Bible Central

  • Book & Chapter Guides
  • Reference Overviews
    • People of the Bible
    • Places of the Bible
    • Topic Guides
    • Library
    • Bibliography
  • Media
Menu
  • Book & Chapter Guides
  • Reference Overviews
    • People of the Bible
    • Places of the Bible
    • Topic Guides
    • Library
    • Bibliography
  • Media
Search
Close

Joshua 21

 / References Overview / Library / 

Joshua 21
Download PDF
Loading...
Old Testament Minute: Joshua

Stephen O. Smoot

Loading...

Contents

Joshua 1
Joshua 2
Joshua 3
Joshua 4
Joshua 5
Joshua 6
Joshua 7
Joshua 8
Joshua 9
Joshua 10
Joshua 11
Joshua 12
Joshua 13
Joshua 14
Joshua 15
Joshua 16
Joshua 17
Joshua 18
Joshua 19
Joshua 20
Joshua 21
Joshua 22
Joshua 23
Joshua 24
Loading...

Contents

Joshua 1
Joshua 2
Joshua 3
Joshua 4
Joshua 5
Joshua 6
1 2 … 4 Next »
Genesis 1
Genesis 2
Genesis 3
Genesis 4
Genesis 5
Genesis 6
Genesis 7
Genesis 8
Genesis 9
Genesis 11
Genesis 12
Genesis 13
Genesis 14
Genesis 15
Genesis 16
Genesis 17
Genesis 18
Genesis 19
Genesis 20
Genesis 21
Genesis 22
Genesis 23
Genesis 24
Genesis 25
Genesis 26
Genesis 27
Genesis 28
Genesis 29
Genesis 30
Genesis 31
Genesis 32
Genesis 33
Genesis 34
Genesis 35
Genesis 36
Genesis 37
Genesis 38
Genesis 39
Genesis 40
Genesis 41
Genesis 42
Genesis 43
Genesis 44
Genesis 45
Genesis 46
Genesis 47
Genesis 48
Genesis 49
Genesis 50

Stephen O. Smoot, “Joshua 21,” in Joshua, Old Testament Minute Commentary Series, ed. Taylor Halverson (Springville, UT: Book of Mormon Central, 2021).

|
Joshua 21. Cities Allotted to the Levites

Elsewhere in the book of Joshua, the Levites were given no landed inheritance but rather were assigned to be the custodians of the tabernacle.[1] However, chapter 21 describes how certain towns were nevertheless designated as belonging to the Levites. The impetus behind this allotment was given in verses 2–3, which indicate that the Levites had been assured some kind of inheritance from Moses. Appropriately, the heads of the Levitical families came not to Joshua, the military commander, but rather to Eleazar, the priest (effectively their chief).

To resolve this issue, the Levites were assigned not their own territory but rather certain cities within the territories given to the other tribes of Israel. The division was made between three different Levitical clans: the Kohathites, the Gershonites, and the Merarites, who were assigned cities by lot within other tribal territories—specifically within Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin (verses 4–8). Importantly, all three of these territories would later be subsumed under the Southern Kingdom of Judah at the time of the divided monarchy. The implications are clear: priesthood authority remained in the south. The cities that were part of this allotment are described in verses 9–42. A total of forty-eight towns were so designated (verses 41–42), probably a deliberately symbolic number (forty-eight being a multiple of twelve). In harmony with the previous chapter, various cities were once again identified as cities of refuge (verses 13, 21, 27, 32, 38).

The postscript to this chapter, comprising verses 44–45, is somewhat difficult. As it stands, the text indicates how Israel stood unopposed in the face of its enemies by the end of the territorial allotment: “And the Lord gave them rest round about, according to all that he sware unto their fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand. There failed not ought of any good thing which the Lord had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass.” This, however, is plainly contradicted not only by the book of Judges, which picks up narratively where Joshua ends and features protracted difficulties with various Canaanite petty kings, but also by certain passages within the book of Joshua itself (for example, 15:63; 16:10). This overstatement might be an attempt at deliberate irony on the part of the author, perhaps attempting to convey what the Israelites thought was their situation at the time in order to ratchet up the narrative tension with what comes next in the longer trajectory of Israel’s history.

[1] See Joshua 13:14, 33; 18:7.

Site Links

  • Chapter Guides
  • Reference Works
  • Media
  • About
  • Donate
  • Donor FAQ

BMC Ecosystem

  • Scripture Plus
  • Book of Mormon Central
  • Doctrine and Covenants Central
  • Pearl of Great Price Central
  • Evidence Central
  • Messages of Christ
  • Seminary Central
  • BMC en Español
  • BMC en Português

Stay Connected

Get instant access to scripture study tips, biblical insights, and Come Follow Me devotionals through our social media channels.

Facebook Youtube Instagram Twitter

Subscribe

 
 
 

Which lists would you like emails from?

Signing up for both the Daily and Weekly email lists is not recommended, as you will receive duplicate emails.

 

We respect your email privacy

 

Copyright 2021 Bible Central, a project of Book of Mormon Central. All rights reserved.
Registered 501(c)(3). EIN: 20-5294264