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Joshua 21
New International Version - UK

Towns for the Levites

21 Now the family heads of the Levites approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the other tribal families of Israel 2 at Shiloh in Canaan and said to them, ‘The Lord commanded through Moses that you give us towns to live in, with pasture-lands for our livestock.’ 3 So, as the Lord had commanded, the Israelites gave the Levites the following towns and pasture-lands out of their own inheritance:

4 The first lot came out for the Kohathites, according to their clans. The Levites who were descendants of Aaron the priest were allotted thirteen towns from the tribes of Judah, Simeon and Benjamin. 5 The rest of Kohath’s descendants were allotted ten towns from the clans of the tribes of Ephraim, Dan and half of Manasseh.

6 The descendants of Gershon were allotted thirteen towns from the clans of the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.

7 The descendants of Merari, according to their clans, received twelve towns from the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Zebulun.

8 So the Israelites allotted to the Levites these towns and their pasture-lands, as the Lord had commanded through Moses.

9 From the tribes of Judah and Simeon they allotted the following towns by name 10 (these towns were assigned to the descendants of Aaron who were from the Kohathite clans of the Levites, because the first lot fell to them):

11 They gave them Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron), with its surrounding pasture-land, in the hill country of Judah. (Arba was the forefather of Anak.) 12 But the fields and villages around the city they had given to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his possession.

13 So to the descendants of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron (a city of refuge for one accused of murder), Libnah, 14 Jattir, Eshtemoa, 15 Holon, Debir, 16 Ain, Juttah and Beth Shemesh, together with their pasture-lands – nine towns from these two tribes.

17 And from the tribe of Benjamin they gave them Gibeon, Geba, 18 Anathoth and Almon, together with their pasture-lands – four towns.

19 The total number of towns for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, came to thirteen, together with their pasture-lands.

20 The rest of the Kohathite clans of the Levites were allotted towns from the tribe of Ephraim:

21 In the hill country of Ephraim they were given Shechem (a city of refuge for one accused of murder) and Gezer, 22 Kibzaim and Beth Horon, together with their pasture-lands – four towns.

23 Also from the tribe of Dan they received Eltekeh, Gibbethon, 24 Aijalon and Gath Rimmon, together with their pasture-lands – four towns.

25 From half the tribe of Manasseh they received Taanach and Gath Rimmon, together with their pasture-lands – two towns.

26 All these ten towns and their pasture-lands were given to the rest of the Kohathite clans.

27 The Levite clans of the Gershonites were given:

from the half-tribe of Manasseh,

Golan in Bashan (a city of refuge for one accused of murder) and Be Eshterah, together with their pasture-lands – two towns;

28 from the tribe of Issachar,

Kishion, Daberath, 29 Jarmuth and En Gannim, together with their pasture-lands – four towns;

30 from the tribe of Asher,

Mishal, Abdon, 31 Helkath and Rehob, together with their pasture-lands – four towns;

32 from the tribe of Naphtali,

Kedesh in Galilee (a city of refuge for one accused of murder), Hammoth Dor and Kartan, together with their pasture-lands – three towns.

33 The total number of towns of the Gershonite clans came to thirteen, together with their pasture-lands.

34 The Merarite clans (the rest of the Levites) were given:

from the tribe of Zebulun,

Jokneam, Kartah, 35 Dimnah and Nahalal, together with their pasture-lands – four towns;

36 from the tribe of Reuben,

Bezer, Jahaz, 37 Kedemoth and Mephaath, together with their pasture-lands – four towns;

38 from the tribe of Gad,

Ramoth in Gilead (a city of refuge for one accused of murder), Mahanaim, 39 Heshbon and Jazer, together with their pasture-lands – four towns in all.

40 The total number of towns allotted to the Merarite clans, who were the rest of the Levites, came to twelve.

41 The towns of the Levites in the territory held by the Israelites were forty-eight in all, together with their pasture-lands. 42 Each of these towns had pasture-lands surrounding it; this was true for all these towns.

43 So the Lord gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their ancestors, and they took possession of it and settled there. 44 The Lord gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their ancestors. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the Lord gave all their enemies into their hands. 45 Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.

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Joshua 21
Lexham English Bible

The Allotment of the Levites

21 Then the heads of the families of the Levites came to Eleazar the priest, to Joshua son of Nun, and to the heads of the families of the tribes of the Israelites.[a] 2 And they spoke to them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, “Yahweh commanded through the hand of Moses to give us cities to live in, with their pasturelands for our livestock.” 3 So, by command of Yahweh,[b] the Israelites[c] gave the Levites these cities and their pasturelands from their inheritance.

4 The allotment fell[d] for the families of the Kohathites.[e] The descendants[f] of Aaron the priest, who were of the Levites, received[g] by lot thirteen towns from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.

5 The remaining descendants[h] of Kohath received by lot ten cities from the families of the tribes of Ephraim, Dan, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.

6 The descendants[i] of Gershon received by lot thirteen cities from the families of the tribes of Issachar, Asher, and Naphtali and from the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.

7 The descendants[j] of the Merarites[k] according to their families received twelve cities from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.

8 The Israelites[l] gave to the Levites these cities and their pastureland by lot, just as Yahweh commanded through the hand of Moses.

9 They gave these cities, which are here mentioned by name, from the tribe of the families of Judah and from the tribe of the families of Simeon; 10 and they were for the descendants[m] of Aaron, from the families of the Kohathites,[n] from the descendants[o] of Levi, because the first lot was theirs. 11 And they gave to them Kiriath Arba,[p] Arba being the father of Anak (that is, Hebron), in the hill country of Judah and the pasturelands surrounding it. 12 But the field of the city and its villages they gave to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his property.

13 To the descendants[q] of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron, the city of refuge for the killer, and its pasturelands, Libnah and its pasturelands, 14 Jattir and its pasturelands, Eshtemoa and its pasturelands, 15 Holon and its pasturelands, Debir and its pasturelands, 16 Ain and its pasturelands, Juttah and its pasturelands, and Beth Shemesh and its pasturelands; nine cities from these two tribes. 17 From the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon and its pasturelands, Geba and its pasturelands, 18 Anathoth and its pasturelands, Almon and its pasturelands; four cities. 19 All the cities of the descendants[r] of Aaron the priests, thirteen cities and their pasturelands.

20 For the families of the descendants[s] of Kohath, the remaining Levites of the descendants[t] of Kohath, they received the cities of their lot from the tribe of Ephraim. 21 They gave them Shechem, the city of refuge for the killer, and its pasturelands in the hill country of Ephraim, Gezer and its pasturelands, 22 Kibzaim and its pasturelands, and Beth-horon and its pasturelands; four cities. 23 From the tribe of Dan, Eltekeh and its pasturelands, Gibbethon and its pasturelands, 24 Aijalon and its pasturelands, and Gath Rimmon and its pasturelands; four cities. 25 From the half-tribe of Manasseh, Taanach and its pasturelands and Gath Rimmon with its pasturelands; two cities. 26 All the cities and their pasturelands for the remaining families of the descendants[u] of Kohath were ten.

27 To the descendants[v] of Gershon, one of the families of the Levites, from the half-tribe of Manasseh, Golan in Bashan, a city of refuge for the killer, and its pasturelands, and Eshtarah and its pasturelands; two cities. 28 From the tribe of Issachar, Kishion and its pasturelands, Daberath and its pasturelands, 29 Jarmuth and its pasturelands, En Gannim and its pasturelands; four cities. 30 From the tribe of Asher, Mishal and its pasturelands, Abdon and its pasturelands, 31 Helkath and its pasturelands, Rehob and its pasturelands; four cities. 32 From the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee, the city of refuge for the killer, and its pasturelands, Hammoth Dor and its pasturelands, and Kartan and its pasturelands; three cities. 33 All the cities of the Gershonites[w] according to their families were thirteen cities and their pasturelands.

34 To the families of the descendants[x] of Merarite, the remaining Levites, from the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam and its pasturelands, Kartah and its pasturelands, 35 Dimnah and its pasturelands, and Nahalal and its pasturelands; four cities. 36 From the tribe of Reuben, Bezer and its pasturelands, Jahaz and its pasturelands, 37 Kedemoth and its pasturelands, and Mephaath and its pasturelands; four cities. 38 From the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead, the city of refuge for the killer, and its pasturelands, Mahanaim and its pasturelands, 39 Heshbon and its pasturelands, and Jazer and its pasturelands; four cities in all. 40 All these were the cities of the descendants[y] of Merarite according to their families, the remaining families of the Levites; their allotment was twelve cities.

