New King James Version
Joshua 14:4
4For 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.
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 Living Translation (NLT)The descendants of Joseph had become two separate tribes—Manasseh and Ephraim. And the Levites were given no land at all, only towns to live in with surrounding pasturelands for their livestock and all their possessions.
Context of Joshua 14:4
2Their inheritance was by lot, as the Lord had commanded by the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes and the half-tribe. 3For Moses had given the inheritance of the two tribes and the half-tribe on the other side of the Jordan; but to the Levites he had given no inheritance among them. 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. 5As the Lord had commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did; and they divided the land. 6Then the children of Judah came to Joshua in Gilgal. And Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him: “You know the word which the Lord said to Moses the man of God concerning you and me in Kadesh Barnea.
Read all of Joshua 14Joshua 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- For the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Josephיוֹסֵףyôsêph · JosephH3130
- were twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
- tribesמַטֶּהmaţţeh maţţâh · tribeH4294
- Manassehמְנַשֶּׁהmenashsheh · ManassehH4519
- and Ephraimאֶפְרַ֫יִם'ephrayim · EphraimH669
- therefore they gaveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- no partחֵ֫לֶקchêleq · portionH2506
- unto the Levitesלֵוִיlêvîyîy lêvîy · LeviH3881
- in the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- save citiesעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
- to dwellיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- with their suburbsמִגְרָשׁmigrâsh migrâshâh · pastureH4054
- for their cattleמִקְנֶהmiqneh · livestockH4735
- and for their substanceקִנְיָןqinyân · acquisitionH7075
Cross-references for Joshua 14:4
- Genesis 48:5And now your two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine.
- 1 Chronicles 5:1Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel—he was indeed the firstborn, but because he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph, the son of Israel, so that the genealogy is not listed 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 dwell in, with their common-lands for our livestock.”
- Numbers 35:2“Command the children of Israel that they give the Levites cities to dwell in from the inheritance of their possession, and you shall also give the Levites common-land around the cities.
- 1 Chronicles 6:54Now these are their dwelling places throughout their settlements in their territory, for they were given by lot to the sons of Aaron, of the family of the Kohathites:
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
In the dictionaries
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries