TRV
Translation
King James Version
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,
Complete Jewish Bible
Out of the tribe of Gad: Ramot in Gil'ad with its surrounding open land, the city of refuge for the killer; Machanayim with its surrounding open land;
Berean Standard Bible
And from the tribe of Gad they were given Ramoth in Gilead, a city of refuge for the manslayer, Mahanaim,
American Standard Version
And out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with its suburbs, the city of refuge for the manslayer, and Mahanaim with its suburbs,
World English Bible Messianic
Out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with its suburbs, the city of refuge for the man slayer, and Mahanaim with its suburbs,
Geneva Bible (1599)
And out of the tribe of Gad they gaue for a citie of refuge for the slaier, Ramoth in Gilead with her suburbes, and Mahanaim with her suburbes,
Young's Literal Translation
And out of the tribe of Gad, the city of refuge for the man-slayer, Ramoth in Gilead and its suburbs, and Mahanaim and its suburbs,
See also
See on the biblical-era map
In the KJVVerse 6,420 of 31,102
Study This Verse
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.
Copy as
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.
Copy as
Continue studying Joshua 21:38 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
SefariaThe Hebrew text with Rashi and centuries of Jewish commentary.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
SUMMARY
Joshua 21:38 precisely records the allocation of two significant cities from the tribal territory of Gad to the Levites: Ramoth in Gilead and Mahanaim. Ramoth is specifically designated as one of the six vital cities of refuge, providing a divinely ordained sanctuary for those who had unintentionally caused another's death. This verse underscores God's meticulous order, faithful provision, and profound balance of justice and mercy, ensuring both the equitable distribution of the promised land and the pervasive spiritual accessibility of the Levites throughout Israel.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Joshua 21:38, like much of the surrounding chapters, primarily employs Enumeration and Cataloging. This systematic listing of cities allocated to the Levites from various tribes emphasizes the completeness, precision, and divine order of God's fulfillment of His promises regarding the land distribution. The recurring phrase "with her suburbs" is an example of Metonymy, where "suburbs" stands for the necessary surrounding pasturelands and open spaces that provided for the Levites' livelihood and livestock. The designation of Ramoth as a "city of refuge" carries profound Symbolism, representing God's intricate balance of justice and mercy, a divinely instituted provision for protection and due process within a legal framework that profoundly valued human life. The consistent use of precise geographical and tribal identifiers throughout the chapter reinforces the historical veracity and divine authority behind these allocations.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Joshua 21:38, though seemingly an administrative detail, offers profound theological insights into God's character and His covenant faithfulness. It reveals a God of meticulous order and intentionality, who not only provides for His people but does so with foresight and precision, ensuring every aspect of their communal and spiritual life is sustained. The careful distribution of cities, particularly the strategic placement of Levite cities and cities of refuge, speaks volumes about God's unwavering commitment to both justice and mercy. He is a God who demands accountability for sin and upholds the sanctity of life, yet also provides avenues for grace, protection, and reconciliation. The Levites' dispersion throughout the land underscores the principle that spiritual truth and guidance should be accessible to all, not confined to a single elite or location, fostering a nation steeped in God's law and presence. This ancient provision foreshadows a greater spiritual reality, where God Himself is the ultimate refuge for those who flee to Him.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The detailed account of land distribution and the establishment of cities of refuge in Joshua 21:38 offers profound insights for contemporary believers, reminding us of God's character and our call to embody it. It reveals that God is a God of order and intention, meticulously planning and providing for His people, even in the seemingly mundane details of life. This truth should inspire unwavering confidence in His sovereign care for our own lives, knowing that He oversees every aspect with divine purpose and precision. Furthermore, the dual nature of the city of refuge—upholding justice while extending mercy—serves as a powerful model for our own interactions and societal engagement. We are called to embody God's character by actively pursuing justice for the vulnerable and extending compassionate mercy to those who err, reflecting the perfect balance of His divine attributes in a world that often struggles to integrate both. Just as the Levites were strategically placed to make spiritual guidance accessible throughout Israel, we, as the body of Christ, are commissioned to be dispersed throughout society, making the life-transforming truth of God's Word and the boundless grace of the Gospel accessible to all, serving as beacons of hope and reconciliation.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What was the primary purpose of the cities of refuge?
Answer: The primary purpose of the cities of refuge was to provide a divinely ordained legal and merciful sanctuary for individuals who had unintentionally caused the death of another person. In ancient Israel, a "blood avenger" (Hebrew: goel haddam), a close relative of the deceased, possessed the right and duty to pursue and execute the killer. The cities of refuge served as a safe haven where the unintentional slayer could flee to escape immediate retribution. Once there, they would stand trial before the elders at the city gate. If found innocent of premeditated murder, they would remain in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest, at which point they could return to their own land. This system, meticulously detailed in Numbers 35:9-34, distinguished between accidental homicide and willful murder, ensuring that justice was served while preventing cycles of retaliatory violence and providing due process.
Why did the tribe of Levi not receive a territorial inheritance like the other tribes?
Answer: The tribe of Levi did not receive a territorial inheritance like the other tribes because they were uniquely set apart by God for sacred service to Him and to the nation of Israel. The Lord Himself declared that He was their inheritance, as recorded in Numbers 18:20. Their primary role was to serve in the Tabernacle (and later the Temple), to teach God's law to the people, and to mediate between God and the Israelites through priestly duties. Instead of a single tribal territory, they were strategically given 48 cities, including the six cities of refuge, scattered throughout the territories of the other tribes. This dispersion allowed them to be accessible to all Israelites, ensuring that spiritual instruction, priestly functions, and the administration of justice were available across the entire nation, thereby fostering a unified spiritual identity centered on God's covenant.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The ancient provision of the cities of refuge, including Ramoth in Gilead, finds its ultimate and perfect fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Just as these physical cities offered a safe haven from the avenger of blood for those guilty of unintentional killing, Christ offers the ultimate and eternal refuge from the righteous judgment of God for all who, through sin, stand condemned. He is our true and eternal "city of refuge," providing asylum for every soul who flees to Him in faith. The Levites, scattered throughout Israel, served as mediators and instructors of God's law, making divine truth accessible; Christ, our Great High Priest, perfectly fulfills and transcends this mediatorial role, interceding for us before the Father with perfect empathy and power (Hebrews 4:14-16). His sacrificial death on the cross perfectly balanced divine justice—paying the full penalty for humanity's sin—with boundless mercy, offering forgiveness and new life to all who believe (Romans 3:23-26). He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), and through Him, we find not just temporary physical protection, but eternal spiritual security, reconciliation with God, and an unwavering hope that serves as an anchor for the soul, enduring forever (Hebrews 6:18-20).