וַיִּגְּשׁוּ רָאשֵׁי אֲבוֹת הַלְוִיִּם אֶל־אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן וְאֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן־נוּן וְאֶל־רָאשֵׁי אֲבוֹת הַמַּטּוֹת לִבְנֵי   21:1

יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

Josh. 21:1   And the heads of the fathers of the Levites approached to Eleazar, the priest, and to Joshua son of Nun, and to the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel,

וַיְדַבְּרוּ אֲלֵיהֶם בְּשִׁלֹה בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן לֵאמֹר יְהוָה צִוָּה בְיַד־מֹשֶׁה לָתֶת־לָנוּ עָרִים לָשָׁבֶת   21:2

וּמִגְרְשֵׁיהֶן לִבְהֶמְתֵּנוּ׃

Josh. 21:2   and they spoke to them in Shiloh in the land of Canaan saying, “The Lord commanded by the hand of Moses to give cities to us to dwell and their suburbs for our cattle.”

וַיִּתְּנוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל לַלְוִיִּם מִנַּחֲלָתָם אֶל־פִּי יְהוָה אֶת־הֶעָרִים הָאֵלֶּה וְאֶת־מִגְרְשֵׁיהֶן׃   21:3

Josh. 21:3   So the children of Israel gave these cities and their suburbs to the Levites from their inheritance according to the word of the Lord.

וַיֵּצֵא הַגּוֹרָל לְמִשְׁפְּחֹת הַקְּהָתִי וַיְהִי לִבְנֵי אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן מִן־הַלְוִיִּם מִמַּטֵּה יְהוּדָה וּמִמַּטֵּה הַשִּׁמְעֹנִי   21:4

וּמִמַּטֵּה בִנְיָמִן בַּגּוֹרָל עָרִים שְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה׃

Josh. 21:4   And the lot came out to the families of the Kohathites; and it was for the children of Aaron, the priest, from the Levites from the tribe of Judah and from the tribe of the Simeonites and from the tribe of Benjamin, thirteen cities.

וְלִבְנֵי קְהָת הַנּוֹתָרִים מִמִּשְׁפְּחֹת מַטֵּה־אֶפְרַיִם וּמִמַּטֵּה־דָן וּמֵחֲצִי מַטֵּה מְנַשֶּׁה בַּגּוֹרָל עָרִים עָשֶׂר׃   21:5

Josh. 21:5   And to the children of Kohath who were left, from the families of the tribe of Ephraim and from the tribe of Dan and from the half tribe of Manasseh by lot, ten cities.

וְלִבְנֵי גֵרְשׁוֹן מִמִּשְׁפְּחוֹת מַטֵּה־יִשָּׂשכָר וּמִמַּטֵּה־אָשֵׁר וּמִמַּטֵּה נַפְתָּלִי וּמֵחֲצִי מַטֵּה מְנַשֶּׁה בַבָּשָׁן   21:6

בַּגּוֹרָל עָרִים שְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה׃

Josh. 21:6   And to the children of Gershon, 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 by lot, thirteen cities.

לִבְנֵי מְרָרִי לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם מִמַּטֵּה רְאוּבֵן וּמִמַּטֵּה־גָד וּמִמַּטֵּה זְבוּלֻן עָרִים שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה׃   21:7

Josh. 21:7   To the children of Merari according to their families, from the tribe of Reuben and from the tribe of Gad and from the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities.

וַיִּתְּנוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל לַלְוִיִּם אֶת־הֶעָרִים הָאֵלֶּה וְאֶת־מִגְרְשֵׁיהֶן כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה בְּיַד־מֹשֶׁה בַּגּוֹרָל׃   21:8

Josh. 21:8   And the children of Israel gave these cities and their suburbs to the Levites by lot as the Lord had commanded by the hand of Moses.

וַיִּתְּנוּ מִמַּטֵּה בְּנֵי יְהוּדָה וּמִמַּטֵּה בְּנֵי שִׁמְעוֹן אֵת הֶעָרִים הָאֵלֶּה אֲשֶׁר־יִקְרָא אֶתְהֶן בְּשֵׁם׃   21:9

Josh. 21:9   And they gave from the tribe of the children of Judah and from the tribe of the children of Simeon these cities that which will be mentioned by name.

