The Fallible Synthetic Study Bible

✦ Public-domain source — quoted & attributed⚙ AI synthesis — generated, verify

Joshua 21:1–45 — Forty-Eight Cities for the Levites. Each verse below carries the full apparatus: the Berean Standard Bible, the vocalized original (tap any word), and a parsed breakdown of every term transcribed from the interlinear. Synthesized commentary, canonical threads, and the reading of Christ gather at the end, over the whole unit.

The Voices✦ 3 public domain

Joseph BensonCommentary on the Old and New Testaments1810s

The whole land being distributed to the several tribes, but not yet actually possessed by them, and this being the proper season for their making such a claim, these principal Levites now come to the princes of the tribes, and remind them of the command of God respecting the cities to be assigned them.

source ↗

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges—1880s

As the Tabernacle was the outward and visible sign of the presence among the people of their invisible King, so the Levites were to be, among the other tribes of Israel, as the royal body-guard that waited exclusively on Him

Cambridge is quoting an earlier writer without naming him in the text as the brief carries it; the image of Levi as royal bodyguard is his gloss on Numbers 1:47-54, not a phrase from Joshua.

source ↗

Keil & DelitzschBiblical Commentary on the Old Testament1860s

we cannot infer, as Calvin has done, that the Levites had been forgotten, till they came and asserted their claims.

source ↗

Now the family heads of the Levites approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the other tribes of Israel

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

’ă·ḇō·wṯ rā·šê hal·wî·yim ’el- way·yig·gə·šū ’el·‘ā·zār hak·kō·hên wə·’el- yə·hō·wō·šu·a‘ bin- nūn wə·’el- rā·šê ’ă·ḇō·wṯ ham·maṭ·ṭō·wṯ liḇ·nê yiś·rā·’êl

Word by word17 · parsed

אֲב֣וֹת’ă·ḇō·wṯNow the familyH1

√ ʼâb — father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote applicationNounmasculine plural construct

רָאשֵׁי֙rā·šêheadsH7218

√ rôʼsh — the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of place, time, rank, itcNounmasculine plural construct

rôʼsh — the head, whether literal or figurative, of place, time or rank Not an office created for this occasion: the heads of fathers' houses are the standing representative body of a clan (K&D cross-refers to Exodus 6:14, 25 for the Levitical genealogy behind the title).

הַלְוִיִּ֔םhal·wî·yimof the LevitesH3881

√ Lêvîyîy — a Levite or descendant of LeviArticleNounpropermasculine plural

Lêvîyîy — a Levite, a descendant of Levi The tribe named last in every allotment and provided for last. Cambridge sets this against Jacob's word over Levi in Genesis 49:5-7 and concludes that for Levi “the curse was with them turned into a blessing.”

אֶל־’el-. . .H413

√ ʼêl — near, with or amongPreposition

וַֽיִּגְּשׁ֗וּway·yig·gə·šūapproachedH5066

√ nâgash — to be or come (causatively, bring) near (for any purpose)Conjunctive wawVerbQalConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine plural

nâgash — to come or bring near, for any purpose (Qal) The verb of formal approach. It is used of coming near to a superior, to a court, and to the altar; that the Levites must use it here is the quiet irony of the chapter, since they are the tribe whose office is nearness to God and who as yet have nowhere on earth to stand.

אֶלְעָזָר֙’el·‘ā·zārEleazarH499

√ ʼElʻâzâr — Elazar, the name of seven IsraelitesNounpropermasculine singular

הַכֹּהֵ֔ןhak·kō·hênthe priestH3548

√ kôhên — literally one officiating, a priestArticleNounmasculine singular

וְאֶל־wə·’el-. . .H413

√ ʼêl — near, with or amongConjunctive wawPreposition

יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַyə·hō·wō·šu·a‘JoshuaH3091

√ Yᵉhôwshûwaʻ — Jehoshua (iNounpropermasculine singular

Yᵉhôwshûwaʻ — Joshua Named second, after the priest. Pulpit reads the order as deliberate: “In a matter of ecclesiastical organisation the ecclesiastical took precedence of the civil leader.”

בִּן־bin-sonH1121

√ bên — a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etcNounmasculine singular construct

נ֑וּןnūnof NunH5126

√ Nûwn — Nun or Non, the father of JoshuaNounpropermasculine singular

וְאֶל־wə·’el-andH413

√ ʼêl — near, with or amongConjunctive wawPreposition

רָאשֵׁ֛יrā·šêthe headsH7218

√ rôʼsh — the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of place, time, rank, itcNounmasculine plural construct

אֲב֥וֹת’ă·ḇō·wṯH1

√ ʼâb — father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote applicationNounmasculine plural construct

הַמַּטּ֖וֹתham·maṭ·ṭō·wṯof the [other] tribesH4294

√ maṭṭeh — a branch (as extending)ArticleNounmasculine plural

לִבְנֵ֥יliḇ·nêvvvH1121

√ bên — a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etcPreposition-lNounmasculine plural construct

יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃yiś·rā·’êlof IsraelH3478

√ Yisrâʼêl — Jisrael, a symbolical name of JacobNounpropermasculine singular

Literal — word-for-word from the original

And-they-drew-near the-heads-of the-fathers of-the-Levites unto Eleazar the-priest and-unto Joshua son-of-Nun, and-unto the-heads-of the-fathers of-the-tribes of-the-sons-of Israel —

Where the English smooths the original

וַֽיִּגְּשׁ֗וּ וַֽיִּגְּשׁ֗וּ (way·yig·gə·šū, Qal consecutive imperfect 3mp of nâgash, H5066) — “and they came near,” not the neutral “approached” of a petitioner at an office. Nâgash is the verb of drawing near for a purpose, and it is the verb that elsewhere describes the priest's own approach; here the men whose whole vocation is nearness are themselves the ones who must come near and ask.
רָאשֵׁי֙ אֲב֣וֹת רָאשֵׁי֙ אֲב֣וֹת (rā·šê ’ă·ḇō·wṯ, H7218 + H1) — literally “heads-of fathers,” a construct chain, not the flat “family heads” of the English. Benson: “The fathers of the Levites were Kohath, Gershon, and Merari; and the heads of these were the chief persons now alive of these several families.” The same phrase is then applied to the tribal princes in the second half of the verse, so that the two parties meet as equals in kind.
הַמַּטּ֖וֹת הַמַּטּ֖וֹת (ham·maṭ·ṭō·wṯ, maṭṭeh, H4294) — a branch, an extended staff, hence a tribe. BSB supplies the bracketed “[other]” tribes; the Hebrew simply says “the tribes,” and the reader is left to notice that Levi is standing outside the list it is asking from.
אֶל־ ... וְאֶל־ ... וְאֶל־ אֶל־ (’el-, H413) is repeated three times, marking three distinct addressees: the priest, the captain, and the princes. The English collapses the triple preposition into one series with commas; the Hebrew stages a formal deputation before a full court. Pulpit notes that Eleazar stands first, “because, as the acknowledged head of the tribe, he was the proper person to prefer its request to the leader.”

at Shiloh in the land of Canaan and said to them, “The LORD commanded through Moses that we be given cities in which to live, together with pasturelands for our livestock.”

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

bə·ši·lōh bə·’e·reṣ kə·na·‘an lê·mōr way·ḏab·bə·rū ’ă·lê·hem Yah·weh ṣiw·wāh ḇə·yaḏ- mō·šeh lā·ṯeṯ- lā·nū ‘ā·rîm lā·šā·ḇeṯ ū·miḡ·rə·šê·hen liḇ·hem·tê·nū

Word by word16 · parsed

בְּשִׁלֹ֗הbə·ši·lōhat ShilohH7887

√ Shîylôh — Shiloh, a place in PalestinePreposition-bNounproperfeminine singular

Shîylôh — Shiloh Pulpit calls the datum “another instance of exact accuracy”: Shiloh is where the tabernacle now stands (Joshua 18:1), so the tribe of the tabernacle makes its claim at the tabernacle.

בְּאֶ֤רֶץbə·’e·reṣin the landH776

√ ʼerets — the earth (at large, or partitively a land)Preposition-bNounfeminine singular construct

כְּנַ֙עַן֙kə·na·‘anof CanaanH3667

√ Kᵉnaʻan — Kenaan, a son a HamNounpropermasculine singular

לֵאמֹ֔רlê·mōr. . .H559

√ ʼâmar — to say (used with great latitude)Preposition-lVerbQalInfinitive construct

וַיְדַבְּר֨וּway·ḏab·bə·rūand saidH1696

√ dâbar — perhaps properly, to arrangeConjunctive wawVerbPielConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine plural

אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם’ă·lê·hemto themH413

√ ʼêl — near, with or amongPrepositionthird person masculine plural

יְהוָה֙Yah·wehThe LORDH3068

√ Yᵉhôvâh — Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodNounpropermasculine singular

צִוָּ֣הṣiw·wāhcommandedH6680

√ tsâvâh — (intensively) to constitute, enjoinVerbPielPerfectthird person masculine singular

tsâvâh — to constitute, enjoin (Piel) The pivot of the Levites' whole petition. They do not argue merit, service or need; they cite a standing order. Cambridge locates it: the command “is found in Numbers 35, and where directions had been given that 48 cities … should be assigned them.”

בְיַד־ḇə·yaḏ-throughH3027

√ yâd — a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etcPreposition-bNounfeminine singular construct

yâd — a hand: power, means, direction The idiom bᵉyad makes Moses the channel and God the speaker. Its repetition in v. 8, closing the paragraph, frames the whole transaction as obedience rather than negotiation.

מֹשֶׁ֔הmō·šehMosesH4872

√ Môsheh — Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiverNounpropermasculine singular

לָֽתֶת־lā·ṯeṯ-that we be givenH5414

√ nâthan — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etcPreposition-lVerbQalInfinitive construct

לָ֥נוּlā·nū. . .

Prepositionfirst person common plural

עָרִ֖ים‘ā·rîmcitiesH5892

√ ʻîyr — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)Nounfeminine plural

לָשָׁ֑בֶתlā·šā·ḇeṯin which to liveH3427

√ yâshab — properly, to sit down (specifically as judgePreposition-lVerbQalInfinitive construct

וּמִגְרְשֵׁיהֶ֖ןū·miḡ·rə·šê·hentogether with pasturelandsH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iConjunctive wawNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine plural

migrâsh — the open land about a town A comparatively rare word (69 verses) that will now be repeated more than thirty times in this chapter. It is the measure of what a landless tribe actually receives: not a territory but a ring of common ground, fixed by Numbers 35:5 at two thousand cubits on every side (so Benson at v. 42).

לִבְהֶמְתֵּֽנוּ׃liḇ·hem·tê·nūfor our livestockH929

√ bᵉhêmâh — properly, a dumb beastPreposition-lNounfeminine singular constructfirst person common plural

Literal — word-for-word from the original

And-they-spoke unto-them at-Shiloh in-the-land-of Canaan, saying: “YHWH commanded by-the-hand-of Moses to-give to-us cities to-dwell-in, and-their-pasture-lands for-our-cattle.”

Where the English smooths the original

צִוָּ֣ה צִוָּ֣ה (ṣiw·wāh, Piel perfect 3ms of tsâvâh, H6680) — the intensive stem of “to constitute, enjoin.” It is a perfect: the thing was commanded and stands commanded. Henry reads the whole claim off this one verb: “They build their claim upon a very good foundation; not their own merits or services, but the Divine precept.”
בְיַד־ בְיַד־ (ḇə·yaḏ-, yâd, H3027) — “by the hand of Moses,” not the smoothed “through Moses.” Yâd is the open hand as power, means and direction. Geneva glosses it exactly: “By Moses, by whose ministry God showed his power.” The mediator is an instrument, not a source.
וּמִגְרְשֵׁיהֶ֖ן וּמִגְרְשֵׁיהֶ֖ן (ū·miḡ·rə·šê·hen, migrâsh, H4054) — rendered “suburbs” in the older versions and “pasturelands” by BSB. Neither is quite it: the word names the open common driven round a walled town, and the suffix is feminine plural, “their (the cities') open land.” The next word says what it is for — cattle.
לִבְהֶמְתֵּֽנוּ לִבְהֶמְתֵּֽנוּ (liḇ·hem·tê·nū, bᵉhêmâh, H929) — “for our beast,” a collective singular with a first person plural suffix. The one thing the Levites ask for themselves after the cities is grazing. It is a claim of subsistence, not of estate.

The Voices✦ 3 public domain

Matthew PooleAnnotations upon the Holy Bible1685

that the Levites being dispersed among the several tribes, according to Jacob’s prediction, Genesis 49:7 , might more easily, and frequently, and effectually teach the Israelites God’s law and judgments

source ↗

The Pulpit CommentarySpence & Exell, eds.1880s

Four, he says, is the number of the world, and three the sign of God, and twelve of the combination of the two.

Pulpit is relaying Bähr's symbolic arithmetic (4 × 12 = 48), not asserting it as the text's own claim; treat it as a suggestive reading, not a datum.

source ↗

Joseph BensonCommentary on the Old and New Testaments1810s

Probably they gave the Levites promiscuously such cities as God commanded, and the lot appropriated them to their several houses or families.

source ↗

So by the command of the LORD, the Israelites gave the Levites these cities and their pasturelands out of their own inheritance:

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

’el- pî Yah·weh ’eṯ- ḇə·nê- yiś·rā·’êl way·yit·tə·nū lal·wî·yim hā·’êl·leh he·‘ā·rîm wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rə·šê·hen min·na·ḥă·lā·ṯām

Word by word13 · parsed

אֶל־’el-So byH413

√ ʼêl — near, with or amongPreposition

פִּ֣יpîthe commandH6310

√ peh — the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech)Nounmasculine singular construct

peh — the mouth, as the means of speech The construction ’el-pî YHWH makes the divine utterance the standard the allotment is checked against. It is the same standard invoked at the chapter's end, where “not one word fell” (v. 45) of all that mouth had spoken.

יְהוָ֑הYah·wehof the LORDH3068

√ Yᵉhôvâh — Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodNounpropermasculine singular

אֶת־’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker

בְנֵי־ḇə·nê-the IsraelitesH1121

יִשְׂרָאֵ֧לyiś·rā·’êl. . .H3478

√ Yisrâʼêl — Jisrael, a symbolical name of JacobNounpropermasculine singular

וַיִּתְּנ֨וּway·yit·tə·nūgaveH5414

√ nâthan — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etcConjunctive wawVerbQalConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine plural

לַלְוִיִּ֛םlal·wî·yimthe LevitesH3881

√ Lêvîyîy — a Levite or descendant of LeviPreposition-lNounpropermasculine plural

הָאֵ֖לֶּהhā·’êl·lehtheseH428

√ ʼêl-leh — these or thoseArticlePronouncommon plural

הֶעָרִ֥יםhe·‘ā·rîmcitiesH5892

√ ʻîyr — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)ArticleNounfeminine plural

ʻîyr — a city, a place guarded by a watch The noun is feminine plural here and is treated as feminine throughout the chapter; hence the recurring “her pasture land.” A city in this book is a walled point, sometimes little more than a post, which is why forty-eight of them can be spared.

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-andH853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרְשֵׁיהֶֽן׃miḡ·rə·šê·hentheir pasturelandsH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine plural

מִנַּחֲלָתָ֖םmin·na·ḥă·lā·ṯāmout of their own inheritanceH5159

√ nachălâh — properly, something inherited, iPreposition-mNounfeminine singular constructthird person masculine plural

nachălâh — something inherited, a heritage The word Israel uses of its own allotment and the word Levi is expressly denied (Joshua 13:33; 14:3; 18:7). Here it appears only as the source of the gift: Levi lives inside other men's nachălâh. The cost is real, and Benson notes it was designed to be, so that “the Levites, being dispersed among the several tribes, according to Jacob's prediction, might more easily and effectually teach the Israelites God's law.”

Literal — word-for-word from the original

And-the-sons-of Israel gave to-the-Levites, out-of-their-inheritance, at the-mouth-of YHWH, these cities and their-pasture-lands.

Where the English smooths the original

אֶל־פִּ֣י יְהוָ֑ה אֶל־פִּ֣י יְהוָ֑ה (’el-pî Yah·weh, peh, H6310) — “unto the mouth of YHWH.” BSB's “by the command of the LORD” is right in sense and flat in force: peh is the organ of speech, the mouth that blows. The gift is measured against a spoken word, the way a builder measures against a line.
מִנַּחֲלָתָ֖ם מִנַּחֲלָתָ֖ם (min·na·ḥă·lā·ṯām, nachălâh, H5159) — “from their inheritance,” with the partitive min. Every Levitical city is a piece cut out of somebody else's patrimony. Poole: “out of their several possessions; partly that the burden and loss might be equally divided.”
וַיִּתְּנ֨וּ וַיִּתְּנ֨וּ (way·yit·tə·nū, Qal of nâthan, H5414) — the chapter's governing verb, “and they gave.” It is used of the tribes giving (vv. 3, 8, 9, 11, 13, 21), and then in v. 43-44 of YHWH giving the land and giving the enemies. The human giving in this chapter is a derivative of a divine giving.

The Voices✦ 4 public domain

Charles EllicottCommentary for English Readers1878

The order of the distribution—viz., (1) to priests, (2) to Kohathites, (3) to Gershonites, (4) to Merarites—is in strict agreement with the order of priority observed in the exodus.

Ellicott's entry in the brief is capped; the surviving portion carries his camp-order argument and his city identifications, and the argument stands on Numbers 2-4 rather than on anything in Joshua 21.

source ↗

Keil & DelitzschBiblical Commentary on the Old Testament1860s

This did not happen by chance; but God, according to His wonderful counsel, placed them just in that situation which He had determined to select for His own temple

K&D is quoting Calvin here, and marks it so; the sentence is Calvin's, carried in Keil's text.

source ↗

The Pulpit CommentarySpence & Exell, eds.1880s

No special privileges belonged to his descendants. They merged in the undistinguished herd of the Levites generally.

source ↗

Geneva Study BibleMarginal Notes1599

Every tribe gave more or fewer cities according to the size of their inheritance, Nu 35:8.

source ↗

The first lot came out for the Kohathite clans. The Levites who were descendants of Aaron the priest received thirteen cities by lot from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

hag·gō·w·rāl way·yê·ṣê haq·qə·hā·ṯî lə·miš·pə·ḥōṯ min- hal·wî·yim liḇ·nê ’a·hă·rōn hak·kō·hên way·hî šə·lōš ‘eś·rêh ‘ā·rîm bag·gō·w·rāl mim·maṭ·ṭêh yə·hū·ḏāh ū·mim·maṭ·ṭêh haš·šim·‘ō·nî ū·mim·maṭ·ṭêh ḇin·yā·min

Word by word20 · parsed

הַגּוֹרָ֖לhag·gō·w·rālThe [first] lotH1486

√ gôwrâl — properly, a pebble, iArticleNounmasculine singular

gôwrâl — properly a pebble, hence a lot Used seven times in this chapter (vv. 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 20, 40). Pulpit reads the practice as a deliberate removal of human grievance: “Thus solemnly placed in His hands, the division would not afterwards become the occasion of jealousy or dispute.” Cambridge adds the likely mechanics — the cities to be surrendered were probably agreed in advance, and the lot only decided which branch of Levi got which.

וַיֵּצֵ֥אway·yê·ṣêcame outH3318

√ yâtsâʼ — to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proximConjunctive wawVerbQalConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine singular

yâtsâʼ — to go or come out The verb of the stone leaving the urn; in v. 10 the same event is told with hâyâh, “the first lot was to them.” The two idioms together keep both the mechanism and the outcome in view.

הַקְּהָתִ֑יhaq·qə·hā·ṯîfor the KohathiteH6956

√ Qŏhâthîy — a Kohathite (collectively) or descendants of KehathArticleNounpropermasculine singular

לְמִשְׁפְּחֹ֣תlə·miš·pə·ḥōṯclansH4940

√ mishpâchâh — a family, iPreposition-lNounfeminine plural construct

מִן־min-H4480

√ min — properly, a part ofPreposition

הַלְוִיִּ֗םhal·wî·yimThe LevitesH3881

√ Lêvîyîy — a Levite or descendant of LeviArticleNounpropermasculine plural

לִבְנֵי֩liḇ·nêwho were descendantsH1121

אַהֲרֹ֨ן’a·hă·rōnof AaronH175

√ ʼAhărôwn — Aharon, the brother of MosesNounpropermasculine singular

הַכֹּהֵ֜ןhak·kō·hênthe priestH3548

√ kôhên — literally one officiating, a priestArticleNounmasculine singular

וַיְהִ֡יway·hîreceivedH1961

√ hâyâh — to exist, iConjunctive wawVerbQalConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine singular

hâyâh — to exist, to become, to fall to Here the wayyiqtol carries the sense “and there came to be for the sons of Aaron,” i.e. the allotment resulted in. BSB's “received” is an honest simplification of a colourless verb.

שְׁלֹ֥שׁšə·lōšthirteenH7969

√ shâlôwsh — threeNumberfeminine singular construct

עֶשְׂרֵֽה׃ס‘eś·rêh. . .H6240

√ ʻâsâr — ten (only in combination), iNumberfeminine singular

עָרִ֖ים‘ā·rîmcitiesH5892

√ ʻîyr — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)Nounfeminine plural

בַּגּוֹרָ֔לbag·gō·w·rālby lotH1486

√ gôwrâl — properly, a pebble, iPreposition-b, ArticleNounmasculine singular

מִמַּטֵּ֣הmim·maṭ·ṭêhfrom the tribesH4294

√ maṭṭeh — a branch (as extending)Preposition-mNounmasculine singular construct

maṭṭeh — a branch, hence a tribe Repeated with min at every donor tribe in the chapter, so the whole list reads as a series of subtractions. That the priests' thirteen all fall in Judah, Simeon and Benjamin is the datum Barnes, Ellicott, Pulpit and K&D all seize on, since Jerusalem will stand on that ground.

יְ֠הוּדָהyə·hū·ḏāhof JudahH3063

√ Yᵉhûwdâh — Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five IsraelitesNounpropermasculine singular

וּמִמַּטֵּ֨הū·mim·maṭ·ṭêh. . .H4294

√ maṭṭeh — a branch (as extending)Conjunctive waw, Preposition-mNounmasculine singular construct

הַשִּׁמְעֹנִ֜יhaš·šim·‘ō·nîSimeonH8099

√ Shimʻônîy — a Shimonite (collectively) or descendants of ShimonArticleNounpropermasculine singular

וּמִמַּטֵּ֤הū·mim·maṭ·ṭêh. . .H4294

√ maṭṭeh — a branch (as extending)Conjunctive waw, Preposition-mNounmasculine singular construct

בִנְיָמִן֙ḇin·yā·minand BenjaminH1144

√ Binyâmîyn — Binjamin, youngest son of JacobNounpropermasculine singular

Literal — word-for-word from the original

And-the-lot went-out for-the-clans-of the-Kohathite; and-there-were for-the-sons-of Aaron the-priest, from the-Levites, from-the-tribe-of Judah and-from-the-tribe-of the-Simeonite and-from-the-tribe-of Benjamin, by-the-lot, thirteen cities.

Where the English smooths the original

הַגּוֹרָ֖ל הַגּוֹרָ֖ל (hag·gō·w·rāl, gôwrâl, H1486) — “properly, a pebble.” The stone in the urn. BSB's “The first lot” imports “first” from v. 10; the Hebrew here simply has “the lot,” and the article carries the sense. The concrete pebble is the point: the least manipulable object available was made the instrument of the decision.
וַיֵּצֵ֥א וַיֵּצֵ֥א (way·yê·ṣê, Qal of yâtsâʼ, H3318) — “and it came out,” the physical motion of the stone leaving the vessel. English “the lot came out for” is literal here, and worth keeping literal: the narrative reports a mechanism, and leaves the theology to be inferred.
הַשִּׁמְעֹנִ֜י הַשִּׁמְעֹנִ֜י (haš·šim·‘ō·nî, H8099) — the gentilic, “the Simeonite,” where BSB reads “Simeon.” The same variation appears with “the Kohathite” in this verse. Hebrew names the clan by its people, English by its ancestor.
שְׁלֹ֥שׁ עֶשְׂרֵֽה שְׁלֹ֥שׁ עֶשְׂרֵֽה (šə·lōš ‘eś·rêh, H7969 + H6240) — “three ten,” a compound numeral in the feminine, agreeing with the feminine ʻārîm. The chapter is built of these sums: 13 + 10 + 13 + 12, and the total is checked aloud in v. 41.

