Joshua 21

Jos 21:1-8.

EIGHT AND

FORTY

CITIES

GIVEN BY

LOT

OUT OF THE

OTHER

TRIBES UNTO THE

LEVITES.

1-3. 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 important duties

they were to perform, are described

(Jos 21:3)

as readily conceding this "peculiar" to them, it had most probably been

specified and reserved for their use while the distribution of the land

was in progress.

4-8. 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 to the Gershonites

(Jos 21:6),

and twelve to the Merarites

(Jos 21:7).

Jos 21:9-42.

THE

CITIES OF THE

PRIESTS.

9-40. they gave . . . these cities which are here mentioned by

name--It was overruled by the unerring providence of the Divine

Lawgiver that the cities of the priests lay within the territories of

Judah and Benjamin. This was a provision, the admirable wisdom and

propriety of which were fully manifested on the schism that took place

in the reign of Rehoboam.

41. All the cities of the Levites within the possession of the children

of Israel were forty and eight cities with their suburbs--This may

appear too great a proportion compared with those of the other tribes.

But it must be borne in mind that the list given here contains the

names of every Levitical city

(see on

1Ch 6:39-66);

whereas only those cities of the other tribes are mentioned which lay

on the frontier or along the boundary line. Besides, the Levites were

not the exclusive inhabitants of those forty-eight cities; for there

must have been also a considerable number of people kept there to

cultivate the glebe lands and tend the cattle. Still further, the

Levitical cities had nothing but "their suburbs round about them"

[Jos 21:42];

whereas the other cities in Israel possessed a group of independent

villages (see

Jos 17:1-19:51).

Jos 21:43-45.

GOD

GAVE

THEM

REST.

43-45. the Lord gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to give

unto their fathers--This is a general winding up of the history from

the thirteenth chapter, which narrates the occupation of the land by

the Israelites. All the promises made, whether to the people or to

Joshua

(Jos 1:5),

had been, or were in the course of being fulfilled; and the recorded

experience of the Israelites

(Jos 21:45),

is a ground of hope and confidence to the people of God in every age,

that all other promises made to the Church will, in due time, be

accomplished.