41 All the cities of the Levites among the property of the Israelites[z] were forty-eight cities and their pasturelands. 42 Each of these cities had pasturelands surrounding them; so it was for all of these cities. 43 And Yahweh gave to Israel all the land that he swore to give to their ancestors,[aa] and they took possession of it and settled in it.[ab] 44 Yahweh gave them rest on every side, according to all that he had sworn to their ancestors,[ac] and nobody from all their enemies withstood them, for Yahweh had given all their enemies into their hand. 45 And nothing failed from[ad] all the good things[ae] that Yahweh promised to the house of Israel; everything came to pass.[af]

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 21:1 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  2. Joshua 21:3 Literally “by the mouth of Yahweh”
  3. Joshua 21:3 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  4. Joshua 21:4 Literally “came out”
  5. Joshua 21:4 Hebrew “Kohathite”
  6. Joshua 21:4 Or “sons”
  7. Joshua 21:4 Literally “they had”
  8. Joshua 21:5 Or “sons”
  9. Joshua 21:6 Or “sons”
  10. Joshua 21:7 Or “sons”
  11. Joshua 21:7 Hebrew “Merarite”
  12. Joshua 21:8 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  13. Joshua 21:10 Or “sons”
  14. Joshua 21:10 Hebrew “Kohathite”
  15. Joshua 21:10 Or “sons”
  16. Joshua 21:11 Or “the city of Arba”
  17. Joshua 21:13 Or “sons”
  18. Joshua 21:19 Or “sons”
  19. Joshua 21:20 Or “sons”
  20. Joshua 21:20 Or “sons”
  21. Joshua 21:26 Or “sons”
  22. Joshua 21:27 Or “sons”
  23. Joshua 21:33 Hebrew “Gershonite”
  24. Joshua 21:34 Or “sons”
  25. Joshua 21:40 Or “sons”
  26. Joshua 21:41 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  27. Joshua 21:43 Or “fathers”
  28. Joshua 21:43 Or “dwelled in it”
  29. Joshua 21:44 Or “fathers”
  30. Joshua 21:45 Literally “Not a thing fell”
  31. Joshua 21:45 Hebrew “thing”
  32. Joshua 21:45 Literally “everything it came”
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Joshua 21
New English Translation

Levitical Cities

21 The tribal leaders of the Levites went before Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun and the Israelite tribal leaders 2 in Shiloh in the land of Canaan and said, “The Lord told Moses to assign us cities in which to live along with the grazing areas for our cattle.” 3 So the Israelites assigned these cities and their grazing areas to the Levites from their own holdings, as the Lord had instructed.

4 The first lot belonged to[a] the Kohathite clans. The Levites who were descendants of Aaron the priest were allotted thirteen cities from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin. 5 The rest of Kohath’s descendants were allotted ten cities from the clans of the tribe of Ephraim, and from the tribe of Dan and the half-tribe of Manasseh. 6 Gershon’s descendants were allotted thirteen cities from the clans of the tribe of Issachar, and from the tribes of Asher and Naphtali and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan. 7 Merari’s descendants by their clans were allotted twelve cities from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun. 8 So the Israelites assigned to the Levites by lot these cities and their grazing areas, as the Lord had instructed Moses.

9 They assigned from the tribes of Judah and Simeon the cities listed below. 10 (They were assigned to the Kohathite clans of the Levites who were descendants of Aaron,[b] for the first lot fell to them.) 11 They assigned them Kiriath Arba (Arba was the father of Anak), that is, Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, along with its surrounding grazing areas. 12 (Now the city’s fields and surrounding towns they had assigned to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his property.) 13 So to the descendants of Aaron the priest they assigned Hebron (a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter), Libnah, 14 Jattir, Eshtemoa, 15 Holon, Debir, 16 Ain, Juttah, and Beth Shemesh, along with the grazing areas of each—a total of nine cities taken from these two tribes. 17 From the tribe of Benjamin they assigned[c] Gibeon, Geba, 18 Anathoth, and Almon, along with the grazing areas of each—a total of four cities. 19 The priests descended from Aaron received thirteen cities and their grazing areas.

20 The rest of the Kohathite clans of the Levites were allotted cities from the tribe of Ephraim. 21 They assigned them Shechem (a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter) in the hill country of Ephraim, Gezer, 22 Kibzaim, and Beth Horon, along with the grazing areas of each—a total of four cities. 23 From the tribe of Dan they assigned Eltekeh, Gibbethon, 24 Aijalon, and Gath Rimmon, along with the grazing areas of each—a total of four cities. 25 From the half-tribe of Manasseh they assigned Taanach and Gath Rimmon,[d] along with the grazing areas of each—a total of two cities. 26 The rest of the Kohathite clans received ten cities and their grazing areas.