The remaining descendants of Kohath received ten cities by lot from the tribes of Ephraim, Dan, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

han·nō·w·ṯā·rîm wə·liḇ·nê qə·hāṯ ‘ā·śer ‘ā·rîm bag·gō·w·rāl mim·miš·pə·ḥōṯ maṭ·ṭêh- ’ep̄·ra·yim ḏān ū·mê·ḥă·ṣî maṭ·ṭêh ū·mim·maṭ·ṭêh- mə·naš·šeh

Word by word14 · parsed

הַנּוֹתָרִ֗יםhan·nō·w·ṯā·rîmThe remainingH3498

√ yâthar — to jut over or exceedArticleVerbNifalParticiplemasculine plural

yâthar — to jut over, to exceed, hence to be left (Nifal) The participle quietly divides Levi in two. The house of Aaron is taken; the rest of Kohath — the line of Moses among them — is left. Pulpit draws the sharp consequence: the descendants of Moses “merged in the undistinguished herd of the Levites generally.”

וְלִבְנֵ֨יwə·liḇ·nêdescendantsH1121

√ bên — a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etcConjunctive waw, Preposition-lNounmasculine plural construct

קְהָ֜תqə·hāṯof KohathH6955

√ Qᵉhâth — Kehath, an IsraeliteNounpropermasculine singular

Qᵉhâth — Kohath The clan that carried the ark and the holy vessels on the march (Cambridge, from Numbers 3:31; 4:6-15). Their reward in the land is proximity to where the vessels will finally rest.

עָֽשֶׂר׃ס‘ā·śerreceived tenH6235

√ ʻeser — ten (as an accumulation to the extent of the digits)Numberfeminine singular

עָרִ֥ים‘ā·rîmcitiesH5892

√ ʻîyr — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)Nounfeminine plural

בַּגּוֹרָ֖לbag·gō·w·rālby lotH1486

√ gôwrâl — properly, a pebble, iPreposition-b, ArticleNounmasculine singular

מִמִּשְׁפְּחֹ֣תmim·miš·pə·ḥōṯvvvH4940

√ mishpâchâh — a family, iPreposition-mNounfeminine plural construct

מַטֵּֽה־maṭ·ṭêh-from the tribesH4294

√ maṭṭeh — a branch (as extending)Nounmasculine singular construct

אֶ֠פְרַיִם’ep̄·ra·yimof EphraimH669

√ ʼEphrayim — Ephrajim, a son of JosephNounpropermasculine singular

דָ֞ןḏānDanH1835

√ Dân — Dan, one of the sons of JacobNounpropermasculine singular

וּמֵחֲצִ֨יū·mê·ḥă·ṣîandH2677

√ chêtsîy — the half or middleConjunctive waw, Preposition-mNounmasculine singular construct

chêtsîy — the half, the middle The eastern and western halves of Manasseh receive Levites separately (here, and at v. 27 with a different noun, machătsîyth, H4276). The Jordan divides the tribe; it does not divide the provision.

מַטֵּ֧הmaṭ·ṭêhthe half-tribeH4294

√ maṭṭeh — a branch (as extending)Nounmasculine singular construct

וּֽמִמַּטֵּה־ū·mim·maṭ·ṭêh-. . .H4294

√ maṭṭeh — a branch (as extending)Conjunctive waw, Preposition-mNounmasculine singular construct

מְנַשֶּׁ֛הmə·naš·šehof ManassehH4519

√ Mᵉnashsheh — Menashsheh, a grandson of Jacob, also the tribe descended from him, and its territoryNounpropermasculine singular

Literal — word-for-word from the original

And-for-the-sons-of Kohath, the-ones-left-over, from-the-clans-of the-tribe-of Ephraim and-from-the-tribe-of Dan and-from-half the-tribe-of Manasseh, by-lot, ten cities.

Where the English smooths the original

הַנּוֹתָרִ֗ים הַנּוֹתָרִ֗ים (han·nō·w·ṯā·rîm, Nifal participle of yâthar, H3498) — not “the remaining” in the sense of a leftover tally, but a passive participle: those who were left over, the ones not taken into the priesthood. The same word returns at vv. 20, 26, 34 and 40 to mark every non-priestly remainder in Levi.
וּמֵחֲצִ֨י וּמֵחֲצִ֨י (ū·mê·ḥă·ṣî, chêtsîy, H2677) — “and from the half of,” a construct noun, not the hyphenated English compound “half-tribe.” Manasseh is not a tribe-and-a-half in the Hebrew; it is one tribe cut in two by the Jordan, and Levi is quartered in both halves.
עָֽשֶׂר עָֽשֶׂר (‘ā·śer, H6235) — ten, “an accumulation to the extent of the digits.” Benson accounts for the drop from thirteen: “Fewer than they gave out of the three former tribes, because their inheritance was less than the former.” Barnes accounts for it from the other side, by the losses of Numbers 16.

The descendants of Gershon received thirteen cities by lot from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

wə·liḇ·nê ḡê·rə·šō·wn šə·lōš ‘eś·rêh ‘ā·rîm bag·gō·w·rāl mim·miš·pə·ḥō·wṯ maṭ·ṭêh- yiś·śā·š·ḵār ū·mim·maṭ·ṭêh- ’ā·šêr ū·mim·maṭ·ṭêh nap̄·tā·lî ū·mê·ḥă·ṣî maṭ·ṭêh mə·naš·šeh ḇab·bā·šān

Word by word17 · parsed

וְלִבְנֵ֣יwə·liḇ·nêThe descendantsH1121

גֵרְשׁ֗וֹןḡê·rə·šō·wnof GershonH1648

√ Gêrᵉshôwn — Gereshon or Gereshom, an IsraeliteNounpropermasculine singular

Gêrᵉshôwn — Gershon, eldest son of Levi Cambridge fixes his clan's wilderness station and duty: stationed west, behind the tabernacle, charged with its curtains, hangings and coverings (Numbers 3:21-26; 4:22-28). The tent-keepers now get the outer edges of the land.

שְׁלֹ֥שׁšə·lōšreceived thirteenH7969

√ shâlôwsh — threeNumberfeminine singular construct

עֶשְׂרֵֽה׃ס‘eś·rêh. . .H6240

√ ʻâsâr — ten (only in combination), iNumberfeminine singular

עָרִ֖ים‘ā·rîmcitiesH5892

√ ʻîyr — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)Nounfeminine plural

בַּגּוֹרָ֔לbag·gō·w·rālby lotH1486

√ gôwrâl — properly, a pebble, iPreposition-b, ArticleNounmasculine singular

מִמִּשְׁפְּח֣וֹתmim·miš·pə·ḥō·wṯvvvH4940

√ mishpâchâh — a family, iPreposition-mNounfeminine plural construct

מַטֵּֽה־maṭ·ṭêh-from the tribesH4294

√ maṭṭeh — a branch (as extending)Nounmasculine singular construct

יִשָּׂשכָ֣רyiś·śā·š·ḵārof IssacharH3485

√ Yissâˢkâr — Jissaskar, a son of JacobNounpropermasculine singular

וּמִמַּטֵּֽה־ū·mim·maṭ·ṭêh-H4294

√ maṭṭeh — a branch (as extending)Conjunctive waw, Preposition-mNounmasculine singular construct

אָ֠שֵׁר’ā·šêrAsherH836

√ ʼÂshêr — happyNounpropermasculine singular

וּמִמַּטֵּ֨הū·mim·maṭ·ṭêh. . .H4294

√ maṭṭeh — a branch (as extending)Conjunctive waw, Preposition-mNounmasculine singular construct

נַפְתָּלִ֜יnap̄·tā·lîNaphtaliH5321

√ Naphtâlîy — Naphtali, a son of Jacob, with the tribe descended from him, and its territoryNounpropermasculine singular

וּ֠מֵחֲצִיū·mê·ḥă·ṣîand the half-tribeH2677

√ chêtsîy — the half or middleConjunctive waw, Preposition-mNounmasculine singular construct

chêtsîy — half Manasseh appears twice in the Levitical lists, once in each half (v. 5, v. 27). The tribe most divided by geography carries Levites on both banks.

מַטֵּ֨הmaṭ·ṭêh. . .H4294

√ maṭṭeh — a branch (as extending)Nounmasculine singular construct

מְנַשֶּׁ֤הmə·naš·šehof ManassehH4519

√ Mᵉnashsheh — Menashsheh, a grandson of Jacob, also the tribe descended from him, and its territoryNounpropermasculine singular

בַבָּשָׁן֙ḇab·bā·šānin BashanH1316

√ Bâshân — Bashan (often with the article), a region East of the JordanPreposition-b, ArticleNounproperfeminine singular

Bâshân — Bashan, the region east of Jordan Golan in Bashan (v. 27) will be one of the three eastern cities of refuge. That the Gershonites hold the far north-east means the refuge network is manned at the frontier as well as the centre.

Literal — word-for-word from the original

And-for-the-sons-of Gershon, from-the-clans-of the-tribe-of Issachar and-from-the-tribe-of Asher and-from-the-tribe-of Naphtali and-from-half the-tribe-of Manasseh in-Bashan, by-lot, thirteen cities.

Where the English smooths the original

וְלִבְנֵ֣י וְלִבְנֵ֣י (wə·liḇ·nê, preposition l + bên, H1121) — “and to/for the sons of.” The lamed of allotment governs each clan in turn through vv. 5-7, so the paragraph reads as a ledger: to these, so many; to those, so many. BSB turns each entry into a sentence with “received,” which reads better and hides the ledger.
בַבָּשָׁן֙ בַבָּשָׁן֙ (ḇab·bā·šān, H1316) — Bashan takes the article in Hebrew, “the Bashan,” a region rather than a settlement. It is the far side of the Jordan and the old kingdom of Og; Gershon's thirteen reach from Issachar to that frontier.
שְׁלֹ֥שׁ עֶשְׂרֵֽה שְׁלֹ֥שׁ עֶשְׂרֵֽה — thirteen again, exactly the priests' number. Gill notes it without comment: “thirteen cities; as many as were given out of the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.” The equality is in the count, not in the ground: these thirteen lie in the north and across the river.

The Voices✦ 3 public domain

Keil & DelitzschBiblical Commentary on the Old Testament1860s

that the Levites were not the sole possessors of these towns, but simply received the number of dwelling-houses which they actually required, with meadow land for their cattle in the suburbs of the towns, whilst the rest of the space still belonged to the different tribes

K&D is answering Maurer's charge that the list is a late fabrication; the point that the Levites received only the houses they needed is his argument, and Cambridge and Pulpit both adopt it.

source ↗

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges—1880s

They had been entrusted with the heavier portions of the Tabernacle furniture, such as the boards, pillars, and bars

source ↗

John GillExposition of the Entire Bible1746–63

The descendants of Merari, the third son of Levi: had out of the tribe of Reuben, and out of the tribe of Gad; which were both on the other side Jordan: and out of the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities; in all forty eight, as the Lord commanded

source ↗

And the descendants of Merari received twelve cities from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

liḇ·nê mə·rā·rî šə·têm ‘eś·rêh ‘ā·rîm lə·miš·pə·ḥō·ṯām mim·maṭ·ṭêh rə·’ū·ḇên ū·mim·maṭ·ṭêh- ḡāḏ ū·mim·maṭ·ṭêh zə·ḇū·lun

Word by word12 · parsed

לִבְנֵ֨יliḇ·nê[And] the descendantsH1121

מְרָרִ֜יmə·rā·rîof MerariH4847

√ Mᵉrârîy — Merari, an IsraeliteNounpropermasculine singular

Mᵉrârîy — Merari Cambridge records the clan's wilderness charge: the boards, pillars and bars, the heavy timber of the tabernacle, hauled on the congregation's waggons (Numbers 7:1-9). The frame-bearers are scattered from Zebulun to Reuben.

שְׁתֵּ֥יםšə·têmreceived twelveH8147

√ shᵉnayim — twoNumberfd

shᵉnayim — two (dual) Twelve completes the arithmetic: 13 + 10 + 13 + 12 = 48, the number fixed in advance at Numbers 35:7, before a single city had been taken.

עֶשְׂרֵֽה׃‘eś·rêh. . .H6240

√ ʻâsâr — ten (only in combination), iNumberfeminine singular

עָרִ֖ים‘ā·rîmcitiesH5892

√ ʻîyr — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)Nounfeminine plural

לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֗םlə·miš·pə·ḥō·ṯāmvvvH4940

√ mishpâchâh — a family, iPreposition-lNounfeminine plural constructthird person masculine plural

mishpâchâh — a family, a clan The unit of Israelite land tenure. Because Levi holds no tribal block, the clan remains its only real corporate body, and the lists in vv. 9-40 are organised by clan rather than by border description — which is precisely why this chapter cannot be drawn as a map.

מִמַּטֵּ֨הmim·maṭ·ṭêhfrom the tribesH4294

√ maṭṭeh — a branch (as extending)Preposition-mNounmasculine singular construct

רְאוּבֵ֤ןrə·’ū·ḇênof ReubenH7205

√ Rᵉʼûwbên — Reuben, a son of JacobNounpropermasculine singular

וּמִמַּטֵּה־ū·mim·maṭ·ṭêh-. . .H4294

√ maṭṭeh — a branch (as extending)Conjunctive waw, Preposition-mNounmasculine singular construct

גָד֙ḡāḏGadH1410

√ Gâd — Gad, a son of Jacob, including his tribe and its territoryNounpropermasculine singular

וּמִמַּטֵּ֣הū·mim·maṭ·ṭêh. . .H4294

√ maṭṭeh — a branch (as extending)Conjunctive waw, Preposition-mNounmasculine singular construct

זְבוּלֻ֔ןzə·ḇū·lunand ZebulunH2074

√ Zᵉbûwlûwn — Zebulon, a son of JacobNounpropermasculine singular

Literal — word-for-word from the original

For-the-sons-of Merari by-their-clans, from-the-tribe-of Reuben and-from-the-tribe-of Gad and-from-the-tribe-of Zebulun, twelve cities.

Where the English smooths the original

לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֗ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֗ם (lə·miš·pə·ḥō·ṯām, mishpâchâh, H4940) — “according to their families,” a distributive lamed. It is not decoration: the allotment is not to Merari as a lump but to Merari clan by clan, which is why the total in v. 40 has to be restated.
שְׁתֵּ֥ים עֶשְׂרֵֽה שְׁתֵּ֥ים עֶשְׂרֵֽה (šə·têm ‘eś·rêh, H8147 + H6240) — “two ten.” Merari, the youngest line, takes the smallest share. Geneva marks the reason at v. 34: “they are here called the rest, because they are last numbered, and Merari was the younger brother.”
רְאוּבֵ֤ן ... גָד֙ ... זְבוּלֻ֔ן The three donor tribes are named without any geographical note, though two of them (Reuben, Gad) lie across the Jordan and one (Zebulun) in the far north. The Hebrew list is deliberately flat; only the Verifier's later detail and the commentators supply the map.

So the Israelites allotted to the Levites these cities, together with their pasturelands, as the LORD had commanded through Moses.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

ḇə·nê- yiś·rā·’êl way·yit·tə·nū bag·gō·w·rāl lal·wî·yim ’eṯ- hā·’êl·leh wə·’eṯ- he·‘ā·rîm miḡ·rə·šê·hen ka·’ă·šer Yah·weh ṣiw·wāh bə·yaḏ- mō·šeh

Word by word15 · parsed

בְנֵֽי־ḇə·nê-So the IsraelitesH1121

יִשְׂרָאֵל֙yiś·rā·’êl. . .H3478

√ Yisrâʼêl — Jisrael, a symbolical name of JacobNounpropermasculine singular

וַיִּתְּנ֤וּway·yit·tə·nūallottedH5414

√ nâthan — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etcConjunctive wawVerbQalConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine plural

בַּגּוֹרָֽל׃פbag·gō·w·rāl. . .H1486

√ gôwrâl — properly, a pebble, iPreposition-b, ArticleNounmasculine singular

gôwrâl — the lot Placed emphatically near the head of the clause. Between v. 2 and v. 8 the only new agent introduced is the lot, and it is the one agent no party controls.

לַלְוִיִּ֔םlal·wî·yimto the LevitesH3881

√ Lêvîyîy — a Levite or descendant of LeviPreposition-lNounpropermasculine plural

אֶת־’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker

הָאֵ֖לֶּהhā·’êl·lehtheseH428

√ ʼêl-leh — these or thoseArticlePronouncommon plural

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

הֶעָרִ֥יםhe·‘ā·rîmcitiesH5892

√ ʻîyr — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)ArticleNounfeminine plural

מִגְרְשֵׁיהֶ֑ןmiḡ·rə·šê·hentogether with their pasturelandsH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine plural

כַּאֲשֶׁ֨רka·’ă·šerasH834

√ ʼăsher — who, which, what, thatPreposition-kPronounrelative

יְהוָ֛הYah·wehthe LORDH3068

√ Yᵉhôvâh — Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodNounpropermasculine singular

צִוָּ֧הṣiw·wāhhad commandedH6680

√ tsâvâh — (intensively) to constitute, enjoinVerbPielPerfectthird person masculine singular

tsâvâh — to enjoin (Piel perfect) The verb that began the request now ends the report, forming an inclusio around vv. 2-8. Gill draws the practical consequence for Israel's own life: the Levites thus lay “intermixed with their cities; which fulfilled Jacob's prophecy, that they should be divided and scattered in Israel.”

בְּיַד־bə·yaḏ-throughH3027

√ yâd — a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etcPreposition-bNounfeminine singular construct

yâd — hand, as means Second occurrence of bᵉyad Mōšeh. Moses is dead; the command is not. The book's whole legal apparatus in these chapters runs through a hand that is no longer alive to enforce it.

מֹשֶׁ֖הmō·šehMosesH4872

√ Môsheh — Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiverNounpropermasculine singular

Literal — word-for-word from the original

And-the-sons-of Israel gave to-the-Levites these cities and their-pasture-lands by-the-lot, as YHWH had-commanded by-the-hand-of Moses.

Where the English smooths the original

בַּגּוֹרָֽל בַּגּוֹרָֽל (bag·gō·w·rāl, H1486 with b + article) — “by the lot.” BSB renders the whole clause “allotted,” folding the instrument into the verb. The Hebrew keeps them apart: men gave; the pebble assigned.
כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר ... צִוָּ֧ה ... בְּיַד־מֹשֶׁ֖ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר (ka·’ă·šer, H834) opens a clause that repeats v. 2 word for word — commanded, by the hand of, Moses. The paragraph is closed by the sentence it was opened with. What the Levites claimed in v. 2 is reported as executed in v. 8, and nothing is added in between but the counting.
וְאֶת־ וְאֶת־ (wə·’eṯ-, H853) — the untranslatable direct object marker, here doubled to govern “cities” and “pasture-lands” separately. English can only run them together with “together with.” The Hebrew grammar keeps the two grants formally distinct, which matters at v. 12, where the city goes one way and the field another.

The Voices✦ 3 public domain

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges—1880s

The list now given divides itself into two parts: ( a ) The nine cities which the sons of Aaron received in the country of Simeon and Judah

source ↗

Jamieson, Fausset & BrownCommentary Critical and Explanatory1871

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.

JFB's note is written over 21:9-42 as a block; the appeal to Rehoboam's schism (1 Kings 12) is his historical argument, not a statement of Joshua's text.

source ↗

Joseph BensonCommentary on the Old and New Testaments1810s

These are mentioned together, because the cities of Simeon lay within Judah’s portion.

source ↗

From the tribes of Judah and Simeon, they designated these cities by name

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

mim·maṭ·ṭêh bə·nê yə·hū·ḏāh ū·mim·maṭ·ṭêh bə·nê šim·‘ō·wn ’êṯ way·yit·tə·nū hā·’êl·leh ’ă·šer- yiq·rā ’eṯ·hen he·‘ā·rîm bə·šêm

Word by word14 · parsed

מִמַּטֵּה֙mim·maṭ·ṭêhFrom the tribesH4294

√ maṭṭeh — a branch (as extending)Preposition-mNounmasculine singular construct

maṭṭeh — branch, tribe With min again: each entry is something taken out of a tribe. Cambridge divides what follows into the nine cities in Simeon and Judah (vv. 9-16) and the four in Benjamin (vv. 17-19).

בְּנֵ֣יbə·nêvvvH1121

יְהוּדָ֔הyə·hū·ḏāhof JudahH3063

√ Yᵉhûwdâh — Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five IsraelitesNounpropermasculine singular

וּמִמַּטֵּ֖הū·mim·maṭ·ṭêh. . .H4294

√ maṭṭeh — a branch (as extending)Conjunctive waw, Preposition-mNounmasculine singular construct

בְּנֵ֣יbə·nê. . .H1121

שִׁמְע֑וֹןšim·‘ō·wnand SimeonH8095

√ Shimʻôwn — Shimon, one of Jacob's sons, also the tribe descended from himNounpropermasculine singular

אֵ֚ת’êṯH853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker

וַֽיִּתְּנ֗וּway·yit·tə·nūthey designatedH5414

√ nâthan — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etcConjunctive wawVerbQalConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine plural

הָאֵ֔לֶּהhā·’êl·lehtheseH428

√ ʼêl-leh — these or thoseArticlePronouncommon plural

אֲשֶׁר־’ă·šer-H834

√ ʼăsher — who, which, what, thatPronounrelative

יִקְרָ֥אyiq·rāH7121

√ qârâʼ — to call out to (iVerbQalImperfectthird person masculine singular

qârâʼ — to call out to, to name (Qal imperfect) The imperfect gives a durative or customary sense: these are the cities men go on calling by name. The whole of vv. 9-40 is the answer to this clause, and it is the reason the chapter is a list of names rather than a description of borders.

אֶתְהֶ֖ן’eṯ·henH853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object markerthird person feminine plural

הֶֽעָרִ֣יםhe·‘ā·rîmcitiesH5892

√ ʻîyr — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)ArticleNounfeminine plural

בְּשֵֽׁם׃bə·šêmby nameH8034

√ shêm — an appellation, as amark or memorial of individualityPreposition-bNounmasculine singular

shêm — an appellation, a mark or memorial of individuality A landless tribe's inheritance is recorded in names, not in boundary lines. Every other allotment chapter in Joshua traces a frontier; this one cannot, so it enumerates.

Literal — word-for-word from the original

And-they-gave from-the-tribe-of the-sons-of Judah and-from-the-tribe-of the-sons-of Simeon these cities, which one-calls them by-name.

Where the English smooths the original

יִקְרָ֥א ... בְּשֵֽׁם אֲשֶׁר־יִקְרָ֥א אֶתְהֶ֖ן בְּשֵֽׁם (qârâʼ, H7121, Qal imperfect 3ms + shêm, H8034) — literally “which one shall call them by name,” an impersonal imperfect. BSB's “they designated these cities by name” is smooth; the Hebrew is odder and better, since it makes the naming an ongoing public act. Shêm is “an appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality”: what follows is not a quantity of land but a roll of names.
מִמַּטֵּה֙ בְּנֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה מִמַּטֵּה֙ בְּנֵ֣י — “from the tribe of the sons of,” a double construct that the English drops to “from the tribes of.” Judah and Simeon are named together because, as Benson and Poole both note, Simeon's towns lay inside Judah's portion (Joshua 19:1).
אֵ֚ת אֵ֚ת (’êṯ, H853) — the object marker, standing alone before the relative clause. Hebrew marks the cities as a defined object before saying which they are; English cannot mark anything until the noun arrives.

to the descendants of Aaron from the Kohathite clans of the Levites, because the first lot fell to them:

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

way·hî liḇ·nê ’a·hă·rōn haq·qə·hā·ṯî mim·miš·pə·ḥō·wṯ mib·bə·nê lê·wî kî rî·šō·nāh hag·gō·w·rāl hā·yāh lā·hem

Word by word12 · parsed

וַֽיְהִי֙way·hîH1961

√ hâyâh — to exist, iConjunctive wawVerbQalConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine singular

לִבְנֵ֣יliḇ·nêto the descendantsH1121

אַהֲרֹ֔ן’a·hă·rōnof AaronH175

√ ʼAhărôwn — Aharon, the brother of MosesNounpropermasculine singular

הַקְּהָתִ֖יhaq·qə·hā·ṯîfrom the KohathiteH6956

√ Qŏhâthîy — a Kohathite (collectively) or descendants of KehathArticleNounpropermasculine singular

Qŏhâthîy — a Kohathite The gentilic singular used collectively. Cambridge: “The Kohathites held the first rank, as being the family to which Aaron belonged,” and the posterity of Moses were reckoned only as Levites alongside the rest.

