Joshua 21

This chapter concludes the record of the land distribution that begins in chapter 13 of Joshua. Following the designation of the cities of refuge in Joshua 20, this chapter assigns the cities in which the tribe of Levi, which received no land as an inheritance, would live.

Outline

• Verses 1–3: At Shiloh, the heads of the Levite families request cities and pasturelands on the basis of the LORD's command, and the children of Israel grant them.
• Verses 4–8: The results of the lot are summarized. The descendants of Aaron receive 13 cities, the remaining Kohathites 10 cities, the Gershonites 13 cities, and the Merarites 12 cities.
• Verses 9–19: The descendants of Aaron receive 9 cities from Judah and Simeon and 4 cities from Benjamin. The fields and villages of Hebron remain Caleb's possession.
• Verses 20–26: The remaining Kohathites receive 4 cities each from Ephraim and Dan, and 2 cities from the half-tribe of Manasseh.
• Verses 27–33: The Gershonites receive 2 cities from the eastern half-tribe of Manasseh, 4 cities each from Issachar and Asher, and 3 cities from Naphtali.
• Verses 34–42: The Merarites receive 4 cities each from Zebulun, Reuben, and Gad. The Levites' cities total 48.
• Verses 43–45: A concluding summary declares that the promised land and rest on every side had been given, and that every good thing the LORD had spoken had come to pass without exception.

Key Verses

• Joshua 21:41 "All the cities of the Levites within the possession of the children of Israel were forty and eight cities with their suburbs." This verse shows that the distribution of Levitical cities commanded in Numbers had been completed.
• Joshua 21:45 "There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass." This verse concludes the first half of the book of Joshua and proclaims God's faithfulness.

People and Places

• Eleazar: The son of Aaron, who was then serving as priest.
• Joshua: The son of Nun.
• Caleb: The owner of the fields and villages around Hebron.
• Levites: Divided into three clans: Kohath, Gershon, and Merari. Among the Kohathites, the descendants of Aaron formed the priestly line.
• Shiloh: The place where the distribution took place.
• Hebron: Also called Kirjath-arba.
• The cities explicitly identified in this chapter as cities of refuge are Hebron, Shechem, Golan in Bashan, Kedesh in Galilee, and Ramoth in Gilead.

Points for Reflection

• The basis for the Levites' receiving cities rather than land is the command in Numbers 35. The same list also appears in 1 Chronicles 6, though some city names and numbers differ.
• Verses 43–45 state that all the land had been obtained, yet Joshua 13:1 and Judges 1 report that unconquered territory remained. Interpretations of this difference vary. Some read the passage as a theological declaration summarizing the fulfillment of God's promises on His part; others take it as describing the conquest in broad terms.
• Hebrews 4:8 states that the rest Joshua gave was not the final rest. The two passages are read together as an example of the New Testament's reinterpretation of the "rest" mentioned in verse 44.

In the Korean Church

• Verse 45 is frequently cited in sermons on God's promises and faithfulness.