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Joshua 21

Josh 21, Jos 21, Jsh 21


Joshua 21

1 Then came near the heads of the fathers of the Levites unto Eleazar the priest, and unto Joshua the son of Nun, and unto the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel;

2 And they spake unto them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, The LORD commanded by the hand of Moses to give us cities to dwell in, with the suburbs thereof for our cattle.

3 And the children of Israel gave unto the Levites out of their inheritance, at the commandment of the LORD, these cities and their suburbs.

4 And the lot came out for the families of the Kohathites: and the children of Aaron the priest, which were of the Levites, had by lot out of the tribe of Judah, and out of the tribe of Simeon, and out of the tribe of Benjamin, thirteen cities.

5 And the rest of the children of Kohath had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Ephraim, and out of the tribe of Dan, and out of the half tribe of Manasseh, ten cities.

6 And the children of Gershon had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities.

7 The children of Merari by their families had out of the tribe of Reuben, and out of the tribe of Gad, and out of the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities.

8 And the children of Israel gave by lot unto the Levites these cities with their suburbs, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.

9 And they gave out of the tribe of the children of Judah, and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, these cities which are here mentioned by name.

10 Which the children of Aaron, being of the families of the Kohathites, who were of the children of Levi, had: for theirs was the first lot.

11 And they gave them the city of Arba the father of Anak, which city is Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, with the suburbs thereof round about it.

12 But the fields of the city, and the villages thereof, gave they to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for his possession.

13 Thus they gave to the children of Aaron the priest Hebron with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Libnah with her suburbs,

14 And Jattir with her suburbs, and Eshtemoa with her suburbs,

15 And Holon with her suburbs, and Debir with her suburbs,

16 And Ain with her suburbs, and Juttah with her suburbs, and Bethshemesh with her suburbs; nine cities out of those two tribes.

17 And out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with her suburbs, Geba with her suburbs,

18 Anathoth with her suburbs, and Almon with her suburbs; four cities.

19 All the cities of the children of Aaron, the priests, were thirteen cities with their suburbs.

20 And the families of the children of Kohath, the Levites which remained of the children of Kohath, even they had the cities of their lot out of the tribe of Ephraim.



21 For they gave them Shechem with her suburbs in mount Ephraim, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Gezer with her suburbs,

22 And Kibzaim with her suburbs, and Bethhoron with her suburbs; four cities.

23 And out of the tribe of Dan, Eltekeh with her suburbs, Gibbethon with her suburbs,

24 Aijalon with her suburbs, Gathrimmon with her suburbs; four cities.

25 And out of the half tribe of Manasseh, Tanach with her suburbs, and Gathrimmon with her suburbs; two cities.

26 All the cities were ten with their suburbs for the families of the children of Kohath that remained.

27 And unto the children of Gershon, of the families of the Levites, out of the other half tribe of Manasseh they gave Golan in Bashan with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Beeshterah with her suburbs; two cities.

28 And out of the tribe of Issachar, Kishon with her suburbs, Dabareh with her suburbs,

29 Jarmuth with her suburbs, Engannim with her suburbs; four cities.

30 And out of the tribe of Asher, Mishal with her suburbs, Abdon with her suburbs,

31 Helkath with her suburbs, and Rehob with her suburbs; four cities.

32 And out of the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Hammothdor with her suburbs, and Kartan with her suburbs; three cities.

33 All the cities of the Gershonites according to their families were thirteen cities with their suburbs.

34 And unto the families of the children of Merari, the rest of the Levites, out of the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam with her suburbs, and Kartah with her suburbs,

35 Dimnah with her suburbs, Nahalal with her suburbs; four cities.

36 And out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer with her suburbs, and Jahazah with her suburbs,

37 Kedemoth with her suburbs, and Mephaath with her suburbs; four cities.

38 And out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Mahanaim with her suburbs,

39 Heshbon with her suburbs, Jazer with her suburbs; four cities in all.

40 So all the cities for the children of Merari by their families, which were remaining of the families of the Levites, were by their lot twelve cities.

41 All the cities of the Levites within the possession of the children of Israel were forty and eight cities with their suburbs.

42 These cities were every one with their suburbs round about them: thus were all these cities.

43 And the LORD gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein.

44 And the LORD gave them rest round about, according to all that he sware unto their fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand.

45 There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass.

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Summary and the Meaning of Chapter 21 of the Book of Joshua in the KJV Holy Bible

The book of Joshua is the sixth book of the Old Testament in the KJV Holy Bible. It is a continuation of the story of the Israelites, who have now entered the Promised Land after wandering in the wilderness for 40 years. Chapter 21 focuses on the division of the land among the 12 tribes of Israel, as well as the establishment of cities of refuge and the Levitical cities. This chapter highlights the fulfillment of God's promise to the Israelites and the importance of obedience to His commands.

The Division of the Land

The chapter begins with the leaders of the tribes of Israel approaching Joshua and the priests to request for their allotted inheritance in the land. The land had already been conquered and divided among the tribes, as commanded by God through Moses. Each tribe was given a portion of land according to their numbers, with the exception of the tribe of Levi, which was not given any land inheritance but was instead appointed to serve in the tabernacle and in the presence of God.

As the leaders of the tribes present their requests, Joshua and the priests follow the instructions given by God to Moses in Numbers 35 and Deuteronomy 19, to designate cities of refuge for anyone who unintentionally kills someone. These cities were to provide a safe haven for the person until they could stand trial and be protected from the avenger of blood.

The Levites were also given 48 cities scattered throughout the land, which were to serve as their inheritance. These cities were also designated as cities of refuge, as they were to be cities of sanctuary for the Levites as well as for anyone seeking refuge from the avenger of blood.

The Fulfillment of God's Promise

The division of the land among the tribes of Israel was a fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In Genesis 15, God had promised Abraham that his descendants would inherit the land of Canaan. This promise was reiterated to Isaac and Jacob, and now, it was being fulfilled through the Israelites. It was a reminder that God is faithful to His promises and that He keeps His word.

Furthermore, the division of the land was also a reminder of God's faithfulness to the Israelites. They had been wandering in the wilderness for 40 years, but God had not forgotten His promise to them. He had brought them into the Promised Land, just as He had promised. This serves as a reminder to us that no matter how long we may have to wait, God will always fulfill His promises in His perfect timing.

The Importance of Obedience

Throughout the book of Joshua, we see the emphasis on obedience to God's commands. In chapter 21, we see how the Israelites followed God's instructions in dividing the land and designating cities of refuge and Levitical cities. This was a sign of their obedience to God and their trust in His plan for them.

Similarly, as Christians, we are called to obey God's commands and trust in His plan for our lives. Obedience is not always easy, but it is necessary for us to live a life that is pleasing to God. It is a sign of our love for Him and our faith in His goodness and faithfulness.

Moreover, the cities of refuge and Levitical cities serve as a reminder that God is a God of mercy and justice. He provided a way for those who unintentionally committed a crime to find refuge and safety. This shows His love and compassion for His people, but it also reminds us that there are consequences for our actions. We must always be mindful of our actions and seek to live in a way that is pleasing to God.

The Meaning of Chapter 21

Chapter 21 of the book of Joshua holds several important lessons for us as Christians. It reminds us of God's faithfulness to His promises, His plan for our lives, and the importance of obedience. It also shows us that God is a God of mercy and justice, and that there are consequences for our actions.

Furthermore, this chapter also highlights the importance of community and taking care of one another. The Levites were given cities to live in among the other tribes of Israel, and the cities of refuge were designated to provide safety and protection for those in need. This teaches us the importance of being there for one another and being a source of refuge and support for those in need.

Moreover, the division of the land among the tribes of Israel serves as a reminder that God has a unique plan and purpose for each one of us. Just as each tribe was given a specific portion of land, God has a specific plan for our lives. We must trust in His plan and follow His commands, knowing that He will always fulfill His promises in His perfect timing.

In conclusion, chapter 21 of the book of Joshua in the KJV Holy Bible is a significant chapter that highlights the fulfillment of God's promise to the Israelites, the importance of obedience, and the nature of God as a God of mercy and justice. It serves as a reminder for us to trust in God's plan for our lives and to be obedient to His commands. It also teaches us the importance of community and taking care of one another. As we continue to read the book of Joshua, may we be reminded of these important lessons and apply them to our own lives.



This article is informed by the King James Version of the Holy Bible, the authors' personal knowledge, considerations and experience, and additional materials and resources available in internet.

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