וַיְהִי לִבְנֵי אַהֲרֹן מִמִּשְׁפְּחוֹת הַקְּהָתִי מִבְּנֵי לֵוִי כִּי לָהֶם הָיָה הַגּוֹרָל רִיאשֹׁנָה׃   21:10

Josh. 21:10   And it was for the children of Aaron from the families of the Kohathites from the children of Levi, for to them was the first lot.

וַיִּתְּנוּ לָהֶם אֶת־קִרְיַת אַרְבַּע אֲבִי הָעֲנוֹק הִיא חֶבְרוֹן בְּהַר יְהוּדָה וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ סְבִיבֹתֶיהָ׃   21:11

Josh. 21:11    And they gave Kiriath-arba -- the father of Anok, it is Hebron -- to them in the hill country of Judah, and the suburbs surrounding it.

וְאֶת־שְׂדֵה הָעִיר וְאֶת־חֲצֵרֶיהָ נָתְנוּ לְכָלֵב בֶּן־יְפֻנֶּה בַּאֲחֻזָּתוֹ׃   21:12

Josh. 21:12    But the country of the city and its villages they gave to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his possession.

וְלִבְנֵי אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן נָתְנוּ אֶת־עִיר מִקְלַט הָרֹצֵחַ אֶת־חֶבְרוֹן וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ וְאֶת־לִבְנָה וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ׃   21:13

Josh. 21:13    And to the children of Aaron, the priest, they gave the city of refuge of the manslayer, Hebron, and its suburbs, and Libnah and its suburbs,

וְאֶת־יַתִּר וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ וְאֶת־אֶשְׁתְּמֹעַ וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ׃   21:14

Josh. 21:14    and Jattir and its suburbs, and Eshtemoa and its suburbs,

וְאֶת־חֹלֹן וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ וְאֶת־דְּבִר וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ׃   21:15

Josh. 21:15    and Holon and its suburbs, and Debir and its suburbs,

וְאֶת־עַיִן וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ וְאֶת־יֻטָּה וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ אֶת־בֵּית שֶׁמֶשׁ וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ עָרִים תֵּשַׁע מֵאֵת   21:16

שְׁנֵי הַשְּׁבָטִים הָאֵלֶּה׃

Josh. 21:16    and Ain and its suburbs, and Juttah and its suburbs, Beth-shemesh and its suburbs; nine cities from the two of these tribes.

וּמִמַּטֵּה בִנְיָמִן אֶת־גִּבְעוֹן וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ אֶת־גֶּבַע וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ׃   21:17

Josh. 21:17    And from the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon and its suburbs, Geba and its suburbs,

                                                                                                                        [Return to 1Chr. 16:40]

אֶת־עֲנָתוֹת וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ וְאֶת־עַלְמוֹן וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ עָרִים אַרְבַּע׃   21:18

Josh. 21:18    Anathoth and its suburbs, and Almon and its suburbs; four cities.

כָּל־עָרֵי בְנֵי־אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֲנִים שְׁלֹשׁ־עֶשְׂרֵה עָרִים וּמִגְרְשֵׁיהֶן׃   21:19

Josh. 21:19    All the cities of the children of Aaron, the priests, were thirteen cities and their suburbs. 

וּלְמִשְׁפְּחוֹת בְּנֵי־קְהָת הַלְוִיִּם הַנּוֹתָרִים מִבְּנֵי קְהָת וַיְהִי עָרֵי גוֹרָלָם מִמַּטֵּה אֶפְרָיִם׃   21:20

Josh. 21:20    And to the families of the children of Kohath, the Levites who were left from the children of Kohath; so it was, the cities of their lot were from the tribe of Ephraim.

וַיִּתְּנוּ לָהֶם אֶת־עִיר מִקְלַט הָרֹצֵחַ אֶת־שְׁכֶם וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ בְּהַר אֶפְרָיִם וְאֶת־גֶּזֶר וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ׃   21:21

Josh. 21:21    And they gave to them the city of refuge of the manslayer, Shechem, and its suburb, in the hill country of Ephraim, and Gezer and its suburbs,

וְאֶת־קִבְצַיִם וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ וְאֶת־בֵּית חוֹרֹן וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ עָרִים אַרְבַּע׃   21:22

Josh. 21:22    and Kibzaim and its suburbs, and Beth-horon and its suburbs; four cities.

