Joshua 21:41
in Joshua 21For the Levites, then, there were forty-eight cities in all, together with their pasturelands, within the territory of the Israelites.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
All the cities of the Levites in the midst of the possession of the children of Israel were forty and eight cities with their suburbs.
KJV
All the cities of the Levites within the possession of the children of Israel were forty and eight cities with their suburbs.
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This verse in Joshua 21
Commentary
4 notes on this verseForty and eight cities - At the last census of the Hebrew people, related Numbers 26, we find from Num 26:62 that the tribe of Levi amounted only to 23,000; and it is supposed that forty-eight cities were too great a proportion for this tribe, the other tribes having so very few. But, 1. All the cities of the other tribes are not enumerated. 2. They had the circumjacent country as well as the cities. 3. The Levites had no other cities than those enumerated.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Forty eight cities - Why hath this tribe, which was the least of all, more cities than any of them? First, it doth not appear that they had more: for though all the cities of the Levites be expressed, it is not so with the other tribes, but divers of their cities are omitted.
All the cities of the Levites, within the possession of the children of Israel,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
But it must be borne in mind that the list given here contains the names of every Levitical city (see on 1Ch 6:39-66); whereas only those cities of the other tribes are mentioned which lay on the frontier or along the boundary line.
The words behind it
11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כֹּ֚ל | kol | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| עָרֵ֣י | ʾarei | [the] cities of | H5892 → | 1090 times |
| הַלְוִיִּ֔ם | halviyim | the Levites | H3881 → | 291 times |
| בְּת֖וֹךְ | betokh | in [the] midst of | H8432 → | 418 times |
| אֲחֻזַּ֣ת | ʾachuzat | [the] possession of | H272 → | 66 times |
| בְּנֵֽי־ | benei- | [the] people of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| עָרִ֛ים | ʾarim | [were] cities | H5892 → | 1090 times |
| אַרְבָּעִ֥ים | ʾarbaim | forty | H705 → | 136 times |
| וּשְׁמֹנֶ֖ה | ushemoneh | and eight | H8083 → | |
| וּמִגְרְשֵׁיהֶֽן׃ | umigresheihen | and pasture lands their | H4054 → | 119 times |
כֹּ֚לall
kolH3605 →5413 times
עָרֵ֣י[the] cities of
ʾareiH5892 →1090 times
הַלְוִיִּ֔םthe Levites
halviyimH3881 →291 times
בְּת֖וֹךְin [the] midst of
betokhH8432 →418 times
אֲחֻזַּ֣ת[the] possession of
ʾachuzatH272 →66 times
בְּנֵֽי־[the] people of
benei-H1121 →4930 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
עָרִ֛ים[were] cities
ʾarimH5892 →1090 times
אַרְבָּעִ֥יםforty
ʾarbaimH705 →136 times
וּשְׁמֹנֶ֖הand eight
ushemonehH8083 →
וּמִגְרְשֵׁיהֶֽן׃and pasture lands their
umigresheihenH4054 →119 times
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
Deuteronomy 33:10He will teach Your ordinances to Jacob and Your law to Israel; he will set incense before You and whole burnt offerings on Your altar.
it leads to
- Psalms 51:19
Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices, in whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on Your altar.
- Leviticus 10:11
so that you may teach the Israelites all the statutes that the LORD has given them through Moses.”
- 1 Samuel 2:28
And out of all the tribes of Israel I selected your father to be My priest, to offer sacrifices on My altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod in My presence. I…
- Ezekiel 43:27
At the end of these days, from the eighth day on, the priests are to present your burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar. Then I will accept you, declares the Lord GOD.’”
- Deuteronomy 17:9–11
You are to go to the Levitical priests and to the judge who presides at that time. Inquire of them, and they will give you a verdict in the case.
- Psalms 51:19
Through
Genesis 49:7Cursed be their anger, for it is strong, and their wrath, for it is cruel! I will disperse them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel.
it leads to
- 1 Chronicles 4:24–31
The descendants of Simeon: Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, and Shaul.
- Joshua 19:1–9
The second lot came out for the clans of the tribe of Simeon:
- 1 Chronicles 6:65
They assigned by lot the cities named above from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.
- 1 Chronicles 4:24–31
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies3
On this verse
On this chapter
About Joshua
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament.