BIG IDEA:
GOD FULFILS HIS PROMISE OF SUPPORT FOR THE MINISTERING LEVITES WITH DESIGNATED CITIES FROM EACH OF THE TRIBES
INTRODUCTION:
Helene Dallaire: After the introductory summary comes a description of the land allotment to the Levites. The following tribes distribute towns and pasturelands to the Kohathites: Judah and Simeon (vv.9–16), Benjamin (vv.17–19), Ephraim (vv.20–22), Dan (vv.23–24), the half-tribe of Manasseh (western) (v.25). Second, the Gershonites receive towns and pasturelands from the half-tribe of Manasseh (eastern) (v.27), Issachar (vv.28–29), Asher (vv.30–31), and Naphtali (v.32). Finally, Zebulun (vv.34b–35), Reuben (vv.36–37), and Gad (vv.38–39) give towns and pasturelands to the Merarites.
Andrew Webb: The Levites were scattered throughout the land specifically because into their hands was committed the worship and religious teaching of Israel. They were the ones who attended to the tabernacle – the tent of meeting, the Priests were drawn from their tribe, they were the ones who led the sacrifices and the singing, and they were also the teachers of the Law. And thus by distributing his Priests and Teachers throughout the tribe, the Lord ensured that none of the 12 tribes would be without religious instruction and oversight. As Calvin put it: “they were everywhere to keep watch, and preserve the purity of sacred rites unimpaired.”
Robert Hubbard: Duties Performed by Levites:
- conscripting soldiers and laborers for royal building projects,
- collecting taxes and tithes,
- serving as judges,
- serving as priests for people living a distance from the temple,
- teaching the Mosaic tradition, and
- helping to maintain national unity and loyalty to Yahweh.
Matthew Black: “By the command of the Lord” (21:3), the Levites were to scatter around Israel in 48 cities and minister to the people of Israel. The point we are going to see is that we desperately need God’s help and encouragement. Priests are there to give encouragement and compassion to God’s people. In Joshua 21:4-42, we have a list of 48 cities where the Levites were to live. They were scattered among all the people for a purpose. They were to pray for the people, teach them the practice of the Word and to fear and worship the Lord in all things. They are to carefully apply the Word of God to their lives, like Ezra.
The priests live in these cities. So the tribe of Levi get no inheritance of land, but they get cities throughout Israel. Some notable Levites in the Bible include: Moses, Aaron the high priest, Eli (the priest who raised the prophet Samuel), Ezra (the scribe who partnered with Nehemiah to resettle Jerusalem), and of course, John the Baptist.
Here’s something important about the priests: they were never more than ten miles away from anybody living anywhere. They were to proclaim the excellencies of God to all the people. And that’s what we are to be doing as well!
Donald Madvig: Though Levitical towns were selected from every tribe, they were not evenly distributed throughout the land. They seem to have been clustered on the frontiers and in other endangered areas.
David Howard: The Levites were to be “salt and light” among their fellow Israelites, scattered as they were throughout the tribes. One important function of the Levites was that they were to be teachers of the law (Deut 33:10; cf. 2 Chr 17:7–9; 35:3; Mal 2:6–9), and they could more easily do this if they lived scattered throughout the land. Levi’s status as a landless tribe originated in a curse Jacob pronounced on Simeon and Levi (Gen 49:5–7), but the Levites did vindicate themselves during the time of Moses. . .
The list of forty-eight cities is well organized and remarkably consistent structurally. The tribes averaged four cities apiece as their contributions to the Levites. The true number was four for every tribe except for Naphtali, which contributed only three cities (v. 32), but this was offset by Judah’s and Simeon’s combined contribution of nine cities (instead of the “expected” eight) (vv. 13–16). Western and eastern Manasseh functioned as one tribe for purposes of contributing to the Levites, contrary to their more usual functioning as two separate tribes: each contributed two cities, totaling four from the tribe as a whole. All the cities are named, the totals for each tribe are given, and, in every case, the numbers of cities listed and the running totals agree with each other. . .
All six of the cities of refuge in chap. 20 were also Levitical cities, and five out of the six are identified as such in chap. 21: Hebron (v. 13), Shechem (v. 21), Golan in Bashan (v. 27), Kedesh in Galilee (v. 32), and Ramoth in Gilead (v. 38). The exception is Bezer, which is listed but not mentioned as having been a city of refuge (v. 36). . .
Several overall observations should be taken from this chapter.
(1) The nation obeyed the Lord.
(2) The nation looked after God’s servants.
(3) The nation functioned as a unity. Every tribe contributed something, in almost equal proportions.
I. (:1-3) APPROACHING THE LEADERS TO REQUEST LEVITICAL CITIES
A. (:1-2) Request Initiated by the Levites
“Then the heads of households of the Levites approached Eleazar the priest and Joshua the son of Nun and the heads of households of the tribes of the sons of Israel. 2 And they spoke to them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying,
‘The LORD commanded through Moses to give us cities to live in,
with their pasture lands for our cattle.’”