27 They assigned to the Gershonite clans of the Levites the following cities:[e] from the half-tribe of Manasseh: Golan in Bashan (a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter) and Beeshtarah, along with the grazing areas of each—a total of two cities; 28 from the tribe of Issachar: Kishon, Daberath, 29 Jarmuth, and En Gannim, along with the grazing areas of each—a total of four cities; 30 from the tribe of Asher: Mishal, Abdon, 31 Helkath, and Rehob, along with the grazing areas of each—a total of four cities; 32 from the tribe of Naphtali: Kedesh in Galilee (a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter), Hammoth Dor, and Kartan, along with the grazing areas of each—a total of three cities. 33 The Gershonite clans received thirteen cities and their grazing areas.

34 They assigned to the Merarite clans (the remaining Levites) the following cities: from the tribe of Zebulun: Jokneam, Kartah, 35 Dimnah, and Nahalal, along with the grazing areas of each—a total of four cities; 36 [f] from the tribe of Reuben: Bezer, Jahaz, 37 Kedemoth, and Mephaath, along with the grazing areas of each—a total of four cities; 38 from the tribe of Gad: Ramoth in Gilead (a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter), Mahanaim, 39 Heshbon, and Jazer, along with the grazing areas of each—a total of four cities. 40 The Merarite clans (the remaining Levites) were allotted twelve cities.

41 The Levites received within the land owned by the Israelites[g] forty-eight cities in all and their grazing areas. 42 Each of these cities had grazing areas around it; they were alike in this regard.[h]

43 So the Lord gave Israel all the land he had solemnly promised to their ancestors,[i] and they conquered[j] it and lived in it. 44 The Lord made them secure,[k] in fulfillment of all he had solemnly promised their ancestors.[l] None of their enemies could resist them.[m] The Lord handed all their enemies over to them.[n] 45 Not one of the Lord’s faithful promises to the family of Israel[o] was left unfulfilled; every one was realized.[p]

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 21:4 tn Heb “came out for.”
  2. Joshua 21:10 tn Heb “and it belonged to the sons of Aaron, from the Kohathite clans, from the sons of Levi.”
  3. Joshua 21:17 tn The words “they assigned” are supplied for clarification (also in vv. 23, 25).
  4. Joshua 21:25 tn The name “Gath Rimmon” is problematic here, for it appears in the preceding list of Danite cities. The LXX reads Iebatha (Ιεβαθα); 1 Chr 6:55 HT (6:70 ET) reads Bilʿam (בִּלְעָם). Most modern translations retain the name “Gath Rimmon,” however.
  5. Joshua 21:27 tn The words “they assigned” and “the following cities” are supplied for clarification (also in v. 34).
  6. Joshua 21:36 tc 21:36-37 are accidentally omitted from a number of significant Hebrew mss. They are, however, found in some Hebrew mss, the LXX and Vulgate.
  7. Joshua 21:41 tn Heb “in the midst of the possession of the sons of Israel.”
  8. Joshua 21:42 tn Heb “these cities were city [by] city, and its grazing areas [were] around it; so [it was] for all these cities.”
  9. Joshua 21:43 tn Heb “which he had sworn to give to their fathers.”
  10. Joshua 21:43 tn Or “possessed.”
  11. Joshua 21:44 tn Heb “gave them rest all around.”
  12. Joshua 21:44 tn Heb “according to all he swore to their fathers.”
  13. Joshua 21:44 tn Heb “not a man stood from before them from all their enemies.”
  14. Joshua 21:44 tn Heb All their enemies the Lord gave into their hand.
  15. Joshua 21:45 tn Heb “the house of Israel.” Cf. NCV “the Israelites”; TEV “the people of Israel”; CEV, NLT “Israel.”
  16. Joshua 21:45 tn Heb “not a word from all the good word which the Lord spoke to the house of Israel fell; the whole came to pass.”
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Joshua 21
New International Version

Towns for the Levites(A)

21 Now the family heads of the Levites approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the other tribal families of Israel(B) 2 at Shiloh(C) in Canaan and said to them, “The Lord commanded through Moses that you give us towns(D) to live in, with pasturelands for our livestock.”(E) 3 So, as the Lord had commanded, the Israelites gave the Levites the following towns and pasturelands out of their own inheritance:

4 The first lot came out for the Kohathites,(F) according to their clans. The Levites who were descendants of Aaron the priest were allotted thirteen towns from the tribes of Judah, Simeon and Benjamin.(G) 5 The rest of Kohath’s descendants were allotted ten towns from the clans of the tribes of Ephraim, Dan and half of Manasseh.(H)

6 The descendants of Gershon(I) were allotted thirteen towns from the clans of the tribes of Issachar,(J) Asher,(K) Naphtali and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.