וּמִמַּטֵּה־דָן אֶת־אֶלְתְּקֵא וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ אֶת־גִּבְּתוֹן וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ׃   21:23

Josh. 21:23    And from the tribe of Dan, Elteke and its suburbs, Gibbethon and its suburbs,

אֶת־אַיָּלוֹן וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ אֶת־גַּת־רִמּוֹן וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ עָרִים אַרְבַּע׃   21:24

Josh. 21:24    Aijalon and its suburbs, Gath-rimmon and its suburbs; four cities.

וּמִמַּחֲצִית מַטֵּה מְנַשֶּׁה אֶת־תַּעְנַךְ וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ וְאֶת־גַּת־רִמּוֹן וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ עָרִים שְׁתָּיִם׃   21:25

Josh. 21:25    And from the half tribe of Manasseh, Taanach and its suburbs, and Gath-rimmon and its suburbs; two cities.

כָּל־עָרִים עֶשֶׂר וּמִגְרְשֵׁיהֶן לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹת בְּנֵי־קְהָת הַנּוֹתָרִים׃   21:26

Josh. 21:26    All the cities, and their suburbs, were ten for the families of the children of Kohath who were left.

וְלִבְנֵי גֵרְשׁוֹן מִמִּשְׁפְּחֹת הַלְוִיִּם מֵחֲצִי מַטֵּה מְנַשֶּׁה אֶת־עִיר מִקְלַט הָרֹצֵחַ אֶת־(גלון) [גּוֹלָן] בַּבָּשָׁן   21:27

וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ וְאֶת־בְּעֶשְׁתְּרָה וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ עָרִים שְׁתָּיִם׃

Josh. 21:27    And to the children of Gershon of the families of the Levites from the half tribe of Manasseh, the city of refuge of the manslayer, Golan in Bashan and its suburbs, and Beeshterah and its suburbs; two cities.

The city named Golan appears to be misspelled in this verse also (see Josh. 20:8).

וּמִמַּטֵּה יִשָּׂשכָר אֶת־קִשְׁיוֹן וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ אֶת־דָּבְרַת וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ׃   21:28

Josh. 21:28    And from the tribe of Issachar, Kishion and its suburbs, Dobrath and its suburbs,

אֶת־יַרְמוּת וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ אֶת־עֵין גַּנִּים וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ עָרִים אַרְבַּע׃   21:29

Josh. 21:29    Jarmuth and its suburbs, En-gannim and its suburbs; four cities.

וּמִמַּטֵּה אָשֵׁר אֶת־מִשְׁאָל וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ אֶת־עַבְדּוֹן וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ׃   21:30

Josh. 21:30    And from the tribe of Asher, Mishal and its suburbs, Abdon and its suburbs.

אֶת־חֶלְקָת וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ וְאֶת־רְחֹב וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ עָרִים אַרְבַּע׃   21:31

Josh. 21:31    Helkath and its suburbs, and Rechob and its suburbs; four cities.

וּמִמַּטֵּה נַפְתָּלִי אֶת־עִיר מִקְלַט הָרֹצֵחַ אֶת־קֶדֶשׁ בַּגָּלִיל וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ וְאֶת־חַמֹּת דֹּאר וְאֶת־   21:32

מִגְרָשֶׁהָ וְאֶת־קַרְתָּן וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ עָרִים שָׁלֹשׁ׃

Josh. 21:32    And from the tribe of Naphtali, the city of refuge of the manslayer, Kedesh in Galilee, and its suburbs, and Hammoth Dor and its suburbs, and Kartan and its suburbs; three cities.

כָּל־עָרֵי הַגֵּרְשֻׁנִּי לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם שְׁלֹשׁ־עֶשְׂרֵה עִיר וּמִגְרְשֵׁיהֶן׃   21:33

Josh. 21:33    All the cities of the Gershonites according to their families were thirteen cities and their suburbs.