David Thompson: Actually the first two verses are sad because the Levites had to ask for what should have been theirs. They were the last to be thought about. Everyone else had their inheritance. Everyone else was snuggled nicely in their land, but the Levites had kind of been lost in the shuffle. What they did was right. They went to Eleazer the priest and to Joshua and to the heads of the households of the tribes and they reminded them of the fact that God had commanded by His Word through Moses that they were to have their own compensation and inheritance package. God had commanded that His ministers were to be paid.
Jeff Oliver: In this simple act lies a profound lesson for prayer: ask for what God has promised.
B. (:3) Response of Obedience by the Nation
“So the sons of Israel gave the Levites from their inheritance these cities with their pasture lands, according to the command of the LORD.”
Helene Dallaire: The tribe of Levi includes three clans: Kohath (Ex 6:18–25a; Nu 3:19; 1Ch 6:2–15, 22–28; 23:12–20), Gershon (Ex 6:17; Nu 3:18; 1Ch 6:17; 23:12–20), and Merari (Ex 6:19a; Nu 3:20a; 1Ch 6:19a; 23:21–23). In previous chapters, we read that no territory was given to the tribe of Levi (13:14, 33; 14:3; 18:7). Rather, their inheritance was “the offerings made by fire to the LORD” (13:14), “the LORD, the God of Israel” (13:33), and “the priestly service of the LORD” (18:7). But, as promised by Yahweh through Moses, each tribe is to give towns with their surrounding pasturelands to the clans of the Levites.
The family heads of the Levites appear before Eleazar, Joshua, and the tribal leaders in order to request their respective inheritance or “land grant.” The petitioners meet the criteria that identify a “land grant.”
- First, they approach the leadership;
- second, they remind the leaders of a divine promise made through Moses;
- third, portions of land are granted to the petitioners through a “lot” system in the presence of the Lord at Shiloh.
II. (:4-8) ALLOTMENTS TO THE LEVITICAL FAMILIES
A. (:4-5) To the Sons of Kohath
- (:4) To the Sons of Aaron the Priest – 13 Cities
“Then the lot came out for the families of the Kohathites. And the sons of Aaron the priest, who were of the Levites, received thirteen cities by lot from the tribe of Judah and from the tribe of the Simeonites and from the tribe of Benjamin.”
- (:5) To the Other Sons of Kohath – 10 Cities
“And the rest of the sons of Kohath received ten cities by lot from the families of the tribe of Ephraim and from the tribe of Dan and from the half-tribe of Manasseh.”
Richard Hess: The Kohathites claimed descent from the second son of Levi (Gen. 46:11). They transported the ark and other tabernacle furniture through the wilderness (Num. 3:1; 4:15–20; 7:9). They received Levitical towns from the central hill country, the heartland of early Israel and the first centre of its worship (18:1–10).
B. (:6) To the Sons of Gershon – 13 Cities
“And the sons of Gershon received thirteen cities by lot from the families of the tribe of Issachar and from the tribe of Asher and from the tribe of Naphtali and from the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.”
Richard Hess: The Gershonites claimed descent from Levi’s first son. They transported the tabernacle’s textiles and coverings through the wilderness (Num. 3:25–26; 4:24–26). They received Levitical towns in the Galilee and Bashan areas.
C. (:7) To the Sons of Merari – 12 Cities
“The sons of Merari according to their families received twelve cities from the tribe of Reuben and from the tribe of Gad and from the tribe of Zebulun.”
Richard Hess: The Merarites claimed descent from Levi’s third son. They guarded the tabernacle and transported its structural components through the wilderness (Num. 1:47–53; 3:33–37; 4:29–33). They received Levitical towns in the Transjordanian and Zebulun areas.
D. (:8) Summary
“Now the sons of Israel gave by lot to the Levites these cities
with their pasture lands, as the LORD had commanded through Moses.”
III. (:9-40) ASSIGNMENT OF SPECIFIC CITIES
A. (:9-19) Cities Assigned to the Aaronites
- (:9-16) From Judah and Simeon – 9 Cities
“And they gave these cities which are here mentioned by name from the tribe of the sons of Judah and from the tribe of the sons of Simeon; 10 and they were for the sons of Aaron, one of the families of the Kohathites, of the sons of Levi, for the lot was theirs first. 11 Thus they gave them Kiriath-arba, Arba being the father of Anak (that is, Hebron), in the hill country of Judah, with its surrounding pasture lands. 12 But the fields of the city and its villages, they gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh as his possession. 13 So to the sons of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron, the city of refuge for the manslayer, with its pasture lands, and Libnah with its pasture lands, 14 and Jattir with its pasture lands and Eshtemoa with its pasture lands, 15 and Holon with its pasture lands and Debir with its pasture lands, 16 and Ain with its pasture lands and Juttah with its pasture lands and Beth-shemesh with its pasture lands; nine cities from these two tribes.”
