Focused Passage

Joshua 21:9-19

Levitical Cities and the LORD’s Faithfulness to Every Promise

The Levites request the cities promised through Moses, Israel gives them cities and pasturelands from each tribal inheritance, and the chapter concludes by celebrating that not one of the LORD’s good promises failed.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

9From the tribes of Judah and Simeon, they designated these cities by name

10to the descendants of Aaron from the Kohathite clans of the Levites, because the first lot fell to them:

11They gave them Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), with its surrounding pasturelands, in the hill country of Judah. (Arba was the father of Anak.)

12But they had given the fields and villages around the city to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his possession.

13So to the descendants of Aaron the priest they gave these cities, together with their pasturelands: Hebron, a city of refuge for the manslayer, Libnah,

14Jattir, Eshtemoa,

15Holon, Debir,

16Ain, Juttah, and Beth-shemesh—nine cities from these two tribes, together with their pasturelands.

17And from the tribe of Benjamin they gave them Gibeon, Geba,

18Anathoth, and Almon—four cities, together with their pasturelands.

19In all, thirteen cities, together with their pasturelands, were given to the priests, the descendants of Aaron.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 9

Original words

From the tribesמִמַּטֵּה֙H4294Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular constructvvvבְּנֵ֣יH1121Noun - masculine plural constructof Judahיְהוּדָ֔הH3063Noun - proper - masculine singular. . .וּמִמַּטֵּ֖הH4294Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct. . .בְּנֵ֣יH1121Noun - masculine plural constructand Simeonשִׁמְע֑וֹןH8095Noun - proper - masculine singular-אֵ֚תH853Direct object markerthey designatedוַֽיִּתְּנ֗וּH5414Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluraltheseהָאֵ֔לֶּהH428Article | Pronoun - common plural-אֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relative-יִקְרָ֥אH7121Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular-אֶתְהֶ֖ןH853Direct object marker | third person feminine pluralcitiesהֶֽעָרִ֣יםH5892Article | Noun - feminine pluralby nameבְּשֵֽׁם׃H8034Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 10

Original words

-וַֽיְהִי֙H1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularto the descendantsלִבְנֵ֣יH1121Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural constructof Aaronאַהֲרֹ֔ןH175Noun - proper - masculine singularfrom the Kohathiteהַקְּהָתִ֖יH6956Article | Noun - proper - masculine singularclansמִמִּשְׁפְּח֥וֹתH4940Preposition-m | Noun - feminine plural constructof the Levitesמִבְּנֵ֣יH1121Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct. . .לֵוִ֑יH3878Noun - proper - masculine singularbecauseכִּ֥יH3588Conjunctionthe firstרִיאשֹׁנָֽה׃H7223Adjective - feminine singularlotהַגּוֹרָ֖לH1486Article | Noun - masculine singularfellהָיָ֥הH1961Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularto themלָהֶ֛םPreposition-l | Pronoun - third person masculine plural
Verse 11

Original words

They gaveוַיִּתְּנ֨וּH5414Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralthemלָהֶ֜םPreposition-l | Pronoun - third person masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markervvvקִרְיַת֩H7153Kiriath-arbaאַרְבַּ֨עH7153Noun - proper - feminine singular(that isהִ֥יאH1931Pronoun - third person feminine singularHebronחֶבְר֖וֹןH2275Noun - proper - masculine singularwith its surroundingסְבִיבֹתֶֽיהָ׃H5439Adverb | third person feminine singularpasturelandsמִגְרָשֶׁ֖הָH4054Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singularin the hill countryבְּהַ֣רH2022Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructof Judahיְהוּדָ֑הH3063Noun - proper - masculine singular. . .וְאֶת־H854Conjunctive waw | PrepositionArba was the fatherאֲבִ֧יH1Noun - masculine singular constructof Anakהָֽעֲנ֛וֹקH6061Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 12

Original words

-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerBut they had givenנָֽתְנ֛וּH5414Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralthe fieldsשְׂדֵ֥הH7704Noun - masculine singular constructand villagesחֲצֵרֶ֑יהָH2691Noun - common plural construct | third person feminine singulararound the cityהָעִ֖ירH5892Article | Noun - feminine singular-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerto Calebלְכָלֵ֥בH3612Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singularsonבֶּן־H1121Noun - masculine singular constructof Jephunnehיְפֻנֶּ֖הH3312Noun - proper - masculine singularas his possessionבַּאֲחֻזָּתֽוֹ׃סH272Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 13

