Joshua 21

Joshua 21:9-42

The Levites had no inheritance among their brethren, but were dispersed in the several tribes. We have here, 1. The mites they made to have cities assigned them, according to God’s appointment, ver. 1, 2. 2. The nomination of the cities, and distribution of them to their respective families, ver. 3—8. 3. A catalogue of the cities, forty-eight in all, ver. 9—42. 4. All that God promised for God, ver. 43—45.

1. THEN came near the heads of the fathers of the Levites unto Eleazar the priest, and unto Joshua the son of Nun, and unto the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Ifrael. 2. And they spake unto them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, ‘The LORD commanded by the hand of Moses to give us the cities to dwell in, with the suburbs thereof for our cattle. 3. And the children of Ifrael gave unto the Levites out of their inheritance at the commandment of the LORD, these cities and their suburbs. 4. And the lot came out for the families of the Kabathites: and the children of Aaron the priest, which were of the Levites, had by lot, out of the tribe of Judah, and out of the tribe of Simeon, and out of the tribe of Benjamin, and out of the tribe of Merari by their families, had out of the tribe of Ebulum, and out of the tribe of Gershon, and out of the tribe of Gershon, and out of the tribe of Gershon, and out of the tribe of Gershon, and out of the tribe of Gershon, and out of the tribe of Gershon, and out of the tribe of Gershon, and out of the tribe of Gershon, and out of the tribe of Gershon, and out of the tribe of Gershon, and out of the tribe of Gershon, and out of the tribe of Gershon, and out of the tribe of Gershon, and out of the other of Gershon, and out of the other of Gershon, and out of the other of Gershon, and out of the other of Gershon, and out of the other of Gershon, and out of the other of Gershon, and out of the other of Gershon, and out of the other of Gershon, and out of the other of Gershon, and out of the other of Gershon, and out of the other of Gershon, and out of the other of Gershon, and out of the other of Gershon, and out of the other of Gershon, and out of the other of

2. 1—8. As the Levites were to have cities in all their tribes, they wait till the land is divided, and now put in their cities, founded on the Divine appointment. Note, (1.) What we pray for, pleading the promise, we may be confident shall be granted. (2.) Provision for a gospel-ministry is a Divine infatuation.

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They who are backward to support it, not only defraud men, but rob God. (3.) The Levites were half provided for: woefully intereaseths must be among the leaft and laft concerns of a godly monifer.

Their plea was immediately complied with, and each tribe, according to its extent, assigned a proportionable number of their cities, to make up the consignment of forty-eight, which was God’s appointment. Thetis, with their suburbs, and a space of land around them were allotted them, and being thus dispersed through the tribes, they were a general blinding. Thefe cities were divided into four lots. The family of Aaron had their lot call in Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin, God fo ordering it, that as they were the family of pricels, they might be nearest that city, where in after-times his temple should be built. The Kohathites had their portion in Dan, Ephraim and Manaffeh in Canaan; the Gershonites in Iffacha; A-ffter, Naphtali, and Manaffeh in Balhan; the Merarites, most remote, are fixed in Reuben, Gad and Zebulon.

