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Joshua 21 :: New International Version (NIV)

Towns for the Levites

(1Ch 6:54–81 )

Jos 21:1

Jos 21:1Now the family heads of the Levites approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the other tribal families of Israel

Jos 21:2

Jos 21:2at Shiloh in Canaan and said to them, “The LORD commanded through Moses that you give us towns to live in, with pasturelands for our livestock.”

Jos 21:3

Jos 21:3So, as the LORD had commanded, the Israelites gave the Levites the following towns and pasturelands out of their own inheritance:

Jos 21:4

Jos 21:4The first lot came out for the Kohathites, according to their clans. The Levites who were descendants of Aaron the priest were allotted thirteen towns from the tribes of Judah, Simeon and Benjamin.

Jos 21:5

Jos 21:5The rest of Kohath’s descendants were allotted ten towns from the clans of the tribes of Ephraim, Dan and half of Manasseh.

Jos 21:6

Jos 21:6The descendants of Gershon were allotted thirteen towns from the clans of the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.

Jos 21:7

Jos 21:7The descendants of Merari, according to their clans, received twelve towns from the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Zebulun.

Jos 21:8

Jos 21:8So the Israelites allotted to the Levites these towns and their pasturelands, as the LORD had commanded through Moses.

Jos 21:9

Jos 21:9From the tribes of Judah and Simeon they allotted the following towns by name

Jos 21:10

Jos 21:10(these towns were assigned to the descendants of Aaron who were from the Kohathite clans of the Levites, because the first lot fell to them):

Jos 21:11

Jos 21:11They gave them Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron), with its surrounding pastureland, in the hill country of Judah. (Arba was the forefather of Anak.)

Jos 21:12

Jos 21:12But the fields and villages around the city they had given to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his possession.

Jos 21:13

Jos 21:13So to the descendants of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron (a city of refuge for one accused of murder), Libnah,

Jos 21:14

Jos 21:14Jattir, Eshtemoa,

Jos 21:15

Jos 21:15Holon, Debir,

Jos 21:16

Jos 21:16Ain, Juttah and Beth Shemesh, together with their pasturelands—nine towns from these two tribes.

Jos 21:17

Jos 21:17And from the tribe of Benjamin they gave them Gibeon, Geba,

Jos 21:18

Jos 21:18Anathoth and Almon, together with their pasturelands—four towns.

Jos 21:19

Jos 21:19The total number of towns for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, came to thirteen, together with their pasturelands.

Jos 21:20

Jos 21:20The rest of the Kohathite clans of the Levites were allotted towns from the tribe of Ephraim:

Jos 21:21

Jos 21:21In the hill country of Ephraim they were given Shechem (a city of refuge for one accused of murder) and Gezer,

Jos 21:22

Jos 21:22Kibzaim and Beth Horon, together with their pasturelands—four towns.

Jos 21:23

Jos 21:23Also from the tribe of Dan they received Eltekeh, Gibbethon,

Jos 21:24

Jos 21:24Aijalon and Gath Rimmon, together with their pasturelands—four towns.

Jos 21:25

Jos 21:25From half the tribe of Manasseh they received Taanach and Gath Rimmon, together with their pasturelands—two towns.

Jos 21:26

Jos 21:26All these ten towns and their pasturelands were given to the rest of the Kohathite clans.

Jos 21:27

Jos 21:27The Levite clans of the Gershonites were given: from the half-tribe of Manasseh, Golan in Bashan (a city of refuge for one accused of murder) and Be Eshterah, together with their pasturelands—two towns;

Jos 21:28

Jos 21:28from the tribe of Issachar, Kishion, Daberath,

Jos 21:29

Jos 21:29Jarmuth and En Gannim, together with their pasturelands—four towns;

Jos 21:30

Jos 21:30from the tribe of Asher, Mishal, Abdon,

Jos 21:31

Jos 21:31Helkath and Rehob, together with their pasturelands—four towns;

Jos 21:32

Jos 21:32from the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee (a city of refuge for one accused of murder), Hammoth Dor and Kartan, together with their pasturelands—three towns.

Jos 21:33

Jos 21:33The total number of towns of the Gershonite clans came to thirteen, together with their pasturelands.

Jos 21:34

Jos 21:34The Merarite clans (the rest of the Levites) were given: from the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam, Kartah,

Jos 21:35

Jos 21:35Dimnah and Nahalal, together with their pasturelands—four towns;

Jos 21:36

Jos 21:36from the tribe of Reuben, Bezer, Jahaz,

Jos 21:37

Jos 21:37Kedemoth and Mephaath, together with their pasturelands—four towns;

Jos 21:38

Jos 21:38from the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead (a city of refuge for one accused of murder), Mahanaim,

Jos 21:39

Jos 21:39Heshbon and Jazer, together with their pasturelands—four towns in all.

Jos 21:40

Jos 21:40The total number of towns allotted to the Merarite clans, who were the rest of the Levites, came to twelve.

Jos 21:41

Jos 21:41The towns of the Levites in the territory held by the Israelites were forty-eight in all, together with their pasturelands.

Jos 21:42

Jos 21:42Each of these towns had pasturelands surrounding it; this was true for all these towns.

Jos 21:43

Jos 21:43So the LORD gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their ancestors, and they took possession of it and settled there.

Jos 21:44

Jos 21:44The LORD gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their ancestors. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the LORD gave all their enemies into their hands.

Jos 21:45

Jos 21:45Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.
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Joshua Chapter 21 — Additional Translations:

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