Joshua 21
Levitical Cities
21:1 The tribal leaders of the Levites went before Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun and the Israelite tribal leaders 21:2 in Shiloh in the land of Canaan and said, “The Lord told Moses to assign us cities in which to live along with the grazing areas for our cattle.” 21:3 So the Israelites assigned these cities and their grazing areas to the Levites from their own holdings, as the Lord had instructed.
Joshua assigned 48 cities to the Levites, including the six cities of refuge.
21:4 The first lot belonged to the Kohathite clans. The Levites who were descendants of Aaron the priest were allotted thirteen cities from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin. 21:5 The rest of Kohath’s descendants were allotted ten cities from the clans of the tribe of Ephraim, and from the tribe of Dan and the half-tribe of Manasseh. 21:6 Gershon’s descendants were allotted thirteen cities from the clans of the tribe of Issachar, and from the tribes of Asher and Naphtali and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan. 21:7 Merari’s descendants by their clans were allotted twelve cities from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.
Levi’s three sons were Kohath, Gershon and Merari. The 48 cities were divided among these three Levite tribes.
21:8 So the Israelites assigned to the Levites by lot these cities and their grazing areas, as the Lord had instructed Moses. 21:9 They assigned from the tribes of Judah and Simeon the cities listed below. 21:10 They were assigned to the Kohathite clans of the Levites who were descendants of Aaron, for the first lot belonged to them. 21:11 They assigned them Kiriath Arba (Arba was the father of Anak), that is, Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, along with its surrounding grazing areas. 21:12 (Now the city’s fields and surrounding towns they had assigned to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his property.) 21:13 So to the descendants of Aaron the priest they assigned Hebron (a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter), Libnah, 21:14 Jattir, Eshtemoa, 21:15 Holon, Debir, 21:16 Ain, Juttah, and Beth Shemesh, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of nine cities taken from these two tribes. 21:17 From the tribe of Benjamin they assigned Gibeon, Geba, 21:18 Anathoth, and Almon, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of four cities. 21:19 The priests descended from Aaron received thirteen cities and their grazing areas.
Joshua listed the 13 Levitical cities of the Kohath clan.
21:20 The rest of the Kohathite clans of the Levites were allotted cities from the tribe of Ephraim. 21:21 They assigned them Shechem (a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter) in the hill country of Ephraim, Gezer, 21:22 Kibzaim, and Beth Horon, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of four cities. 21:23 From the tribe of Dan they assigned Eltekeh, Gibbethon, 21:24 Aijalon, and Gath Rimmon, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of four cities. 21:25 From the half-tribe of Manasseh they assigned Taanach and Gath Rimmon, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of two cities. 21:26 The rest of the Kohathite clans received ten cities and their grazing areas.
Joshua listed 10 more Levitical cities of the other Kohath clans.
21:27 They assigned to the Gershonite clans of the Levites the following cities: from the half-tribe of Manasseh: Golan in Bashan (a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter) and Beeshtarah, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of two cities; 21:28 from the tribe of Issachar: Kishon, Daberath, 21:29 Jarmuth, and En Gannim, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of four cities; 21:30 from the tribe of Asher: Mishal, Abdon, 21:31 Helkath, and Rehob, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of four cities; 21:32 from the tribe of Naphtali: Kedesh in Galilee (a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter), Hammoth Dor, and Kartan, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of three cities. 21:33 The Gershonite clans received thirteen cities and their grazing areas.
Joshua listed the 13 Levitical cities of the Gershonite clan.
21:34 They assigned to the Merarite clans (the remaining Levites) the following cities: from the tribe of Zebulun: Jokneam, Kartah, 21:35 Dimnah, and Nahalal, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of four cities; 21:36 from the tribe of Reuben: Bezer, Jahaz, 21:37 Kedemoth, and Mephaath, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of four cities; 21:38 from the tribe of Gad: Ramoth in Gilead (a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter), Mahanaim, 21:39 Heshbon, and Jazer, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of four cities. 21:40 The Merarite clans (the remaining Levites) were allotted twelve cities.
Joshua listed the 13 Levitical cities of the Merarite clan.
21:41 The Levites received within the land owned by the Israelites forty-eight cities in all and their grazing areas.
The patriarch Jacob cursed Levi and Simeon for their murder of the Shechemites. Simeon was absorbed into Judah and Ephraim. The Levites were scattered throughout the twelve tribes. However, since the Levites stood with Moses in Exodus 32, God preserved their tribal identity and made them a blessing to all of Israel. The Levites were the only tribe who has maintained their family names in modern times. Anyone who wears Levi jeans is fulfilling this prophecy.
21:42 Each of these cities had grazing areas around it; they were alike in this regard.
Every city in Israel was within ten miles (or half-a-day journey) from a Levitical town. The Levites were to teach Israel the Word of God and protect them from idolatry.
21:43 So the Lord gave Israel all the land he had solemnly promised to their ancestors, and they conquered it and lived in it.
Jehovah gave Israel all the land that He promised them, but Israel refused to exterminate all of the Canaanites. This violation of the Mosaic Law would cause Israel to fall into idolatry and eventually lose their land.
Amillennialists use this verse to falsely teach that God fulfilled the Abrahamic Covenant. This cannot be true, because this land was lost. The promise of the Abrahamic Covenant was possession of the land forever (Genesis 17:8). Therefore, the Abrahamic Covenant is still a future event.
21:44 The Lord made them secure, in fulfillment of all he had solemnly promised their ancestors. None of their enemies could resist them.
So long as Israel was keeping the Mosaic Law, their enemies could not defeat them.
21:45 Not one of the Lord’s faithful promises to the family of Israel was left unfulfilled; every one was realized.
God delivered what He promised to Israel. For Israel to remain in the land, they would have to exterminate the rest of the Canaanites and keep the Mosaic Law. Israel will not be able to accomplish either.