King James Version
Joshua 21:4
4And 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.
Joshua 21:4 in other versions
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)The descendants of Aaron, who were members of the Kohathite clan within the tribe of Levi, were allotted thirteen towns that were originally assigned to the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.
Context of Joshua 21:4
2And they spake unto them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, The Lord commanded by the hand of Moses to give us cities to dwell in, with the suburbs thereof for our cattle. 3And the children of Israel gave unto the Levites out of their inheritance, at the commandment of the Lord, these cities and their suburbs. 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. 5And the rest of the children of Kohath had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Ephraim, and out of the tribe of Dan, and out of the half tribe of Manasseh, ten cities. 6And the children of Gershon had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities.
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
- 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 21:8And the children of Israel gave by lot unto the Levites these cities with their suburbs, as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses.
- Joshua 24:33And Eleazar the son of Aaron died; and they buried him in a hill that pertained to Phinehas his son, which was given him in mount Ephraim.
- 1 Chronicles 6:54Now these are their dwelling places throughout their castles in their coasts, of the sons of Aaron, of the families of the Kohathites: for theirs was the lot.
- Numbers 35:8And the cities which ye shall give shall be of the possession of the children of Israel: from them that have many ye shall give many; but from them that have few ye shall give few: every one shall give of his cities unto the Levites according to his inheritance which he inheriteth.
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
King James Version — Public Domain except in the United Kingdom (Crown rights)
Commentaries