New King James Version
Joshua 21:8
8And 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.
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 Living Translation (NLT)So the Israelites obeyed the Lord’s command to Moses and assigned these towns and pasturelands to the Levites by casting sacred lots.
Context of Joshua 21:8
6And the children of Gershon had thirteen cities by lot from the families of the tribe of Issachar, from the tribe of Asher, from the tribe of Naphtali, and from the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan. 7The children of Merari according to their families had twelve cities from the tribe of Reuben, from the tribe of Gad, and from the tribe of Zebulun. 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. 9So they gave from the tribe of the children of Judah and from the tribe of the children of Simeon these cities which are designated by name, 10which were for the children of Aaron, one of the families of the Kohathites, who were of the children of Levi; for the lot was theirs first.
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 the children of Israel gave to the Levites from their inheritance, at the commandment of the Lord, these cities and their common-lands:
- Joshua 18:6You shall therefore survey the land in seven parts and bring the survey here to me, that I may cast lots for you here before the Lord our God.
- Numbers 33:54And you shall divide the land by lot as an inheritance among your families; to the larger you shall give a larger inheritance, and to the smaller you shall give a smaller inheritance; there everyone’s inheritance shall be whatever falls to him by lot. You shall inherit according to the tribes of your fathers.
- Numbers 35:3They shall have the cities to dwell in; and their common-land shall be for their cattle, for their herds, and for all their animals.
- Proverbs 16:33The lot is cast into the lap, But its every decision is from the Lord.
- Proverbs 18:18Casting lots causes contentions to cease, And keeps the mighty apart.
- Numbers 32:2the children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spoke to Moses, to Eleazar the priest, and to the leaders of the congregation, saying,
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries