernacle (and later the temple), the teaching of the Law, and the spiritual leadership of the people, were supported and integrated among all the tribes. This dispersion allowed them to serve as spiritual centers and to teach the Law to the people, maintaining the religious unity and identity of Israel.
The themes present in Numbers 35:7 include divine provision, tribal unity, and the sanctity of religious service. God's command to provide for the Levites reflects His concern for the spiritual well-being of His people and the importance of the priesthood in maintaining the covenant relationship between God and Israel. The specific number of cities (48) symbolizes completeness and order, emphasizing the meticulous nature of God's laws and the structured society He intended for the Israelites. This passage also highlights the principle of mutual support between the Levites and the other tribes, fostering a sense of collective responsibility and religious solidarity.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- 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. - Strong's Number: H5414
There are 1816 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נָתַן
Transliteration: nâthan
Pronunciation: naw-than'
Description: a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.); add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] without fail, fasten, frame, [idiom] get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), [idiom] have, [idiom] indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), [phrase] lie, lift up, make, [phrase] O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, [idiom] pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), [phrase] sing, [phrase] slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, [idiom] surely, [idiom] take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, [phrase] weep, [phrase] willingly, [phrase] withdraw, [phrase] would (to) God, yield. - 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. - Strong's Number: H705
There are 178 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אַרְבָּעִים
Transliteration: ʼarbâʻîym
Pronunciation: ar-baw-eem'
Description: multiple of אַרְבַּע; forty; -forty. - Strong's Number: H8083
There are 105 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שְׁמֹנֶה
Transliteration: shᵉmôneh
Pronunciation: shem-o-neh'
Description: or שְׁמוֹנֶה; feminine שְׁמֹנָה; or שְׁמוֹנָה; apparently from שָׁמֵן through the idea of plumpness; a cardinal number, eight (as if a surplus above the 'perfect' seven); also (as ordinal) eighth; eight(-een, -eenth), eighth. - 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.