מִמִּשְׁפְּח֥וֹתmim·miš·pə·ḥō·wṯclansH4940

√ mishpâchâh — a family, iPreposition-mNounfeminine plural construct

מִבְּנֵ֣יmib·bə·nêof the LevitesH1121

לֵוִ֑יlê·wî. . .H3878

√ Lêvîy — Levi, a son of JacobNounpropermasculine singular

כִּ֥יkîbecauseH3588

√ kîy — (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below)Conjunction

רִיאשֹׁנָֽה׃rî·šō·nāhthe firstH7223

√ riʼshôwn — first, in place, time or rank (as adjective or noun)Adjectivefeminine singular

riʼshôwn — first, in place, time or rank Rank, not chronology. Geneva puts the reason in a line: “For Aaron came from Kohath, and therefore the priests office remained in that family.” The first pebble out of the urn belongs to the house that serves at the altar.

הַגּוֹרָ֖לhag·gō·w·rāllotH1486

√ gôwrâl — properly, a pebble, iArticleNounmasculine singular

הָיָ֥הhā·yāhfellH1961

√ hâyâh — to exist, iVerbQalPerfectthird person masculine singular

hâyâh — to be, to come to pass The same colourless verb as v. 4 (way·hî), and the same event told twice from two angles: the lot came out, and the lot was theirs.

לָהֶ֛םlā·hemto them

Preposition-lPronounthird person masculine plural

Literal — word-for-word from the original

And-it-was for-the-sons-of Aaron, from-the-clans-of the-Kohathite from-the-sons-of Levi — for to-them was the-lot, the-first.

Where the English smooths the original

רִיאשֹׁנָֽה רִיאשֹׁנָֽה (rî·šō·nāh, riʼshôwn, H7223) — feminine adjective, “first in place, time or rank,” standing at the end of the clause for weight: “because to them was the lot, the first.” Pulpit denies that it means priority of birth — “Not because Kohath was the firstborn, for this Gershon appears to have been, but because to Aaron and his sons had the priesthood been reserved.”
הָיָ֥ה הָיָ֥ה (hā·yāh, H1961, Qal perfect) — “was,” where BSB reads “fell.” The English borrows the falling of the lot from elsewhere in Scripture; this verse only says the lot was theirs. Hebrew reports the result and leaves the mechanics to v. 4.
כִּ֥י כִּ֥י (kî, H3588) — the causal conjunction, “for / because.” It supplies the reason the priests' list is printed first of the forty-eight, and it is the only piece of explanation the narrator offers in the entire roll.

They gave them Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), with its surrounding pasturelands, in the hill country of Judah. (Arba was the father of Anak.)

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

way·yit·tə·nū lā·hem ’eṯ- qir·yaṯ ’ar·ba‘ hî ḥeḇ·rō·wn sə·ḇî·ḇō·ṯe·hā miḡ·rā·še·hā bə·har yə·hū·ḏāh wə·’eṯ- ’ă·ḇî hā·‘ă·nō·wq

Word by word14 · parsed

וַיִּתְּנ֨וּway·yit·tə·nūThey gaveH5414

√ nâthan — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etcConjunctive wawVerbQalConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine plural

לָהֶ֜םlā·hemthem

Preposition-lPronounthird person masculine plural

אֶת־’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker

קִרְיַת֩qir·yaṯvvvH7153

√ Qiryath ʼArbaʻ — Kirjath-Arba or Kirjath-ha-Arba, a place in Palestine

אַרְבַּ֨ע’ar·ba‘Kiriath-arbaH7153

√ Qiryath ʼArbaʻ — Kirjath-Arba or Kirjath-ha-Arba, a place in PalestineNounproperfeminine singular

Qiryath ʼArbaʻ — Kirjath-Arba Hebron under its Canaanite name. K&D: “In the tribe of Judah the priests received Kirjath-arba, or Hebron, with the necessary pasturage round about the town, whilst the field of the town with the villages belonging to it remained in the hands of Caleb.” Two titles to one place, held simultaneously and without conflict.

הִ֥יאhî(that isH1931

√ hûwʼ — he (she or it)Pronounthird person feminine singular

חֶבְר֖וֹןḥeḇ·rō·wnHebronH2275

√ Chebrôwn — Chebron, a place in Palestine, also the name of two IsraelitesNounpropermasculine singular

Chebrôwn — Hebron Abraham's burial ground, Caleb's prize, David's first capital, and now a priestly city and the southern city of refuge. No other name in the list carries so much.

סְבִיבֹתֶֽיהָ׃sə·ḇî·ḇō·ṯe·hāwith its surroundingH5439

√ çâbîyb — (as noun) a circle, neighbour, or environsAdverbthird person feminine singular

מִגְרָשֶׁ֖הָmiḡ·rā·še·hāpasturelandsH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

migrâsh — the open pasture round a town Here in its fullest form, miḡrāšehā sᵉḇîḇōṯehā, “her pasture, her surroundings” — the two thousand cubits of Numbers 35:5, which Gill specifies: “as far as two thousand cubits, which were to put their cattle in.”

בְּהַ֣רbə·harin the hill countryH2022

√ har — a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively)Preposition-bNounmasculine singular construct

יְהוּדָ֑הyə·hū·ḏāhof JudahH3063

√ Yᵉhûwdâh — Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five IsraelitesNounpropermasculine singular

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-. . .H854

√ ʼêth — properly, nearness (used only as a preposition or an adverb), nearConjunctive wawPreposition

אֲבִ֧י’ă·ḇîArba was the fatherH1

√ ʼâb — father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote applicationNounmasculine singular construct

הָֽעֲנ֛וֹקhā·‘ă·nō·wqof AnakH6061

√ ʻÂnâq — Anak, a CanaaniteArticleNounpropermasculine singular

ʻÂnâq — Anak, a Canaanite The giant stock that turned Israel back at Kadesh. Caleb took this city from them (Joshua 15:14); the priests now live in it. ⚙ The chapter records no comment on the reversal, and none is needed.

Literal — word-for-word from the original

And-they-gave to-them Kiriath-Arba — he the-father-of the-Anak — she is Hebron, in-the-hill-country-of Judah, and her-pasture-land round-about-her.

Where the English smooths the original

קִרְיַת֩ אַרְבַּ֨ע קִרְיַת֩ אַרְבַּ֨ע (Qiryath ʼArbaʻ, H7153) — “town of Arba,” and the parenthesis that follows says Arba was the father of the Anak. The old giant's name is left standing on the deed. BSB's brackets — “(Arba was the father of Anak.)” — tidy into a footnote what the Hebrew leaves embedded in the grant.
הָֽעֲנ֛וֹק הָֽעֲנ֛וֹק (hā·‘ă·nō·wq, H6061) — with the article, “the Anak.” Gill records Kimchi's view that “Anak, according to Kimchi, is not the name of a man, but a general name, comprehending the Anakims, a race of giants.” Either way, the priests' first and greatest city is named for the men Israel most feared (Numbers 13:33).
סְבִיבֹתֶֽיהָ סְבִיבֹתֶֽיהָ (sə·ḇî·ḇō·ṯe·hā, çâbîyb, H5439) — “her surroundings,” an adverbial noun with a feminine singular suffix: the city is “she,” and the pasture is hers. English “its surrounding pasturelands” loses the personification the Hebrew keeps for every one of the forty-eight.
בְּהַ֣ר בְּהַ֣ר (bə·har, har, H2022) — Pulpit is exact here: “The word in the original is הַר, mountain, the title which is consistently applied to the highlands of Palestine in the Bible, while our version translates indiscriminately by ‘mountain’ and ‘hill.’”

But they had given the fields and villages around the city to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his possession.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

wə·’eṯ- nā·ṯə·nū śə·ḏêh ḥă·ṣê·re·hā hā·‘îr wə·’eṯ- lə·ḵā·lêḇ ben- yə·p̄un·neh ba·’ă·ḥuz·zā·ṯōw

Word by word10 · parsed

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

נָֽתְנ֛וּnā·ṯə·nūBut they had givenH5414

√ nâthan — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etcVerbQalPerfectthird person common plural

שְׂדֵ֥הśə·ḏêhthe fieldsH7704

√ sâdeh — a field (as flat)Nounmasculine singular construct

sâdeh — a field, open country The dividing line of the whole chapter: city plus migrâsh to the Levite, sâdeh plus hamlets to the tribe. Poole says this one case is recorded “as one eminent instance, to show that it was so in all the rest of the cities here named.”

חֲצֵרֶ֑יהָḥă·ṣê·re·hāand villagesH2691

√ châtsêr — a yard (as inclosed by a fence)Nouncommon plural constructthird person feminine singular

הָעִ֖ירhā·‘îraround the cityH5892

√ ʻîyr — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)ArticleNounfeminine singular

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

לְכָלֵ֥בlə·ḵā·lêḇto CalebH3612

√ Kâlêb — Caleb, the name of three IsraelitesPreposition-lNounpropermasculine singular

Kâlêb — Caleb Benson reads the placement pastorally: the record that even Caleb yielded his city “would make the rest of the Israelites more cheerfully resign part of their possessions to the Levites.”

בֶּן־ben-sonH1121

יְפֻנֶּ֖הyə·p̄un·nehof JephunnehH3312

√ Yᵉphunneh — Jephunneh, the name of two IsraelitesNounpropermasculine singular

בַּאֲחֻזָּתֽוֹ׃סba·’ă·ḥuz·zā·ṯōwas his possessionH272

√ ʼăchuzzâh — something seized, iPreposition-bNounfeminine singular constructthird person masculine singular

ʼăchuzzâh — something seized, a holding A stronger word than nachălâh. Caleb's title came by promise and by conquest at eighty-five (Joshua 14:12), and it is not diminished by the priests moving into his town.

Literal — word-for-word from the original

And the-field-of the-city and her-villages they-had-given to-Caleb son-of-Jephunneh as-his-holding.

Where the English smooths the original

שְׂדֵ֥ה שְׂדֵ֥ה (śə·ḏêh, sâdeh, H7704, “a field, as flat”) — a construct singular, not the plural “fields” of BSB. Pulpit presses the point: “We are not necessarily, therefore, to suppose that the land was mapped out into divisions analogous to our fields. Our word ‘land’ would more accurately represent the meaning.”
חֲצֵרֶ֑יהָ חֲצֵרֶ֑יהָ (ḥă·ṣê·re·hā, châtsêr, H2691) — “a yard as enclosed by a fence,” hence the unwalled hamlets attached to a walled town. BSB's “villages” is right; the noun keeps the sense of an enclosure without defences, which is exactly what the Levites are not given.
בַּאֲחֻזָּתֽוֹ בַּאֲחֻזָּתֽוֹ (ba·’ă·ḥuz·zā·ṯōw, ʼăchuzzâh, H272) — from a root meaning “to seize”: something seized and held. Caleb holds by ʼăchuzzâh; the Levites hold cities by grant. The same noun returns at v. 41 for the whole national possession inside which the Levites are placed.
נָֽתְנ֛וּ נָֽתְנ֛וּ (nā·ṯə·nū, Qal perfect, not the consecutive imperfect of vv. 3, 8, 11) — the shift of tense marks a pluperfect: “but they had given.” BSB catches it. The verse is a parenthesis clarifying a prior transaction, not a new one.

So to the descendants of Aaron the priest they gave these cities, together with their pasturelands: Hebron, a city of refuge for the manslayer, Libnah,

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

wə·liḇ·nê ’a·hă·rōn hak·kō·hên nā·ṯə·nū ’eṯ- wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā ḥeḇ·rō·wn ‘îr miq·laṭ hā·rō·ṣê·aḥ ’eṯ- wə·’eṯ- liḇ·nāh wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā

Word by word16 · parsed

וְלִבְנֵ֣י׀wə·liḇ·nêSo to the descendantsH1121

אַהֲרֹ֣ן’a·hă·rōnof AaronH175

√ ʼAhărôwn — Aharon, the brother of MosesNounpropermasculine singular

הַכֹּהֵ֗ןhak·kō·hênthe priestH3548

√ kôhên — literally one officiating, a priestArticleNounmasculine singular

נָֽתְנוּ֙nā·ṯə·nūthey gaveH5414

√ nâthan — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etcVerbQalPerfectthird person common plural

אֶת־’eṯ-[these cities]H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-together withH853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶׁ֑הָmiḡ·rā·še·hātheir pasturelandsH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

חֶבְר֖וֹןḥeḇ·rō·wnHebronH2275

√ Chebrôwn — Chebron, a place in Palestine, also the name of two IsraelitesNounproperfeminine singular

Chebrôwn — Hebron Repeated from v. 11 because v. 12 interrupted; K&D notes that “Joshua 21:13 contains a repetition of Joshua 21:11, occasioned by the parenthetical remark in Joshua 21:12.”

עִיר֙‘îra cityH5892

√ ʻîyr — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)Nounfeminine singular construct

מִקְלַ֣טmiq·laṭof refugeH4733

√ miqlâṭ — an asylum (as a receptacle)Nounmasculine singular construct

miqlâṭ — an asylum, a receptacle A word used in the Hebrew Bible only of these towns. The institution is not sanctuary in general but a defined receptacle for one defined person, and its whole staff is Levitical: the man with blood on him lives among priests until the high priest dies (Numbers 35:25).

הָרֹצֵ֔חַhā·rō·ṣê·aḥfor the manslayerH7523

√ râtsach — properly, to dash in pieces, iArticleVerbQalParticiplemasculine singular

râtsach — properly, to dash in pieces; to slay The Qal participle covers both the murderer and the man who killed by accident; Joshua 20 exists to sort them. Gill keeps the distinction: refuge for one “that had slain a person unawares, and without design.”

אֶת־’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

לִבְנָ֖הliḇ·nāhLibnahH3841

√ Libnâh — Libnah, a place in the Desert and one in PalestineNounproperfeminine singular

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶֽׁהָ׃miḡ·rā·še·hāH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

Literal — word-for-word from the original

And-to-the-sons-of Aaron the-priest they-gave the-city-of-refuge-of the-slayer — Hebron and her-pasture-land — and Libnah and her-pasture-land;

Where the English smooths the original

עִיר֙ מִקְלַ֣ט עִיר֙ מִקְלַ֣ט (‘îr miq·laṭ, miqlâṭ, H4733) — “an asylum, as a receptacle.” Pulpit corrects the English article: “Rather, the city of refuge for the slayer, Hebron and her cattle drives … The translation in our version obscures the meaning, which is clearly that the cities of refuge were first fixed on, and then assigned to the Levites.”
הָרֹצֵ֔חַ הָרֹצֵ֔חַ (hā·rō·ṣê·aḥ, Qal participle of râtsach, H7523) — “the one dashing in pieces,” a participle with the article: not “a manslayer” in the abstract but the killer, a standing legal category. The word is the same verb as in the sixth commandment; the law does not soften its name for the man it shelters.
וְאֶת־ ... וְאֶת־ The verse runs on a chain of object markers with no verb repeated, so the Hebrew reads as a docket: [city] and [her pasture], [city] and [her pasture]. BSB inserts “together with their pasturelands” once and lists the towns; the Hebrew pairs each town with its ring of land, thirty-odd times over, and the monotony is the legal form.

Jattir, Eshtemoa,

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

wə·’eṯ- yat·tir wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā wə·’eṯ- ’eš·tə·mō·a‘ wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā

Word by word8 · parsed

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

יַתִּר֙yat·tirJattirH3492

√ Yattîyr — Jattir, a place in PalestineNounproperfeminine singular

Yattîyr — Jattir One of the hill towns of Judah (Joshua 15:48); Ellicott identifies the site as ‘Attir. David later sends spoil to Jattir among the places “where David himself and his men were wont to haunt” (1 Samuel 30:27-31) — a priestly town on his fugitive circuit.

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶׁ֔הָmiḡ·rā·še·hāH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

migrâsh — pasture ground Function word in this verse: the refrain, not an argument.

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

אֶשְׁתְּמֹ֖עַ’eš·tə·mō·a‘EshtemoaH851

√ ʼEshtᵉmôaʻ — Eshtemoa or Eshtemoh, a place in PalestineNounproperfeminine singular

ʼEshtᵉmôaʻ — Eshtemoa Joshua 15:50; Ellicott gives Es Semû‘a. It too appears on David's list in 1 Samuel 30. K&D groups it with Holon and Debir as towns “on the mountains of Judah.”

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶֽׁהָ׃miḡ·rā·še·hāH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

Literal — word-for-word from the original

and Jattir and her-pasture-land, and Eshtemoa and her-pasture-land;

Where the English smooths the original

וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁ֔הָ וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁ֔הָ — the refrain, four times in two verses. The suffix is feminine singular (“her pasture”) while the noun migrâsh is plural in form: the open ground is plural, the city it belongs to is one. English levels this to “their pasturelands” and loses the pairing.
יַתִּר֙ / אֶשְׁתְּמֹ֖עַ יַתִּר֙ (H3492) and אֶשְׁתְּמֹ֖עַ (H851) are both feminine proper nouns in Hebrew — towns take feminine gender. The English proper names are genderless, so the concord that runs through every line of the list (“she,” “her”) is invisible in translation.
אֶת־ The verse has no verb at all. It depends entirely on nāṯᵉnū back in v. 13, carried forward by object markers alone. Every English version must supply a verb or a dash; the Hebrew simply keeps listing objects of a giving that was stated once.

Holon, Debir,

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

wə·’eṯ- ḥō·lōn wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā wə·’eṯ- də·ḇir wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā

Word by word8 · parsed

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

חֹלֹן֙ḥō·lōnHolonH2473

√ Chôlôwn — Cholon, the name of two places in PalestineNounproperfeminine singular

Chôlôwn — Holon One of only three canonical occurrences, which is what makes the Verifier's link to Jeremiah 48:21 a hard one: the same rare name turns up there in an oracle against Moab, alongside Jahaz and Mephaath from vv. 36-37 of this chapter.

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶׁ֔הָmiḡ·rā·še·hāH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

דְּבִ֖רdə·ḇirDebirH1688

√ Dᵉbîyr — Debir, the name of an Amoritish king and of two places in PalestineNounproperfeminine singular

Dᵉbîyr — Debir Distinguished by K&D from the other Debirs by cross-reference to Joshua 15:15, 49 and 10:38; Ellicott identifies it with Edh-Dhâherîyeh, south-west of Hebron, and marks the identification as probable rather than certain.

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶֽׁהָ׃miḡ·rā·še·hāH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

Literal — word-for-word from the original

and Holon and her-pasture-land, and Debir and her-pasture-land;

Where the English smooths the original

חֹלֹן֙ חֹלֹן֙ (ḥō·lōn, H2473) — a rare name, standing in only three verses of the canon. 1 Chronicles 6:58 reads Hilen. Poole takes the variation as ordinary linguistic drift: “the names of the places being changed by length of time, and upon special occasions, as was frequent among the Jews.”
דְּבִ֖ר דְּבִ֖ר (də·ḇir, H1688) — Debir, once Kirjath-sepher, taken by Othniel (Joshua 15:15-17). Its bare listing here says nothing of that; the roll flattens a conquest narrative into an entry.
וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶֽׁהָ The refrain again, closing each pair. ⚙ The literary effect of the repetition is worth naming: the chapter refuses to rank its towns. Debir, where a war was fought, and Holon, of which nothing else is known, receive identical formulae.

Ain, Juttah, and Beth-shemesh—nine cities from these two tribes, together with their pasturelands.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

wə·’eṯ- ‘a·yin wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā wə·’eṯ- yuṭ·ṭāh wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā ’eṯ- bêṯ še·meš tê·ša‘ ‘ā·rîm mê·’êṯ hā·’êl·leh šə·nê haš·šə·ḇā·ṭîm wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā

Word by word19 · parsed

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

עַ֣יִן‘a·yinAinH5871

√ ʻAyin — Ajin, the name (thus simply) of two places in PalestineNounproperfeminine singular

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶׁ֗הָmiḡ·rā·še·hāH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

יֻטָּה֙yuṭ·ṭāhJuttahH3194

√ Yuṭṭâh — Juttah (or Jutah), a place in PalestineNounproperfeminine singular

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶׁ֔הָmiḡ·rā·še·hāH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

אֶת־’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker

בֵּ֥יתbêṯvvvH1053

√ Bêyth Shemesh — Beth-Shemesh, a place in PalestinePreposition

שֶׁ֖מֶשׁše·mešand Beth-shemeshH1053

√ Bêyth Shemesh — Beth-Shemesh, a place in PalestineNounproperfeminine singular

Bêyth Shemesh — house of the sun The town to which the Philistines send the returning ark (1 Samuel 6), where the men of the place look into it and are struck. That it is a priestly city on this list sharpens that story: the offence happened where the ark should have been best known.

תֵּ֔שַׁעtê·ša‘nineH8672

√ têshaʻ — nine or (ordinal) ninthNumberfeminine singular

têshaʻ — nine The first subtotal of the roll. Nine from Judah and Simeon, four from Benjamin (v. 18), thirteen for the priests (v. 19). The text audits itself at every stage.

עָרִ֣ים‘ā·rîmcitiesH5892

√ ʻîyr — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)Nounfeminine plural

מֵאֵ֕תmê·’êṯfromH854

√ ʼêth — properly, nearness (used only as a preposition or an adverb), nearPreposition-mDirect object marker

הָאֵֽלֶּה׃פhā·’êl·lehtheseH428

√ ʼêl-leh — these or thoseArticlePronouncommon plural

שְׁנֵ֥יšə·nêtwoH8147

√ shᵉnayim — twoNumbermasculine dual construct

הַשְּׁבָטִ֖יםhaš·šə·ḇā·ṭîmtribesH7626

√ shêbeṭ — a scion, iArticleNounmasculine plural

shêbeṭ — a scion, a rod, hence a tribe A lexical variant used only here in the chapter; the interchange with maṭṭeh is standard Hebrew usage and carries no separate theological weight, but it is a real feature of the text that translation erases.

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-together withH853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶׁ֑הָmiḡ·rā·še·hātheir pasturelandsH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

Literal — word-for-word from the original

and Ain and her-pasture-land, and Juttah and her-pasture-land, Beth-shemesh and her-pasture-land: nine cities from-with these two tribes.

Where the English smooths the original

עַ֣יִן עַ֣יִן (‘a·yin, H5871) — “Ain,” which is also the ordinary Hebrew word for a spring or an eye. K&D and Pulpit both judge it a corruption: “Ain, for which we should read Ashan (1 Chronicles 6:44)” — the one town in this group drawn from Simeon rather than Judah.
מֵאֵ֕ת מֵאֵ֕ת (mê·’êṯ, H854) — a compound preposition, “from with,” stronger than the simple min used elsewhere in the chapter. The nine are taken from alongside these two tribes, as it were out of their household.
הַשְּׁבָטִ֖ים הַשְּׁבָטִ֖ים (haš·šə·ḇā·ṭîm, shêbeṭ, H7626) — “the tribes,” but a different word from the maṭṭeh used everywhere else in this chapter. Shêbeṭ is a scion or rod, maṭṭeh a branch or staff; the two are near-synonyms for “tribe,” and the switch here is invisible in English.
בֵּ֥ית שֶׁ֖מֶשׁ בֵּ֥ית שֶׁ֖מֶשׁ (H1053) — “house of the sun.” Gill notes the name's likely origin: “in it formerly was a temple dedicated to the sun, from whence it had its name.” A priestly city keeps the name of a solar shrine.

And from the tribe of Benjamin they gave them Gibeon, Geba,

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

ū·mim·maṭ·ṭêh ḇin·yā·min ’eṯ- giḇ·‘ō·wn wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā ’eṯ- ge·ḇa‘ wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā

Word by word10 · parsed

וּמִמַּטֵּ֣הū·mim·maṭ·ṭêhAnd from the tribeH4294

√ maṭṭeh — a branch (as extending)Conjunctive waw, Preposition-mNounmasculine singular construct

maṭṭeh — tribe Function word: the donor formula, resumed for the second half of the priests' allotment.

בִנְיָמִ֔ןḇin·yā·minof Benjamin they gaveH1144

√ Binyâmîyn — Binjamin, youngest son of JacobNounpropermasculine singular

אֶת־’eṯ-themH853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker

גִּבְע֖וֹןgiḇ·‘ō·wnGibeonH1391

√ Gibʻôwn — Gibon, a place in PalestineNounproperfeminine singular

Gibʻôwn — Gibeon Its inclusion is the chapter's quietest surprise. The men whose forced service was to supply the altar (Joshua 9:27) now live in a town belonging to the priests who serve it. ⚙ The text draws no moral; the juxtaposition is left in the list.

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶׁ֑הָmiḡ·rā·še·hāH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

אֶת־’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker

גֶּ֖בַעge·ḇa‘GebaH1387

√ Gebaʻ — Geba, a place in PalestineNounproperfeminine singular

Gebaʻ — Geba A frontier town of Benjamin, later a fixed point of the northern border of Judah (“from Geba to Beersheba,” 2 Kings 23:8). Its priestly status persisted long enough to matter to that formula.

