Joshua 21:7
in Joshua 21And the descendants of Merari received twelve cities from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
The children of Merari according to their families had out of the tribe of Reuben, and out of the tribe of Gad, and out of the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities.
KJV
The children of Merari by their families had out of the tribe of Reuben, and out of the tribe of Gad, and out of the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities.
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This verse in Joshua 21
Commentary
7 notes on this verseThis 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, so the priesthood is settled around Jerusalem. Numbers 35:8 had ruled that large tribes give many cities and small tribes few.
This site's exposition
the descendants of Merari received
Merari carried the heaviest part of the tabernacle, its frames, crossbars, posts and bases, and Numbers 7:8 gave the clan four carts and eight oxen. Their twelve towns are split by the Jordan. Zebulun lies west of the river, and Reuben and Gad lie east of it.
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 Awakening2 voices
The children of Merari by their families,.... The descendants of Merari, the third son of Levi: had out of the tribe of Reuben, and out of the tribe of Gad; which were both on the other side Jordan: and out of the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities; in all forty eight, as the Lord commanded, Num 35:7.
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 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
12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| לִבְנֵ֨י | livnei | [and belonged] to [the] descendants of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| מְרָרִ֜י | merari | Merari | H4847 → | 36 times |
| לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֗ם | lemishpechotam | to clans their | H4940 → | 303 times |
| מִמַּטֵּ֨ה | mimateh | from [the] tribe of | H4294 → | 252 times |
| רְאוּבֵ֤ן | reuven | Reuben | H7205 → | 72 times |
| וּמִמַּטֵּה־ | umimateh- | and from [the] tribe of | H4294 → | 252 times |
| גָד֙ | gad | Gad | H1410 → | 72 times |
| וּמִמַּטֵּ֣ה | umimateh | and from [the] tribe of | H4294 → | 252 times |
| זְבוּלֻ֔ן | zevulun | Zebulun | H2074 → | 45 times |
| עָרִ֖ים | ʾarim | cities | H5892 → | 1090 times |
| שְׁתֵּ֥ים | sheteim | two [plus] | H8147 → | 768 times |
| עֶשְׂרֵֽה׃ | ʾesreh | ten | H6240 → | 338 times |
לִבְנֵ֨י[and belonged] to [the] descendants of
livneiH1121 →4930 times
מְרָרִ֜יMerari
merariH4847 →36 times
לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֗םto clans their
lemishpechotamH4940 →303 times
מִמַּטֵּ֨הfrom [the] tribe of
mimatehH4294 →252 times
רְאוּבֵ֤ןReuben
reuvenH7205 →72 times
וּמִמַּטֵּה־and from [the] tribe of
umimateh-H4294 →252 times
גָד֙Gad
gadH1410 →72 times
וּמִמַּטֵּ֣הand from [the] tribe of
umimatehH4294 →252 times
זְבוּלֻ֔ןZebulun
zevulunH2074 →45 times
עָרִ֖יםcities
ʾarimH5892 →1090 times
שְׁתֵּ֥יםtwo [plus]
sheteimH8147 →768 times
עֶשְׂרֵֽה׃ten
ʾesrehH6240 →338 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
Exodus 6:19The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. These were the clans of the Levites according to their records.
it leads to
- 1 Chronicles 6:19
The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites listed according to their fathers:
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Numbers 3:20
And the sons of Merari by their clans were Mahli and Mushi. These were the clans of the Levites, according to their families.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Chronicles 23:21
The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi.
- 1 Chronicles 6:19
Through
Numbers 3:20And the sons of Merari by their clans were Mahli and Mushi. These were the clans of the Levites, according to their families.
it leads to
- Exodus 6:19
The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. These were the clans of the Levites according to their records.
- Numbers 3:33
From Merari came the clans of the Mahlites and Mushites; these were the Merarite clans.
- 1 Chronicles 23:21–23
The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi.
- 1 Chronicles 25:3
From the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah—six in all—under the direction of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with the harp, giving thanks and praise to the LORD.
- Exodus 6:19
Through
1 Chronicles 6:63The Merarites, according to their families, were allotted twelve cities from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.
it leads to
- Joshua 21:34–40
This is what the Merarite clan (the rest of the Levites) were given:
- Joshua 21:34–40
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies11
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); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON JOSHUA 25.4 and Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON JOSHUA 25.1.