7 The descendants of Merari,(L) according to their clans, received twelve(M) towns from the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Zebulun.(N)

8 So the Israelites allotted to the Levites these towns and their pasturelands, as the Lord had commanded through Moses.

9 From the tribes of Judah and Simeon they allotted the following towns by name 10 (these towns were assigned to the descendants of Aaron who were from the Kohathite clans of the Levites, because the first lot fell to them):

11 They gave them Kiriath Arba(O) (that is, Hebron(P)), with its surrounding pastureland, in the hill country of Judah. (Arba was the forefather of Anak.) 12 But the fields and villages around the city they had given to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his possession.(Q)

13 So to the descendants of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron (a city of refuge(R) for one accused of murder), Libnah,(S) 14 Jattir,(T) Eshtemoa,(U) 15 Holon,(V) Debir,(W) 16 Ain,(X) Juttah(Y) and Beth Shemesh,(Z) together with their pasturelands—nine towns from these two tribes.

17 And from the tribe of Benjamin they gave them Gibeon,(AA) Geba,(AB) 18 Anathoth(AC) and Almon, together with their pasturelands—four towns.

19 The total number of towns(AD) for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, came to thirteen, together with their pasturelands.(AE)

20 The rest of the Kohathite clans of the Levites were allotted towns from the tribe of Ephraim:

21 In the hill country of Ephraim they were given Shechem(AF) (a city of refuge for one accused of murder) and Gezer,(AG) 22 Kibzaim and Beth Horon,(AH) together with their pasturelands—four towns.(AI)

23 Also from the tribe of Dan they received Eltekeh, Gibbethon,(AJ) 24 Aijalon(AK) and Gath Rimmon,(AL) together with their pasturelands—four towns.

25 From half the tribe of Manasseh they received Taanach(AM) and Gath Rimmon, together with their pasturelands—two towns.

26 All these ten towns and their pasturelands were given to the rest of the Kohathite clans.(AN)

27 The Levite clans of the Gershonites were given:

from the half-tribe of Manasseh,

Golan in Bashan(AO) (a city of refuge for one accused of murder(AP)) and Be Eshterah, together with their pasturelands—two towns;

28 from the tribe of Issachar,(AQ)

Kishion,(AR) Daberath,(AS) 29 Jarmuth(AT) and En Gannim,(AU) together with their pasturelands—four towns;

30 from the tribe of Asher,(AV)

Mishal,(AW) Abdon,(AX) 31 Helkath and Rehob,(AY) together with their pasturelands—four towns;

32 from the tribe of Naphtali,

Kedesh(AZ) in Galilee (a city of refuge for one accused of murder(BA)), Hammoth Dor and Kartan, together with their pasturelands—three towns.

33 The total number of towns of the Gershonite(BB) clans came to thirteen, together with their pasturelands.

34 The Merarite clans (the rest of the Levites) were given:

from the tribe of Zebulun,(BC)

Jokneam,(BD) Kartah, 35 Dimnah and Nahalal,(BE) together with their pasturelands—four towns;

36 from the tribe of Reuben,

Bezer,(BF) Jahaz,(BG) 37 Kedemoth and Mephaath,(BH) together with their pasturelands—four towns;

38 from the tribe of Gad,

Ramoth(BI) in Gilead(BJ) (a city of refuge for one accused of murder), Mahanaim,(BK) 39 Heshbon and Jazer,(BL) together with their pasturelands—four towns in all.

40 The total number of towns allotted to the Merarite clans, who were the rest of the Levites, came to twelve.(BM)

41 The towns of the Levites in the territory held by the Israelites were forty-eight in all, together with their pasturelands.(BN) 42 Each of these towns had pasturelands surrounding it; this was true for all these towns.

43 So the Lord gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their ancestors,(BO) and they took possession(BP) of it and settled there.(BQ) 44 The Lord gave them rest(BR) on every side, just as he had sworn to their ancestors. Not one of their enemies(BS) withstood them; the Lord gave all their enemies(BT) into their hands.(BU) 45 Not one of all the Lord’s good promises(BV) to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.

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