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶֽׁהָ׃miḡ·rā·še·hāH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

Literal — word-for-word from the original

And-from-the-tribe-of Benjamin: Gibeon and her-pasture-land, Geba and her-pasture-land;

Where the English smooths the original

וּמִמַּטֵּ֣ה בִנְיָמִ֔ן וּמִמַּטֵּ֣ה בִנְיָמִ֔ן — “and from the tribe of Benjamin,” with no verb. BSB supplies “they gave them” to make an English sentence; the Hebrew continues the single act of giving stated back in v. 13, so that vv. 13-18 are grammatically one long clause.
גִּבְע֖וֹן גִּבְע֖וֹן (giḇ·‘ō·wn, H1391) — Gibeon, the city whose people tricked Joshua into a treaty and were sentenced to be hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of God (Joshua 9). It is now a priestly city. The Hebrew records the name without comment; only the reader who remembers chapter 9 feels the weight.
גֶּ֖בַע גֶּ֖בַע (ge·ḇa‘, H1387) — Geba, distinct from Gibeah and from Gibeon despite the shared consonantal root for “hill.” Pulpit notes at v. 18 the geographical exactness with which Isaiah later names Geba and Anathoth together on the Assyrian line of march (Isaiah 10:29-30).

Anathoth, and Almon—four cities, together with their pasturelands.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

’eṯ- ‘ă·nā·ṯō·wṯ wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā wə·’eṯ- ‘al·mō·wn ’ar·ba‘ ‘ā·rîm wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā

Word by word10 · parsed

אֶת־’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker

עֲנָתוֹת֙‘ă·nā·ṯō·wṯAnathothH6068

√ ʻĂnâthôwth — Anathoth, the name of two Israelites, also of a place in PalNounproperfeminine singular

ʻĂnâthôwth — Anathoth The single most consequential name on the priestly list. Abiathar is banished here by Solomon (1 Kings 2:26), ending Eli's house in the priesthood; Jeremiah is born here (Jeremiah 1:1) and buys a field here as a prophetic sign of return (Jeremiah 32:7-9). Cambridge records both. ⚙ A line of this chapter's allotment therefore underwrites two of the Old Testament's turning points.

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶׁ֔הָmiḡ·rā·še·hāH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

עַלְמ֖וֹן‘al·mō·wnand AlmonH5960

√ ʻAlmôwn — Almon, a place in PalestineNounproperfeminine singular

ʻAbdôwn / ʻAlmôwn — Almon Ellicott gives ’Almit, about a mile north-east of Anathoth (so Cambridge). Unlisted in Joshua 18, like Anathoth: K&D flags both as “missing in the list of the towns of Benjamin.”

אַרְבַּֽע׃’ar·ba‘fourH702

√ ʼarbaʻ — fourNumberfeminine singular

ʼarbaʻ — four Function word: the subtotal for Benjamin. Nine (v. 16) plus four gives the thirteen declared in v. 19.

עָרִ֖ים‘ā·rîmcitiesH5892

√ ʻîyr — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)Nounfeminine plural

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-together withH853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶׁ֑הָmiḡ·rā·še·hātheir pasturelandsH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

Literal — word-for-word from the original

Anathoth and her-pasture-land, and Almon and her-pasture-land: four cities.

Where the English smooths the original

עֲנָתוֹת֙ עֲנָתוֹת֙ (‘ă·nā·ṯō·wṯ, H6068) — Anathoth, a plural form. It is not listed among Benjamin's towns in Joshua 18, a gap K&D notes without resolving. Pulpit: “The birthplace of Jeremiah, where we find that Anathoth was still a priestly city.”
עַלְמ֖וֹן עַלְמ֖וֹן (‘al·mō·wn, H5960) — Almon, called Alemeth at 1 Chronicles 6:60. Gill notes that Jarchi and Kimchi identify it with Bahurim, and that “both words signify the same thing, ‘youth.’” The variant is the sort this list produces constantly.
אַרְבַּֽע אַרְבַּֽע (’ar·ba‘, H702) — “four,” standing after the two names with no conjunction, as a bare subtotal. The same bare numeral closes vv. 22, 24, 29, 31, 35, 37 and 39. The English em-dash construction (“—four cities”) is an attempt to render a grammatical silence.

In all, thirteen cities, together with their pasturelands, were given to the priests, the descendants of Aaron.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

kāl- šə·lōš- ‘eś·rêh ‘ā·rîm ‘ā·rê ū·miḡ·rə·šê·hen hak·kō·hă·nîm ḇə·nê- ’a·hă·rōn

Word by word9 · parsed

כָּל־kāl-In allH3605

√ kôl — properly, the wholeNounmasculine singular construct

kôl — the whole Function word, but the chapter's habit of totalling is not incidental: it is the same habit that produces the verdict of v. 45.

שְׁלֹשׁ־šə·lōš-thirteenH7969

√ shâlôwsh — threeNumberfeminine singular construct

shâlôwsh + ʻâsâr — thirteen The number fixed in v. 4 before any city was named, now confirmed by enumeration. Gill checks the arithmetic out loud: “and just so many are mentioned by name.”

עֶשְׂרֵ֥ה‘eś·rêh. . .H6240

√ ʻâsâr — ten (only in combination), iNumberfeminine singular

עָרִ֖ים‘ā·rîmcitiesH5892

√ ʻîyr — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)Nounfeminine plural

עָרֵ֥י‘ā·rêH5892

√ ʻîyr — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)Nounfeminine plural construct

וּמִגְרְשֵׁיהֶֽן׃סū·miḡ·rə·šê·hentogether with their pasturelandsH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iConjunctive wawNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine plural

הַכֹּֽהֲנִ֑יםhak·kō·hă·nîm[were given] to the priestsH3548

√ kôhên — literally one officiating, a priestArticleNounmasculine plural

kôhên — literally one officiating, a priest The distinction this verse seals: of Levi's forty-eight towns, thirteen are priestly and thirty-five merely Levitical. Every one of the thirteen lies in Judah, Simeon or Benjamin, which is the fact Barnes, Ellicott, JFB, Pulpit and K&D all treat as providential foresight of the temple site.

בְנֵֽי־ḇə·nê-the descendantsH1121

אַהֲרֹ֖ן’a·hă·rōnof AaronH175

√ ʼAhărôwn — Aharon, the brother of MosesNounpropermasculine singular

Literal — word-for-word from the original

All the-cities of-the-sons-of Aaron, the-priests: thirteen cities and their-pasture-lands.

Where the English smooths the original

כָּל־ כָּל־ (kāl-, H3605, “properly, the whole”) — the audit word. It opens vv. 19, 26, 33, 39, 40 and 41, and in vv. 43-45 it will be used of the whole land, all the enemies, and all the good word. The same particle counts cities and measures promises.
הַכֹּֽהֲנִ֑ים הַכֹּֽהֲנִ֑ים (hak·kō·hă·nîm, kôhên, H3548) — plural, “the priests,” glossed by Strong as “literally one officiating.” Here for the first time the sub-list is closed under the title rather than under the ancestor: not “sons of Aaron” alone but “the priests, sons of Aaron.” Thirteen of the forty-eight belong to the men who officiate.
וּמִגְרְשֵׁיהֶֽן וּמִגְרְשֵׁיהֶֽן — the suffix shifts here to feminine plural, “their pastures,” because the subject is now the whole set of thirteen cities rather than one city. Throughout the list the suffix has been singular (“her pasture”); the totals verses change it. English cannot show the difference.

The remaining Kohathite clans of the Levites were allotted these cities: From the tribe of Ephraim

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

han·nō·w·ṯā·rîm mib·bə·nê qə·hāṯ ū·lə·miš·pə·ḥō·wṯ qə·hāṯ bə·nê- hal·wî·yim ḡō·w·rā·lām way·hî ‘ā·rê mim·maṭ·ṭêh ’ep̄·rā·yim

Word by word12 · parsed

הַנּוֹתָרִ֖יםhan·nō·w·ṯā·rîmThe remainingH3498

√ yâthar — to jut over or exceedArticleVerbNifalParticiplemasculine plural

yâthar — to be left over (Nifal participle) Fourth use of the participle for a Levitical remainder (vv. 5, 20, 26, 34, 40). ⚙ The chapter's structure is built on subtraction: from Levi take the priests; from Kohath take Aaron; from Levi take Kohath and Gershon; what is left is Merari.

מִבְּנֵ֣יmib·bə·nê. . .H1121

קְהָ֑תqə·hāṯKohathiteH6955

√ Qᵉhâth — Kehath, an IsraeliteNounpropermasculine singular

וּלְמִשְׁפְּח֤וֹתū·lə·miš·pə·ḥō·wṯclansH4940

√ mishpâchâh — a family, iConjunctive waw, Preposition-lNounfeminine plural construct

קְהָת֙qə·hāṯH6955

√ Qᵉhâth — Kehath, an IsraeliteNounpropermasculine singular

בְּנֵֽי־bə·nê-H1121

הַלְוִיִּ֔םhal·wî·yimof the LevitesH3881

√ Lêvîyîy — a Levite or descendant of LeviArticleNounpropermasculine plural

גֽוֹרָלָ֔םḡō·w·rā·lāmwere allottedH1486

√ gôwrâl — properly, a pebble, iNounmasculine singular constructthird person masculine plural

gôwrâl — a pebble, a lot Used here as a possessive noun, “their lot,” exactly as in v. 40 of Merari. The lot is spoken of as a thing owned, not merely an event undergone.

וַֽיְהִי֙way·hî. . .H1961

√ hâyâh — to exist, iConjunctive wawVerbQalConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine singular

עָרֵ֣י‘ā·rêthese citiesH5892

√ ʻîyr — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)Nounfeminine plural construct

מִמַּטֵּ֖הmim·maṭ·ṭêhFrom the tribeH4294

√ maṭṭeh — a branch (as extending)Preposition-mNounmasculine singular construct

maṭṭeh — tribe Ellicott reads the pairing as honour matched to honour: “the most honoured among the families of the Levites (after the house of Aaron) is grouped with the tribe next in honour after Judah.”

אֶפְרָֽיִם׃’ep̄·rā·yimof EphraimH669

√ ʼEphrayim — Ephrajim, a son of JosephNounpropermasculine singular

Literal — word-for-word from the original

And-for-the-clans-of the-sons-of Kohath, the-Levites, the-ones-left-over of-the-sons-of Kohath — and-the-cities-of their-lot were from-the-tribe-of Ephraim.

Where the English smooths the original

הַנּוֹתָרִ֖ים הַנּוֹתָרִ֖ים (Nifal participle of yâthar, H3498) — “those left over,” as in v. 5. Benson glosses it with two words: “Over and above those who were priests.” Geneva is blunter still: “That were not priests.” The whole rest of the chapter is about the remainder.
גֽוֹרָלָ֔ם גֽוֹרָלָ֔ם (ḡō·w·rā·lām, gôwrâl + 3mp suffix) — “their lot,” the pebble used as a metonym for what it assigned. BSB's “were allotted these cities” turns the noun into a passive verb. The Hebrew keeps the object: the cities of their lot.
בְּנֵֽי־הַלְוִיִּ֔ם The verse stacks four appositions — clans of the sons of Kohath, the Levites, the ones left over, of the sons of Kohath — before it says anything. The redundancy is legal drafting, identifying the grantee beyond dispute, and English style forces most of it out.

they were given Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim (a city of refuge for the manslayer), Gezer,

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

way·yit·tə·nū lā·hem ’eṯ- šə·ḵem wə·’eṯ- bə·har ’ep̄·rā·yim ‘îr miq·laṭ hā·rō·ṣê·aḥ ’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā wə·’eṯ- ge·zer wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā

Word by word16 · parsed

וַיִּתְּנ֨וּway·yit·tə·nūthey were givenH5414

√ nâthan — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etcConjunctive wawVerbQalConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine plural

לָהֶ֜םlā·hem

Prepositionthird person masculine plural

אֶת־’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker

שְׁכֶ֥םšə·ḵemShechemH7927

√ Shᵉkem — Shekem, a place in PalestineNounproperfeminine singular

Shᵉkem — Shechem Ellicott compares Solomon's confinement of Shimei to Jerusalem on pain of death (1 Kings 2:36-46) as a later application of the same principle — a city that holds a man alive by holding him in.

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

בְּהַ֣רbə·harin the hill countryH2022

√ har — a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively)Preposition-bNounmasculine singular construct

אֶפְרָ֑יִם’ep̄·rā·yimof EphraimH669

√ ʼEphrayim — Ephrajim, a son of JosephNounpropermasculine singular

עִ֨יר‘îra cityH5892

√ ʻîyr — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)Nounfeminine singular construct

מִקְלַ֧טmiq·laṭof refugeH4733

√ miqlâṭ — an asylum (as a receptacle)Nounmasculine singular construct

miqlâṭ — asylum Second of the five refuge cities named in this chapter, and the central one geographically. Geneva tracks the custody: “Hebron and Shechem were the two cities of refuge under the Kohathites.”

הָרֹצֵ֛חַhā·rō·ṣê·aḥfor the manslayerH7523

√ râtsach — properly, to dash in pieces, iArticleVerbQalParticiplemasculine singular

אֶת־’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker

מִגְרָשֶׁ֖הָmiḡ·rā·še·hāH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

גֶּ֖זֶרge·zerGezerH1507

√ Gezer — Gezer, a place in PalestineNounproperfeminine singular

Gezer — Gezer Still Canaanite in Joshua 16:10 and not taken until Pharaoh gives it to Solomon's bride (1 Kings 9:16). Its presence here is the strongest textual argument for Barnes's position that “several of the cities here enumerated were only wrested from the Canaanites at a later date.”

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶֽׁהָ׃miḡ·rā·še·hāH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

Literal — word-for-word from the original

And-they-gave to-them the-city-of-refuge-of the-slayer, Shechem, in-the-hill-country-of Ephraim, and her-pasture-land; and Gezer and her-pasture-land;

Where the English smooths the original

שְׁכֶ֥ם שְׁכֶ֥ם (šə·ḵem, H7927) — Shechem, where Joseph's bones are buried and where Joshua will hold the covenant assembly of chapter 24. Ellicott notes the civic logic: “The metropolis of Israel for the time being is made a city of refuge; and there is an obvious convenience in this.”
בְּהַ֣ר אֶפְרָ֑יִם בְּהַ֣ר אֶפְרָ֑יִם — “in the mountain of Ephraim,” the same har Pulpit insisted on at v. 11. Gill takes the elevation as functional: the refuge city, “being on a mountain, was the more conspicuous, and the fitter for this purpose.” A sanctuary has to be visible from the road.
גֶּ֖זֶר גֶּ֖זֶר (ge·zer, H1507) — Gezer, of which Gill notes flatly that it was “a place from whence the Canaanites were not expelled” (Joshua 16:10). ⚙ A Levitical city on paper that remained in enemy hands: the clearest single case where the list records a grant rather than a possession.

Kibzaim, and Beth-horon—four cities, together with their pasturelands.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

wə·’eṯ- qiḇ·ṣa·yim wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā wə·’eṯ- bêṯ ḥō·w·rōn ’ar·ba‘ ‘ā·rîm wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā

Word by word11 · parsed

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

קִבְצַ֙יִם֙qiḇ·ṣa·yimKibzaimH6911

√ Qibtsayim — Kibtsajim, a place in PalestineNounproperfeminine singular

Qibtsayim — Kibzaim Unidentified. K&D admits it “has not yet been discovered,” and the parallel list reads Jokmeam. ⚙ Recorded here as a gap, not filled: one of the forty-eight cities of Israel's priesthood cannot be located.

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶׁ֔הָmiḡ·rā·še·hāH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

בֵּ֥יתbêṯvvvH1032

√ Bêyth Chôwrôwn — Beth-Choron, the name of two adjoining places in PalestinePreposition

חוֹרֹ֖ןḥō·w·rōnand Beth-horonH1032

√ Bêyth Chôwrôwn — Beth-Choron, the name of two adjoining places in PalestineNounproperfeminine singular

Bêyth Chôwrôwn — Beth-horon The pass where the LORD cast down great stones and the sun stood still (Joshua 10:10-11). The battle road becomes Levitical ground.

אַרְבַּֽע׃ס’ar·ba‘fourH702

√ ʼarbaʻ — fourNumberfeminine singular

ʼarbaʻ — four Function word: Ephraim's subtotal.

עָרִ֖ים‘ā·rîmcitiesH5892

√ ʻîyr — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)Nounfeminine plural

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-together withH853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶׁ֑הָmiḡ·rā·še·hātheir pasturelandsH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

Literal — word-for-word from the original

and Kibzaim and her-pasture-land, and Beth-horon and her-pasture-land: four cities.

Where the English smooths the original

קִבְצַ֙יִם֙ קִבְצַ֙יִם֙ (qiḇ·ṣa·yim, H6911) — a dual form. Gill: “Which seems to, be the same with Jokneam, 1 Chronicles 6:68; of it we read nowhere else.” K&D is more careful, calling Jokmeam “possibly a different name for the same place, which has not yet been discovered.” Barnes suggests the two names derive from roots of similar meaning.
בֵּ֥ית חוֹרֹ֖ן בֵּ֥ית חוֹרֹ֖ן (H1032) — “house of the hollow,” and the name of two adjoining places, Upper and Lower. K&D notes that the text does not say which. Gill decides for the upper. The list's own indifference to the distinction is itself data about how it was compiled.
אַרְבַּֽע The subtotal closes Ephraim's contribution: Shechem, Gezer, Kibzaim, Beth-horon. Four again, as in v. 18 and v. 24; the chapter falls into fours and multiples of four throughout, which is the pattern Pulpit's citation of Bähr fastens on at v. 3.

From the tribe of Dan they were given Elteke, Gibbethon,

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

ū·mim·maṭ·ṭêh- ḏān ’eṯ- ’el·tə·qê wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā ’eṯ- gib·bə·ṯō·wn wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā

Word by word10 · parsed

וּמִמַּ֨טֵּה־ū·mim·maṭ·ṭêh-From the tribeH4294

√ maṭṭeh — a branch (as extending)Conjunctive waw, Preposition-mNounmasculine singular construct

דָ֔ןḏānof Dan [they were given]H1835

√ Dân — Dan, one of the sons of JacobNounpropermasculine singular

Dân — Dan Function word in the donor formula; the tribe's later failure is not in view here.

אֶֽת־’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker

אֶלְתְּקֵ֖א’el·tə·qêEltekeH514

√ ʼEltᵉqêʼ — Eltekeh or Elteke, a place in PalestineNounproperfeminine singular

ʼEltᵉqêʼ — Elteke Two canonical occurrences. The Verifier's link to Joshua 19:44 rests on this rarity together with Gibbethon's, and is as hard a verbal identification as this chapter affords.

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶׁ֑הָmiḡ·rā·še·hāH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

אֶֽת־’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker

גִּבְּת֖וֹןgib·bə·ṯō·wnGibbethonH1405

√ Gibbᵉthôwn — Gibbethon, a place in PalestineNounproperfeminine singular

Gibbᵉthôwn — Gibbethon K&D notes it is one of the six names omitted from the parallel list in 1 Chronicles 6 — so the town is both rare in the canon and missing from the chapter's own closest witness.

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶֽׁהָ׃miḡ·rā·še·hāH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

Literal — word-for-word from the original

And-from-the-tribe-of Dan: Elteke and her-pasture-land, Gibbethon and her-pasture-land;

Where the English smooths the original

אֶלְתְּקֵ֖א אֶלְתְּקֵ֖א (’el·tə·qê, H514) — Elteke, a name standing in only two verses of the whole canon, both of them Joshua (here and 19:44). Its rarity is what makes the verbal tie to the Danite allotment certain rather than probable.
גִּבְּת֖וֹן גִּבְּת֖וֹן (gib·bə·ṯō·wn, H1405) — Gibbethon, in five verses. It later belongs to the Philistines and is besieged twice by the northern kingdom (1 Kings 15:27; 16:15-17). ⚙ A second Levitical city that Israel demonstrably does not hold in the period of the kings.
וּמִמַּ֨טֵּה־דָ֔ן The donor formula, but with a tribe that will shortly migrate north because it could not hold its coastal lot (Joshua 19:47; Judges 18). Both cities given here lie in the territory Dan loses. The Hebrew states the grant without qualification; the qualification is supplied by the rest of the canon.

Aijalon, and Gath-rimmon—four cities, together with their pasturelands.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

’eṯ- ’ay·yā·lō·wn wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā ’eṯ- gaṯ- rim·mō·wn ’ar·ba‘ ‘ā·rîm wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā

Word by word11 · parsed

אֶת־’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker

אַיָּלוֹן֙’ay·yā·lō·wnAijalonH357

√ ʼAyâlôwn — Ajalon, the name of five places in PalestineNounproperfeminine singular

ʼAyâlôwn — Aijalon The valley of Joshua 10:12, later a Benjamite stronghold (1 Chronicles 8:13) and one of Rehoboam's fortified cities (2 Chronicles 11:10). ⚙ Its assignment to Levites here is one more case of a place heavy with history entered as a bare name.

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶׁ֔הָmiḡ·rā·še·hāH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

אֶת־’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker

גַּת־gaṯ-vvvH1667

√ Gath-Rimmôwn — Gath-Rimmon, a place in Palestine

רִמּ֖וֹןrim·mō·wnand Gath-rimmonH1667

√ Gath-Rimmôwn — Gath-Rimmon, a place in PalestineNounproperfeminine singular

Gath-Rimmôwn — Gath-rimmon Genuine in this verse; almost certainly intrusive in the next. The two occurrences side by side are the textual crux of the chapter's middle section.

אַרְבַּֽע׃ס’ar·ba‘fourH702

√ ʼarbaʻ — fourNumberfeminine singular

ʼarbaʻ — four Function word: Dan's subtotal.

עָרִ֖ים‘ā·rîmcitiesH5892

√ ʻîyr — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)Nounfeminine plural

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-together withH853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶׁ֑הָmiḡ·rā·še·hātheir pasturelandsH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

Literal — word-for-word from the original

Aijalon and her-pasture-land, Gath-rimmon and her-pasture-land: four cities.

Where the English smooths the original

אַיָּלוֹן֙ אַיָּלוֹן֙ (’ay·yā·lō·wn, H357) — Aijalon, named in Strong as “the name of five places in Palestine.” Cambridge sends the reader to Joshua 10:12: this is the valley over which the moon stood still. The list gives no hint of it.
גַּת־רִמּ֖וֹן גַּת־רִמּ֖וֹן (H1667) — “winepress of the pomegranate.” The same name appears again in the very next verse for a Manassite town, which Pulpit, Barnes and K&D all judge a copyist's repetition. Here, in Dan, it is undisputed.
אֶת־ ... וְאֶת־ Four object markers govern four items with a single elided verb. ⚙ The English convention of the em-dash and the tally (“—four cities, together with their pasturelands”) is a modern typographic solution to a Hebrew syntax that simply keeps appending.

And from the half-tribe of Manasseh they were given Taanach and Gath-rimmon—two cities, together with their pasturelands.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

ū·mim·ma·ḥă·ṣîṯ maṭ·ṭêh mə·naš·šeh ’eṯ- ta‘·naḵ wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā wə·’eṯ- gaṯ- rim·mō·wn šə·tā·yim ‘ā·rîm wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā

Word by word14 · parsed

וּמִֽמַּחֲצִית֙ū·mim·ma·ḥă·ṣîṯAnd from the half-tribeH4276

√ machătsîyth — a halving or the middleConjunctive waw, Preposition-mNounfeminine singular construct

machătsîyth — a halving, the middle Lexical variation with chêtsîy, of no separate doctrinal weight, but a genuine feature of the Hebrew the English cannot show.

מַטֵּ֣הmaṭ·ṭêh. . .H4294

√ maṭṭeh — a branch (as extending)Nounmasculine singular construct

מְנַשֶּׁ֔הmə·naš·šehof Manasseh [they were given]H4519

√ Mᵉnashsheh — Menashsheh, a grandson of Jacob, also the tribe descended from him, and its territoryNounpropermasculine singular

אֶת־’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker

תַּעְנַךְ֙ta‘·naḵTaanachH8590

√ Taʻănâk — Taanak or Tanak, a place in PalestineNounproperfeminine singular

Taʻănâk — Taanach A city Israel failed to clear (Judges 1:27) handed to Levites here. It stands with Gezer (v. 21) as evidence that the allotment ran ahead of the occupation.

