TRV
Translation
Complete Jewish Bible
Helkat with its surrounding open land and Rechov with its surrounding open land - four cities.
World English Bible Messianic
Helkath with its suburbs, and Rehob with its suburbs; four cities.
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In the KJVVerse 6,413 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 21:31 meticulously records the specific allocation of two cities, Helkath and Rehob, along with their essential pasturelands, to the Gershonite families of the Levites from the territory of the tribe of Asher. This verse is an integral part of the larger, detailed account in Joshua 21, which chronicles the precise fulfillment of God's covenant promise to provide the Levites with 48 cities, strategically distributed throughout Israel, ensuring their sustenance and enabling their vital role in spiritual instruction and service across all twelve tribes.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Joshua 21:31, though seemingly a simple record, employs several literary devices that underscore its profound theological significance. The most prominent is Enumeration, as the verse is part of a meticulous and extensive list of cities throughout Joshua 21, highlighting the divine order and precision in fulfilling God's promises. This detailed accounting serves as a Fulfillment Narrative, demonstrating that every word of God's covenant with Israel regarding their inheritance and the provision for the Levites was faithfully brought to pass. The repetition of the phrase "with her suburbs" acts as Emphasis, drawing attention to the comprehensive nature of the provision for the Levites, underscoring that they received not just a place to live, but also the essential means for their sustenance. Finally, the entire chapter, including this verse, functions as a form of Legal Documentation, providing a precise and verifiable record of the land distribution, thereby validating Israel's claim to the land and the divine authority behind its organization.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Joshua 21:31, as a fragment of a larger divine blueprint, powerfully illustrates God's meticulous faithfulness and sovereign provision for His people. The precise allocation of cities to the Levites, ensuring their sustenance and strategic placement throughout the land, underscores that God's promises are not vague generalities but specific, detailed commitments that He unfailingly brings to fruition. This divine order and provision for those dedicated to His service reveal a God who cares for the practical needs of His ministers and ensures the spiritual well-being of His entire community. It highlights the principle that God's kingdom operates on principles of order, justice, and generous provision for those who serve Him, establishing a model for how a community dedicated to God should manage its resources and support its spiritual leaders.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Joshua 21:31, though a seemingly dry list of names and numbers, serves as a profound reminder of God's character: His faithfulness, His orderliness, and His meticulous provision. Just as He precisely provided for the Levites, ensuring their sustenance and strategic placement for spiritual influence across all of Israel, so too does God care for the practical needs of His people today. This verse encourages us to trust in His detailed provision in our own lives, knowing that if He is faithful in such minute details of ancient history, He is certainly attentive to our present needs and future. It also subtly highlights the importance of supporting those who dedicate their lives to spiritual service and instruction, recognizing their vital role in the spiritual health of the community. Furthermore, it prompts us to consider how we, as God's people, can embody His order and intentionality in our own lives and communities, stewarding our resources and talents for His glory and the good of others, ensuring that spiritual truth is accessible and nurtured wherever we are called to serve.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why were the Levites given cities instead of a tribal land inheritance like the other tribes?
Answer: The Levites were set apart by God for a unique and sacred purpose: to serve as priests, teachers of the Law, and ministers of the Tabernacle (and later, the Temple). Unlike the other tribes, their inheritance was the Lord Himself, as powerfully stated in Numbers 18:20 and reaffirmed in Deuteronomy 10:9. Therefore, instead of a contiguous land territory, they were given 48 cities scattered throughout all the other tribal lands, along with their surrounding pasturelands (suburbs). This strategic distribution allowed them to effectively fulfill their spiritual duties by being accessible to all the tribes, providing spiritual instruction, administering justice, and maintaining the religious life of the nation. It ensured that spiritual leadership and knowledge of God's law were dispersed throughout Israel, rather than concentrated in one area, fostering national spiritual health and unity.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The meticulous provision for the Levites in Joshua 21:31, ensuring their sustenance and strategic placement as spiritual guides and instructors, finds its ultimate and glorious fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The Levites, though vital in their role, were a shadow of the true and perfect High Priest, Jesus, who is not merely our provision but He is our inheritance itself. He perfectly provides for His people, not just physically but supremely spiritually, offering eternal rest and a dwelling place in Him that far surpasses any earthly city or suburb. Furthermore, just as the Levites were scattered throughout Israel to bring God's law and presence to all tribes, so too does Christ commission His followers, the church, to go into all the world, making disciples of all nations, and being His witnesses to the ends of the earth. Through Christ, God's presence is no longer confined to a tabernacle or temple, nor to specific cities, but dwells within believers, making them living temples and agents of His spiritual instruction and divine provision in every corner of the globe, thereby fulfilling the magnificent promise that God's dwelling place is now among humanity.