God’s Word Translation
Joshua 21:8
8The Israelites gave these cities with pasturelands to Levi’s descendants by drawing lots, as the Lord had commanded through Moses.
Joshua 21:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the children of Israel gave by lot unto the Levites these cities with their suburbs, as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses.
- New International Version (NIV)So the Israelites allotted to the Levites these towns and their pasturelands, as the Lord had commanded through Moses.
- English Standard Version (ESV)These cities and their pasturelands the people of Israel gave by lot to the Levites, as the Lord had commanded through Moses.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And the children of Israel gave these cities with their common-lands by lot to the Levites, as the Lord had commanded by the hand of Moses.
Context of Joshua 21:8
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. 7Merari’s descendants received 12 cities for their families from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun. The Israelites gave these cities with pasturelands to Levi’s descendants by drawing lots, as the Lord had commanded through Moses. 9These are the names of the cities from the tribes of Judah and Simeon 10that they gave Aaron’s descendants who were from the families of Kohath in the tribe of Levi. Their lot was the first one drawn.
Read all of Joshua 21Joshua 21:8 word by word
וַיִּתְּנ֤וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לַלְוִיִּ֔ם אֶת־הֶעָרִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה וְאֶת־מִגְרְשֵׁיהֶ֑ן כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֧ה יְהוָ֛ה בְּיַד־מֹשֶׁ֖ה בַּגּוֹרָֽל׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- gaveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- by lotגּוֹרָלgôrâl gôrâl · allottedH1486
- unto the Levitesלֵוִיlêvîyîy lêvîy · LeviH3881
- these citiesעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
- with their suburbsמִגְרָשׁmigrâsh migrâshâh · pastureH4054
- as the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- commandedצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
- by the handיָדyâd · hand: byH3027
- of Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
Cross-references for Joshua 21:8
- Joshua 21:3So, as the Lord had instructed, Levi’s descendants were given the following cities with pasturelands from the Israelites’ inheritance.
- Joshua 18:6You must describe the seven parts of the land and report to me here. I will draw lots for you here in the presence of the Lord our God.
- Numbers 33:54Divide the land among your families by drawing lots. Give more land to larger families and less land to smaller ones. The land must be given to each family by drawing lots. Divide it among your ancestors’ tribes.
- Numbers 35:3Then the Levites will have cities to live in and pastureland for their cattle, the flocks they own, and any other animals they have.
- Proverbs 16:33The dice are thrown, but the Lord determines every outcome.
- Proverbs 18:18Flipping a coin ends quarrels and settles ⌞issues⌟ between powerful people.
- Numbers 32:2So they came to Moses, the priest Eleazar, and the leaders of the community, and said to them,
Commentaries on Joshua 21:8
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8The pasturelands were areas for feeding flocks or cattle around the cities. The repeated use of this word in the list made the land allowance seem like a legal record (21:8–42). It guaranteed the Levites had access to lands right next to each city given to the Levites (Numbers 35:4–5).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 21:8
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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