Joshua 21:1

Joshua 21:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then came near the heads of the fathers of the Levites unto Eleazar the priest, and unto Joshua the son of Nun, and unto the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel;
• New International Version (NIV)Now the family heads of the Levites approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the other tribal families of Israel
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then the heads of the fathers' houses of the Levites came to Eleazar the priest and to Joshua the son of Nun and to the heads of the fathers' houses of the tribes of the people of Israel.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites came near to Eleazar the priest, to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the heads of the fathers’ houses of the tribes of the children of Israel.

Context of Joshua 21:1

Then the heads of households of the Levites approached Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of households of the tribes of the sons of Israel. 2They spoke to them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, “The Lord commanded through 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 cities with their pasture lands, according to the command of the Lord.

Joshua 21:1 word by word

וַֽיִּגְּשׁ֗וּ רָאשֵׁי֙ אֲב֣וֹת הַלְוִיִּ֔ם אֶל־אֶלְעָזָר֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְאֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ בִּן־נ֑וּן וְאֶל־רָאשֵׁ֛י אֲב֥וֹת הַמַּטּ֖וֹת לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Read the interlinear

• Then the headsרֹאשׁrô'sh · head: leaderH7218
• householdsאָב'âb · fatherH1
• the Levitesלֵוִיlêvîyîy lêvîy · LeviH3881
• approachedנָגַשׁnâgash · to approach: approachH5066
• Eleazarאֶלְעָזָר'el‛âzâr · EleazarH499
• the priestכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
• and Joshuaיְהוֹשׁוּעַyehôshûa‛ yehôshûa‛ · JoshuaH3091
• the sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of Nunנוּןnûn nôn · NunH5126
• of the tribesמַטֶּהmaţţeh maţţâh · tribeH4294
• of the sonsבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478

Cross-references for Joshua 21:1

• Joshua 19:51These are the inheritances which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the households of the tribes of the sons of Israel distributed by lot in Shiloh before the Lord at the doorway of the tent of meeting. So they finished dividing the land.
• Exodus 6:14These are the heads of their fathers’ households. The sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn: Hanoch and Pallu, Hezron and Carmi; these are the families of Reuben.
• Joshua 14:1Now these are the territories which the sons of Israel inherited in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the households of the tribes of the sons of Israel apportioned to them for an inheritance,
• Joshua 17:4They came near before Eleazar the priest and before Joshua the son of Nun and before the leaders, saying, “The Lord commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brothers.” So according to the command of the Lord he gave them an inheritance among their father’s brothers.
• Numbers 34:17“These are the names of the men who shall apportion the land to you for inheritance: Eleazar the priest and Joshua the son of Nun.

Commentaries on Joshua 21:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1The heads of the fathers of the Levites - The Levites were composed of three brand families, the Gershonites, Koathites, and Merarites, independently of the family of Aaron, who might be said to form a fourth. To none of these had God assigned any portion in the division of the land. But in this general division it must have been evidently intended that the different tribes were to furnish them with habitations; and this was according to a positive…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1A list of the Levitical cities, varying in some particulars from that given in this chapter, is also, given in 1 Chronicles 6:54-81.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Chapter Outline Cities for the Levites. (1-8) The cities allotted to the Levites. (9-42) God gave the land and rest to the Israelites, according to his promise. (43-45) Verses 1-8 The Levites waited till the other tribes were provided for, before they preferred their claim to Joshua. They build their claim upon a very good foundation; not their own merits or services, but the Divine precept. The maintenance of ministers is not a thing left merely to the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-8Israel's leaders assigned towns to the tribe of Levi by casting lots (see study note on 7:16–18).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-81-3. Then came near the heads of the fathers of the Levites--The most venerable and distinguished members of the three Levitical families, on behalf of their tribe, applied for the special provision that had been promised them to be now awarded (see on Nu 35:2). Their inheritance lay within the territory of every tribe. It was assigned in the same place and manner, and by the same commissioners as the other allotments. While the people, knowing the…Read the comment

Topics related to Joshua 21:1

• Petition
• Priest
• Shiloh

In the dictionaries

• Eleazar
• Israel
• Joshua
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Children of Israel
• Levite
• Ezekiel
• Joshua (2)
• Levitical Cities

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