God’s Word Translation
Joshua 21:40
40All these cities belonged to the families of Merari. They were the last of the families of Levi. These 12 cities were chosen by lot.
Joshua 21:40 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)The total number of towns allotted to the Merarite clans, who were the rest of the Levites, came to twelve.
- English Standard Version (ESV)As for the cities of the several Merarite clans, that is, the remainder of the clans of the Levites, those allotted to them were in all twelve cities.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So all the cities for the children of Merari according to their families, the rest of the families of the Levites, were by their lot twelve cities.
Context of Joshua 21:40
38The tribe of Gad also gave them four cities with pasturelands: Ramoth in Gilead (a city of refuge for murderers), Mahanaim, 39Heshbon, and Jazer. All these cities belonged to the families of Merari. They were the last of the families of Levi. These 12 cities were chosen by lot. 41Within the territory owned by the Israelites there were 48 cities in all for Levi’s descendants. 42Each of these cities had its own pastureland around it.
Read all of Joshua 21Joshua 21:40 word by word
כָּל־הֶ֨עָרִ֜ים לִבְנֵ֤י מְרָרִי֙ לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֔ם הַנּוֹתָרִ֖ים מִמִּשְׁפְּח֣וֹת הַלְוִיִּ֑ם וַיְהִי֙ גּוֹרָלָ֔ם עָרִ֖ים שְׁתֵּ֥ים עֶשְׂרֵֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- So all the citiesעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
- for the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Merariמְרָרִיmerârîy · MerariH4847
- by their familiesמִשְׁפָּחָהmishpâchâh · familyH4940
- which were remainingיָתַרyâthar · to remainH3498
- of the Levitesלֵוִיlêvîyîy lêvîy · LeviH3881
- their lotגּוֹרָלgôrâl gôrâl · allottedH1486
- twelveעָשָׂר‛âώâr · tenH6240
- twelveשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
Commentaries on Joshua 21:40
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 34-40Verses 34-40 Merarite cities. Some of these places are not found in the list of Zebulonite cities in Joshua 19:10-16. The text is considered corrupt.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-42Verses 9-42 By mixing the Levites with the other tribes, they were made to see that the eyes of all Israel were upon them, and therefore it was their concern to walk so that their ministry might not be blamed. Every tribe had its share of Levites' cities. Thus did God graciously provide for keeping up religion among them, and that they might have the word in all parts of the land. Yet, blessed be God, we have the gospel more diffused amongst us. (Jos…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9-42The descendants of Aaron received thirteen cities, the rest of the Kohathite clan received ten, the descendants of Gershon received thirteen, and the Merari clan received twelve. There were a total of forty-eight Levitical cities. Each tribe had four Levitical cities, except Judah had eight, Simeon had one, and Naphtali had three. Six of the Levitical cities were also cities of refuge (20:7–8).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 9-429-40. they gave ... these cities which are here mentioned by name--It was overruled by the unerring providence of the Divine Lawgiver that the cities of the priests lay within the territories of Judah and Benjamin. This was a provision, the admirable wisdom and propriety of which were fully manifested on the schism that took place in the reign of Rehoboam.Read the comment
Topics related to Joshua 21:40
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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