21Joshua 21

Levi's Towns

2While the Israelites were still camped at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, the family leaders of the Levi tribe went to speak to the priest Eleazar, Joshua, and the family leaders of the other Israelite tribes. The leaders of Levi said, “The Lord told Moses that you have to give us towns and provide pastures for our animals.”Select Joshua 21:2

3Since the Lord had said this, the leaders of the other Israelite tribes agreed to give some of the towns and pastures from their tribal lands to Levi.Select Joshua 21:3

4The leaders asked the Lord to show them in what order the clans of Levi would be given towns, and which towns each clan would receive. The Kohath clans were first. The descendants of Aaron, Israel's first priest, were given 13 towns from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.Select Joshua 21:4

5The other members of the Kohath clans received 10 towns from the tribes of Ephraim, Dan, and West Manasseh.Select Joshua 21:5

6The clans that were descendants of Gershon were given 13 towns from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and East Manasseh.Select Joshua 21:6

7The clans that were descendants of Merari received 12 towns from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.Select Joshua 21:7

8The Lord had told Moses that he would show the Israelites which towns and pastures to give to the clans of Levi, and he did.Select Joshua 21:8

Towns from Judah, Simeon, Benjamin

19The descendants of Aaron from the Kohath clans of Levi were priests, and they were chosen to receive towns first. They were given 13 towns and the pastureland around them. Nine of these towns were from the tribes of Judah and Simeon and four from Benjamin. Hebron, Libnah, Jattir, Eshtemoa, Holon, Debir, Ashan, Juttah, and Beth-Shemesh were from Judah and Simeon. Hebron, located in the hill country of Judah, was earlier called Arba's Town. It had been named after Arba, the ancestor of the Anakim. Hebron's pasturelands went along with the town, but its farmlands and the villages around it had been given to Caleb. Hebron was also one of the Safe Towns for people who had accidentally killed someone. Gibeon, Geba, Anathoth, and Almon were from Benjamin.Select Joshua 21:19

Towns from Ephraim, Dan, West Manasseh

26The rest of the Kohath clans of the Levi tribe received ten towns and the pastureland around them. Four of these towns were from the tribe of Ephraim, four from Dan, and two from West Manasseh. Shechem, Gezer, Kibzaim, and Beth-Horon were from Ephraim. Shechem was located in the hill country, and it was also one of the Safe Towns for people who had accidentally killed someone. Elteke, Gibbethon, Aijalon, and Gath-Rimmon were from Dan. Taanach and Jibleam were from West Manasseh.Select Joshua 21:26

Towns from East Manasseh, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali

33The clans of Levi that were descendants of Gershon received 13 towns and the pastureland around them. Two of these towns were from the tribe of East Manasseh, four from Issachar, four from Asher, and three from Naphtali. Golan in Bashan and Beeshterah were from East Manasseh. Kishion, Daberath, Jarmuth, and En-Gannim were from Issachar. Mishal, Abdon, Helkath, and Rehob were from Asher. Kedesh in Galilee, Hammothdor, and Kartan were from Naphtali. Golan in Bashan and Kedesh in Galilee were also Safe Towns for people who had accidentally killed someone.Select Joshua 21:33

Towns from Zebulun, Reuben, Gad

40The rest of the Levi clans were descendants of Merari, and they received twelve towns with the pastureland around them. Four towns were from the tribe of Zebulun, four from Reuben, and four from Gad. Jokneam, Kartah, Rimmonah, and Nahalal were from Zebulun. Bezer, Jazah, Kedemoth, and Mephaath were from Reuben. Bezer was located in the desert flatlands east of the Jordan River across from Jericho. Ramoth in Gilead, Mahanaim, Heshbon, and Jazer were from Gad. Bezer and Ramoth in Gilead were Safe Towns for people who had accidentally killed someone.Select Joshua 21:40

42The people of the Levi tribe had a total of 48 towns within Israel, and they had pastures around each one of their towns.Select Joshua 21:42

Israel Settles in the Land

43The Lord gave the Israelites the land he had promised their ancestors, and they captured it and settled in it.Select Joshua 21:43

44There still were enemies around Israel, but the Lord kept his promise to let his people live in peace. And whenever the Israelites did have to go to war, no enemy could defeat them. The Lord always helped Israel win.Select Joshua 21:44

45The Lord promised to do many good things for Israel, and he kept his promise every time.Select Joshua 21:45