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶׁ֔הָmiḡ·rā·še·hāH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-andH853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

גַּת־gaṯ-vvvH1667

√ Gath-Rimmôwn — Gath-Rimmon, a place in Palestine

רִמּ֖וֹןrim·mō·wnGath-rimmonH1667

√ Gath-Rimmôwn — Gath-Rimmon, a place in PalestineNounproperfeminine singular

Gath-Rimmôwn — Gath-rimmon The chapter's clearest textual corruption, and the commentators are unanimous. ⚙ It is worth recording plainly that a sacred list which the narrator audits twice (vv. 26, 41) nevertheless carries a dittograph in the received Hebrew; the arithmetic survives the copying, the name does not.

שְׁתָּֽיִם׃šə·tā·yimtwoH8147

√ shᵉnayim — twoNumberfd

עָרִ֖ים‘ā·rîmcitiesH5892

√ ʻîyr — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)Nounfeminine plural

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-together withH853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶׁ֑הָmiḡ·rā·še·hātheir pasturelandsH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

Literal — word-for-word from the original

And-from-the-half-part-of the-tribe-of Manasseh: Taanach and her-pasture-land, and Gath-rimmon and her-pasture-land: two cities.

Where the English smooths the original

וּמִֽמַּחֲצִית֙ וּמִֽמַּחֲצִית֙ (ū·mim·ma·ḥă·ṣîṯ, machătsîyth, H4276) — a different word for “half” from the chêtsîy (H2677) used at vv. 5, 6 and 27. Machătsîyth is “a halving,” the act or fraction; chêtsîy the half or middle. English has one word for both, and the alternation vanishes.
גַּת־רִמּ֖וֹן גַּת־רִמּ֖וֹן — repeated verbatim from v. 24. Pulpit: “There is a blunder also here, where Gath-rimmon has crept in by the mistake of a copyist from the last verse. The true reading is preserved in 1 Chronicles 6:70,” which reads Bileam, i.e. Ibleam (Joshua 17:11). Barnes and K&D concur.
תַּעְנַךְ֙ תַּעְנַךְ֙ (ta‘·naḵ, H8590) — Taanach, a Canaanite royal city (Joshua 12:21) that Manasseh could not drive out (Judges 1:27) and beside whose waters Deborah's enemies fought (Judges 5:19). 1 Chronicles 6:70 has Aner, which Pulpit shows to be a scribal error of Resh for Heth.
שְׁתָּֽיִם שְׁתָּֽיִם (šə·tā·yim, H8147) — “two,” the feminine dual numeral used as a subtotal. Gill explains the small figure: “two more were given out of the other half tribe on the other side Jordan,” balancing Manasseh's two halves at two cities each.

In all, ten cities, together with their pasturelands, were given to the rest of the Kohathite clans.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

kāl- ‘e·śer ‘ā·rîm ū·miḡ·rə·šê·hen han·nō·w·ṯā·rîm qə·hāṯ lə·miš·pə·ḥō·wṯ bə·nê-

Word by word8 · parsed

כָּל־kāl-In allH3605

√ kôl — properly, the wholeNounmasculine singular construct

עֶ֖שֶׂר‘e·śertenH6235

√ ʻeser — ten (as an accumulation to the extent of the digits)Numberfeminine singular

ʻeser — ten, an accumulation to the extent of the digits The second subtotal. Barnes explains the smaller share from the losses of Korah's rebellion: two Kohathite families seem to have disappeared entirely between Numbers 3:27 and Numbers 26:57.

עָרִ֥ים‘ā·rîmcitiesH5892

√ ʻîyr — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)Nounfeminine plural

וּמִגְרְשֵׁיהֶ֑ןū·miḡ·rə·šê·hentogether with their pasturelandsH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iConjunctive wawNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine plural

הַנּוֹתָרִֽים׃סhan·nō·w·ṯā·rîm[were given] to the restH3498

√ yâthar — to jut over or exceedArticleVerbNifalParticiplemasculine plural

yâthar — left over (Nifal participle) Closing word of the section, and the structural hinge into Gershon's list at v. 27.

קְהָ֖תqə·hāṯof the KohathiteH6955

√ Qᵉhâth — Kehath, an IsraeliteNounpropermasculine singular

Qᵉhâth — Kohath The clan is now fully accounted for: thirteen priestly cities (v. 19) and ten Levitical (v. 26), twenty-three of the forty-eight.

לְמִשְׁפְּח֥וֹתlə·miš·pə·ḥō·wṯclansH4940

√ mishpâchâh — a family, iPreposition-lNounfeminine plural construct

בְּנֵֽי־bə·nê-H1121

Literal — word-for-word from the original

All the-cities ten and-their-pasture-lands, for-the-clans-of the-sons-of Kohath, the-ones-left-over.

Where the English smooths the original

עֶ֖שֶׂר עֶ֖שֶׂר (‘e·śer, H6235) — “ten,” matching the figure announced in v. 5 before any name was read. Four from Ephraim, four from Dan, two from western Manasseh. K&D closes the section with the same audit: “Thus they received ten towns in all.”
הַנּוֹתָרִֽים הַנּוֹתָרִֽים — the participle placed last in the clause, so that the paragraph ends on the word “left over.” Gill: “who were of the other branch of the Kohathites, and who did not descend from Aaron, and were only Levites, and not priests.” The remainder is defined by what it is not.
וּמִגְרְשֵׁיהֶ֑ן Feminine plural suffix again, as in the other totalling verses (19, 33, 41). The switch from “her pasture” to “their pastures” is the Hebrew's own signal that a subtotal has arrived.

This is what the Levite clans of the Gershonites were given: From the half-tribe of Manasseh they were given Golan in Bashan, a city of refuge for the manslayer, and Beeshterah—two cities, together with their pasturelands.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

hal·wî·yim mim·miš·pə·ḥōṯ wə·liḇ·nê ḡê·rə·šō·wn mê·ḥă·ṣî maṭ·ṭêh mə·naš·šeh ’eṯ- gå̄·lōn bab·bā·šān ‘îr miq·laṭ hā·rō·ṣê·aḥ ’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā wə·’eṯ- wə·’eṯ- bə·‘eš·tə·rāh šə·tā·yim ‘ā·rîm wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā

Word by word22 · parsed

הַלְוִיִּם֒hal·wî·yim[This is what] the LeviteH3881

√ Lêvîyîy — a Levite or descendant of LeviArticleNounpropermasculine plural

מִמִּשְׁפְּחֹ֣תmim·miš·pə·ḥōṯclansH4940

√ mishpâchâh — a family, iPreposition-mNounfeminine plural construct

וְלִבְנֵ֣יwə·liḇ·nêvvvH1121

גֵרְשׁוֹן֮ḡê·rə·šō·wnof the Gershonites [were given]H1648

√ Gêrᵉshôwn — Gereshon or Gereshom, an IsraeliteNounpropermasculine singular

Gêrᵉshôwn — Gershon The eldest son's line, provided for third. Their thirteen begin at the far north-east and run west to Asher.

מֵחֲצִ֞יmê·ḥă·ṣîFrom the half-tribeH2677

√ chêtsîy — the half or middlePreposition-mNounmasculine singular construct

מַטֵּ֣הmaṭ·ṭêh. . .H4294

√ maṭṭeh — a branch (as extending)Nounmasculine singular construct

מְנַשֶּׁ֗הmə·naš·šehof ManassehH4519

√ Mᵉnashsheh — Menashsheh, a grandson of Jacob, also the tribe descended from him, and its territoryNounpropermasculine singular

אֶת־’eṯ-[they were given]H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker

גָּלוֹןgå̄·lōnGolanH1474

√ Gôwlân — Golan, a place east of the JordanNounproperfeminine singular

בַּבָּשָׁן֙bab·bā·šānin BashanH1316

√ Bâshân — Bashan (often with the article), a region East of the JordanPreposition-b, ArticleNounproperfeminine singular

עִיר֙‘îra cityH5892

√ ʻîyr — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)Nounfeminine singular construct

מִקְלַ֣טmiq·laṭof refugeH4733

√ miqlâṭ — an asylum (as a receptacle)Nounmasculine singular construct

miqlâṭ — asylum Third refuge city, the first on the east bank. The three eastern cities (Golan, Ramoth, Bezer) were designated by Moses himself (Deuteronomy 4:43), before the Jordan was crossed.

הָרֹצֵ֔חַhā·rō·ṣê·aḥfor the manslayerH7523

√ râtsach — properly, to dash in pieces, iArticleVerbQalParticiplemasculine singular

אֶת־’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker

מִגְרָשֶׁ֔הָmiḡ·rā·še·hāH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

וְאֶֽת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

בְּעֶשְׁתְּרָ֖הbə·‘eš·tə·rāhand BeeshterahH1203

√ Bᵉʻeshtᵉrâh — Beeshterah, a place East of the JordanNounproperfeminine singular

Bᵉʻeshtᵉrâh — Beeshterah, house of Ashtoreth ⚙ Of all the forty-eight names, this is the one that most plainly registers what the allotment is doing: a town named for a Canaanite goddess is handed to the tribe whose whole office is the worship of YHWH, and the Hebrew records no renaming. K&D spends most of his note refusing two proposed identifications (Busra, Kul‘at Bustra) on geographical grounds, leaving the site open.

שְׁתָּֽיִם׃סšə·tā·yimtwoH8147

√ shᵉnayim — twoNumberfd

עָרִ֖ים‘ā·rîmcitiesH5892

√ ʻîyr — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)Nounfeminine plural

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-together withH853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶׁ֑הָmiḡ·rā·še·hātheir pasturelandsH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

Literal — word-for-word from the original

And-for-the-sons-of Gershon, of-the-clans-of the-Levites: from-the-half-of the-tribe-of Manasseh, the-city-of-refuge-of the-slayer, Golan in-Bashan and her-pasture-land, and Beeshterah and her-pasture-land: two cities.

Where the English smooths the original

גָּלוֹן גָּלוֹן (gå̄·lōn, Gôwlân, H1474) — Golan, the eastern refuge city, named already at Joshua 20:8 and Deuteronomy 4:43. The vocalisation here in the interlinear differs from the usual Gôlān; the consonants are the same and the identification is not in doubt.
בְּעֶשְׁתְּרָ֖ה בְּעֶשְׁתְּרָ֖ה (bə·‘eš·tə·rāh, H1203) — Beeshterah, which Barnes, Cambridge, Gill, Pulpit and K&D all read as a contraction of Beth-Ashterah, “house of Ashtoreth,” and identify with Og's Ashtaroth (1 Chronicles 6:71). Gill: “but now become a city of the Levites.” The temple town of a goddess becomes a Levitical residence, and the name is not changed.
מֵחֲצִ֞י מֵחֲצִ֞י (mê·ḥă·ṣî, H2677) — “from the half of,” the eastern half this time, across the Jordan. Geneva marks the pairing of refuge cities by clan: “Golan and Kedesh were the cities of refuge under the Gershonites.”
עִיר֙ מִקְלַ֣ט הָרֹצֵ֔חַ The refuge formula again, verbatim as at vv. 13, 21, 32, 38. Its fixity is itself a datum: five times the list breaks its own rhythm with exactly the same four words, and the sixth (Bezer, v. 36) is missing in the Hebrew and supplied by the LXX.

From the tribe of Issachar they were given Kishion, Daberath,

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

ū·mim·maṭ·ṭêh yiś·śā·š·ḵār ’eṯ- qiš·yō·wn wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā ’eṯ- dā·ḇə·raṯ wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā

Word by word10 · parsed

וּמִמַּטֵּ֣הū·mim·maṭ·ṭêhFrom the tribeH4294

√ maṭṭeh — a branch (as extending)Conjunctive waw, Preposition-mNounmasculine singular construct

יִשָּׂשכָ֔רyiś·śā·š·ḵārof Issachar [they were given]H3485

√ Yissâˢkâr — Jissaskar, a son of JacobNounpropermasculine singular

Yissâˢkâr — Issachar Function word in the donor formula.

אֶת־’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker

קִשְׁי֖וֹןqiš·yō·wnKishionH7191

√ Qishyôwn — Kishjon, a place in PalestineNounproperfeminine singular

Qishyôwn — Kishion One of the names where the Chronicler's list diverges outright (Kedesh, 1 Chronicles 6:72). K&D judges the Chronicles reading faulty; Cambridge simply equates Kishon with the Kishion of Joshua 19:20.

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶׁ֑הָmiḡ·rā·še·hāH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

אֶת־’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker

דָּֽבְרַ֖תdā·ḇə·raṯDaberathH1705

√ Dăbrath — Daberath, a place in PalestineNounproperfeminine singular

Dăbrath — Daberath A frontier town between Issachar and Zebulun. Its allotment to Levites puts a priestly household on a tribal boundary, which is the pattern JFB notices for the whole list.

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶֽׁהָ׃miḡ·rā·še·hāH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

Literal — word-for-word from the original

And-from-the-tribe-of Issachar: Kishion and her-pasture-land, Daberath and her-pasture-land;

Where the English smooths the original

קִשְׁי֖וֹן קִשְׁי֖וֹן (qiš·yō·wn, H7191) — Kishion, spelled Kishion at Joshua 19:20 and read Kedesh at 1 Chronicles 6:72, which K&D lists among the Chronicler's “faulty readings.” Gill connects the name with the river Kishon; the connection is his conjecture, marked as such by “probably.”
דָּֽבְרַ֖ת דָּֽבְרַ֖ת (dā·ḇə·raṯ, H1705) — Daberath, on the border of Zebulun at the foot of Tabor (Joshua 19:12). The older English versions print “Dabareh,” which is simply the Hebrew with a paragogic vowel misread.
וּמִמַּטֵּ֣ה The donor formula opens Gershon's western allotment. From here to v. 31 the chapter runs its most regular stretch: tribe, two cities, two cities, subtotal — four each from Issachar and Asher, with no textual dispute except the parallel list's variants.

Jarmuth, and En-gannim—four cities, together with their pasturelands.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

’eṯ- yar·mūṯ wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā ’eṯ- ‘ên gan·nîm ’ar·ba‘ ‘ā·rîm wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā

Word by word11 · parsed

אֶת־’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker

יַרְמוּת֙yar·mūṯJarmuthH3412

√ Yarmûwth — Jarmuth, the name of two places in PalestineNounproperfeminine singular

Yarmûwth — Jarmuth One town under three names across the witnesses (Jarmuth here, Remeth in Joshua 19:21, Ramoth in 1 Chronicles 6:73). The variation is ordinary in a list this old and is one reason K&D treats the Chronicles version as an independent document rather than a copy.

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶׁ֔הָmiḡ·rā·še·hāH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

אֶת־’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker

עֵ֥ין‘ênvvvH5873

√ ʻÊyn Gannîym — En-Gannim, a place in Palestine

גַּנִּ֖יםgan·nîmand En-gannimH5873

√ ʻÊyn Gannîym — En-Gannim, a place in PalestineNounproperfeminine singular

ʻÊyn Gannîym — En-gannim, spring of gardens Named among Issachar's towns at Joshua 19:21. Water and gardens are exactly what a tribe holding only pasture would value in a grant.

אַרְבַּֽע׃ס’ar·ba‘fourH702

√ ʼarbaʻ — fourNumberfeminine singular

ʼarbaʻ — four Function word: Issachar's subtotal.

עָרִ֖ים‘ā·rîmcitiesH5892

√ ʻîyr — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)Nounfeminine plural

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-together withH853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶׁ֑הָmiḡ·rā·še·hātheir pasturelandsH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

Literal — word-for-word from the original

Jarmuth and her-pasture-land, En-gannim and her-pasture-land: four cities.

Where the English smooths the original

יַרְמוּת֙ יַרְמוּת֙ (yar·mūṯ, H3412) — “the name of two places in Palestine,” and this is not the Jarmuth of the southern coalition (Joshua 10:3). K&D equates it with Remeth (Joshua 19:21); 1 Chronicles 6:73 has Ramoth. Three names for one town.
עֵ֥ין גַּנִּ֖ים עֵ֥ין גַּנִּ֖ים (H5873) — “spring of gardens,” a compound name, printed by BSB as the single word En-gannim. 1 Chronicles 6:73 reads Anem, a contraction. The Hebrew name describes the place; the transliteration only labels it.
אַרְבַּֽע The subtotal for Issachar. ⚙ Note what the chapter never records: nothing about who lived in these towns before, whether they were taken, or whether the Levites in fact moved in. The form is a deed, not a chronicle.

From the tribe of Asher they were given Mishal, Abdon,

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

ū·mim·maṭ·ṭêh ’ā·šêr ’eṯ- miš·’āl wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā ’eṯ- ‘aḇ·dō·wn wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā

Word by word10 · parsed

וּמִמַּטֵּ֣הū·mim·maṭ·ṭêhFrom the tribeH4294

√ maṭṭeh — a branch (as extending)Conjunctive waw, Preposition-mNounmasculine singular construct

אָשֵׁ֔ר’ā·šêrof Asher they were givenH836

√ ʼÂshêr — happyNounpropermasculine singular

ʼÂshêr — Asher, “happy” Function word in the donor formula.

אֶת־’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker

מִשְׁאָ֖לmiš·’ālMishalH4861

√ Mishʼâl — Mishal, a place in PalestineNounproperfeminine singular

Mishʼâl — Mishal A case where the variation is orthographic rather than substantive; the identification with Joshua 19:26 is secure on all the witnesses.

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶׁ֑הָmiḡ·rā·še·hāH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

אֶת־’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker

עַבְדּ֖וֹן‘aḇ·dō·wnAbdonH5658

√ ʻAbdôwn — Abdon, the name of a place in Palestine and of four IsraelitesNounproperfeminine singular

ʻAbdôwn — Abdon Absent from Asher's own town list, and probably to be read there as Hebron (Joshua 19:28). ⚙ The Levitical list repeatedly preserves names the tribal lists do not, which is itself an argument for its independence as a document.

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶֽׁהָ׃miḡ·rā·še·hāH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

Literal — word-for-word from the original

And-from-the-tribe-of Asher: Mishal and her-pasture-land, Abdon and her-pasture-land;

Where the English smooths the original

מִשְׁאָ֖ל מִשְׁאָ֖ל (miš·’āl, H4861) — Mishal, written Misheal at Joshua 19:26 and Mashal at 1 Chronicles 6:74. Three spellings of one name inside the canon; Gill and K&D both list all three without preferring one.
עַבְדּ֖וֹן עַבְדּ֖וֹן (‘aḇ·dō·wn, H5658) — Abdon, which Gill notes is “not mentioned among the cities of Asher, unless the same with Hebron, Joshua 19:28.” Cambridge makes the equation outright. The Hebrew letters Daleth and Resh are easily confused, which is the likely mechanism.
וּמִמַּטֵּ֣ה אָשֵׁ֔ר Asher, whose name means “happy,” contributes four. The list gives no indication that Asher failed to drive out the coastal Canaanites (Judges 1:31-32), though it names towns in the very region concerned.

Helkath, and Rehob—four cities, together with their pasturelands.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

’eṯ- ḥel·qāṯ wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā wə·’eṯ- rə·ḥōḇ ’ar·ba‘ ‘ā·rîm wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā

Word by word10 · parsed

אֶת־’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker

חֶלְקָת֙ḥel·qāṯHelkathH2520

√ Chelqath — Chelkath, a place in PalestineNounproperfeminine singular

Chelqath — Helkath Listed among Asher's towns at Joshua 19:25. The Chronicles variant (Hukok) is one of the readings K&D classes as faulty rather than alternative.

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶׁ֔הָmiḡ·rā·še·hāH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

רְחֹ֖בrə·ḥōḇand RehobH7340

√ Rᵉchôb — Rechob, the name of a place in Syria, also of a Syrian and an IsraeliteNounproperfeminine singular

Rᵉchôb — Rehob Ambiguous between two Asherite towns of the same name. The list does not disambiguate, and no commentator in this brief attempts to.

אַרְבַּֽע׃ס’ar·ba‘fourH702

√ ʼarbaʻ — fourNumberfeminine singular

ʼarbaʻ — four Function word: Asher's subtotal.

עָרִ֖ים‘ā·rîmcitiesH5892

√ ʻîyr — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)Nounfeminine plural

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-together withH853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶׁ֑הָmiḡ·rā·še·hātheir pasturelandsH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

Literal — word-for-word from the original

Helkath and her-pasture-land, and Rehob and her-pasture-land: four cities.

Where the English smooths the original

חֶלְקָת֙ חֶלְקָת֙ (ḥel·qāṯ, H2520) — Helkath, from a root for a portion or allotted share. 1 Chronicles 6:75 reads Hukok, which K&D judges “probably a copyist's error.” ⚙ That a town whose name means “portion” should belong to the tribe with no portion is a coincidence of the lexicon, not a claim of the text.
רְחֹ֖ב רְחֹ֖ב (rə·ḥōḇ, H7340) — Rehob, “the name of a place in Syria, also of a Syrian and an Israelite.” Asher has two Rehobs in Joshua 19:28, 30; which is meant here is not stated and cannot be recovered.
אַרְבַּֽע Asher's subtotal. With Issachar's four (v. 29) and Manasseh's two (v. 27), Gershon stands at ten before Naphtali's three complete the thirteen of v. 33.

And from the tribe of Naphtali they were given Kedesh in Galilee (a city of refuge for the manslayer), Hammoth-dor, and Kartan—three cities, together with their pasturelands.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

ū·mim·maṭ·ṭêh nap̄·tā·lî ’eṯ- qe·ḏeš bag·gā·lîl wə·’eṯ- ‘îr miq·laṭ hā·rō·ṣê·aḥ ’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā wə·’eṯ- ḥam·mōṯ dōr wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā wə·’eṯ- qar·tān šā·lōš ‘ā·rîm wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā

Word by word22 · parsed

וּמִמַּטֵּ֨הū·mim·maṭ·ṭêhAnd from the tribeH4294

√ maṭṭeh — a branch (as extending)Conjunctive waw, Preposition-mNounmasculine singular construct

נַפְתָּלִ֜יnap̄·tā·lîof Naphtali [they were given]H5321

√ Naphtâlîy — Naphtali, a son of Jacob, with the tribe descended from him, and its territoryNounpropermasculine singular

אֶת־’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker

קֶ֨דֶשׁqe·ḏešKedeshH6943

√ Qedesh — Kedesh, the name of four places in PalestineNounproperfeminine singular

Qedesh — Kedesh, “holy place” The northernmost refuge city, and Barak's home town (Judges 4:6). ⚙ Among the six asylums, this is the one whose very name is the root for holiness — a sanctuary called Sanctuary.

בַּגָּלִ֤ילbag·gā·lîlin GalileeH1551

√ Gâlîyl — Galil (as a special circuit) in the North of PalestinePreposition-b, ArticleNounproperfeminine singular

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

עִ֣יר׀‘îra cityH5892

√ ʻîyr — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)Nounfeminine singular construct

מִקְלַ֣טmiq·laṭof refugeH4733

√ miqlâṭ — an asylum (as a receptacle)Nounmasculine singular construct

הָֽרֹצֵ֗חַhā·rō·ṣê·aḥfor the manslayerH7523

√ râtsach — properly, to dash in pieces, iArticleVerbQalParticiplemasculine singular

râtsach — to slay (Qal participle) Fourth occurrence of the refuge formula. The evenness of its distribution is the design: Numbers 35:14 divides them three and three, west of Jordan and east, so that no region of the land is left without an asylum within reach.

אֶת־’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker

מִגְרָשֶׁ֙הָ֙miḡ·rā·še·hāH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

חַמֹּ֥תḥam·mōṯvvvH2576

√ Chammôth Dôʼr — Chammath-Dor, a place in Palestine

דֹּאר֙dōrHammoth-dorH2576

√ Chammôth Dôʼr — Chammath-Dor, a place in PalestineNounproperfeminine singular

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶׁ֔הָmiḡ·rā·še·hāH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

קַרְתָּ֖ןqar·tānand KartanH7178

√ Qartân — Kartan, a place in PalestineNounproperfeminine singular

Qartân — Kartan K&D reports Knobel's guess at Katanah near Safed and marks it as a possibility only. ⚙ Another of the forty-eight whose ground cannot now be walked on with any confidence.

שָׁלֹֽשׁ׃šā·lōšthreeH7969

√ shâlôwsh — threeNumberfeminine singular

shâlôwsh — three The chapter's proportionality rule made visible: the smaller the tribe's holding, the smaller its contribution (Numbers 35:8), which Geneva also notes at v. 4.

עָרִ֖ים‘ā·rîmcitiesH5892

√ ʻîyr — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)Nounfeminine plural

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-together withH853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶׁ֑הָmiḡ·rā·še·hātheir pasturelandsH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

Literal — word-for-word from the original

And-from-the-tribe-of Naphtali: the-city-of-refuge-of the-slayer, Kedesh in-Galilee and her-pasture-land, and Hammoth-dor and her-pasture-land, and Kartan and her-pasture-land: three cities.

