Joshua 14 · Verse 4

Joshua 14:4

For the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim: therefore they gave no part unto the Levites in the land, save cities to dwell in, with their suburbs for their cattle and for their substance.
Joshua 14:4, King James Version

Joshua 14:4 in other translations

BSBThe descendants of Joseph became two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. And no portion of the land was given to the Levites, except for cities in which to live, along with pasturelands for their flocks and herds.
WEBFor the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. They gave no portion to the Levites in the land, except cities to dwell in, with their pasture lands for their livestock and for their property.
ASVFor the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim: and they gave no portion unto the Levites in the land, save cities to dwell in, with the suburbs thereof for their cattle and for their substance.
YLTfor the sons of Joseph hath been two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim, and they have not given a portion to the Levites in the land, except cities to dwell in, and their suburbs for their cattle, and for their possessions;
DARBYFor the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim; and they gave no part to the Levites in the land, save cities to dwell in, and their suburbs for their cattle and for their substance.
BBEBecause the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim; and they gave the Levites no part in the land, only towns for their living-places, with the grass-lands for their cattle and for their property.
WebsterFor the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim: therefore they gave no part to the Levites in the land, save cities to dwell in, with their suburbs for their cattle, and for their substance.

What does Joshua 14:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
4. The children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim--As two and a half tribes were settled on the east Jordan, and the Levites had no inheritance assigned them in land, there would have been only eight and a half tribes to provide for. But Ephraim and Manasseh, the two sons of Joseph, had been constituted two tribes (Ge 48:5), and although Levi was excluded, the original number of the tribes of Israel was still preserved.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 The children of Joseph were two tribes - This was ascertained by the prophetic declaration of their grandfather Jacob, Gen 48:5, Gen 48:6; and as Levi was taken out of the tribes for the service of the sanctuary, one of these sons of Joseph came in his place, and Joseph was treated as the first-born of Jacob, in the place of Reuben, who forfeited his right of primogeniture. With their suburbs for their cattle - For the meaning of this passage the reader is referred to the note on Num 35:6.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Joshua 14:1-5

The Israelites must occupy the new conquests. Canaan would have been subdued in vain, if it had not been inhabited. Yet every man might not go and settle where he pleased. God shall choose our inheritance for us. Let us survey our heritage of present mercy, our prospect for the land of promise, eternal in the heavens. Is God any respecter of persons? Is it not better that our place, as to earthly good or sorrow…

Read the full comment on Joshua 14:1-5 →

Joshua 14:4 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

כִּֽי\־ki-forH3588
הָי֧וּha.Yuthey wereH1961
בְנֵֽי\־ve.nei-[the] descendants ofH1121
יוֹסֵ֛ףyo.SefJosephH3130
שְׁנֵ֥יshe.NeitwoH8147
מַטּ֖וֹתma.TottribesH4294
מְנַשֶּׁ֣הme.na.ShehManassehH4519
וְאֶפְרָ֑יִםve.'ef.Ra.yimand EphraimH669
וְלֹֽא\־ve.lo'-and notH3808
נָתְנוּ֩na.te.Nupeople gaveH5414
חֵ֨לֶקChe.leka portionH2506
לַלְוִיִּ֜םlal.vi.Yimto the LevitesH3881
בָּאָ֗רֶץba.'A.retzin the landH776
כִּ֤יkithatH3588
אִם\־'im-exceptH518
עָרִים֙'a.RimcitiesH5892
לָשֶׁ֔בֶתla.She.vetto dwell inH3427
וּמִ֨גְרְשֵׁיהֶ֔םu.Mig.re.shei.Hemand pasture lands theirH4054
לְמִקְנֵיהֶ֖םle.mik.nei.Hemfor livestock theirH4735
וּלְקִנְיָנָֽם\׃u.le.kin.ya.Namand for possession[s] theirH7075

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Joshua 14:4

  • Genesis 48:5

    And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine.

  • 1 Chronicles 5:1-2

    Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, (for he was the firstborn; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel: and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright. For Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him came the chief ruler; but the birthright was Joseph’s:)

  • Numbers 35:2-8

    Command the children of Israel, that they give unto the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and ye shall give also unto the Levites suburbs for the cities round about them. And the cities shall they have to dwell in; and the suburbs of them shall be for their cattle, and for their goods, and for all their beasts. And the suburbs of the cities, which ye shall give unto the Levites, shall reach from the wall of the city and outward a thousand cubits round about. And ye shall measure from without the city on the east side two thousand cubits, and on the south side two thousand cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits; and the city shall be in the midst: this shall be to them the suburbs of the cities. …

  • 1 Chronicles 6:54-81

    Now these are their dwelling places throughout their castles in their coasts, of the sons of Aaron, of the families of the Kohathites: for theirs was the lot. And they gave them Hebron in the land of Judah, and the suburbs thereof round about it. But the fields of the city, and the villages thereof, they gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh. And to the sons of Aaron they gave the cities of Judah, namely, Hebron, the city of refuge, and Libnah with her suburbs, and Jattir, and Eshtemoa, with their suburbs, …

  • Joshua 21:2-42

    And they spake unto them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, The Lord commanded by the hand of Moses to give us cities to dwell in, with the suburbs thereof for our cattle. And the children of Israel gave unto the Levites out of their inheritance, at the commandment of the Lord, these cities and their suburbs. And the lot came out for the families of the Kohathites: and the children of Aaron the priest, which were of the Levites, had by lot out of the tribe of Judah, and out of the tribe of Simeon, and out of the tribe of Benjamin, thirteen cities. And the rest of the children of Kohath had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Ephraim, and out of the tribe of Dan, and out of the half tribe of Manasseh, ten cities. …

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the children.
Ge 48:5; 1Ch 5:1,2
save cities.
21:2-42; Nu 35:2-8; 1Ch 6:54-81

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Joshua 14:3

    For Moses had given the inheritance of two tribes and an half tribe on the other side Jordan: but unto the Levites he gave none inheritance among them.

  • Joshua 14:4

    For the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim: therefore they gave no part unto the Levites in the land, save cities to dwell in, with their suburbs for their cattle and for their substance.

  • Joshua 14:5

    As the Lord commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did, and they divided the land.

Read all of Joshua 14

Joshua 14:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Porque los hijos de José fueron dos tribus, Manasés y Ephraim: y no dieron parte á los Levitas en la tierra, sino ciudades en que morasen, con sus ejidos para sus ganados y rebaños.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Car les fils de Joseph étaient deux tribus: Manassé et Éphraïm; et on ne donna point de part aux Lévites dans le pays, excepté les villes d’habitation, et leurs banlieues pour leurs troupeaux et pour leurs biens.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Denn die Söhne Josephs bildeten zwei Stämme, Manasse und Ephraim; und man gab den Leviten kein Teil im Lande, außer Städten zum Wohnen und deren Bezirken für ihr Vieh und für ihre Habe.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		sed in eorum successerunt locum filii Joseph in duas divisi tribus, Manasse et Ephraim: nec acceperunt Levitæ aliam in terra partem, nisi urbes ad habitandum, et suburbana earum ad alenda jumenta et pecora sua.