Joshua 21:19 kjv
All the cities of the children of Aaron, the priests, were thirteen cities with their suburbs.
Joshua 21:19 nkjv
All the cities of the children of Aaron, the priests, were thirteen cities with their common-lands.
Joshua 21:19 niv
The total number of towns for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, came to thirteen, together with their pasturelands.
Joshua 21:19 esv
The cities of the descendants of Aaron, the priests, were in all thirteen cities with their pasturelands.
Joshua 21:19 nlt
So in all, thirteen towns with their pasturelands were given to the priests, the descendants of Aaron.
Joshua 21 19 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Num 35:2 | "Command the children of Israel, that they give unto the Levites of...cities." | Divine command to provide Levitical cities. |
| Num 35:7 | "All the cities which ye shall give... forty and eight cities." | Total 48 Levitical cities to be given. |
| Dt 10:9 | "Wherefore Levi hath no part nor inheritance with his brethren..." | Levites' lack of territorial inheritance. |
| Josh 13:14 | "Only unto the tribe of Levi he gave no inheritance..." | Confirmation of Levi's inheritance difference. |
| Josh 21:3 | "And the children of Israel gave... these cities and their suburbs." | Tribes giving specific cities as instructed. |
| Josh 21:13-16 | "And they gave to the children of Aaron the priest Hebron... nine cities." | Enumeration of Judah/Simeon cities for priests. |
| Josh 21:17-18 | "And out of the tribe of Benjamin... Gibeon... Geba... Anathoth... Almon." | Cities from Benjamin for the priests. |
| Josh 21:41 | "All the cities of the Levites... were forty and eight cities..." | Final total of all Levitical cities. |
| Josh 21:43 | "The LORD gave unto Israel all the land which he sware..." | God's faithfulness in fulfilling promises. |
| 1 Chr 6:54-81 | "Now these are their dwelling places throughout their castles..." | Parallel listing of Levitical cities. |
| Ez 45:6 | "And ye shall appoint the possession of the city five thousand broad..." | Future provision for Levites in Ezekiel's vision. |
| Neh 11:3 | "Now these are the chief of the province that dwelt in Jerusalem..." | Levites and priests inhabiting cities post-exile. |
| Lv 25:34 | "But the fields of the suburbs of their cities may not be sold..." | Rules on Levitical suburban lands. |
| 1 Pet 2:5 | "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood..." | New Covenant believers as a spiritual priesthood. |
| 1 Pet 2:9 | "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood..." | Believers' priestly status in the New Testament. |
| Heb 7:12 | "For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also..." | Transition from Levitical to Melchizedek priesthood. |
| Lk 10:7 | "for the labourer is worthy of his hire." | Principle of divine provision for ministry. |
| 1 Cor 9:13-14 | "Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel." | Principle of financial support for ministry. |
| Phil 4:19 | "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory..." | God's provision for His people and servants. |
| Rom 15:27 | "...minister unto them in carnal things." | Those who receive spiritual blessings should share material things. |
Joshua 21 verses
Joshua 21 19 Meaning
Joshua 21:19 is part of the meticulous account of land distribution to the tribes of Israel, specifically focusing on the cities allocated to the Levites. This verse, as provided, specifies two cities, Juttah and Beth-shemesh, each with their surrounding common lands. The accompanying phrase "four cities" indicates a total count for a particular group of cities that concluded with these mentioned. This detailed enumeration highlights God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promise to provide for the Levites, who had no territorial inheritance of their own among the other tribes, ensuring their dwelling and livelihood. While some textual traditions list Juttah and Beth-shemesh in an earlier verse (21:16), the inclusion of "four cities" in verse 19 most commonly concludes the tally of cities given from the tribe of Benjamin to the Kohathite priests.
Joshua 21 19 Context
Joshua chapter 21 details the allocation of specific cities from the other tribes to the Levites, a special tribe set apart for priestly and sanctuary service. Unlike the other tribes, Levi received no territorial inheritance as the "LORD God of Israel was their inheritance" (Josh 13:33, Dt 10:9). Instead, God commanded they be given 48 cities, including six cities of refuge, throughout Israel (Num 35:1-8). This was vital for their livelihood, allowing them to serve God from various locations among the tribes. The chapter meticulously lists these cities, first for the Kohathite clan (including Aaron's sons, the priests), then the Gershonites, and finally the Merarites.
Joshua 21:9-19 focuses on the cities allotted to the children of Aaron (the priests), who were Kohathites, from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin. Conventionally, verses 13-16 list nine cities from Judah and Simeon (Hebron, Libnah, Jattir, Eshtemoa, Holon, Debir, Ain, Juttah, Beth-shemesh). Verses 17-19 then list four cities from Benjamin. While the provided verse (Josh 21:19) specifically mentions Juttah and Beth-shemesh and "four cities," the majority of textual traditions place Juttah and Beth-shemesh in verse 16, within the Judah/Simeon allocation, and reserve verse 19 for summarizing the "four cities" from Benjamin (Gibeon, Geba, Anathoth, Almon). This careful land distribution is a testament to God's precise fulfillment of His covenant promises to Israel.
Joshua 21 19 Word analysis
- And Juttah (וְיֻטָּה - vĕ·yuṭ·ṭāh): A city located in the hill country of Judah (Josh 15:55), typically assigned to the priestly Kohathites. Its mention here signifies its designation as a Levitical city, illustrating the detailed allocation of land.
- with her suburbs (וְאֶת־ מִגְרָשֶׁהָ - wĕ·’eṯ-miḡ·rā·šehā): The Hebrew term `migrāš` refers to the common pasturelands surrounding a city. These "suburbs" were not mere residential extensions but designated tracts of land for the Levites' livestock, providing for their sustenance. Their explicit mention underlines the comprehensive nature of the provision, covering both dwelling and livelihood, as prescribed in Numbers 35:2-5. It prevented other tribes from encroaching on these essential areas.
- Beth-shemesh (בֵּית שֶׁמֶשׁ - bêṯ-še·meš): Meaning "house of the sun," this city was strategically located on the border between Judah and Dan, often mentioned in key biblical events (e.g., 1 Sam 6 regarding the Ark of the Covenant). Its allocation as a Levitical city illustrates the strategic dispersal of the priestly tribe throughout the land, allowing them to minister to all the tribes and serve as spiritual anchors in various regions.
- four cities (אַרְבַּע עָרִים - ’ar·ba‘ ‘ā·rîm): The number "four" refers to the specific count of cities in a group or subgroup within the Levitical allocation. In most canonical texts, this tally in Joshua 21:19 refers to the sum of the cities provided by the tribe of Benjamin (Gibeon, Geba, Anathoth, and Almon, enumerated in verses 17-18) to the sons of Aaron. The "four cities" concludes this particular set of the priests' inheritance from Benjamin's territory, complementing the nine cities they received from Judah and Simeon (v. 13-16). This precision underscores the organized and divinely ordained division of the promised land.
Joshua 21 19 Bonus section
The careful distribution of Levitical cities across all tribal territories (and not centralized) ensured that priests and Levites were accessible to all Israelites for teaching, judging, and ritual purification. This fostered religious instruction and spiritual guidance throughout the entire nation (Dt 33:10). The arrangement prevented any one secular tribe from controlling the priesthood and promoted a decentralized spiritual influence. This model foreshadows the New Covenant reality where believers, as a "royal priesthood" (1 Pet 2:9), are dispersed globally to minister and proclaim the Gospel in their respective spheres.
Joshua 21 19 Commentary
Joshua 21:19 concludes a specific segment of God's faithful fulfillment of His promise concerning the Levites' provision. Though they received no territorial inheritance in the typical sense, God ensured their dwellings and livelihood through assigned cities and their pasturelands, provided by the other tribes. This verse, depending on the textual tradition, either lists the last two cities in a grouping of four, or more commonly, acts as the sum statement for the four cities provided by the tribe of Benjamin to the priestly descendants of Aaron. The detail of "suburbs" emphasizes that their provision was not just housing but also sustenance for their cattle, a complete endowment ensuring their ability to serve the LORD without distraction. It exemplifies God's precise care for those dedicated to His service, reflecting His faithfulness in honoring every aspect of His covenant.