וּלְמִשְׁפְּחוֹת בְּנֵי־מְרָרִי הַלְוִיִּם הַנּוֹתָרִים מֵאֵת מַטֵּה זְבוּלֻן אֶת־יָקְנְעָם וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ אֶת־קַרְתָּה   21:34

וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ׃

Josh. 21:34    And to the families of the children of Merari, the Levites remaining from the tribe of Zebulun, Jakneam and its suburb, Kartah and its suburb,

אֶת־דִּמְנָה וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ אֶת־נַהֲלָל וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ עָרִים אַרְבַּע׃   21:35

Josh. 21:35    Dimnah and its suburb, Nahalal and its suburb; four cities.  And from the tribe of Reuben, Bezer and its suburbs, and Jahaz and its suburbs, Kedemoth and its suburbs, and Mephaath and its suburbs; four cities.

אֶת־דִּמְנָה וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ אֶת־נַהֲלָל וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ עָרִים אַרְבַּע׃   21:36

Josh. 21:36    And from the tribe of Gad, the city of refuge of the manslayer, Ramoth, in Gilead, and its suburbs, and Machanaim and its suburbs,

אֶת־קְדֵמוֹת וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ וְאֶת־מֵיפָעַת וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ עָרִים אַרְבַּע׃   21:37

Josh. 21:37    Heshbon and its suburbs, Jazer and its suburbs; in all, four cities.

וּמִמַּטֵּה־גָד אֶת־עִיר מִקְלַט הָרֹצֵחַ אֶת־רָמֹת בַּגִּלְעָד וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ וְאֶת־מַחֲנַיִם וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ׃   21:38

Josh. 21:38    The cities were all for the children of Merari according to their families remaining from the families of the Levites, and their lot was twelve cities.

אֶת־חֶשְׁבּוֹן וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ אֶת־יַעְזֵר וְאֶת־מִגְרָשֶׁהָ כָּל־עָרִים אַרְבַּע׃   21:39

Josh. 21:39    All the cities of the Levites were in the midst of the possession of the children of Israel; forty-eight cities and their suburbs

כָּל־הֶעָרִים לִבְנֵי מְרָרִי לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם הַנּוֹתָרִים מִמִּשְׁפְּחוֹת הַלְוִיִּם וַיְהִי גּוֹרָלָם עָרִים שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה׃   21:40

Josh. 21:40    shall these cities be, every city and its suburbs surrounding it, the same for all these cities.

וַיִּתֵּן יְהוָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־כָּל־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע לָתֵת לַאֲבוֹתָם וַיִּרָשׁוּהָ וַיֵּשְׁבוּ בָהּ׃   21:41

Josh. 21:41    So the Lord gave to Israel all of the land that He swore to give to their fathers, and they possessed it and dwelled in it.

וַיָּנַח יְהוָה לָהֶם מִסָּבִיב כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּע לַאֲבוֹתָם וְלֹא־עָמַד אִישׁ בִּפְנֵיהֶם מִכָּל־אֹיְבֵיהֶם אֵת   21:42

כָּל־אֹיְבֵיהֶם נָתַן יְהוָה בְּיָדָם׃

Josh. 21:42    Then the Lord gave rest to them from all around according to all that He had sworn to their fathers and no one stood against them from all their enemies; the Lord had delivered all their enemies into their hand.

לֹא־נָפַל דָּבָר מִכֹּל הַדָּבָר הַטּוֹב אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּר יְהוָה אֶל־בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל הַכֹּל בָּא׃   21:43

Josh. 21:43    Not a thing failed from any one of the good things of which the Lord had spoken to the house of Israel; it all came to pass.

Does this last verse refer to the “blessings” of Deut. 28, or merely to the promises by which the Israelites would take over the land of Canaan?  It’s difficult for me to believe that the “blessings” of Deut. 28 would all arrive at once.  Several of them would take at least one generation.  But maybe the scribe has here condensed the actual reality into just an apparently short time, as if it all happened as soon as the period of rest (as mentioned in v. 21:40) had arrived.  The distortion of time in the narrative does happen on occasion.  In any case, the good times didn’t last long.

[Return to Joshua Chapters]    [Prev.:  Josh. 20]    [Next:  Josh. 22