Joshua 21:25 kjv
And out of the half tribe of Manasseh, Tanach with her suburbs, and Gathrimmon with her suburbs; two cities.
Joshua 21:25 nkjv
and from the half-tribe of Manasseh, Tanach with its common-land and Gath Rimmon with its common-land: two cities.
Joshua 21:25 niv
From half the tribe of Manasseh they received: Taanach and Gath Rimmon, together with their pasturelands?two towns.
Joshua 21:25 esv
and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Taanach with its pasturelands, and Gath-rimmon with its pasturelands ? two cities.
Joshua 21:25 nlt
The half-tribe of Manasseh allotted the following towns with their pasturelands to the priests: Taanach and Gath-rimmon ? two towns.
Joshua 21 25 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:7 | "...To your offspring I will give this land." | God's original promise of land. |
| Gen 15:18 | "On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram..." | Covenant confirming land promise. |
| Num 35:1-8 | "The Lord spoke to Moses... 'Command the people of Israel to give to the Levites from the heritage... cities to dwell in... with their pasturelands...'" | Divine command for Levite cities. |
| Deut 10:8-9 | "At that time the Lord set apart the tribe of Levi... 'they shall have no portion or inheritance with their brothers; the Lord is their inheritance...'" | Levites' unique inheritance (no land). |
| Deut 18:1-2 | "The Levitical priests... shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel... the Lord is their inheritance..." | Reiteration of Levite landlessness. |
| Josh 21:1-3 | "The heads of the fathers' houses of the Levites came near... 'The Lord commanded... to give us cities...'" | Levites request cities based on God's command. |
| Josh 21:41 | "All the cities of the Levites in the midst of the possession of the people of Israel were forty-eight cities with their pasturelands." | Total count of all Levite cities. |
| Josh 21:43-45 | "Thus the Lord gave to Israel all the land... Not one word of all the good promises... had failed..." | Fulfillment of God's land promise. |
| Judg 1:35 | "The Amorites insisted on dwelling in Mount Heres, Aijalon, and Shaalbim..." | Aijalon in later history. |
| 1 Sam 14:31 | "They struck down the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon..." | Aijalon as a place of military activity. |
| 2 Chr 11:10 | "He lived in Jerusalem and built fortified cities in Judah: Zorah, Aijalon, Hebron..." | Aijalon as a fortified city under Rehoboam. |
| Ps 37:25 | "I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread." | God's faithfulness in providing. |
| Ps 89:34 | "I will not violate my covenant or alter the word that went forth from my lips." | God's unswerving faithfulness to His promises. |
| Lam 3:22-23 | "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end... Great is Your faithfulness." | Attribute of God's faithfulness. |
| Rom 15:8 | "Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs..." | God's faithfulness through Christ to promises. |
| 1 Cor 14:33 | "For God is not a God of confusion but of peace..." | Reflects God's orderly provision. |
| 1 Cor 14:40 | "But all things should be done decently and in order." | Order in divine arrangement. |
| 2 Cor 1:20 | "For all the promises of God find their Yes in Him..." | Christ as the fulfillment of God's promises. |
| Heb 6:18 | "...it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement..." | Immutability of God's word/promise. |
| Heb 10:23 | "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful." | Assurance of God's faithfulness. |
| Jas 1:17 | "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights..." | God as source of all provision. |
Joshua 21 verses
Joshua 21 25 Meaning
Joshua 21:25 states the specific allocation of two cities, Aijalon and Gath Rimmon, along with their surrounding pasturelands, to the Kohathite Levites. These two cities complete the group of "four cities" given from the territory of the tribe of Dan to the Levites. The verse continues the detailed account of the fulfillment of God's command regarding the provision for the priestly tribe.
Joshua 21 25 Context
Joshua chapter 21 meticulously details the allocation of cities to the Levite tribe, fulfilling the divine command given in Numbers 35:1-8. The Levites, who did not receive a tribal land inheritance like the other eleven tribes (Deut 10:9; 18:1-2), were instead granted cities scattered throughout the territories of the other tribes, ensuring their spiritual and practical needs were met. The chapter is structured by Levitical clans: the Kohathites, Gershonites, and Merarites, and then further subdivided by the regions from which they received their allotments.
Verse 25 is specifically part of the section detailing the cities given to the remaining families of the Kohathites (after the family of Aaron, the priests, received theirs), drawn from the tribes of Ephraim, Dan, and the half-tribe of Manasseh (Josh 21:20-26). Historically, this period marks the completion of the conquest and the definitive settling of Israel in the promised land, showcasing God's meticulous and faithful fulfillment of His ancient covenants with the patriarchs and His specific commands through Moses. The distribution was not arbitrary but precisely aligned with the Mosaic law, underscoring God's precise and ordered plan for His people.
Joshua 21 25 Word analysis
- and (וְ, ve): A simple conjunction, connecting the enumeration of these two cities with the preceding list of Levitical cities. It highlights the continuation of the methodical allocation process.
- Aijalon (אַיָּלוֹן, Aiyalon): This name typically means "place of gazelles" or "deer." A strategically important city located in the valley of Aijalon, often serving as a boundary point and significant in later biblical history (e.g., Judg 1:35; 1 Sam 14:31; 2 Chr 11:10). Its inclusion among the Levitical cities, specifically from the tribe of Dan, demonstrates God's sovereign arrangement, positioning the Levites within the territories for spiritual influence and support.
- with (אֶת, et): A common particle, indicating association or possession, here linking the city to its surrounding common lands.
- its (Possessive suffix -הָ, -ha): Refers back to the named city, signifying the associated land belongs to it.
- pasturelands (מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ, migrasheyha): Derived from a root meaning "to drive out, expel." In this context, it refers to the common lands surrounding the Levitical cities, explicitly designated for pasturage of livestock and as open areas for community use, distinct from the agricultural fields. Numbers 35:2-5 meticulously specifies the dimensions of these pasturelands (1000 cubits out from the city wall, with a further 2000 cubits for pasture). This provision was vital for the sustenance of the Levites, who did not cultivate land.
- Gath Rimmon (גַּת־רִמּוֹן, Gath Rimmon): Means "winepress of pomegranates." This was another Levitical city allocated from the territory of Dan. Its name reflects agricultural aspects of the region. There might have been more than one city with similar names in ancient Israel, but here it specifically refers to the one given to the Kohathites from Dan.
- four cities (עָרִים אַרְבַּע, arim arba): This phrase sums up the number of cities assigned to the Kohathites from the tribe of Dan. While verse 25 names only Aijalon and Gath Rimmon, the previous verses (Josh 21:23-24) specified four cities from Dan given to the remaining Kohathites: Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Aijalon, and Gath Rimmon. Therefore, "four cities" is a concluding summary for this entire grouping from Dan's territory. It emphasizes the completed, exact fulfillment of the divinely ordained count for this particular distribution.
Joshua 21 25 Bonus section
The consistent mention of "pasturelands" with each Levitical city across Joshua 21 is not just a geographical detail; it's a profound statement of God's holistic provision. Unlike the other tribes, Levites did not possess agricultural land for cultivation. Their sustenance came from the tithes and offerings of the other tribes. The pasturelands were therefore crucial for their livestock, a practical necessity illustrating how God provides even for the daily, physical needs of those consecrated to Him. This arrangement also prevented the Levites from becoming territorial land barons, reinforcing their unique role as servants of the Lord without earthly inheritance. This design reflects a divine pattern of both physical support and spiritual deployment, ensuring that God's covenant people had consistent access to divine instruction across their diverse land.
Joshua 21 25 Commentary
Joshua 21:25 provides specific evidence of God's perfect and meticulous fulfillment of His promises to Israel. The giving of cities to the Levites, not as tribal territories but as scattered points of dwelling with essential pasturelands, served multiple divine purposes. It demonstrated God's faithfulness in providing for those consecrated to Him (Deut 10:9; 18:1-2), ensuring they were sustained without being engaged in agriculture. Furthermore, by placing the Levites—the keepers and teachers of the Law—throughout all the tribes, God facilitated the dissemination of His statutes and judgments across the nation. This dispersion of spiritual leadership prevented regional pockets of ignorance or theological deviance, promoting national spiritual unity and instruction. The exact naming of cities and their designated pasturelands, alongside the specific counting (like the "four cities" here), underscores the precision and orderliness inherent in God's divine plan. It teaches us that God remembers every detail of His promises and orchestrates circumstances to bring them to pass. The provision of Aijalon and Gath Rimmon, like all Levitical cities, exemplifies God's methodical provision and foresight, sustaining His ministers and establishing centers of divine truth within the land.