Joshua 21:1-45 - Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Reader Related Verse
Bible Comments

Joshua 21:2. Suburbs for our cattle. The levites sharing the tithe of corn, only needed cattle, which were tithed as well as the corn; but they were either burnt on the altar, or consumed in feasts before the Lord, the worshippers participating. See on Deuteronomy 26:12. The suburbs contained a square of two thousand cubits. Numbers 35.

Joshua 21:3. At the commandment of the Lord: the forty eight cities were given to the priests and levites out of their inheritance. The care of religion should be the first care of the magistrate, as it is the first care of heaven. The priests needed but small cities, and the fathers of the levites had to urge their claim, for laymen are too often tardy and reluctant in the support of the sanctuary. The distribution of those cities was such as enabled the levite to instruct the people with every local advantage, and to influence their morals by example.

Joshua 21:41. Forty and eight cities. Many of those cities were but small; yet as the average population was not more than five hundred persons to a town, Levi was well provided for.

REFLECTIONS.

We cannot but be struck with the wisdom and goodness of God in selecting the levites for his service, and in scattering them among all the tribes for the purposes of literary and religious instruction. These men, whose sole business it was to devote themselves to the acquisition of knowledge and piety; and enjoying the high advantage of conversing with the strangers who might resort to the sanctuary of God for devotion, they would improve their minds with the literature of the east, and become at least as well qualified as any others of their age for academical and domestic tutors. Hence we see that God would not have his people remain in ignorance. He would have his laws expounded by men qualified to instruct the nation, that others might pay an enlightened homage to their Maker.

From the liberal provision here made for the priests and levites, ministers in particular ought to learn that God would not have them to be idle. The instruction of children, the illumination of the people, and the suppression of vice, should occupy the whole of their life. Men so peculiarly called the servants of God, should in every view imitate Christ their great Highpriest, and walk worthy of their high vocation. An ignorant, an idle, or a wicked minister is a brand to the christian name; and a punishment awaits him in the life to come, correspondent to his crimes on earth.

We see in the lot of the priests, which fell among the three nearest tribes to the sanctuary, Judah, Benjamin, and Simeon, a gracious providence, that they might reside near the place where they would in their courses be so often wanted. Indeed it is all providence: no sooner do we begin to contemplate the ways of God, than grace and astonishment present themselves in every object. What cause has Zion to rejoice in her king. And abiding in his covenant, she shall never be moved.

The Lord not only gave them rest in the land, but so fulfilled his word that there failed not any good thing which the Lord had promised. So it shall be to his people, on reaching the heavenly Canaan.

Related Commentaries of Joshua 21:1

Joshua 21:1-45

1 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;

2 And they spake unto them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, The LORD commanded by the hand of Moses to give us cities to dwell in, with the suburbs thereof for our cattle.

3 And the children of Israel gave unto the Levites out of their inheritance, at the commandment of the LORD, these cities and their suburbs.

4 And the lot came out for the families of the Kohathites: and the children of Aaron the priest, which were of the Levites, had by lot out of the tribe of Judah, and out of the tribe of Simeon, and out of the tribe of Benjamin, thirteen cities.

5 And the rest of the children of Kohath had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Ephraim, and out of the tribe of Dan, and out of the half tribe of Manasseh, ten cities.

6 And the children of Gershon had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities.

7 The children of Merari by their families had out of the tribe of Reuben, and out of the tribe of Gad, and out of the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities.

8 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.

9 And they gave out of the tribe of the children of Judah, and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, these cities which are here mentioneda by name,

10 Which the children of Aaron, being of the families of the Kohathites, who were of the children of Levi, had: for theirs was the first lot.

11 And they gave them the cityb of Arba the father of Anak, which city is Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, with the suburbs thereof round about it.

12 But the fields of the city, and the villages thereof, gave they to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for his possession.

13 Thus they gave to the children of Aaron the priest Hebron with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Libnah with her suburbs,

14 And Jattir with her suburbs, and Eshtemoa with her suburbs,

15 And Holonc with her suburbs, and Debir with her suburbs,

16 And Aind with her suburbs, and Juttah with her suburbs, and Bethshemesh with her suburbs; nine cities out of those two tribes.

17 And out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with her suburbs, Gebae with her suburbs,

18 Anathoth with her suburbs, and Almonf with her suburbs; four cities.

19 All the cities of the children of Aaron, the priests, were thirteen cities with their suburbs.

20 And the families of the children of Kohath, the Levites which remained of the children of Kohath, even they had the cities of their lot out of the tribe of Ephraim.

21 For they gave them Shechem with her suburbs in mount Ephraim, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Gezer with her suburbs,

22 And Kibzaim with her suburbs, and Bethhoron with her suburbs; four cities.

23 And out of the tribe of Dan, Eltekeh with her suburbs, Gibbethon with her suburbs,

24 Aijalon with her suburbs, Gathrimmon with her suburbs; four cities.

25 And out of the half tribe of Manasseh, Tanach with her suburbs, and Gathrimmon with her suburbs; two cities.

26 All the cities were ten with their suburbs for the families of the children of Kohath that remained.

27 And unto the children of Gershon, of the families of the Levites, out of the other half tribe of Manasseh they gave Golan in Bashan with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Beeshterah with her suburbs; two cities.

28 And out of the tribe of Issachar, Kishon with her suburbs, Dabareh with her suburbs,

29 Jarmuth with her suburbs, Engannim with her suburbs; four cities.

30 And out of the tribe of Asher, Mishal with her suburbs, Abdon with her suburbs,

31 Helkath with her suburbs, and Rehob with her suburbs; four cities.

32 And out of the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Hammothdor with her suburbs, and Kartan with her suburbs; three cities.

33 All the cities of the Gershonites according to their families were thirteen cities with their suburbs.

34 And unto the families of the children of Merari, the rest of the Levites, out of the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam with her suburbs, and Kartah with her suburbs,

35 Dimnah with her suburbs, Nahalal with her suburbs; four cities.

36 And out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer with her suburbs, and Jahazah with her suburbs,

37 Kedemoth with her suburbs, and Mephaath with her suburbs; four cities.

38 And out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Mahanaim with her suburbs,

39 Heshbon with her suburbs, Jazer with her suburbs; four cities in all.

40 So all the cities for the children of Merari by their families, which were remaining of the families of the Levites, were by their lot twelve cities.

41 All the cities of the Levites within the possession of the children of Israel were forty and eight cities with their suburbs.

42 These cities were every one with their suburbs round about them: thus were all these cities.

43 And the LORD gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein.

44 And the LORD gave them rest round about, according to all that he sware unto their fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand.

45 There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass.