Joshua 13:33
in Joshua 13To the tribe of Levi, however, Moses had given no inheritance. The LORD, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, just as He had promised them.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But unto the tribe of Levi Moses gave no inheritance: Jehovah, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, as he spake unto them.
KJV
But unto the tribe of Levi Moses gave not any inheritance: the Lord God of Israel was their inheritance, as he said unto them.
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This verse in Joshua 13
Commentary
5 notes on this verseBut unto the tribe of Levi Moses gave not any inheritance,.... Neither on the other side Jordan, nor did he order them any in Canaan; but expressly declared they were to have no part in the division of it, though they were his own tribe; which shows him to be a disinterested man, that he faithfully observed the orders and instructions the Lord gave him: the Lord God of Israel was their inheritance, as he said unto them; what was given to the Lord out of the sacrifices, and the tithes, and firstfruits, that were theirs; see Num 18:20.
This site's exposition
the portions Moses had given them on the plains of Moab
on Joshua 13:32-33
The chapter ends where verse 14 began. Verse 14 gives Levi the offerings made by fire, and verse 33 gives Levi the LORD, the God of Israel, as its inheritance. Numbers 18:20 stands behind both, and Deuteronomy 10:9 says it again to the whole nation.
This site's exposition
The LORD, the God of Israel, is their inheritance
The account of the eastern tribes opened with Levi at verse 14 and closes with Levi here. John Gill observes that Levi was Moses's own tribe. Moses gave it no land, which Gill reads as proof that he kept to his instructions without favouring his own family.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
The Distribution of Canaan. 1 Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the L ORD said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:89%@v1-2
If they had been appointed to a lot entire by themselves, Moses would have served them first, not because it was his own tribe, but because it was God's; but they must be provided for in another manner; their habitations must be scattered in all the tribes, and their maintenance brought out of all the tribes, and God himself was the portion both of their inheritance and of their cup, Deut. x.
The words behind it
14 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וּלְשֵׁ֙בֶט֙ | uleshevet | and to [the] tribe of | H7626 → | 190 times |
| הַלֵּוִ֔י | halevi | the Levite[s] | H3878 → | 59 times |
| לֹֽא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| נָתַ֥ן | natan | he gave | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| מֹשֶׁ֖ה | mosheh | Moses | H4872 → | 765 times |
| נַחֲלָ֑ה | nachalah | an inheritance | H5159 → | 222 times |
| יְהוָ֞ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֱלֹהֵ֤י | ʾelohei | [the] God of | H430 → | 2601 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| ה֣וּא | hu' | he | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| נַחֲלָתָ֔ם | nachalatam | [was] inheritance their | H5159 → | 222 times |
| כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר | kaasher | just as | H834 → | 5497 times |
| דִּבֶּ֥ר | diber | he had spoken | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| לָהֶֽם׃ | lahem | to <the> them |
וּלְשֵׁ֙בֶט֙and to [the] tribe of
uleshevetH7626 →190 times
הַלֵּוִ֔יthe Levite[s]
haleviH3878 →59 times
לֹֽא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
נָתַ֥ןhe gave
natanH5414 →2011 times
מֹשֶׁ֖הMoses
moshehH4872 →765 times
נַחֲלָ֑הan inheritance
nachalahH5159 →222 times
יְהוָ֞הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֱלֹהֵ֤י[the] God of
ʾeloheiH430 →2601 times
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙Israel
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
ה֣וּאhe
hu'H1931 →1879 times
נַחֲלָתָ֔ם[was] inheritance their
nachalatamH5159 →222 times
כַּאֲשֶׁ֖רjust as
kaasherH834 →5497 times
דִּבֶּ֥רhe had spoken
diberH1696 →1141 times
לָהֶֽם׃to <the> them
lahem
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Numbers 18:20Then the LORD said to Aaron, “You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the Israelites.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 18:1–2
The Levitical priests—indeed the whole tribe of Levi—shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel. They are to eat the offerings made by fire to the LORD; that is their inheritance.
Reached by 4 separate paths from here.
- Ezekiel 44:28
In regard to their inheritance, I am their inheritance. You are to give them no possession in Israel, for I am their possession.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Deuteronomy 12:12
And you shall rejoice before the LORD your God—you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levite within your gates, since he has no portion or inheritance among you.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Deuteronomy 10:9
That is why Levi has no portion or inheritance among his brothers; the LORD is his inheritance, as the LORD your God promised him.
- Lamentations 3:24
“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in Him.”
- Deuteronomy 18:1–2
Through
Joshua 13:14To the tribe of Levi, however, Moses had given no inheritance. The offerings made by fire to the LORD, the God of Israel, are their inheritance, just as He had promised them.
it leads to
- Numbers 18:20–24
Then the LORD said to Aaron, “You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the Israelites.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Joshua 14:3–4
For Moses had given the inheritance east of the Jordan to the other two and a half tribes. But he granted no inheritance among them to the Levites.
- Numbers 18:20–24
Through
Joshua 18:7The Levites, however, have no portion among you, because their inheritance is the priesthood of the LORD. And Gad, Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh have already received the inheritance that Moses the…
it leads to
- Numbers 18:20
Then the LORD said to Aaron, “You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the Israelites.
- Numbers 18:20
Where this verse is studied
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1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.