Where the English smooths the original

קֶ֨דֶשׁ בַּגָּלִ֤יל קֶ֨דֶשׁ בַּגָּלִ֤יל (H6943 + H1551) — “Kedesh in the Galil,” with the article: gâlîyl is “a special circuit” in the north, a region-name before it is a proper name. Kedesh itself means “holy place.” The northern city of refuge is a sanctuary by name as well as by function.
חַמֹּ֥ת דֹּאר֙ חַמֹּ֥ת דֹּאר֙ (H2576) — Hammoth-dor, “hot springs of Dor.” Called Hammath at Joshua 19:35 and Hammon at 1 Chronicles 6:76. Gill records the identification some make with Tiberias, “so called from the hot baths in or near it,” and marks it as a conjecture of others.
קַרְתָּ֖ן קַרְתָּ֖ן (qar·tān, H7178) — Kartan, which K&D derives as “contracted from Kartain for Kirjathaim,” the form at 1 Chronicles 6:76, comparing Dothan for Dothain. It is not listed among Naphtali's towns in Joshua 19.
שָׁלֹֽשׁ שָׁלֹֽשׁ (šā·lōš, H7969) — three, not four. Gill gives the reason from the standing rule: “this being a lesser tribe than some others gave fewer cities, according to the rule in Numbers 35:8,” that each tribe gives in proportion to what it holds.

In all, thirteen cities, together with their pasturelands, were given to the Gershonite clans.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

kāl- šə·lōš- ‘eś·rêh ‘îr ‘ā·rê ū·miḡ·rə·šê·hen hag·gê·rə·šun·nî lə·miš·pə·ḥō·ṯām

Word by word8 · parsed

כָּל־kāl-In allH3605

√ kôl — properly, the wholeNounmasculine singular construct

שְׁלֹשׁ־šə·lōš-thirteenH7969

√ shâlôwsh — threeNumberfeminine singular construct

shâlôwsh + ʻâsâr — thirteen The third subtotal, confirming the figure announced in v. 6 before any name was read.

עֶשְׂרֵ֥ה‘eś·rêh. . .H6240

√ ʻâsâr — ten (only in combination), iNumberfeminine singular

עִ֖יר‘îrcitiesH5892

√ ʻîyr — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)Nounfeminine singular

ʻîyr — a city The singular after a numeral is normal Hebrew; recorded here because the chapter's other four totals use the plural, and a reader comparing them in Hebrew will notice.

עָרֵ֥י‘ā·rêtogether withH5892

√ ʻîyr — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)Nounfeminine plural construct

וּמִגְרְשֵׁיהֶֽן׃סū·miḡ·rə·šê·hentheir pasturelandsH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iConjunctive wawNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine plural

הַגֵּרְשֻׁנִּ֖יhag·gê·rə·šun·nî[were given] to the GershoniteH1649

√ Gêrᵉshunnîy — a Gereshonite or descendant of GereshonArticleNounpropermasculine singular

Gêrᵉshunnîy — a Gershonite Thirteen cities, the same figure as the priests received, spread from Bashan to Asher. Gill totals them: “two out of the half tribe of Manasseh beyond Jordan, four out of Issachar, four out of Asher, and three out of Naphtali.”

לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑םlə·miš·pə·ḥō·ṯāmclansH4940

√ mishpâchâh — a family, iPreposition-lNounfeminine plural constructthird person masculine plural

Literal — word-for-word from the original

All the-cities of-the-Gershonite by-their-clans: thirteen city and-their-pasture-lands.

Where the English smooths the original

עִ֖יר עִ֖יר (‘îr, H5892) — singular, “thirteen city,” where every other total in the chapter uses the plural ʻārîm (vv. 19, 26, 40, 41). Hebrew numerals often take a singular counted noun, so this is grammar rather than corruption, but it is a real difference on the page that no English version can show.
הַגֵּרְשֻׁנִּ֖י הַגֵּרְשֻׁנִּ֖י (hag·gê·rə·šun·nî, Gêrᵉshunnîy, H1649) — the gentilic singular with the article, “the Gershonite,” used collectively for the whole clan, where BSB reads “the Gershonite clans.” The Hebrew treats a family as one man.
לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם — “by their families,” the distributive lamed again. Gill reads it as a fact about the internal division: the thirteen were shared out “according to the number of their families,” not held in common.

This is what the Merarite clan (the rest of the Levites) were given: From the tribe of Zebulun they were given Jokneam, Kartah,

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

mə·rā·rî ū·lə·miš·pə·ḥō·wṯ bə·nê- han·nō·w·ṯā·rîm mê·’êṯ hal·wî·yim maṭ·ṭêh zə·ḇū·lun ’eṯ- yā·qə·nə·‘ām wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā ’eṯ- qar·tāh wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā

Word by word16 · parsed

מְרָרִי֮mə·rā·rî[This is what] the MerariteH4847

√ Mᵉrârîy — Merari, an IsraeliteNounpropermasculine singular

Mᵉrârîy — Merari The youngest line, provided for last and least (twelve cities). Barnes flags the difficulty of this section at once: “Some of these places are not found in the list of Zebulonite cities in Joshua 19:10-16. The text is considered corrupt.”

וּלְמִשְׁפְּח֣וֹתū·lə·miš·pə·ḥō·wṯclanH4940

√ mishpâchâh — a family, iConjunctive waw, Preposition-lNounfeminine plural construct

בְּנֵֽי־bə·nê-H1121

הַנּוֹתָרִים֒han·nō·w·ṯā·rîmthe rest ofH3498

√ yâthar — to jut over or exceedArticleVerbNifalParticiplemasculine plural

yâthar — left over (Nifal participle) Fifth and last use of the participle chain that has organised the whole chapter's structure.

מֵאֵת֙mê·’êṯ. . .H854

√ ʼêth — properly, nearness (used only as a preposition or an adverb), nearPreposition-mDirect object marker

הַלְוִיִּ֣םhal·wî·yimthe Levites) were givenH3881

√ Lêvîyîy — a Levite or descendant of LeviArticleNounpropermasculine plural

מַטֵּ֣הmaṭ·ṭêhFrom the tribeH4294

√ maṭṭeh — a branch (as extending)Nounmasculine singular construct

זְבוּלֻ֔ןzə·ḇū·lunof Zebulun [they were given]H2074

√ Zᵉbûwlûwn — Zebulon, a son of JacobNounpropermasculine singular

אֶֽת־’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker

יָקְנְעָ֖םyā·qə·nə·‘āmJokneamH3362

√ Yoqnᵉʻâm — Jokneam, a place in PalestineNounproperfeminine singular

Yoqnᵉʻâm — Jokneam A Canaanite royal seat in Joshua 12:22, and one of the six names K&D lists as missing from the Chronicler's parallel roll.

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶׁ֑הָmiḡ·rā·še·hāH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

אֶת־’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker

קַרְתָּ֖הqar·tāhKartahH7177

√ Qartâh — Kartah, a place in PalestineNounproperfeminine singular

Qartâh — Kartah Unknown. ⚙ Together with Kibzaim (v. 22), Dimnah (v. 35) and Kartan (v. 32), it is one of four towns on this list that cannot now be placed at all.

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶֽׁהָ׃miḡ·rā·še·hāH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

Literal — word-for-word from the original

And-for-the-clans-of the-sons-of Merari, the-ones-left-over of the-Levites: from-the-tribe-of Zebulun, Jokneam and her-pasture-land, Kartah and her-pasture-land;

Where the English smooths the original

הַנּוֹתָרִים֒ הַנּוֹתָרִים֒ — the participle a fourth time. Geneva catches the tone exactly: “They are here called the rest, because they are last numbered, and Merari was the younger brother.” The word is not pejorative; it is positional.
מֵאֵת֙ מֵאֵת֙ (mê·’êṯ, H854) — “from with the Levites,” the same compound preposition as v. 16. Merari is described as the remainder out from among the Levites, which is a stronger relation than the simple partitive.
יָקְנְעָ֖ם / קַרְתָּ֖ה יָקְנְעָ֖ם (H3362) and קַרְתָּ֖ה (H7177). Jokneam is a royal city near Carmel (Joshua 12:22); Kartah appears nowhere else, and Cambridge writes simply “Kartah and Dimnah unknown.” Gill guesses it may be the Kattath of Joshua 19:15, and marks it a guess.

Dimnah, and Nahalal—four cities, together with their pasturelands.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

’eṯ- dim·nāh wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā ’eṯ- na·hă·lāl ’ar·ba‘ ‘ā·rîm wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā

Word by word10 · parsed

אֶת־’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker

דִּמְנָה֙dim·nāhDimnahH1829

√ Dimnâh — Dimnah, a place in PalestineNounproperfeminine singular

Dimnâh — Dimnah A name with no other occurrence and no identified site. The commentators divide: Gill and Cambridge lean toward equating it with Rimmon/Rimmono, K&D refuses. ⚙ Recorded as unresolved.

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶׁ֔הָmiḡ·rā·še·hāH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

אֶֽת־’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker

נַהֲלָ֖לna·hă·lāland NahalalH5096

√ Nahălâl — Nahalal or Nahalol, a place in PalestineNounproperfeminine singular

Nahălâl — Nahalal Zebulun's, by Joshua 19:15, and never cleared of its Canaanites (Judges 1:30). It is also on K&D's list of six names the Chronicler lacks.

אַרְבַּֽע׃’ar·ba‘fourH702

√ ʼarbaʻ — fourNumberfeminine singular

ʼarbaʻ — four Function word: Zebulun's subtotal.

עָרִ֖ים‘ā·rîmcitiesH5892

√ ʻîyr — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)Nounfeminine plural

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-together withH853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶׁ֑הָmiḡ·rā·še·hātheir pasturelandsH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

Literal — word-for-word from the original

Dimnah and her-pasture-land, Nahalal and her-pasture-land: four cities.

Where the English smooths the original

דִּמְנָה֙ דִּמְנָה֙ (dim·nāh, H1829) — Dimnah, unknown. Gill: “Nowhere mentioned, unless the same with Rimmon, 1 Chronicles 6:77.” K&D refuses the equation: “Many commentators identify Dimnah with Rimmono in 1 Chronicles 6:77, but without sufficient reason.”
נַהֲלָ֖ל נַהֲלָ֖ל (na·hă·lāl, H5096) — Nahalal, or Nahalol, one of Zebulun's towns (Joshua 19:15) from which the Canaanites were not driven out (Judges 1:30). ⚙ The fourth Levitical city in this chapter demonstrably still held by others.
אַרְבַּֽע “Four,” though only Jokneam, Kartah, Dimnah and Nahalal have been named across vv. 34-35 — the count is exact. 1 Chronicles 6:77 lists only two for Zebulun, which K&D takes as proof that the Chronicles text “is no doubt corrupt in this passage.”

The Voices✦ 3 public domain

The Pulpit CommentarySpence & Exell, eds.1880s

This verse and the succeeding have the Masoretic note appended that they are not found in the Masora or true tradition. Kimchi therefore rejects them. But they are found in the LXX. and the rest of the ancient versions, and they are necessary to make up the number of forty-eight cities.

source ↗

Keil & DelitzschBiblical Commentary on the Old Testament1860s

R. Jacob ben Chajim has omitted Joshua 21:36 and Joshua 21:37 from his Rabbinical Bible of the year 1525 as spurious, upon the authority of Kimchi and the larger Masora; but upon insufficient grounds

source ↗

Matthew PooleAnnotations upon the Holy Bible1685

Bezer, a city of refuge, as it is called Joshua 20:8 , and therefore needless to be here repeated.

source ↗

From the tribe of Reuben they were given Bezer, Jahaz,

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

ū·mim·maṭ·ṭêh rə·’ū·ḇên ’eṯ- be·ṣer wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā wə·’eṯ- yah·ṣāh wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā

Word by word10 · parsed

וּמִמַּטֵּ֣הū·mim·maṭ·ṭêhFrom the tribeH4294

√ maṭṭeh — a branch (as extending)Conjunctive waw, Preposition-mNounmasculine singular construct

רְאוּבֵ֔ןrə·’ū·ḇênof Reuben [they were given]H7205

√ Rᵉʼûwbên — Reuben, a son of JacobNounpropermasculine singular

Rᵉʼûwbên — Reuben Function word in the donor formula — but the tribe whose two verses were struck from a printed Hebrew Bible in 1525 and restored by the versions.

אֶת־’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker

בֶּ֖צֶרbe·ṣerBezerH1221

√ Betser — Betser, a place in PalestineNounproperfeminine singular

Betser — Bezer The sixth refuge city, and the one the Hebrew of this chapter does not label as such. Geneva keeps the tally by clan: “Bezer and Ramoth were the cities of refuge under the Merarites and beyond Jordan.”

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶׁ֑הָmiḡ·rā·še·hāH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

יַ֖הְצָהyah·ṣāhJahazH3096

√ Yahats — Jahats or Jahtsah, a place East of the JordanNounproperfeminine singularthird person feminine singular

Yahats — Jahaz A battle site of the conquest east of Jordan, later Moabite. Pulpit reads the loss theologically: “a sad indication of religious declension.”

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶֽׁהָ׃miḡ·rā·še·hāH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

Literal — word-for-word from the original

And-from-the-tribe-of Reuben: Bezer and her-pasture-land, and Jahaz and her-pasture-land;

Where the English smooths the original

בֶּ֖צֶר בֶּ֖צֶר (be·ṣer, H1221) — Bezer, the third eastern city of refuge (Joshua 20:8; Deuteronomy 4:43) — and the only one of the six whose refuge status is not stated here. Poole explains it as compression: “Bezer, a city of refuge, as it is called Joshua 20:8, and therefore needless to be here repeated.” Pulpit notes the LXX supplies the missing formula.
יַ֖הְצָה יַ֖הְצָה (yah·ṣāh, H3096) — Jahaz, where Israel defeated Sihon (Numbers 21:23). It reappears, with Mephaath and Holon, in Jeremiah's oracle against Moab (48:21), by which time these Levitical towns are in Moabite hands.
וּמִמַּטֵּ֣ה רְאוּבֵ֔ן This verse and the next are the disputed pair. Pulpit: “This verse and the succeeding have the Masoretic note appended that they are not found in the Masora or true tradition. Kimchi therefore rejects them.” They are nevertheless in the LXX, the Targum, the Syriac and the Arabic, and without them Merari has eight cities where v. 40 says twelve.

Kedemoth, and Mephaath—four cities, together with their pasturelands.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

’eṯ- qə·ḏê·mō·wṯ wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā wə·’eṯ- mê·p̄ā·‘aṯ ’ar·ba‘ ‘ā·rîm wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā

Word by word10 · parsed

אֶת־’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker

קְדֵמוֹת֙qə·ḏê·mō·wṯKedemothH6932

√ Qᵉdêmôwth — Kedemoth, a place in eastern PalestineNounproperfeminine singular

Qᵉdêmôwth — Kedemoth Reubenite by Joshua 13:18; its wilderness is where Sihon's refusal opened the eastern conquest (Deuteronomy 2:26-32). ⚙ The list keeps no memory of that; the connection is made by cross-reference, not by the text.

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶׁ֔הָmiḡ·rā·še·hāH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מֵיפָ֖עַתmê·p̄ā·‘aṯand MephaathH4158

√ Môwphaʻath — Mophaath or Mephaath, a place in PalestineNounproperfeminine singular

Môwphaʻath — Mephaath One of only four canonical occurrences, which is what makes the Jeremiah 48:21 link a hard verbal one rather than a thematic guess.

אַרְבַּֽע׃ס’ar·ba‘fourH702

√ ʼarbaʻ — fourNumberfeminine singular

ʼarbaʻ — four Function word — but here the load-bearing word of a textual argument: the total in v. 40 requires it.

עָרִ֖ים‘ā·rîmcitiesH5892

√ ʻîyr — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)Nounfeminine plural

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-together withH853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶׁ֑הָmiḡ·rā·še·hātheir pasturelandsH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

Literal — word-for-word from the original

Kedemoth and her-pasture-land, and Mephaath and her-pasture-land: four cities.

Where the English smooths the original

קְדֵמוֹת֙ קְדֵמוֹת֙ (qə·ḏê·mō·wṯ, H6932) — Kedemoth, a plural form, “eastern places.” Gill notes the wilderness of the same name from which Moses sent his messengers of peace to Sihon (Deuteronomy 2:26). The site of a refused peace becomes a Levitical town.
מֵיפָ֖עַת מֵיפָ֖עַת (mê·p̄ā·‘aṯ, H4158) — Mephaath, a rare name (four verses), listed with Kedemoth and Jahaz at Joshua 13:18 and again, as Moab's, at Jeremiah 48:21. The Verifier's link to Jeremiah rests partly on this word.
אַרְבַּֽע The subtotal Kimchi's text cannot supply. Gill states the arithmetic that settles the textual question: these words “are absolutely necessary to be retained, since without them there would be but eight cities for the Merarites, whereas they are expressly said to be twelve, Joshua 21:40.”

And from the tribe of Gad they were given Ramoth in Gilead, a city of refuge for the manslayer, Mahanaim,

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

ū·mim·maṭ·ṭêh- ḡāḏ ’eṯ- rā·mōṯ bag·gil·‘āḏ wə·’eṯ- ‘îr miq·laṭ hā·rō·ṣê·aḥ ’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā wə·’eṯ- ma·ḥă·na·yim wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā

Word by word15 · parsed

וּמִמַּטֵּה־ū·mim·maṭ·ṭêh-And from the tribeH4294

√ maṭṭeh — a branch (as extending)Conjunctive waw, Preposition-mNounmasculine singular construct

גָ֗דḡāḏof Gad [they were given]H1410

√ Gâd — Gad, a son of Jacob, including his tribe and its territoryNounpropermasculine singular

אֶת־’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker

רָמֹ֥תrā·mōṯRamothH7433

√ Râmôth Gilʻâd — Ramoth-Gilad, a place East of the JordanNounproperfeminine singular

Râmôth Gilʻâd — Ramoth-Gilead The most militarily contested town on this entire list: a city of asylum that becomes the battlefield where Ahab is killed (1 Kings 22:29-37) and where Jehu is anointed (2 Kings 9:1-6). ⚙ Refuge and war meet at one address.

בַּגִּלְעָ֖דbag·gil·‘āḏin GileadH1568

√ Gilʻâd — Gilad, a region East of the JordanPreposition-b, ArticleNounproperfeminine singular

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

עִיר֙‘îra cityH5892

√ ʻîyr — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)Nounfeminine singular construct

מִקְלַ֣טmiq·laṭof refugeH4733

√ miqlâṭ — an asylum (as a receptacle)Nounmasculine singular construct

miqlâṭ — asylum Last of five. With Bezer implied, the set is complete: Kedesh, Shechem, Hebron west of the river; Golan, Ramoth, Bezer east of it.

הָרֹצֵ֔חַhā·rō·ṣê·aḥfor the manslayerH7523

√ râtsach — properly, to dash in pieces, iArticleVerbQalParticiplemasculine singular

אֶת־’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker

מִגְרָשֶׁ֑הָmiḡ·rā·še·hāH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

וְאֶֽת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מַחֲנַ֖יִםma·ḥă·na·yimMahanaimH4266

√ Machănayim — Machanajim, a place in PalestineNounproperfeminine singular

Machănayim — Mahanaim, “two camps” Genesis 32:1-2, where Jacob names the place for the angels who met him. Pulpit suggests David's choice of it as his refuge from Absalom may owe something to “the unquestionable entente cordiale between David and the sacerdotal party” — a Levitical town, beyond Jordan and near the fords.

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶֽׁהָ׃miḡ·rā·še·hāH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

Literal — word-for-word from the original

And-from-the-tribe-of Gad: the-city-of-refuge-of the-slayer, Ramoth in-Gilead and her-pasture-land, and Mahanaim and her-pasture-land;

Where the English smooths the original

רָמֹ֥ת בַּגִּלְעָ֖ד רָמֹ֥ת בַּגִּלְעָ֖ד (H7433 + H1568) — “heights in the Gilead,” with the article on the region, as with “the Galil” at v. 32. The last of the six refuge cities named, and the one over which Ahab will die (1 Kings 22).
מַחֲנַ֖יִם מַחֲנַ֖יִם (ma·ḥă·na·yim, H4266) — a dual, “two camps.” Gill: “here it was the angels met Jacob, which gave rise to the name of the place, Genesis 32:1.” The ground where Jacob met the host of God is now Levitical, and will later shelter David from Absalom (2 Samuel 17:24).
עִיר֙ מִקְלַ֣ט הָרֹצֵ֔חַ The fifth and final occurrence of the refuge formula in the chapter. Five are marked, one (Bezer, v. 36) is not, and the six together complete the institution set up in Joshua 20 — which is why K&D insists the order of the two chapters is correct as it stands.

Heshbon, and Jazer—four cities in all, together with their pasturelands.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

’eṯ- ḥeš·bō·wn wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā ’eṯ- ya‘·zêr ’ar·ba‘ ‘ā·rîm kāl- wə·’eṯ- miḡ·rā·še·hā

Word by word11 · parsed

אֶת־’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker

חֶשְׁבּוֹן֙ḥeš·bō·wnHeshbonH2809

√ Cheshbôwn — Cheshbon, a place East of the JordanNounproperfeminine singular

Cheshbôwn — Heshbon An Amorite capital turned Israelite border town turned Levitical residence turned Moabite possession. ⚙ Four regimes over one address, of which this chapter records only the third, and records it as a permanent grant.

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶׁ֔הָmiḡ·rā·še·hāH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

אֶת־’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker

יַעְזֵ֖רya‘·zêrand JazerH3270

√ Yaʻăzêyr — Jaazer or Jazer, a place East of the JordanNounproperfeminine singular

Yaʻăzêyr — Jazer Taken from the Amorites in Numbers 21:32. K&D lists it last of Gad's four.

אַרְבַּֽע׃’ar·ba‘fourH702

√ ʼarbaʻ — fourNumberfeminine singular

עָרִ֖ים‘ā·rîmcitiesH5892

√ ʻîyr — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)Nounfeminine plural

כָּל־kāl-in allH3605

√ kôl — properly, the wholeNounmasculine singular construct

kôl — the whole The audit particle, appearing inside a subtotal for the only time in the chapter and anticipating its heavy use in vv. 40-45.

וְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-together withH853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

מִגְרָשֶׁ֑הָmiḡ·rā·še·hātheir pasturelandsH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

Literal — word-for-word from the original

Heshbon and her-pasture-land, Jazer and her-pasture-land: all the-cities four.

Where the English smooths the original

חֶשְׁבּוֹן֙ חֶשְׁבּוֹן֙ (ḥeš·bō·wn, H2809) — Heshbon, Sihon's royal capital (Numbers 21:26), first given to Reuben and here counted with Gad, as Gill observes: it “appears from hence to have been one of their cities.” The two eastern tribes' border ran through it.
יַעְזֵ֖ר יַעְזֵ֖ר (ya‘·zêr, H3270) — Jazer, also Jaazer, near Heshbon (Numbers 21:32; Joshua 13:25). Like Heshbon and Mephaath, it is named in the Moab oracles of Isaiah 16 and Jeremiah 48 — Levitical ground later mourned as Moabite.
כָּל־ כָּל־ (kāl-) intrudes into the subtotal formula here, “all the cities four,” where vv. 22, 24, 29, 31, 35 and 37 give the bare numeral. BSB renders it “four cities in all.” The variation is small, and it is the last of the itemised subtotals before the grand totals begin.

In all, twelve cities were allotted to the clans of Merari, the remaining Levite clans.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

kāl- he·‘ā·rîm šə·têm ‘eś·rêh ‘ā·rîm way·hî gō·w·rā·lām lə·miš·pə·ḥō·ṯām mə·rā·rî liḇ·nê han·nō·w·ṯā·rîm hal·wî·yim mim·miš·pə·ḥō·wṯ

Word by word13 · parsed

כָּל־kāl-In allH3605

√ kôl — properly, the wholeNounmasculine singular construct

הֶ֨עָרִ֜יםhe·‘ā·rîmH5892

√ ʻîyr — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)ArticleNounfeminine plural

שְׁתֵּ֥יםšə·têmtwelveH8147

√ shᵉnayim — twoNumberfd

shᵉnayim + ʻâsâr — twelve Four from Zebulun, four from Reuben, four from Gad. The count fails without vv. 36-37, which is why Gill, Pulpit and K&D all defend those verses on arithmetical grounds.

