約書亞記 21:3 CUNPTS

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - Joshua 21:3

Gave, by lot, ver. 4, &c. (Menochius) --- Whether any changes were afterwards made, to grant more or less, in proportion to the numbers of the four families, (as seems to have been done with regard to the other tribes) or the cities were specified in four parcels, and the priests received the first lot, the text does not explain. (Calmet) --- It is also uncertain what right the Levites had to these 48 cities. Some say that they had only the use of them, while others maintain that the cities... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 21:1-8

1-8 The Levites waited till the other tribes were provided for, before they preferred their claim to Joshua. They build their claim upon a very good foundation; not their own merits or services, but the Divine precept. The maintenance of ministers is not a thing left merely to the will of the people, that they may let them starve if they please; they which preach the gospel should live by the gospel, and should live comfortably. read more

Paul E. Kretzmann

The Popular Commentary by Paul E. Kretzmann - Joshua 21:1-8

The Allotment in General v. 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; v. 2. and they spake unto them at Shiloh, in the land of Canaan, where the division of the land had taken place, this city being the capital of the tribes, saying, The Lord commanded by the hand of Moses to give us cities to dwell in, with the suburbs, meadow-lands, thereof... read more

Johann Peter Lange

Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Critical, Doctrinal and Homiletical - Joshua 21:1-45

5. Appointment of the Cities for the Priests and LevitesJoshua 21:0a. Demand of the Levites that Cities should be given themJoshua 21:1-31Then [And] 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 2tribes of the children [sons] of Israel; And they [omit: they] spake unto them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, The Lord [Jehovah] commanded by the hand of Moses to give us cities to dwell in,... read more

Frederick Brotherton Meyer

F.B. Meyer's 'Through the Bible' Commentary - Joshua 21:1-3

40-45, the Lord’s Promises Fulfilled Joshua 21:1-3 After the cities of refuge had been provided, those to be set apart for priests and Levites were next allotted, Numbers 35:1-8 . Forty-two cities were set apart in addition to the six cities of refuge. The priests and the Levites were not the sole possessors of those towns, but dwelled in them, receiving freely their dwellings and pasture-lands. The closing verses represent the position of affairs at Joshua’s death. So far as God’s promises... read more

G. Campbell Morgan

G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible - Joshua 21:1-45

Jacob's prophecy concerning Simeon and Levi: I will divide them in Jacob, And scatter them in Israel, was fulfilled in the case of Levi in the distribution of the tribe through all the other tribes. What sounded like a curse thus proved to be a blessing. The presence of the Levites everywhere was intended to serve as a perpetual witness to the relation of the nation to God. This second division of the Book of Joshua dealing with the settlement of the people ends with a statement that Jehovah... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 21:3

‘ And the children of Israel gave to the Levites out of their inheritance, in accordance with the commandment of YHWH, these cities with their suburbs.’ The response of the people was immediate, and cities were allocated by lot to the Levites. There was no guarantee that those cities were all available to dwell in. Like the general allocations they had in many cases still to be possessed. It was an act of faith, just like the allocation of the land, that God would give them their inheritance.... read more

Arthur Peake

Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 21:1-42

Joshua 21:1-Luke : . The Levitical Cities.— The cities promised by Moses to the Levites are here assigned to them. The sons of Aaron have 13 in Judah, the Levites 10 in Ephraim and Manasseh, 13 in Galilee, and 12 in the E. Jordan territory. Both promises and performance are unhistorical. The simple fact that the descendants of Aaron could at this time have numbered only a few families shows the assignment of 13 cities to them to be purely imaginary. For the true history of the priesthood,... read more

Matthew Poole

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - Joshua 21:3

It seems most probable that they gave to the Levites promiscuously such cities as God commanded, and that the lot appropriated them to their several houses or families. Out of their inheritance, i.e. out of their several possessions; partly that the burden and loss might be equally divided and principally, that the Levites being dispersed among the several tribes, according to Jacob’s prediction, Genesis 49:7, might more easily, and frequently, and effectually teach the Israelites God’s law and... read more

Joseph Exell

Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary - Joshua 21:1-45

THE CITIES FOR THE PRIESTS AND LEVITESCRITICAL NOTES.—Joshua 21:1. The heads of the fathers] On this phrase, cf. note on chap. Joshua 14:1. The fathers of the tribe of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari (Genesis 46:11; Exodus 6:16). From the Kohathites sprang the priestly family of Aaron. Hence the order of precedence was not the apparent order of birth. In the duties of the Levitical service the Kohathites stood first, the Gershonites next, and the Merarites last. This is also the order in... read more