Amplified Bible
Joshua 21:4
4The [first] lot (allotment) came out for the families of the Kohathites. So those Levites who were sons (descendants) of Aaron the priest received thirteen cities by lot from the tribe of Judah and from the tribe of Simeon and from the tribe of Benjamin.
Joshua 21:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the lot came out for the families of the Kohathites: 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, thirteen cities.
- New International Version (NIV)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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)The lot came out for the clans of the Kohathites. So those Levites who were descendants of Aaron the priest received by lot from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin, thirteen cities.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now the lot came out for the families of the Kohathites. And the children of Aaron the priest, who were of the Levites, had thirteen cities by lot from the tribe of Judah, from the tribe of Simeon, and from the tribe of Benjamin.
Context of Joshua 21:4
2They spoke to them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, “The Lord commanded Moses to give us cities to live in, with their pasture lands for our cattle.” 3So the sons of Israel gave the Levites from their inheritance these [forty-eight] cities and their pasture lands, in accordance with the command of the Lord. The [first] lot (allotment) came out for the families of the Kohathites. So those Levites who were sons (descendants) of Aaron the priest received thirteen cities by lot from the tribe of Judah and from the tribe of Simeon and from the tribe of Benjamin. 5The rest of the sons of Kohath received ten cities by lot from the families of the tribe of Ephraim and from the tribe of Dan and from the half-tribe of Manasseh. 6The sons of Gershon received thirteen cities by lot from the families of the tribe of Issachar and from the tribe of Asher and from the tribe of Naphtali and from the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.
Read all of Joshua 21Joshua 21:4 word by word
וַיֵּצֵ֥א הַגּוֹרָ֖ל לְמִשְׁפְּחֹ֣ת הַקְּהָתִ֑י וַיְהִ֡י לִבְנֵי֩ אַהֲרֹ֨ן הַכֹּהֵ֜ן מִן־הַלְוִיִּ֗ם מִמַּטֵּ֣ה יְ֠הוּדָה וּמִמַּטֵּ֨ה הַשִּׁמְעֹנִ֜י וּמִמַּטֵּ֤ה בִנְיָמִן֙ בַּגּוֹרָ֔ל עָרִ֖ים שְׁלֹ֥שׁ עֶשְׂרֵֽה׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the lotגּוֹרָלgôrâl gôrâl · allottedH1486
- came outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: casting(lot)H3318
- for the familiesמִשְׁפָּחָהmishpâchâh · familyH4940
- of the Kohathitesקְהָתִיqŏhâthîy · KohathiteH6956
- and the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Aaronאַהֲרֹן'ahărôn · AaronH175
- the priestכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
- of the Levitesלֵוִיlêvîyîy lêvîy · LeviH3881
- out of the tribeמַטֶּהmaţţeh maţţâh · tribeH4294
- of Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
- of Simeonשִׁמְעֹנִיshim‛ônîy · SimeonH8099
- of Benjaminבִּנְיָמִיןbinyâmîyn · BenjaminH1144
- thirteenעָשָׂר‛âώâr · tenH6240
- thirteenשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
- citiesעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
Cross-references for Joshua 21:4
- Joshua 21:8The sons of Israel gave by lot to the Levites these cities with their pasture lands, as the Lord had commanded through Moses.
- Joshua 24:33And Eleazar [the priest], the son of Aaron died; and they buried him at Gibeah [on the hill] of Phinehas his son, which had been given to him in the hill country of Ephraim.
- 1 Chronicles 6:54Now these are their settlements according to their camps within their borders: to the sons of Aaron of the families of the Kohathites (for theirs was the first allocation by lot)
- Numbers 35:8As for the cities which you shall give from the possession of the Israelites, from the larger tribes you shall take many and from the smaller tribes few; each tribe shall give [at least some] of its cities to the Levites in proportion to [the size of] its inheritance which it possesses.”
Commentaries on Joshua 21:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Out of the tribe of Judah - Simeon, and - Benjamin, thirteen cities - These tribes furnished more habitations to the Levites in proportion than any of the other tribes, because they possessed a more extensive inheritance; and Moses had commanded, Numbers 35:8, From them that have many, ye shall give many; and from them that have few, ye shall give few: every one shall give of his cities unto the Levites, according to his inheritance. It is worthy of…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Thirteen cities - This number is said to be too great for the single family of Aaron. But it appears Numbers 33:39, his sons‘ grandchildren and great grandchildren were no doubt living in the elapsing years of Joshua‘s course, and had to he provided with dwellings. They might altogether number several thousands. The “cities” of Canaan were for the most part small; as is manifest from the astonishing number of them in proportion to the area of the land…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4Those descended from Aaron the priest became Israel's priests. They received cities by lot. The towns of the priests were amongst tribes near Jerusalem, where the temple was later built.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4-84-8. the lot came out for the families of the Kohathites--The Levites were divided into Kohathites, Gershonites, and Merarites. Among the former the family of Aaron were exclusively appointed to the priesthood, and all the rest were ranked in the common order of Levites. 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…Read the comment
Topics related to Joshua 21:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Joshua 21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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