עֶשְׂרֵֽה׃‘eś·rêh. . .H6240

√ ʻâsâr — ten (only in combination), iNumberfeminine singular

עָרִ֖ים‘ā·rîmcitiesH5892

√ ʻîyr — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)Nounfeminine plural

וַיְהִי֙way·hîwereH1961

√ hâyâh — to exist, iConjunctive wawVerbQalConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine singular

גּוֹרָלָ֔םgō·w·rā·lāmallottedH1486

√ gôwrâl — properly, a pebble, iNounmasculine singular constructthird person masculine plural

gôwrâl — a pebble, a lot Seventh and last occurrence in the chapter. ⚙ The whole distribution has been conducted by an object no party could weight, and the text has never once said that God directed it. That inference belongs to Calvin, Barnes, JFB, Pulpit and K&D; the narrator declines to make it.

לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֔םlə·miš·pə·ḥō·ṯāmto the clansH4940

√ mishpâchâh — a family, iPreposition-lNounfeminine plural constructthird person masculine plural

מְרָרִי֙mə·rā·rîof MerariH4847

√ Mᵉrârîy — Merari, an IsraeliteNounpropermasculine singular

לִבְנֵ֤יliḇ·nêH1121

הַנּוֹתָרִ֖יםhan·nō·w·ṯā·rîmthe remainingH3498

√ yâthar — to jut over or exceedArticleVerbNifalParticiplemasculine plural

yâthar — left over (Nifal participle) Function word by now, but the closing of a five-fold chain (vv. 5, 20, 26, 34, 40) that has structured the entire list.

הַלְוִיִּ֑םhal·wî·yimLeviteH3881

√ Lêvîyîy — a Levite or descendant of LeviArticleNounpropermasculine plural

מִמִּשְׁפְּח֣וֹתmim·miš·pə·ḥō·wṯclansH4940

√ mishpâchâh — a family, iPreposition-mNounfeminine plural construct

Literal — word-for-word from the original

All the-cities for-the-sons-of Merari by-their-clans, the-ones-left-over of-the-clans-of the-Levites — and-their-lot was twelve cities.

Where the English smooths the original

גּוֹרָלָ֔ם גּוֹרָלָ֔ם (gō·w·rā·lām) — “their lot,” the pebble-noun used as a possessive for the last time. BSB reads “were allotted,” turning a noun into a passive. Across the chapter the word has moved from an object drawn (v. 4) to a thing owned (vv. 20, 40): what the lot assigned has become what the clan has.
שְׁתֵּ֥ים עֶשְׂרֵֽה שְׁתֵּ֥ים עֶשְׂרֵֽה — twelve, as announced in v. 7 and as requiring the disputed vv. 36-37 to be genuine. The arithmetic of this verse is the strongest single argument for the integrity of the received text against Kimchi and the larger Masora.
הַנּוֹתָרִ֖ים The participle a final time, now qualifying not a branch of Kohath but the whole remainder of Levi. Every subtraction the chapter has made is now closed out, and the next verse can total the whole.

The Voices✦ 4 public domain

Joseph BensonCommentary on the Old and New Testaments1810s

and it is a demonstration that Moses was divinely inspired to make such an appointment, before it could be known whether, without straitening the other tribes, they could part with so many cities to the Levites.

source ↗

Jamieson, Fausset & BrownCommentary Critical and Explanatory1871

But it must be borne in mind that the list given here contains the names of every Levitical city (see on [204]1Ch 6:39-66); whereas only those cities of the other tribes are mentioned which lay on the frontier or along the boundary line.

source ↗

Matthew PooleAnnotations upon the Holy Bible1685

God was pleased to deal liberally with his ministers, partly to put honour upon those whom he foresaw many would be prone to despise

source ↗

Geneva Study BibleMarginal Notes1599

Thus according to Jacob's prophecy they were scattered throughout the country, which God used so that his people might be instructed in the true religion by them.

source ↗

For the Levites, then, there were forty-eight cities in all, together with their pasturelands, within the territory of the Israelites.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

hal·wî·yim ’ar·bā·‘îm ū·šə·mō·neh ‘ā·rê kōl ū·miḡ·rə·šê·hen bə·ṯō·wḵ ’ă·ḥuz·zaṯ bə·nê- yiś·rā·’êl ‘ā·rîm

Word by word11 · parsed

הַלְוִיִּ֔םhal·wî·yimFor the Levites, thenH3881

√ Lêvîyîy — a Levite or descendant of LeviArticleNounpropermasculine plural

אַרְבָּעִ֥ים’ar·bā·‘îmthere were forty-eightH705

√ ʼarbâʻîym — fortyNumbercommon plural

ʼarbâʻîym — forty With eight, the number fixed in advance (Numbers 35:7). JFB answers the charge that the share is disproportionate: the chapter names every Levitical city, whereas for the other tribes only frontier towns were listed.

וּשְׁמֹנֶ֖הū·šə·mō·neh. . .H8083

√ shᵉmôneh — a cardinal number, eight (as if a surplus above the 'perfect' seven)Conjunctive wawNumberfeminine singular

עָרֵ֣י‘ā·rêcitiesH5892

√ ʻîyr — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)Nounfeminine plural construct

כֹּ֚לkōlin allH3605

√ kôl — properly, the wholeNounmasculine singular construct

וּמִגְרְשֵׁיהֶֽן׃ū·miḡ·rə·šê·hentogether with their pasturelandsH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iConjunctive wawNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine plural

migrâsh — pasture ground Final plural. The word has appeared in nearly every verse since v. 2; the tribe's whole material estate is this one noun, repeated.

בְּת֖וֹךְbə·ṯō·wḵwithinH8432

√ tâvek — a bisection, iPreposition-bNounmasculine singular construct

tâvek — a bisection, the midst ⚙ The one preposition that states the chapter's whole design. Forty-eight points distributed through every tribe's ground means no Israelite lives far from a Levite, which is precisely the purpose Poole and Benson name from Deuteronomy 33:10: that the people might “inquire the meaning of the law at their mouths.”

אֲחֻזַּ֣ת’ă·ḥuz·zaṯthe territoryH272

√ ʼăchuzzâh — something seized, iNounfeminine singular construct

ʼăchuzzâh — something seized, a holding The nation's possession, inside which the tribe with no possession is housed. Geneva reads the whole arrangement as prophecy fulfilled: “thus according to Jacob's prophecy they were scattered throughout the country, which God used so that his people might be instructed in the true religion by them.”

בְּנֵֽי־bə·nê-vvvH1121

יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לyiś·rā·’êlof the IsraelitesH3478

√ Yisrâʼêl — Jisrael, a symbolical name of JacobNounpropermasculine singular

עָרִ֛ים‘ā·rîm. . .H5892

√ ʻîyr — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)Nounfeminine plural

Literal — word-for-word from the original

All the-cities-of the-Levites in-the-midst-of the-holding-of the-sons-of Israel: forty and-eight cities and-their-pasture-lands.

Where the English smooths the original

בְּת֖וֹךְ בְּת֖וֹךְ (bə·ṯō·wḵ, tâvek, H8432, “a bisection, the midst”) — “in the midst of,” where BSB has the flatter “within the territory of.” It is the theological word of the verse: Levi's forty-eight are not beside Israel's possession or carved out of it, they are inside it, embedded at its centre.
אֲחֻזַּ֣ת אֲחֻזַּ֣ת (’ă·ḥuz·zaṯ, ʼăchuzzâh, H272) — the same noun used of Caleb's private holding at v. 12, now of the whole nation's. ⚙ The chapter thus ends its list where it began its exceptions: the Levites live inside what is seized and held by others, and they seize nothing.
אַרְבָּעִ֥ים וּשְׁמֹנֶ֖ה אַרְבָּעִ֥ים וּשְׁמֹנֶ֖ה (H705 + H8083) — “forty and eight,” the number commanded in Numbers 35:7 before Israel held one city. Benson calls this “a demonstration that Moses was divinely inspired to make such an appointment, before it could be known whether, without straitening the other tribes, they could part with so many cities.”
כֹּ֚ל כֹּ֚ל — the grand total's particle, standing with ʻārê hal·wî·yim. It is the fifth and largest audit of the chapter, and the last before the audit of God's promises in v. 45.

Each of these cities had its own surrounding pasturelands; this was true for all the cities.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

he·‘ā·rîm ‘îr hā·’êl·leh ‘îr tih·ye·nāh sə·ḇî·ḇō·ṯe·hā ū·miḡ·rā·še·hā kên lə·ḵāl hā·’êl·leh he·‘ā·rîm

Word by word11 · parsed

הֶעָרִ֣יםhe·‘ā·rîmEachH5892

√ ʻîyr — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)ArticleNounfeminine plural

עִ֣יר‘îr. . .H5892

√ ʻîyr — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)Nounfeminine singular

הָאֵ֔לֶּהhā·’êl·lehof theseH428

√ ʼêl-leh — these or thoseArticlePronouncommon plural

עִ֔יר‘îrcitiesH5892

√ ʻîyr — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)Nounfeminine singular

תִּֽהְיֶ֙ינָה֙tih·ye·nāhhadH1961

√ hâyâh — to exist, iVerbQalImperfectthird person feminine plural

hâyâh — to be (Qal imperfect, 3fp) ⚙ The tense matters. The chapter does not say the forty-eight were occupied; it says this is how they are to stand. That is consistent with Gezer and Taanach still being Canaanite, and it keeps the grant legally intact while the possession remains incomplete.

סְבִיבֹתֶ֑יהָsə·ḇî·ḇō·ṯe·hāits own surroundingH5439

√ çâbîyb — (as noun) a circle, neighbour, or environsAdverbthird person feminine singular

çâbîyb — a circle, environs Pulpit translates migrâsh throughout as “cattle drives,” which keeps the working sense: land a herdsman drives beasts out onto, measured as a circle round the wall (Numbers 35:5, two thousand cubits, per Benson and Gill).

וּמִגְרָשֶׁ֖יהָū·miḡ·rā·še·hāpasturelandsH4054

√ migrâsh — a suburb (iConjunctive wawNounmasculine plural constructthird person feminine singular

כֵּ֖ןkênthis was trueH3651

√ kên — properly, set uprightAdverb

kên — properly set upright; thus, so Function word closing the list. Its force is uniformity: no city on the roll is treated differently from any other.

לְכָל־lə·ḵālfor allH3605

√ kôl — properly, the wholePreposition-lNounmasculine singular construct

הָאֵֽלֶּה׃סhā·’êl·lehtheH428

√ ʼêl-leh — these or thoseArticlePronouncommon plural

הֶעָרִ֥יםhe·‘ā·rîmcitiesH5892

√ ʻîyr — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)ArticleNounfeminine plural

Literal — word-for-word from the original

These cities shall-be, city city, and-her-pasture-lands round-about-her — so for-all these cities.

Where the English smooths the original

עִ֣יר ... עִ֔יר עִ֣יר עִ֔יר — the noun doubled, and K&D renders it exactly: “city city, i.e., every city, with its pasture round about it.” Hebrew distributes by repetition where English needs the word “each.” The doubling makes the rule apply one town at a time, forty-eight times over.
תִּֽהְיֶ֙ינָה֙ תִּֽהְיֶ֙ינָה֙ (tih·ye·nāh, Qal imperfect 3fp of hâyâh) — not a past tense. “These cities shall be / were to be,” a standing provision rather than a completed act. Pulpit gropes at it: “Rather, perhaps, these cities were, (i.e., ‘have been enumerated,’ or ‘were given’), city by city.” The imperfect leaves the arrangement open into the future.
כֵּ֖ן כֵּ֖ן (kên, H3651, “properly, set upright”) — “so, thus”: the summary adverb that closes the whole list. Everything enumerated since v. 9 is gathered under one word and declared uniform.

The Voices✦ 4 public domain

Alexander MaclarenExpositions of Holy Scripturec. 1905

These three verses are the trophy reared on the battlefield, like the lion of Marathon, which the Greeks set on its sacred soil. But the only name inscribed on this monument is Jehovah’s.

Maclaren's exposition in the brief is capped and covers 21:43-22:9; these lines open it, and his argument that God is the only conqueror named is developed from the whole passage, not this verse alone.

source ↗

Albert BarnesNotes on the Bible1834

God had fulfilled all His part of the covenant. It was no part of His purpose that the native population should be annihilated suddenly Deuteronomy 7:22 ; but they were delivered into the hand of Israel

source ↗

Matthew HenryConcise Commentary on the Whole Bible1706

And the promise of the heavenly Canaan is as sure to all God's spiritual Israel; for it is the promise of Him that cannot lie.

source ↗

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges—1880s

By the distribution of the land amongst the tribes, the promise which Joshua had received after the death of Moses ( Joshua 1:2 ) had been fulfilled, as also that which centuries before he had made to Abraham the ancestor of the Elect Nation

source ↗

Thus the LORD gave Israel all the land He had sworn to give their fathers, and they took possession of it and settled in it.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

Yah·weh way·yit·tên lə·yiś·rā·’êl ’eṯ- kāl- hā·’ā·reṣ ’ă·šer niš·ba‘ lā·ṯêṯ la·’ă·ḇō·w·ṯām way·yi·rā·šū·hā way·yê·šə·ḇū ḇāh

Word by word13 · parsed

יְהוָה֙Yah·wehThus the LORDH3068

√ Yᵉhôvâh — Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodNounpropermasculine singular

וַיִּתֵּ֤ןway·yit·têngaveH5414

√ nâthan — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etcConjunctive wawVerbQalConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine singular

nâthan — to give, with the greatest latitude of application ⚙ The structural key to the chapter's placement: Israel has spent forty verses giving, and the summary says that everything they had to give was first given to them. The Levites' cities are a redistribution of a gift, never a generation of one.

לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לlə·yiś·rā·’êlIsraelH3478

√ Yisrâʼêl — Jisrael, a symbolical name of JacobPreposition-lNounpropermasculine singular

אֶת־’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker

כָּל־kāl-allH3605

√ kôl — properly, the wholeNounmasculine singular construct

הָאָ֔רֶץhā·’ā·reṣthe landH776

√ ʼerets — the earth (at large, or partitively a land)ArticleNounfeminine singular

אֲשֶׁ֥ר’ă·šerH834

√ ʼăsher — who, which, what, thatPronounrelative

נִשְׁבַּ֖עniš·ba‘He had swornH7650

√ shâbaʻ — to seven oneself, iVerbNifalPerfectthird person masculine singular

shâbaʻ — to seven oneself, to swear (Nifal) The oath to the fathers, repeated in v. 44. Twice in two verses the ground of the verdict is not Israel's performance but God's self-binding word.

לָתֵ֣תlā·ṯêṯto giveH5414

√ nâthan — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etcPreposition-lVerbQalInfinitive construct

לַאֲבוֹתָ֑םla·’ă·ḇō·w·ṯāmtheir fathersH1

√ ʼâb — father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote applicationPreposition-lNounmasculine plural constructthird person masculine plural

וַיִּרָשׁ֖וּהָway·yi·rā·šū·hāand they took possession of itH3423

√ yârash — to occupy (by driving out previous tenants, and possessing in their place)Conjunctive wawVerbQalConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine pluralthird person feminine singular

yârash — to occupy by driving out the previous tenants The conquest verb. Barnes concedes the plain historical fact that much remained untaken, and answers it: “God had fulfilled all His part of the covenant … their complete dispossession could have been effected at any time by that divine aid which was never wanting when sought.”

וַיֵּ֥שְׁבוּway·yê·šə·ḇūand settledH3427

√ yâshab — properly, to sit down (specifically as judgeConjunctive wawVerbQalConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine plural

yâshab — to sit down, to dwell The last verb of the sentence and the goal of the whole book: not victory but settlement. It is the same root used in v. 2 for the cities the Levites asked “to dwell in.”

בָֽהּ׃ḇāhin it

Prepositionthird person feminine singular

Literal — word-for-word from the original

And-YHWH gave to-Israel all the-land which he-swore to-give to-their-fathers; and-they-took-possession-of-it and-they-dwelt in-it.

Where the English smooths the original

וַיִּתֵּ֤ן וַיִּתֵּ֤ן (way·yit·tên, Qal of nâthan, H5414) — the chapter's own verb, used forty verses running of Israel giving cities to Levites, now used with YHWH as subject and the whole land as object. The human giving has been a small copy of this one all along.
נִשְׁבַּ֖ע נִשְׁבַּ֖ע (niš·ba‘, Nifal of shâbaʻ, H7650) — literally “to seven oneself,” i.e. to bind oneself by a sevenfold oath. God does not merely promise; He places Himself under oath (Genesis 12:7; 15:18, cited by Cambridge and K&D). BSB's “He had sworn” is right, and the etymology is worth keeping in view.
וַיִּרָשׁ֖וּהָ וַיִּרָשׁ֖וּהָ (way·yi·rā·šū·hā, yârash, H3423) — “and they dispossessed it,” from a verb meaning “to occupy by driving out previous tenants, and possessing in their place.” The English “took possession of it” is too civil: the verb names eviction. And it is exactly the verb Judges 1 will use to say what Israel did not do.
כָּל־הָאָ֔רֶץ כָּל־הָאָ֔רֶץ — “all the land.” Pulpit warns against pressing it: “the Hebrew כל must not be pressed to mean literally ‘all.’ Yet, in a sense, the word is true here. The land had been put in their power.” Barnes and Benson both resolve the tension the same way, by the gradual dispossession of Exodus 23:29-30.

The Voices✦ 4 public domain

The Pulpit CommentarySpence & Exell, eds.1880s

The student of Scripture will not fail to recall the passage in the Epistle to the Hebrews ( Joshua 4:8 ) in which reference is made to this passage, and especially to the LXX. version of it. The word signifies rather rest from wandering than rest from toil

source ↗

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges—1880s

For even though the Canaanites were not all exterminated, yet those who remained did not venture upon an attack on the Israelites so long as they remained loyal and steadfast to their invisible King

source ↗

Joseph BensonCommentary on the Old and New Testaments1810s

Namely, all the remaining days of Joshua; for afterward it was otherwise with them.

source ↗

Keil & DelitzschBiblical Commentary on the Old Testament1860s

Clearly, therefore, the land was subdued and their home at peace, since no one disturbed them, or attempted anything against them

This sentence is Calvin's, quoted inside K&D's footnote; K&D marks it as such, and it is Calvin's answer to the objection that Israel's peace was not real.

source ↗

And the LORD gave them rest on every side, just as He had sworn to their fathers. None of their enemies could stand against them, for the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

Yah·weh way·yā·naḥ lā·hem mis·sā·ḇîḇ kə·ḵōl ’ă·šer- niš·ba‘ la·’ă·ḇō·w·ṯām wə·lō- ’îš ’ō·yə·ḇê·hem ’êṯ kāl- ‘ā·maḏ bip̄·nê·hem Yah·weh nā·ṯan mik·kāl ’ō·yə·ḇê·hem bə·yā·ḏām

Word by word20 · parsed

יְהוָ֤הYah·wehAnd the LORDH3068

√ Yᵉhôvâh — Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodNounpropermasculine singular

וַיָּ֨נַחway·yā·naḥgave them restH5117

√ nûwach — to rest, iConjunctive wawVerbHifilConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine singular

nûwach — to rest, settle down (Hiphil) ⚙ The single most consequential word in the unit for later Scripture. K&D points it back to Deuteronomy 12:9-10 and Exodus 33:14; Pulpit points it forward to Hebrews 4:8, where the writer argues that because God later spoke of another day, Joshua's rest was not the final one. Hebrews does not deny this verse. It grants it and calls it provisional.

לָהֶם֙lā·hem. . .

Prepositionthird person masculine plural

מִסָּבִ֔יבmis·sā·ḇîḇon every sideH5439

√ çâbîyb — (as noun) a circle, neighbour, or environsPreposition-mAdverb

כְּכֹ֥לkə·ḵōljust asH3605

√ kôl — properly, the wholePreposition-kNounmasculine singular

אֲשֶׁר־’ă·šer-H834

√ ʼăsher — who, which, what, thatPronounrelative

נִשְׁבַּ֖עniš·ba‘He had swornH7650

√ shâbaʻ — to seven oneself, iVerbNifalPerfectthird person masculine singular

לַאֲבוֹתָ֑םla·’ă·ḇō·w·ṯāmto their fathersH1

√ ʼâb — father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote applicationPreposition-lNounmasculine plural constructthird person masculine plural

וְלֹא־wə·lō-NoneH3808

√ lôʼ — not (the simple or absConjunctive wawAdverbNegative particle

אִ֤ישׁ’îš. . .H376

√ ʼîysh — a man as an individual or a male personNounmasculine singular

אֹ֣יְבֵיהֶ֔ם’ō·yə·ḇê·hemof their enemiesH341

√ ʼôyêb — hatingVerbQalParticiplemasculine plural constructthird person masculine plural

ʼôyêb — one hating, an enemy (Qal participle) Twice in one verse, framing the clause: none of them stood, and all of them were given over. K&D quotes Calvin's account of how both can be true — the remaining Canaanites were so broken that they sought peace by servility.

אֵ֚ת’êṯH853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker

כָּל־kāl-H3605

√ kôl — properly, the wholeNounmasculine singular construct

עָ֨מַד‘ā·maḏcould standH5975

√ ʻâmad — to stand, in various relations (literal and figurative, intransitive and transitive)VerbQalPerfectthird person masculine singular

ʻâmad — to stand, in various relations A military idiom: to stand is to hold a position. Benson limits the claim honestly to Joshua's lifetime — “all the remaining days of Joshua; for afterward it was otherwise with them.”

בִּפְנֵיהֶם֙bip̄·nê·hemagainst themH6440

√ pânîym — the face (as the part that turns)Preposition-bNounmasculine plural constructthird person masculine plural

יְהוָ֖הYah·wehfor the LORDH3068

√ Yᵉhôvâh — Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodNounpropermasculine singular

נָתַ֥ןnā·ṯandeliveredH5414

√ nâthan — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etcVerbQalPerfectthird person masculine singular

מִכָּל־mik·kālallH3605

√ kôl — properly, the wholePreposition-mNounmasculine singular construct

אֹ֣יְבֵיהֶ֔ם’ō·yə·ḇê·hemtheir enemiesH341

√ ʼôyêb — hatingVerbQalParticiplemasculine plural constructthird person masculine plural

בְּיָדָֽם׃bə·yā·ḏāminto their handH3027

√ yâd — a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etcPreposition-bNounfeminine singular constructthird person masculine plural

yâd — hand, as power and custody Closes the verse on the image the chapter opened with (v. 2, “by the hand of Moses”). The book's transactions all run through hands: a mediator's, a nation's, God's.

Literal — word-for-word from the original

And-YHWH gave-them-rest from-round-about, according-to-all that he-swore to-their-fathers; and-not stood a-man of-all their-enemies before-them; all their-enemies YHWH gave into-their-hand.

Where the English smooths the original

וַיָּ֨נַח וַיָּ֨נַח (way·yā·naḥ, Hiphil of nûwach, H5117) — causative: “and He caused them to rest.” Rest is not a condition Israel achieved but a state God imposed. Pulpit notes the LXX's κατέπαυσεν and the use Hebrews 4:8 makes of it, and adds that the word “signifies rather rest from wandering than rest from toil.”
מִסָּבִ֔יב מִסָּבִ֔יב (mis·sā·ḇîḇ, H5439 with min) — “from round about,” i.e. rest from the surrounding nations, not merely “on every side.” The same root çâbîyb has described the pasture ring round each Levitical city (vv. 11, 42); here it describes the ring of enemies.
וְלֹא־עָ֨מַד אִ֤ישׁ וְלֹא־עָ֨מַד אִ֤ישׁ (ʻâmad, H5975 + ʼîysh, H376) — “and there stood not a man,” with the verb in the singular perfect against a plural subject: not one individual held his ground. Cambridge quotes Wyclif's older rendering: “Noone of the Enemyes is hardi to withstoond hem.”
בְּיָדָֽם בְּיָדָֽם (bə·yā·ḏām, yâd, H3027) — “into their hand.” The same noun that in vv. 2 and 8 meant agency (“by the hand of Moses”) here means custody. What was given by a hand is given into a hand.

The Voices✦ 3 public domain

Keil & DelitzschBiblical Commentary on the Old Testament1860s

Notwithstanding the fact that many a tract of country still remained in the hands of the Canaanites, the promise that the land of Canaan should be given to the house of Israel for a possession had been fulfilled; for God had not promised the immediate and total destruction of the Canaanites, but only their gradual extermination

source ↗

Joseph BensonCommentary on the Old and New Testaments1810s

Such an acknowledgment as this, here subscribed by Joshua, in the name of all Israel, we afterward find made by Solomon; and all Israel did, in effect, say amen to it

source ↗

John GillExposition of the Entire Bible1746–63

so all that God promises to his spiritual Israel, with respect to their present comfort or everlasting happiness, all is exactly fulfilled, all his promises in Christ are yea and amen.

