TRV
Translation
King James Version
All the cities of the children of Aaron, the priests, were thirteen cities with their suburbs.
Complete Jewish Bible
All the cities of the descendants of Aharon, the cohanim, numbered thirteen cities with their surrounding open land.
Berean Standard Bible
In all, thirteen cities, together with their pasturelands, were given to the priests, the descendants of Aaron.
American Standard Version
All the cities of the children of Aaron, the priests, were thirteen cities with their suburbs.
World English Bible Messianic
All the cities of the children of Aaron, the priests, were thirteen cities with their suburbs.
Geneva Bible (1599)
All the cities of the children of Aaron Priests, were thirteene cities with their suburbes.
Young's Literal Translation
all the cities of the sons of Aaron the priests, are thirteen cities and their suburbs.
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In the KJVVerse 6,401 of 31,102
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Commentary on Joshua 21 verses 9–42
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 Bethshemesh 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 Bethhoron 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, Gathrimmon with her suburbs; four cities.
25 And out of the half tribe of Manasseh, Tanach with her suburbs, and Gathrimmon 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 Beeshterah 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, Engannim 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 Hammothdor 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. 35.
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, Jos 21:19. 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 (Jos 21:38), 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, Jos 21:21.
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.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 9–42. Public domain.
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Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Joshua 21:19 meticulously records the specific allocation of thirteen cities, along with their essential surrounding pasturelands, to the direct descendants of Aaron, who served as priests within ancient Israel. This verse is a crucial detail within the broader account of land distribution to the Levite tribe, underscoring God's unwavering faithfulness in fulfilling His covenant promises, His comprehensive provision for His chosen ministers, and the strategic placement of spiritual leadership throughout the twelve tribes of Israel.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse primarily employs Numerical Precision and the Fulfillment Motif. The exact number "thirteen cities" provides concrete evidence of the meticulous and orderly execution of God's command, reinforcing the overarching theme of divine faithfulness and the fulfillment of the covenant promises made in the Pentateuch, particularly in Numbers 35. The phrase "children of Aaron, the priests" utilizes Synecdoche, where a part (the children of Aaron) represents the whole (the entire priestly lineage and their specific, consecrated function). This emphasizes the unique and vital role of the Aaronic priesthood within the broader Levite tribe. The inclusion of "with their suburbs" functions as a Merism, encompassing both the urban and rural aspects of their allocated dwelling, thereby highlighting the comprehensive and holistic nature of God's provision for their practical needs and well-being.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Joshua 21:19 stands as a powerful testament to God's detailed and faithful provision for those consecrated to His service, illustrating the profound truth that divine calling is invariably accompanied by divine care. The strategic distribution of priestly cities throughout the territories of Israel ensured that the spiritual, educational, and judicial functions of the Levites were accessible to all tribes, thereby fostering national unity and adherence to God's law. This arrangement underscores the theological principle that God's people are intended to be dispersed as agents of His truth and light, rather than confined to a single, isolated sanctuary. It also highlights the crucial distinction between a spiritual inheritance (the Lord Himself for the Levites) and a physical inheritance, yet beautifully demonstrates how God meticulously provides for both. The precise fulfillment of the instructions given to Moses reinforces the absolute reliability of God's word and the certainty of His promises across generations.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Joshua 21:19, though seemingly a dry enumeration of cities, carries profound implications for our understanding of God's character and His divine design for ministry and community. It reveals a God who is not only mighty enough to orchestrate the conquest of nations but also meticulously attentive enough to ensure the practical needs of His servants are met, down to their pasturelands. This truth should instill deep confidence in believers today that God will faithfully provide for those He calls into service, whether in full-time vocational ministry or in their daily vocations within the marketplace. Furthermore, the strategic scattering of the priests throughout Israel serves as a powerful reminder that spiritual leadership and the pervasive presence of God's people are not meant to be centralized or exclusive but rather distributed and accessible across all spheres of society. Every believer, as part of God's new covenant priesthood, is called to be a spiritual influence within their sphere, making God's truth and love known wherever they are placed. This verse challenges us to consider how we actively support those in spiritual leadership within our communities and churches, and how we, too, can intentionally be strategically placed "cities" of light and truth, embodying God's presence and principles in our neighborhoods, workplaces, and families.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why didn't the Levites receive a tribal land inheritance like the other tribes?
Answer: The Levites did not receive a contiguous tribal land inheritance because the Lord Himself was their inheritance. They were uniquely set apart for sacred service to God, specifically for the care of the tabernacle (and later the temple), teaching the Law, and performing priestly duties. Their sustenance was divinely ordained to come from the tithes and offerings of the other tribes, and their dwelling places were designated cities scattered throughout Israel. This arrangement enabled them to fulfill their spiritual responsibilities among all the people, ensuring that spiritual instruction and access to priestly functions were widespread. This unique status underscored their complete dedication to God and His direct provision for them.
What were the "suburbs" mentioned in Joshua 21:19, and why were they important for the Levites?
Answer: The "suburbs" (Hebrew: migrāšîm) were the open lands, pasturelands, and common areas immediately surrounding the Levite cities. They were not urban extensions but essential agricultural and grazing grounds. Since the Levites did not receive large tracts of farmland for cultivation like the other tribes, these suburbs were crucial for them to raise livestock, which provided food, milk, and wool, thus ensuring their practical sustenance. This detail highlights God's comprehensive and practical provision for the Levites' livelihood, enabling them to focus on their spiritual and religious duties without being burdened by the need to farm extensive lands.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Joshua 21:19, with its meticulous detailing of the priestly cities and their strategic distribution, finds its ultimate and profound fulfillment in Christ and the new covenant. The Old Testament Aaronic priesthood, confined to specific locations and a particular lineage, served as a powerful type pointing to the perfect, eternal priesthood of Jesus Christ. He is our great High Priest, who has entered, not an earthly tabernacle, but heaven itself, offering a superior sacrifice once for all (Hebrews 9:11-12). The scattered nature of the priestly cities in ancient Israel ensured access to spiritual guidance and divine mediation throughout the land, foreshadowing the universal accessibility of God's presence and truth through Christ. In the new covenant, all believers are declared a "royal priesthood" (1 Peter 2:9), no longer confined to specific geographical locations or a single lineage. Just as the Levites were provided for by God and strategically distributed among the tribes to minister, so too are believers in Christ empowered by the Holy Spirit and strategically placed throughout the world to be His witnesses (Acts 1:8) and to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19-20). The divine provision for the Old Testament priests points to God's unwavering faithfulness to sustain His ministers, now extended to all who serve Him in the new covenant, demonstrating that our ultimate inheritance is not land but Christ Himself, and His Spirit dwells within us, making us living temples of God (1 Corinthians 3:16).