Original words

So to the descendantsוְלִבְנֵ֣י׀H1121Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural constructof Aaronאַהֲרֹ֣ןH175Noun - proper - masculine singularthe priestהַכֹּהֵ֗ןH3548Article | Noun - masculine singularthey gaveנָֽתְנוּ֙H5414Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural[these cities]אֶת־H853Direct object markertogether withוְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markertheir pasturelandsמִגְרָשֶׁ֑הָH4054Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singularHebronחֶבְר֖וֹןH2275Noun - proper - feminine singulara cityעִיר֙H5892Noun - feminine singular constructof refugeמִקְלַ֣טH4733Noun - masculine singular constructfor the manslayerהָרֹצֵ֔חַH7523Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object marker-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerLibnahלִבְנָ֖הH3841Noun - proper - feminine singular-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker-מִגְרָשֶֽׁהָ׃H4054Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Verse 14

Original words

-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerJattirיַתִּר֙H3492Noun - proper - feminine singular-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker-מִגְרָשֶׁ֔הָH4054Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerEshtemoaאֶשְׁתְּמֹ֖עַH851Noun - proper - feminine singular-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker-מִגְרָשֶֽׁהָ׃H4054Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Verse 15

Original words

-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerHolonחֹלֹן֙H2473Noun - proper - feminine singular-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker-מִגְרָשֶׁ֔הָH4054Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerDebirדְּבִ֖רH1688Noun - proper - feminine singular-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker-מִגְרָשֶֽׁהָ׃H4054Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Verse 16

Original words

-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerAinעַ֣יִןH5871Noun - proper - feminine singular-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker-מִגְרָשֶׁ֗הָH4054Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerJuttahיֻטָּה֙H3194Noun - proper - feminine singular-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker-מִגְרָשֶׁ֔הָH4054Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markervvvבֵּ֥יתH1053Prepositionand Beth-shemeshשֶׁ֖מֶשׁH1053Noun - proper - feminine singularnineתֵּ֔שַׁעH8672Number - feminine singularcitiesעָרִ֣יםH5892Noun - feminine pluralfromמֵאֵ֕תH854Preposition-m | Direct object markertheseהָאֵֽלֶּה׃פH428Article | Pronoun - common pluraltwoשְׁנֵ֥יH8147Number - masculine dual constructtribesהַשְּׁבָטִ֖יםH7626Article | Noun - masculine pluraltogether withוְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markertheir pasturelandsמִגְרָשֶׁ֑הָH4054Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Verse 17

Original words

And from the tribeוּמִמַּטֵּ֣הH4294Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular constructof Benjamin they gaveבִנְיָמִ֔ןH1144Noun - proper - masculine singularthemאֶת־H853Direct object markerGibeonגִּבְע֖וֹןH1391Noun - proper - feminine singular-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker-מִגְרָשֶׁ֑הָH4054Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerGebaגֶּ֖בַעH1387Noun - proper - feminine singular-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker-מִגְרָשֶֽׁהָ׃H4054Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Verse 18

Original words

-אֶת־H853Direct object markerAnathothעֲנָתוֹת֙H6068Noun - proper - feminine singular-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker-מִגְרָשֶׁ֔הָH4054Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerand Almonעַלְמ֖וֹןH5960Noun - proper - feminine singularfourאַרְבַּֽע׃H702Number - feminine singularcitiesעָרִ֖יםH5892Noun - feminine pluraltogether withוְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markertheir pasturelandsמִגְרָשֶׁ֑הָH4054Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Verse 19

Original words

In allכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructthirteenשְׁלֹשׁ־H7969Number - feminine singular construct. . .עֶשְׂרֵ֥הH6240Number - feminine singularcitiesעָרִ֖יםH5892Noun - feminine plural-עָרֵ֥יH5892Noun - feminine plural constructtogether with their pasturelandsוּמִגְרְשֵׁיהֶֽן׃סH4054Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine plural[were given] to the priestsהַכֹּֽהֲנִ֑יםH3548Article | Noun - masculine pluralthe descendantsבְנֵֽי־H1121Noun - masculine plural constructof Aaronאַהֲרֹ֖ןH175Noun - proper - masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.