Gill's closing clause is an allusion to 2 Corinthians 1:20; the application to the church is his, drawn from the verse rather than stated in it.

source ↗

Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to the house of Israel had failed; everything was fulfilled.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

lō- mik·kōl had·dā·ḇār Yah·weh haṭ·ṭō·wḇ ’ă·šer- dā·ḇār dib·ber ’el- bêṯ yiś·rā·’êl nā·p̄al hak·kōl bā

Word by word14 · parsed

לֹֽא־lō-Not oneH3808

√ lôʼ — not (the simple or absAdverbNegative particle

מִכֹּל֙mik·kōlof allH3605

√ kôl — properly, the wholePreposition-mNounmasculine singular construct

הַדָּבָ֣רhad·dā·ḇār. . .H1697

√ dâbâr — a wordArticleNounmasculine singular

יְהוָ֖הYah·wehthe LORD’sH3068

√ Yᵉhôvâh — Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodNounpropermasculine singular

הַטּ֔וֹבhaṭ·ṭō·wḇgoodH2896

√ ṭôwb — good (as an adjective) in the widest senseArticleAdjectivemasculine singular

ṭôwb — good, in the widest sense The adjective qualifies the promise, not the outcome. K&D: the phrase “relates to the gracious promises of God with regard to the peaceful possession of Canaan, which formed the basis of all the salvation promised to Israel, and the pledge of the fulfilment of all the further promises.”

אֲשֶׁר־’ă·šer-H834

√ ʼăsher — who, which, what, thatPronounrelative

דָּבָ֔רdā·ḇārpromisesH1697

√ dâbâr — a wordNounmasculine singular

דִּבֶּ֥רdib·berH1696

√ dâbar — perhaps properly, to arrangeVerbPielPerfectthird person masculine singular

אֶל־’el-toH413

√ ʼêl — near, with or amongPreposition

בֵּ֣יתbêṯthe houseH1004

√ bayith — a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etcNounmasculine singular construct

bayith — a house, in the greatest variation of applications “The house of Israel,” the addressee of the promises. Not the individual, and not the land: the family. The forty-eight Levitical cities exist to keep that house instructed.

יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לyiś·rā·’êlof IsraelH3478

√ Yisrâʼêl — Jisrael, a symbolical name of JacobNounpropermasculine singular

נָפַ֣לnā·p̄alhad failedH5307

√ nâphal — to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or figurative)VerbQalPerfectthird person masculine singular

nâphal — to fall, in a great variety of applications ⚙ The verb chosen is the hinge of the whole verdict. Elsewhere in Scripture the lot “falls” to a man; here no word of God falls to the ground. The negative is absolute — lōʼ … dâbâr, not one — and the standard is God's speech, not Israel's map.

הַכֹּ֖לhak·kōleverythingH3605

√ kôl — properly, the wholeArticleNounmasculine singular

בָּֽא׃פbāwas fulfilledH935

√ bôwʼ — to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)VerbQalPerfectthird person masculine singular

bôwʼ — to go or come in The last word of the unit. Benson records Israel's own later countersigning of this verdict at Solomon's dedication (1 Kings 8:56), where “all Israel did, in effect, say amen to it.”

Literal — word-for-word from the original

Not fell a-word from-all the-good word which YHWH spoke unto the-house-of Israel — the-whole came.

Where the English smooths the original

נָפַ֣ל נָפַ֣ל (nā·p̄al, Qal perfect of nâphal, H5307) — “fell.” Not “failed,” as the English has it. The image is of a spoken word dropping to the ground unfulfilled; ⚙ a word can only fall if the one who spoke it lets it fall, so the idiom locates the whole question of fulfilment in the speaker's fidelity rather than in the hearer's performance.
הַדָּבָ֣ר הַטּ֔וֹב הַדָּבָ֣ר הַטּ֔וֹב (dâbâr, H1697 + ṭôwb, H2896) — “the good word,” singular with the article. Pulpit: “Literally, a word from all the good word,” and he notes that dâbâr means “thing” as readily as “word,” so the English “any good thing” is defensible. Cambridge takes the singular as a collective: “the sum of the reiterated assurances which God had made to the nation.”
בָּֽא בָּֽא (bā, Qal perfect of bôwʼ, H935) — “came.” Pulpit notes the form is singular, “the whole came,” and that the verb is not the one usually rendered “came to pass.” The plainest possible verb closes the book's second half: the thing arrived.
הַכֹּ֖ל הַכֹּ֖ל (hak·kōl) — “the whole,” with the article, the same particle that has been totalling cities since v. 19. ⚙ The chapter audits forty-eight towns and then, in the same accounting vocabulary, audits the promises of God — and declares both sets complete.

The verse-by-verse work is done. What follows gathers the whole unit. All three layers below are machine-generated (⚙). Weigh them; they have no authority.

⚙

Grand Commentary — the unit, read whole

synthesis · verify

AI synthesis — woven from the public-domain voices above and the original text; generated and fallible.

i. The claim that rests on nothing but a command — 1-3

The chapter opens with a verb of approach: וַֽיִּגְּשׁ֗וּ (nâgash, H5066), the tribe whose office is nearness coming near to ask for ground to stand on. Benson explains the timing — “the whole land being distributed to the several tribes, but not yet actually possessed by them, and this being the proper season for their making such a claim.” Pulpit and K&D both take up Calvin's suggestion that Levi had simply been forgotten and both reject it: K&D writes that “we cannot infer, as Calvin has done, that the Levites had been forgotten, till they came and asserted their claims,” and Pulpit adds the structural reason, that the Levitical cities lay inside other men's borders and so could not be assigned until those borders existed. What the Levites plead is a single Piel perfect, צִוָּ֣ה (tsâvâh, H6680), “He commanded,” by the hand of Moses. Henry reduces the whole petition to that: “They build their claim upon a very good foundation; not their own merits or services, but the Divine precept.” Israel's answer in v. 3 is measured אֶל־פִּ֣י יְהוָ֑ה, at the mouth of YHWH, and taken מִנַּחֲלָתָ֖ם, out of their own inheritance — Poole notes that the cost was spread deliberately, “that the burden and loss might be equally divided.”

ii. The pebble that had already been thrown — 4-8

Four times in five verses the text says גּוֹרָל (gôwrâl, H1486) — properly a pebble. Pulpit reads the mechanism as a guard against grievance: “Thus solemnly placed in His hands, the division would not afterwards become the occasion of jealousy or dispute.” Cambridge supplies the likely procedure, that the cities to be surrendered were settled in advance and the lot decided only which branch of Levi received which. Ellicott sees the resulting order — priests, Kohathites, Gershonites, Merarites — as “in strict agreement with the order of priority observed in the exodus,” the camp of Numbers 2 reproduced in the land. And every commentator in this brief stops at the same fact: the priests' thirteen all fall in Judah, Simeon and Benjamin. Barnes: “God so overruled it that the priestly families were placed upon the spot which He had determined before hand to choose as the site of His temple.” K&D quotes Calvin to the same end — “This did not happen by chance; but God, according to His wonderful counsel, placed them just in that situation which He had determined to select for His own temple.” JFB presses it forward into later history: the arrangement's “admirable wisdom and propriety … were fully manifested on the schism that took place in the reign of Rehoboam.” ⚙ The narrator reports only a stone leaving an urn. The interpretation is entirely the commentators'; the text is content to leave providence unnamed.

iii. Forty-eight names, and the places where the lists do not agree — 9-42

The long roll is a catalogue with two intrusions. The first is Hebron (vv. 11-12): the city and its מִגְרָשׁ go to the priests, but שְׂדֵ֥ה הָעִ֖יר, the field of the city, and its villages stay with Caleb. Poole says this single case is printed “as one eminent instance, to show that it was so in all the rest of the cities here named,” and Benson adds the pastoral motive — if Caleb, whose claim was oldest and personally granted, gave up the town, the rest of Israel could hardly object. Cambridge and Pulpit both follow Keil's inference that the Levites received only as many houses as they needed. The second intrusion is the refuge formula, עִיר֙ מִקְלַ֣ט הָרֹצֵ֔חַ, “city of refuge of the slayer,” dropped in at Hebron, Shechem, Golan, Kedesh and Ramoth (vv. 13, 21, 27, 32, 38) — Geneva tracks which Levitical family holds each pair. Against that, the apparatus is openly ragged: Barnes and K&D both catalogue the divergences from 1 Chronicles 6:54-81, K&D counting six names missing there; Pulpit calls Gath-rimmon at v. 25 a copyist's blunder repeated from v. 24; and vv. 36-37 were struck from Jacob ben Chajim's Rabbinical Bible of 1525 on the authority of Kimchi and the larger Masora, which Pulpit, Gill and K&D all judge an error, since without them Merari has eight cities and the text says twelve.

iv. Rest, and not one word fallen — 43-45

Maclaren calls vv. 43-45 “the trophy reared on the battlefield, like the lion of Marathon,” and notes what is not on it: “the only name inscribed on this monument is Jehovah's.” Three verbs carry it. וַיִּתֵּ֤ן, He gave (the same nâthan the tribes have been using for forty verses, now with God as subject). וַיָּ֨נַח (nûwach, H5117, Hiphil), He caused to rest — Pulpit notes the LXX's κατέπαυσεν and sends the reader to Hebrews 4:8. And לֹֽא־נָפַ֣ל, not one word fell. Barnes states the tension plainly: Israel had not in fact possessed every allotted city, yet “God had fulfilled all His part of the covenant,” since the gradual dispossession was His own stated plan (Deuteronomy 7:22). Henry names the other half of the ledger: “The after-prevalence of the Canaanites was the effect of Israel's slothfulness.” K&D quotes Calvin's version of the same distinction — “nothing but their own cowardice prevented them from enjoying the blessings of God in all their fulness.”

Read under Sola Scriptura — this tool’s own fallible reading (⚙)

⚙ Read on its own terms, Joshua 21 is the chapter where the book's arithmetic stops being about land. Every other allotment chapter draws borders; this one counts dots. Forty-eight walled points and their rings of common grazing, belonging to the one tribe told it would have no נַחֲלָה at all — and the mechanism by which that tribe ends up inside every other tribe's territory is not a concession but the fulfilment of a curse. Jacob said Levi would be divided in Jacob and scattered in Israel (Genesis 49:7), and Cambridge, Pulpit, Poole, Gill and Geneva all see the same inversion: the scattering happens exactly as spoken, and turns out to be the shape of the blessing. A tribe with no country cannot be defended; a tribe in every country cannot be avoided. Then note how the chapter ends. The summary of vv. 43-45 is placed immediately after a list of towns, several of which Israel does not yet hold and some of which (Gezer, on Gill's note at v. 21) are still Canaanite. The narrator knows this. He writes “not one word fell” anyway. ⚙ My reading is that the verb נָפַ֣ל is chosen with care: a word can only fall if the speaker fails, and the speaker has not. The unfinished conquest is therefore not a broken promise but an unclaimed one, and the book will spend its last three chapters saying exactly that to Israel's face. Offered to be tested: this is the tool's reading, and the reader should weigh it against Barnes, who grounds the same conclusion on Deuteronomy 7:22 rather than on the verb.

The tribe that was given no land was given every land — not a portion to hold, but a people to keep. (Not a verse: a synthesis line, fallible, offered to be tested.)

⚙

Canonical Threads — out to the whole of Scripture

cross-refs · verify

AI-generated connections. Each carries a verification badge with a recorded basis; contested links are flagged.

The Chronicler's copy of this same list — and the six names he does not have verbal / quotation — confirmed

1 Chronicles 6:54-81 sets out the identical institution with the identical formula: tribe, city, מִגְרָשׁ. The Verifier computes the overlap for a dozen verses of that passage, the shared lexeme in every case being migrâsh (H4054), doubled or tripled per verse, with maṭṭeh (H4294) and, at 6:57, ʼAhărôwn (H175). K&D judges the Chronicler to have “inserted an ancient document that was altogether independent of the book before us,” and counts what is missing there: Juttah, Gibeon, Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Jokneam and Nahalal. Barnes notes the divergence more briefly. Some Chronicles readings are plainly better — Ashan for Ain, Bileam for Gath-rimmon — which is why this thread runs both ways as a text-critical control rather than as a one-directional citation.

1 Chronicles 6:57 · 1 Chronicles 6:69 · 1 Chronicles 6:72

basis: Verifier: shared Hebrew lexemes H4054 migrâsh (in 69 vv) recurring two to three times per verse across twelve verses of 1 Chronicles 6:57-6:80, plus H4294 maṭṭeh (in 205 vv) and H175 ʼAhărôwn (in 328 vv) at 6:57. The migrâsh frequency alone is moderate, not rare, and would only carry a structural tier; the verbal tier is claimed on the further ground that the two passages share the same set of rare toponyms city by city — K&D collates them name for name and can say exactly which six are missing. It is a verbal parallel between two Hebrew recensions of one list, NOT a quotation of one by the other, and K&D holds the Chronicles list to be an independent ancient document

Eltekeh and Gibbethon — two names that occur almost nowhere else verbal / quotation — confirmed

The Danite cities given to the remaining Kohathites at v. 23 are drawn straight from the Danite allotment of Joshua 19:44, and the link is as hard as a verbal link in this book gets: אֶלְתְּקֵ֖א (H514) stands in only two verses in the whole canon, and גִּבְּת֖וֹן (H1405) in five. K&D simply cross-refers the pair. ⚙ The narrative consequence is worth naming: Dan will shortly fail to hold its coastal lot (Joshua 19:47), so two of the rarest names on this list are cities the donor tribe could not keep.

Joshua 19:44

basis: Verifier: shared rare Hebrew lexemes H514 ʼEltᵉqêʼ (in 2 vv) and H1405 Gibbᵉthôwn (in 5 vv) — the rarity of both toponyms makes the verbal identification certain; it is a shared name-set, not a quotation

Holon, Jahaz, Mephaath — Levitical towns read out in an oracle against Moab verbal / quotation — confirmed

Three towns on this list reappear together in Jeremiah's oracle against Moab: חֹלֹן (H2473, three verses in all), יַ֖הְצָה (H3096, nine), מֵיפָ֖עַת (H4158, four). The Verifier confirms all three as shared lexemes and all three are rare. Pulpit, at v. 36, notices the same loss from the other end: “this city, with Heshbon and Jazer and Mephaath, fell into the hands of the Moabites in later times, a sad indication of religious declension.” ⚙ The pastureland granted to a priest in Joshua 21 is, centuries later, addressed as Moabite ground under judgment — a comment on custody, not on the validity of the grant.

Jeremiah 48:21

basis: Verifier: shared rare Hebrew lexemes H2473 Chôlôwn (in 3 vv), H3096 Yahats (in 9 vv), H4158 Môwphaʻath (in 4 vv) — three rare toponyms co-occurring; the theological inference about declension is Pulpit's, and the connection to Moabite possession is historical, not a quotation

The six refuge cities, set apart before the forty-two were chosen structural / thematic — confirmed

Joshua 20 fixes the asylum towns; Joshua 21 hands all six of them to Levites and adds forty-two more. K&D states the dependence exactly: “the Lord had given commandment through Moses in Numbers 35:6, that they were to give to the Levites the six cities of refuge, and forty-two cities besides, i.e., forty-eight cities in all,” and therefore the order of the two chapters is correct against Calvin's complaint that they are transposed — a point Pulpit makes independently at v. 2. The phrase עִיר֙ מִקְלַ֣ט הָרֹצֵ֔חַ recurs at vv. 13, 21, 27, 32 and 38, with Bezer at v. 36 the sole omission, which Poole explains as needless repetition and the LXX supplies.

Joshua 20:8 · Numbers 35:6

basis: Verifier: shared lexeme H4294 maṭṭeh (in 205 vv, three occurrences) at Joshua 20:8 — a COMMON word that cannot itself carry a verbal claim; the real link is the shared institution and the explicit legal dependence on Numbers 35:6, recorded by K&D and Pulpit. Tiered structural, not verbal, on that ground

Jacob's curse on Levi, worked out as an address system structural / thematic — confirmed

Genesis 49:7 sentences Levi to be divided in Jacob and scattered in Israel. Five of the twelve voices in this brief read Joshua 21 as that sentence executed: Cambridge (“the curse was with them turned into a blessing”), Pulpit (“The prophecy which threatened (Genesis 49:7) to ‘scatter them in Israel’ was to be fulfilled for the benefit of the whole people”), Poole and Benson (dispersal so that they “might more easily and effectually teach the Israelites God's law and judgments”), Gill (“which fulfilled Jacob's prophecy”), and Geneva at v. 41 (“thus according to Jacob's prophecy they were scattered throughout the country”). ⚙ The chapter itself never cites Genesis 49. The link is an interpretation five commentators share, and it is offered here as theirs.

Genesis 49:7 · Deuteronomy 33:10

basis: No Verifier lexeme computation was offered for this pair, so no shared-Strong's basis is claimed. The recorded basis is the explicit, converging citation of Genesis 49:7 by Cambridge, Pulpit, Poole, Benson, Gill and Geneva, together with the teaching-office of Deuteronomy 33:10 cited by Poole and Benson

“He gave them rest” — the word Hebrews takes up and argues against structural / thematic — confirmed

Verse 44 uses וַיָּ֨נַח (nûwach, H5117, Hiphil), “and He gave them rest,” fulfilling Deuteronomy 12:9-10 (K&D). Pulpit records the Greek: “LXX. κατέπαυσεν. The student of Scripture will not fail to recall the passage in the Epistle to the Hebrews (4:8) in which reference is made to this passage, and especially to the LXX. version of it.” Hebrews 4:8 argues that if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later of another day. ⚙ This is a cross-Testament link and cannot rest on shared Strong's numbers, since one text is Hebrew and the other Greek; the connective tissue is the Septuagint vocabulary Pulpit points to and the argument Hebrews builds on it. Note that Hebrews does not deny Joshua 21:44 — it grants it, and calls it insufficient.

Hebrews 4:8 · Deuteronomy 12:10

basis: Cross-Testament (Greek↔Hebrew): shared Strong's numbers are impossible in principle, so no verbal tier is claimed. Basis is the LXX rendering κατέπαυσεν of H5117 nûwach at Joshua 21:44, recorded by Pulpit, and the explicit argument of Hebrews 4:8 about Joshua's rest

⚙Christ in the Unittypology · verify

AI-generated reading; weigh it against the text.

The city of refuge, handed to the priests ancient/widely-held

Five times this chapter stops its list to say עִיר֙ מִקְלַ֣ט הָרֹצֵ֔חַ — city of asylum (miqlâṭ, H4733, “a receptacle”) of the slayer (râtsach, H7523, “to dash in pieces”). The structural fact is that the man with blood on his hands runs to a town full of priests, and lives there until the death of the high priest releases him (Numbers 35:25). Gill, at v. 13, holds to the plain legal sense: refuge for one “that had slain a person unawares, and without design.” ⚙ Christian reading from at least the patristic period has taken the refuge cities as a figure of Christ, the fleeing sinner's asylum, with Hebrews 6:18 (“fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us”) as the New Testament anchor, and the death of the high priest as the release. That reading is ancient and widely held; it is honest to record that none of the twelve voices in this unit make the move — Geneva, Gill and Pulpit all stay at the juridical level, and the typology is supplied here.

Hebrews 6:18 · Numbers 35:25

Thirteen priestly cities in Judah — and a priest out of Judah novel

Every commentator in this brief notices the placement. Barnes: “God so overruled it that the priestly families were placed upon the spot which He had determined before hand to choose as the site of His temple.” Ellicott: with the single exception of Ain in Simeon, “all the priestly cities are so arranged as to fall ultimately within the kingdom of Judah.” JFB reads it forward to Rehoboam's schism, when that placement kept the priesthood on the Davidic side. ⚙ The synthesis offered here is one step further and is novel, not received: the Aaronic priesthood is quartered in Judah's ground but can never be of Judah's blood, since priesthood is by descent from Aaron. Hebrews 7:14 turns on exactly that boundary — “it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah, of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.” Joshua 21 puts the priests inside Judah's land while the Law keeps them outside Judah's line; Hebrews announces a priest who is inside both, and therefore not after the order of Aaron at all. This is a reading built on Ellicott's and Barnes's geography, not asserted by them.

Hebrews 7:14 · Hebrews 7:11

“Not one word fell” — and the Amen ancient/widely-held

Verse 45 is the book's verdict on God's speech: לֹֽא־נָפַ֣ל דָּבָ֔ר, not a word fell, of all the good word YHWH spoke to the house of Israel; הַכֹּ֖ל בָּֽא, the whole came. Benson records Israel's own countersigning of this centuries later: “Such an acknowledgment as this, here subscribed by Joshua, in the name of all Israel, we afterward find made by Solomon,” at 1 Kings 8:56. Gill carries it into the New Testament explicitly: “so all that God promises to his spiritual Israel … all is exactly fulfilled, all his promises in Christ are yea and amen.” JFB says the same in colder prose, that Israel's recorded experience “is a ground of hope and confidence to the people of God in every age.” ⚙ The line of reading is therefore not invented here: it runs from the verb nâphal, through Solomon's benediction, to 2 Corinthians 1:20, where every promise of God is Yes in Christ, and the Amen is said through Him.

2 Corinthians 1:20 · 1 Kings 8:56

Apparatus & Provenance

The biblical text is the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), public domain (CC0). Hebrew/Greek text, transliteration, morphology and Strong’s are transcribed from the Berean interlinear (CC0) + Strong’s lexicons (PD); the literal renderings, divergence notes, word notes and all synthesis are this tool’s own work (⚙) — fallible; verify them.

Named voices, quoted verbatim from public-domain works:

Albert Barnes, Notes on the Bible (1834)
Alexander Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture (c. 1905)
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges, — (1880s)
Charles Ellicott, Commentary for English Readers (1878)
Geneva Study Bible, Marginal Notes (1599)
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory (1871)
John Gill, Exposition of the Entire Bible (1746–63)
Joseph Benson, Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1810s)
Keil & Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1860s)
Matthew Henry, Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706)
Matthew Poole, Annotations upon the Holy Bible (1685)
The Pulpit Commentary, Spence & Exell, eds. (1880s)

Text. This unit has more textual roughness than any other chapter of Joshua, and the sources in the brief disagree openly. (1) Verses 36-37 are absent from R. Jacob ben Chajim's Rabbinical Bible of 1525, omitted on the authority of Kimchi and the larger Masora; Pulpit, Gill and K&D all defend them, since the ancient versions carry them and without them Merari has eight cities where v. 40 says twelve. K&D attributes the loss to homoioteleuton — a scribe's eye jumping from the אַרְבַּע of v. 35 to that of v. 37. (2) Gath-rimmon at v. 25 is almost certainly a dittograph from v. 24; 1 Chronicles 6:70 reads Bileam (Ibleam), and Barnes, Pulpit and K&D agree. (3) Ain (v. 16) should probably be read Ashan with 1 Chronicles 6:59, so K&D and Pulpit. (4) Kartan (v. 32) is a contraction for Kirjathaim; Beeshterah (v. 27) is Beth-Ashterah, Og's Ashtaroth. (5) Barnes records that the LXX adds a passage after v. 42 about Joshua's inheritance and the burial of the flint knives at Timnath-serah, and judges the second half “a Jewish legend of early date”; Pulpit is more willing to treat it as authentic and lost from the Hebrew. Nothing in this synthesis depends on it.

Sources. Twelve public-domain voices are present for this unit and all twelve are used. Several (Henry, Barnes, JFB) comment on whole blocks rather than single verses, so the same entry stands under many verse headings in the brief; where a block-entry is quoted, a different span has been anchored each time and no excerpt is stitched. Ellicott's and Maclaren's entries are capped in the brief; both are quoted only from the portion actually supplied, and Maclaren's cited sentences come from the opening of his exposition of 21:43-22:9.

What is uncertain. The interlinear word indices in this brief follow the English gloss order, not Hebrew word order; the “literal” lines here restore the Hebrew clause order, and where the two diverge the note keys still refer to the brief's indices. The identification of most of the forty-eight sites is modern conjecture (Ellicott's Arabic equivalents, Knobel's Katanah for Kartan) and is reported, not endorsed. Finally, no Verifier basis exists in this brief for the Genesis 49:7 link or the Hebrews 4:8 link; both are tiered on commentary and on the LXX, and neither is claimed as verbal.

✦ = human, public-domain source, quoted and named. ⚙ = machine synthesis, to be verified. Flagged cross-references are left visible on purpose — the verifier working in the open. “Search the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” (Acts 17:11)