Joshua 21:8
in Joshua 21So the Israelites allotted to the Levites these cities, together with their pasturelands, as the LORD had commanded through Moses.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the children of Israel gave by lot unto the Levites these cities with their suburbs, as Jehovah commanded by Moses.
KJV
And the children of Israel gave by lot unto the Levites these cities with their suburbs, as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses.
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This verse in Joshua 21
Commentary
7 notes on this verseThe Lord commanded - Observe: the maintenance of ministers is not an arbitrary thing, left purely to the good will of the people. No: as the God of Israel commanded, that the Levites should be provided for, so hath the Lord Jesus ordained, (and a perpetual ordinance it is) that they who preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
This site's exposition
The first lot came out for the Kohathite clans
on Joshua 21:4-8
Four lots fall and the counts run thirteen, ten, thirteen and twelve, filling the forty-eight cities of Numbers 35:7 exactly. Aaron's sons draw first, into Judah, Simeon and Benjamin, the tribes holding the ground where the temple would stand, so the priesthood is settled around Jerusalem generations before David takes the city. Numbers 35:8 had ruled that large tribes give many cities and small tribes few.
This site's exposition
as the LORD had commanded
The Law kept these towns in Levite hands. Leviticus 25:32 gives the Levites a lasting right to redeem any house they sold in their cities, and Leviticus 25:33 returns such a house at the Jubilee. The rule kept the tribe from losing its few homes through debt.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
Who will explain the diverse sites of the encampments, how this distribution must be retained in the resurrection for each priestly or levitical order of the saints, so that, just as the apostle says, nothing is done haphazardly in the resurrection, but everyone comes "in his own order, Christ first, then those who belong to Christ who have believed in his coming, when he will hand the kingdom over to our God and Father, when he will subject to him every principality and power"?On that occasion, without doubt, there will be some such observances of encampments and priestly distributions and ranks and signals of trumpets.
It was fitting that there be a drawing of lots even regarding the suburbs and cities so that perhaps the renowned division among the Levites might not seem perhaps indiscriminate and accidental. Therefore, the distribution by lot that took place among the sons of Israel was characterized by reason, by which someone was considered worthy of the first lot, and someone else the second, as we have already previously examined to the extent we were able.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And the children of Israel gave by lot unto the Levites these cities with their suburbs,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
The first lot was drawn by the Kohathites; and the first of theirs again by the priests, to whom thirteen cities were granted, and ten to the rest of the Kohathites (Jos 21:5); thirteen to the Gershonites (Jos 21:6), and twelve to the Merarites (Jos 21:7).
The words behind it
15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּתְּנ֤וּ | vaiyitenu | and they gave | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| בְנֵֽי־ | venei- | [the] people of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| לַלְוִיִּ֔ם | lalviyim | to the Levites | H3881 → | 291 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הֶעָרִ֥ים | hearim | the cities | H5892 → | 1090 times |
| הָאֵ֖לֶּה | haeleh | <the> these | H428 → | 746 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| מִגְרְשֵׁיהֶ֑ן | migresheihen | pasture lands their | H4054 → | 119 times |
| כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר | kaasher | just as | H834 → | 5497 times |
| צִוָּ֧ה | tzivah | he had commanded | H6680 → | 494 times |
| יְהוָ֛ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| בְּיַד־ | beyad- | by [the] hand of | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| מֹשֶׁ֖ה | mosheh | Moses | H4872 → | 765 times |
| בַּגּוֹרָֽל׃ פ | bagoral | by the lot | H1486 → | 78 times |
וַיִּתְּנ֤וּand they gave
vaiyitenuH5414 →2011 times
בְנֵֽי־[the] people of
venei-H1121 →4930 times
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙Israel
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
לַלְוִיִּ֔םto the Levites
lalviyimH3881 →291 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הֶעָרִ֥יםthe cities
hearimH5892 →1090 times
הָאֵ֖לֶּה<the> these
haelehH428 →746 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
מִגְרְשֵׁיהֶ֑ןpasture lands their
migresheihenH4054 →119 times
כַּאֲשֶׁ֨רjust as
kaasherH834 →5497 times
צִוָּ֧הhe had commanded
tzivahH6680 →494 times
יְהוָ֛הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
בְּיַד־by [the] hand of
beyad-H3027 →1618 times
מֹשֶׁ֖הMoses
moshehH4872 →765 times
בַּגּוֹרָֽל׃ פby the lot
bagoralH1486 →78 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
Proverbs 16:33The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.
it leads to
- Proverbs 18:18
Casting the lot ends quarrels and separates strong opponents.
- Jonah 1:7
“Come!” said the sailors to one another. “Let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity that is upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.
- Acts 1:26
Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.
- Proverbs 29:26
Many seek the ruler’s favor, but a man receives justice from the LORD.
- 1 Samuel 14:41–42
So Saul said to the LORD, the God of Israel, “Why have You not answered Your servant this day? If the fault is with me or my son Jonathan, respond with Urim; but if…
- Proverbs 18:18
Through
Joshua 18:6When you have mapped out the seven portions of land and brought it to me, I will cast lots for you here in the presence of the LORD our God.
it leads to
- Joshua 14:2
Their inheritance was assigned by lot for the nine and a half tribes, as the LORD had commanded through Moses.
- Joshua 18:10
And Joshua cast lots for them in the presence of the LORD at Shiloh, where he distributed the land to the Israelites according to their divisions.
- Joshua 14:2
Through
Joshua 21:3So by the command of the LORD, the Israelites gave the Levites these cities and their pasturelands out of their own inheritance:
it leads to
- Genesis 49:7
Cursed 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.
- Genesis 49:7
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies3
On this verse
On this chapter
About Joshua
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
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); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch; Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON JOSHUA 25.4 and Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON JOSHUA 25.1.