Joshua 14:4

Joshua 14:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim: therefore they gave no part unto the Levites in the land, save cities to dwell in, with their suburbs for their cattle and for their substance.
• New International Version (NIV)for Joseph’s descendants had become two tribes—Manasseh and Ephraim. The Levites received no share of the land but only towns to live in, with pasturelands for their flocks and herds.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For the people of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. And no portion was given to the Levites in the land, but only cities to dwell in, with their pasturelands for their livestock and their substance.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For the children of Joseph were two tribes: Manasseh and Ephraim. And they gave no part to the Levites in the land, except cities to dwell in, with their common-lands for their livestock and their property.

Context of Joshua 14:4

2by the lot of their inheritance, just as the Lord commanded through Moses, for the nine tribes and the half-tribe. 3For Moses had given the inheritance of the two tribes and the half-tribe beyond the Jordan; but he did not give an inheritance to the Levites among them. For the sons of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim, and they did not give a portion to the Levites in the land, except cities to live in, with their pasture lands for their livestock and for their property. 5The sons of Israel did exactly as the Lord had commanded Moses, and they divided the land. 6Then the sons of Judah approached Joshua in Gilgal, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know the word which the Lord spoke to Moses the man of God on account of you and me in Kadesh-barnea.

Joshua 14:4 word by word

כִּֽי־הָי֧וּ בְנֵֽי־יוֹסֵ֛ף שְׁנֵ֥י מַטּ֖וֹת מְנַשֶּׁ֣ה וְאֶפְרָ֑יִם וְלֹֽא־נָתְנוּ֩ חֵ֨לֶק לַלְוִיִּ֜ם בָּאָ֗רֶץ כִּ֤י אִם־עָרִים֙ לָשֶׁ֔בֶת וּמִ֨גְרְשֵׁיהֶ֔ם לְמִקְנֵיהֶ֖ם וּלְקִנְיָנָֽם׃Read the interlinear

• For the sonsבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
• of Josephיוֹסֵףyôsêph · JosephH3130
• were twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
• tribesמַטֶּהmaţţeh maţţâh · tribeH4294
• Manassehמְנַשֶּׁהmenashsheh · ManassehH4519
• and Ephraimאֶפְרַ֫יִם'ephrayim · EphraimH669
• and they did not giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• a portionחֵ֫לֶקchêleq · portionH2506
• to the Levitesלֵוִיlêvîyîy lêvîy · LeviH3881
• in the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• exceptכִּיkîy · forH3588
• except[כִּי] אם'im · if: exceptH518
• citiesעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• to liveיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
• in, with their pastureמִגְרָשׁmigrâsh migrâshâh · pastureH4054
• for their livestockמִקְנֶהmiqneh · livestockH4735
• and for their propertyקִנְיָןqinyân · acquisitionH7075

Cross-references for Joshua 14:4

• Genesis 48:5Now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, as Reuben and Simeon are.
• 1 Chronicles 5:1Now the sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel (for he was the firstborn, but because he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph, the son of Israel; so he is not enrolled in the genealogy according to the birthright.
• Joshua 21:2And they 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.”
• Numbers 35:2“Command the sons of Israel that they give to the Levites from the inheritance of their possession cities to live in; and you shall give to the Levites pasture lands around the cities.
• 1 Chronicles 6:54Now these are their settlements according to their camps within their borders. To the sons of Aaron of the families of the Kohathites (for theirs was the first lot),

Commentaries on Joshua 14:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4The children of Joseph were two tribes - This was ascertained by the prophetic declaration of their grandfather Jacob, Genesis 48:5, Genesis 48:6; and as Levi was taken out of the tribes for the service of the sanctuary, one of these sons of Joseph came in his place, and Joseph was treated as the first-born of Jacob, in the place of Reuben, who forfeited his right of primogeniture. With their suburbs for their cattle - For the meaning of this passage the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4Joseph, the older son of the patriarch Jacob's favorite wife Rachel, received twice as much land through his sons Manasseh and Ephraim (see study note on Genesis 48:5–7). Since the Levites did not get their own land allowance, the total number of tribes with land remained at 12 (Joshua 13:14).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. The children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim--As two and a half tribes were settled on the east Jordan, and the Levites had no inheritance assigned them in land, there would have been only eight and a half tribes to provide for. But Ephraim and Manasseh, the two sons of Joseph, had been constituted two tribes (Ge 48:5), and although Levi was excluded, the original number of the tribes of Israel was still preserved.Read the comment

Topics related to Joshua 14:4

• Cities
• Israel
• Suburbs

In the dictionaries

• Ephraim
• Manasseh
• Espy
• Melt
• Joshua (2)
• Joshua, Book of
• Palestine Exploration
• Caleb

Commentaries on Joshua 14

• 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