- (:17-18) From Benjamin – 4 Cities
“And from the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with its pasture lands, Geba with its pasture lands, 18 Anathoth with its pasture lands and Almon with its pasture lands; four cities.”
- (:19) Summary – 13 Cities
“All the cities of the sons of Aaron, the priests, were thirteen cities with their pasture lands.”
B. (:20-26) Cities Assigned to the Remaining Kohathites
- (:20-22) From the Tribe of Ephraim – 4 Cities
“Then the cities from the tribe of Ephraim were allotted to the families of the sons of Kohath, the Levites, even to the rest of the sons of Kohath. 21 And they gave them Shechem, the city of refuge for the manslayer, with its pasture lands, in the hill country of Ephraim, and Gezer with its pasture lands, 22 and Kibzaim with its pasture lands and Beth-horon with its pasture lands; four cities.”
- (:23-24) From the Tribe of Dan
“And from the tribe of Dan, Elteke with its pasture lands,
Gibbethon with its pasture lands,
24 Aijalon with its pasture lands,
Gath-rimmon with its pasture lands; four cities.”
- (:25) From the Half-Tribe of Manasseh
“And from the half-tribe of Manasseh, they allotted Taanach with its pasture lands and Gath-rimmon with its pasture lands; two cities.”
- (:26) Summary
“All the cities with their pasture lands for the families of the rest of the sons of Kohath were ten.”
Donald Campbell: The priestly cities fell ultimately within the Southern Kingdom of Judah where the temple would be built in its capital city, Jerusalem.
C. (:27-33) Cities Assigned to the Gershonites
- (:27) To the Sons of Gershon
“And to the sons of Gershon, one of the families of the Levites, from the half-tribe of Manasseh, they gave Golan in Bashan, the city of refuge for
the manslayer, with its pasture lands, and Be-eshterah with its pasture lands; two cities.”
- (:28-29) From the Tribe of Issachar
“And from the tribe of Issachar, they gave Kishion with its pasture lands, Daberath with its pasture lands, 29 Jarmuth with its pasture lands, En-gannim with its pasture lands; four cities.”
- (:30-31) From the Tribe of Asher
“And from the tribe of Asher, they gave Mishal with its pasture lands,
Abdon with its pasture lands, 31 Helkath with its pasture lands
and Rehob with its pasture lands; four cities.”
- (:32) From the Tribe of Naphtali
“And from the tribe of Naphtali, they gave Kedesh in Galilee, the city of refuge for the manslayer, with its pasture lands and Hammoth-dor with its pasture lands and Kartan with its pasture lands; three cities.”
- (:33) Summary
“All the cities of the Gershonites according to their families were thirteen cities with their pasture lands.”
D. (:34-40) Cities Assigned to Merarites
- (:34-35) To the Sons of Merari
“And to the families of the sons of Merari, the rest of the Levites, they gave from the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam with its pasture lands and Kartah with its pasture lands. 35 Dimnah with its pasture lands, Nahalal with its pasture lands; four cities.”
- (:36-37) From the Tribe of Reuben
“And from the tribe of Reuben, they gave Bezer with its pasture lands and Jahaz with its pasture lands, 37 Kedemoth with its pasture lands and Mephaath with its pasture lands; four cities.”
- (:38-39) From the Tribe of Gad
“And from the tribe of Gad, they gave Ramoth in Gilead, the city of refuge for the manslayer, with its pasture lands and Mahanaim with its pasture lands, 39 Heshbon with its pasture lands, Jazer with its pasture lands; four cities in all.”
- (:40) Summary
“All these were the cities of the sons of Merari according to their families, the rest of the families of the Levites; and their lot was twelve cities.”
Trent Butler: The clan of Merari received cities in two widely separated geographical areas: Zebulun in the northwestern part of Palestine and the wide-ranging areas of Reuben and Gad east of the Jordan and below the Sea of Galilee.
(:41-42) EPILOGUE – SUMMARY REPORT
A. (:41) Final Count = 48 Cities
“All the cities of the Levites in the midst of the possession of the sons of Israel were forty-eight cities with their pasture lands.”
David Guzik: Perhaps it is also significant that the priests received their cities last of all the tribes. Priests are appointed to serve, not to be served, and there is something priestly about letting others go first.
Donald Campbell: At the time of the assignment many of the Levites’ towns were under Canaanite control and had to be conquered. Apparently the Levites did not always succeed and the other tribes did not offer to help. This would appear to be the simplest explanation for the lack of complete correlation between the list of Levitical cities here and the list in 1 Chronicles 6:54-81.
B. (:42) Surrounding Pasture Lands Included
“These cities each had its surrounding pasture lands;
thus it was with all these cities.”