Joshua 21:26

Latin, "Plurimis urbibus." French, "Plusieurs villes:" "Several cities." — Ed. Joshua 21:20-45 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. 20. Familiis vero filiarum Cahath Levitarum, qui residui erant de filiis Cahath (fuerunt autem urbes sortis eorum de tribu 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, 21. Dederunt, inquam, illis urbem refugii homicidae Sechem, et suburbana ejus in monte Ephraim: et Geser et suburbana ejus. 22. And Kibzaim with her suburbs, and Bethhoron with her suburbs; four cities. 22. Et Cibsaim et suburbana ejus: et Beth-horon et suburbana ejus: urbes quatuor. 23. And out of the tribe of Dan, Eltekeh with her suburbs, Gibbethon with her suburbs, 23. De tribu vero Dan, Elthece et suburbana ejus: et Gibbethon et suburbana ejus. 24. Aijalon with her suburbs, Gathrimmon with her suburbs; four cities. 24. Et Ajalon et suburbana ejus, et Gath-rimmon et suburbana ejus: urbes quatuor. 25. And out of the half tribe of Manasseh, Tanach with her suburbs, and Gathrimmon with her suburbs; two cities. 25. De dimidia vero tribu Manasse Thaanach, et suburbana ejus: Gathrimmon et suburbana ejus: urbes duae. 26. All the cities were ten with their suburbs for the families of the children of Kohath that remained.

21:9-42 By mixing the Levites with the other tribes, they were made to see that the eyes of all Israel were upon them, and therefore it was their concern to walk so that their ministry might not be blamed. Every tribe had its share of Levites' cities. Thus did God graciously provide for keeping up religion among them, and that they might have the word in all parts of the land. Yet, blessed be God, we have the gospel more diffused amongst us.

All the cities were ten, with their suburbs,.... Four out of Ephraim, four out of Dan, and two out of the half tribe of Manasseh: which were for the families of the children of Kohath that remained: who were of the other branch of the Kohathites, and who did not descend from Aaron, and were only Levites, and not priests; See Gill on Joshua 21:20.

Jos 21:9-42. The Cities of the Priests. 9-40. they gave … these cities which are here mentioned by name—It was overruled by the unerring providence of the Divine Lawgiver that the cities of the priests lay within the territories of Judah and Benjamin. This was a provision, the admirable wisdom and propriety of which were fully manifested on the schism that took place in the reign of Rehoboam.

Of the cities of the non-priestly Kohathites, for Kibzaim we find Jokmeam in 1 Chronicles 6:68 . This is perhaps another name for the same place, since both names may be derived from roots having a similar meaning; and for Gath-rimmon in 1 Chronicles 6:70 , Bileam is given, and probably correctly; Gath-rimmon having apparently been repeated inadvertently from the preceding verse. Bileam is but another form of Ibleam Joshua 17:11 .

THE CITIES OF THE GERSHONITES. (Camp. Joshua 21:27-33.) 1Chronicles 6:71-76. (71) Unto the sons of Gershom.—Supply they gave, from 1Chronicles 6:67. Golan in Bashan (comp. the classical Gaulanitis, a district east of the sea of Galilee) was a city of refuge, like Hebron and Shechem. Ashtaroth.—Images of Ashtoreth (Astarte, queen of heaven); a name like Anathoth (1Chronicles 6:60), which means “images of Anath,” or Anatum, the consort of Anurn (the sky). The two cities must have been ancient seats of the worship of Ashtoreth and Anath. The names still survive in Tell-Ashtereh and Anâta. Joshua (50100) reads Be’eshterah—perhaps a popular pronunciation of Beth-Ashterah (house of Ashtoreth). (72) Kedesh means “sanctuary.” Joshua 19:20; Joshua 21:28 has Kishion, which may have borne the other name, as being the seat of a famous sanctuary. (73) Ramoth.—In Joshua 21 Jarmuth, but in Joshua 19:21 Remeth. Jarmuth occurs in Joshua 12:11, and is probably right. Anem.—Joshua 21:29; Joshua 19:21 has En-gannim. Joshua 15:34 mentions a Judæan city called ha-Enam (the two fountains), and that not far from En-gannim (fount of gardens). Anem is very much like Enam. (74) Mashal is perhaps a popular pronunciation of Mish’al (Joshua 21:30; Joshua 19:26). (Comp. Shēlâh = She’ēlâh.) (75) Hukok.—Helkath (Joshua 19:25). Hukkôk was a city of Naphtali (Joshua 19:34). (76) Kedesh in Galilee.—A city of refuge (Joshua 21:32); the modern Kedes.

( 1 Chronicles 6:56-61 ). The cities of the Gershonites; cf. Joshua 21:27-33 . "To the sons of Gershon (they gave) out of the family of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Golan and Ashtaroth;" see on Joshua 21:27 . In 1 Chronicles 6:72 , קדשׁ is a mistake for קשׁיון, Joshua 21:28 (see on Joshua 19:20 ); in 1 Chronicles 6:73 , ראמות for the more correct ירמות, Joshua 21:29 , a city which was also called רמת, Joshua 19:21 , or had been so called originally; and ענם for עין־גּנּים (Josh.), as the city is called also in Joshua 19:21 . It cannot be determined whether ענם is a transcriber's error, or another name for עין־גּנּים. In 1 Chronicles 6:74 , משׁל (which should perhaps be pointed משׁל) is a contracted form of משׁאל, Joshua 31:30 ; Joshua 19:26 ; and in 1 Chronicles 6:75 , חוּקק is probably an error for חלקת, Joshua 21:31 ; Joshua 19:25 , occasioned by its being confounded with חקּק in the tribe of Naphtali, Joshua 19:34 . In 1 Chronicles 6:76 the fact that Kadesh was a city of refuge is not mentioned, as it is in Joshua 21:32 . חמּון is a shortened form of חמּות־דּאר, Joshua 21:32 ; for this city is called in Joshua 19:35 חמּת, from the warm springs in the neighbourhood. Finally, Kirjathaim is contracted in Joshua 21:32 into קרתּן.

( 1 Chronicles 6:56-61 ). The cities of the Gershonites; cf. Joshua 21:27-33 . "To the sons of Gershon (they gave) out of the family of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Golan and Ashtaroth;" see on Joshua 21:27 . In 1 Chronicles 6:72 , קדשׁ is a mistake for קשׁיון, Joshua 21:28 (see on Joshua 19:20 ); in 1 Chronicles 6:73 , ראמות for the more correct ירמות, Joshua 21:29 , a city which was also called רמת, Joshua 19:21 , or had been so called originally; and ענם for עין־גּנּים (Josh.), as the city is called also in Joshua 19:21 . It cannot be determined whether ענם is a transcriber's error, or another name for עין־גּנּים. In 1 Chronicles 6:74 , משׁל (which should perhaps be pointed משׁל) is a contracted form of משׁאל, Joshua 31:30 ; Joshua 19:26 ; and in 1 Chronicles 6:75 , חוּקק is probably an error for חלקת, Joshua 21:31 ; Joshua 19:25 , occasioned by its being confounded with חקּק in the tribe of Naphtali, Joshua 19:34 . In 1 Chronicles 6:76 the fact that Kadesh was a city of refuge is not mentioned, as it is in Joshua 21:32 . חמּון is a shortened form of חמּות־דּאר, Joshua 21:32 ; for this city is called in Joshua 19:35 חמּת, from the warm springs in the neighbourhood. Finally, Kirjathaim is contracted in Joshua 21:32 into קרתּן.