Joshua 21:4

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

2at Shiloh in Canaan. They said to them, “The Lord commanded through Moses that we should receive cities to live in and pasturelands for our livestock.” 3So, as the Lord had instructed, Levi’s descendants were given the following cities with pasturelands from the Israelites’ inheritance. These are the cities for the families of Kohath that were chosen by drawing lots. These descendants of the priest Aaron the Levite received 13 cities from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin. 5The rest of Kohath’s descendants received 10 cities from the families of the tribes of Ephraim and Dan and half of the tribe of Manasseh. 6Gershon’s descendants received 13 cities from the families of the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and half of the tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.

Joshua 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 Israelites gave these cities with pasturelands to Levi’s descendants by drawing lots, as the Lord had commanded through Moses.
• Joshua 24:33Aaron’s son Eleazar also died. He was buried on the hill that had been given to his son Phinehas in the mountains of Ephraim.
• 1 Chronicles 6:54These are the places where Levi’s descendants lived, the places where they settled in the territory chosen for them when lots were drawn: The ⌞first⌟ lot was drawn for the descendants of Aaron from the family descended from Kohath.
• Numbers 35:8The cities you give the Levites from the property of the other Israelites must be given based on the amount of land each tribe owns. Take more cities from larger tribes and fewer from smaller tribes.”

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

• Aaron
• Levites
• Priest

In the dictionaries

• Aaron
• Benjamin
• Judah
• Lot
• Simeon
• Benjamin, Benjaminite
• Judah, kingdom of Judah
• Judea, Judah
• Levite
• Aaronites

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