9. ¶ And they gave out of the tribe of the children of Judah, and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, thefe cities which are here mentioned by name, 10. Which the children of Aaron, being of the families of the Kohathites, who were of the children of Levi, had: (for theirs was the first lot). 11. And they gave them the city to Arba, the father of Anok (which city is Hebron) in the hill-country of Judah, with the suburbs thereof round about it. 12. But the fields of the city, and the villages thereof, gave they to Caleb the son of Jephunneh, for his possession. 13. ¶ Thus they gave to the children of Aaron the pricel, Hebron with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the Slayer, and Lohnah with her suburbs, 14. And Jattir with her suburbs, and Eshremoa with her suburbs. 15. And J Holm with her suburbs, and Debir with her suburbs, 16. And Ain with her suburbs, and Juttah with her suburbs, and Beth-fhemoth with her suburbs: nine cities out of thefe two cities. 17. And out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with her suburbs, Geba with her suburbs, 18. Anathoth with her suburbs, and J Almon with her suburbs: four cities. 19. All the cities of the children of Aaron, the pricels, were thirteen cities with their suburbs. 20. ¶ And the families of the children of Kohath, the Levites, which remained of the children of Kohath, even they had the cities of their lot out of the tribe of Ephraim. 21. For they gave them Shechem with her suburbs, in mount Ephraim, to be a city of refuge for the Slayer; and Gezer with her suburbs, 22. And Kibzaim with her suburbs, and Beth-horon with her suburbs: four cities. 23. And out of the tribe of Dan, Elacketh with her suburbs, Gibbethon with her suburbs. 24. Aijalon with her suburbs, Gath-rimmon with her suburbs: four cities. 25. And out of the half-tribe of Manaffeh, Tanach with her suburbs, and Gath-rimmon with her suburbs: two cities. 26. All the cities were ten with their suburbs, for the families of the children of Kohath that remained. 27. ¶ And unto the children of Gershon, of the families of the Levites, out of the other half-tribe of Manaffeh, they gave Golan in Balhan with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the Slayer; and Berthorrah with her suburbs: two cities. 28. And out of the tribe of Iffacha, Kifhon with her suburbs, Dabareth with her suburbs, 29. Jarmuth with her suburbs, En-gannim with her suburbs: four cities. 30. And out of the tribe of Afsar, Mifhal with her suburbs, Abdon with her suburbs, 31. Helkath with her suburbs, and Rehob with her suburbs: four cities. 32. And out of the tribe of Naphtali, Kedeth in Ga-fate with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the Slayer; and Hammoth-dor with her suburbs, and Kartan with her suburbs: three cities. 33. All the cities of the Gershonites, according to their families, were thirteen cities with their suburbs. 34. ¶ And unto the families of the children of Merari the reft of the Levites, out of the tribe of Zebulon, Joknamo with her suburbs, and Kartah with her suburbs, 35. Dimnah with her suburbs, Nahalal with her suburbs: four cities. 36. And out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer with her suburbs, and Jabatah with her suburbs. 37. Kedeznoah with her suburbs, and Mephatah with her suburbs: four cities. 38. And out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the

Slayer: and Mahanaim with her suburbs, 39. Hefshon with her suburbs, Jazer with her suburbs: four cities in all. 40. So all the cities for the children of Merari by their families, which were remaining of the families of the Levites, were by their lot, twelve cities. 41. All the cities of the Levites, within the possession of the children of Ifraet, were forty and eight cities with their suburbs. 42. Thefe cities were every one with their suburbs round about them: thus were all thefe cities.

A particular account is here given of the cities of the Levites. They were dispersed, that all the tribes might share the benefit of their infractions, and behold the exsmi-platineth of their conduct. They were near in every division, that their brethren might flare them kindred, as commanded, Deut. vii. 19. and to receive that council and infraction which, as daily more conscription in God’s law, they were qualified to administer. Their portion of cities was greater than any tribe enjoyed, except Judah; and thefe too of the bell, previous God will have his servants honourably and comfortably lodged and cared for; and though their lands were not proportionable to their cities, yet the tribes and offerings abundantly toppled that land, and left them wholly disloyal, that they might wait upon God without diffraction, and utterly intractable if they neglected their ministry, for which they were so liberally paid, and to which they were wholly disunited.

43. ¶ And the LORD gave unto Ifraet all the land which he fware to give unto their fathers: and they possessed it, and dwelt therein. 44. And the LORD gave them reft round about according to all that he fware unto their fathers: and there dread not a man of all their enemies before them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand. 45. There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the houle of Ifraet: all came to pass.

Joshua 21:43-45

The experience of God’s Ifraet will ever confirm the faithfulness of his promises. The land that had been so long expected, is now possessed, their enemies fuddeed, their habitat on large and peaceable; no foe remained to interrupt their quiet, or endanger their portions. Some Constances indeed were left, but they only were feared to keep possession against the health of the field, till Ifraet were multiplied to occupy the land; and if they afterwards preceded, God’s people have only to blame their own footh, cowardice, unbelief, and sin, which robbed them of their portions. All the people solemnly acknowledge the exact accomplishment of the Divine promises, which is repeated, 1 King, vi. 56. and all who are faithful to him, shall find, to their everlasting comfort, that one jot or tittle shall never pass away from his word, until the whole be fulfilled.