Joshua 21 · Verse 41

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.

Joshua 21:41, King James Version

Joshua 21:41 in other translations

BSB	For the Levites, then, there were forty-eight cities in all, together with their pasturelands, within the territory of the Israelites.
WEB	All the cities of the Levites among the possessions of the children of Israel were forty-eight cities with their pasture lands.
ASV	All the cities of the Levites in the midst of the possession of the children of Israel were forty and eight cities with their suburbs.
YLT	All the cities of the Levites in the midst of the possession of the sons of Israel are forty and eight cities, and their suburbs.
DARBY	All the cities of the Levites within the possession of the children of Israel were forty-eight cities and their suburbs.
BBE	All the towns of the Levites, among the heritage of the children of Israel, were forty-eight towns with their grass-lands.
Webster	All the cities of the Levites within the possession of the children of Israel were forty and eight cities with their suburbs.

What does Joshua 21:41 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

41. All the cities of the Levites within the possession of the children of Israel were forty and eight cities with their suburbs--This may appear too great a proportion compared with those of the other tribes. But it must be borne in mind that the list given here contains the names of every Levitical city (see on 1Ch 6:39-66); whereas only those cities of the other tribes are mentioned which lay on the frontier or along the boundary line. Besides, the Levites were not the exclusive inhabitants of those forty-eight cities; for there must have been also a considerable number of people kept there to cultivate the glebe lands and tend the cattle. Still further, the Levitical cities had nothing but "their suburbs round about them" [Jos 21:42]; whereas the other cities in Israel possessed a group of independent villages (see Jos 17:1-19:51).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 41 Forty and eight cities - At the last census of the Hebrew people, related Numbers 26, we find from Num 26:62 that the tribe of Levi amounted only to 23,000; and it is supposed that forty-eight cities were too great a proportion for this tribe, the other tribes having so very few. But, 1. All the cities of the other tribes are not enumerated. 2. They had the circumjacent country as well as the cities. 3. The Levites had no other cities than those enumerated. 4. They had no country annexed to their cities, the 2,000 cubits for their cattle, etc., excepted. 5. Cities in those ancient times were very small, as most villages went under this appellation. 6. The Levites had now the appointment that was suited to their consequent increase. The other tribes might enlarge their borders and make conquests, but this was not suitable to the mere servants of God; besides, had they made conquests, they would have become proprietors of the conquered land; and God determined that they should have no inheritance in Israel, He himself being their portion.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Joshua 21:9-42

By mixing the Levites with the other tribes, they were made to see that the eyes of all Israel were upon them, and therefore it was their concern to walk so that their ministry might not be blamed. Every tribe had its share of Levites' cities. Thus did God graciously provide for keeping up religion among them, and that they might have the word in all parts of the land. Yet, blessed be God, we have the gospel more…

Read the full comment on Joshua 21:9-42 →

Joshua 21:41 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.

כֹּ֚לkolallH3605

עָרֵ֣י'a.Rei[the] cities ofH5892

הַלְוִיִּ֔םhal.vi.Yimthe LevitesH3881

בְּת֖וֹךְbe.Tokhin [the] midst ofH8432

אֲחֻזַּ֣ת'a.chu.Zat[the] possession ofH272

בְּנֵֽי\־be.nei-[the] people ofH1121

יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478

עָרִ֛ים'a.Rim[were] citiesH5892

אַרְבָּעִ֥ים'ar.ba.'ImfortyH705

וּשְׁמֹנֶ֖הu.she.mo.Nehand eightH8083

וּמִגְרְשֵׁיהֶֽן\׃u.mig.re.shei.Henand pasture lands theirH4054

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

Cross references for Joshua 21:41

Numbers 35:1-8
And the Lord spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying, 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. …
Deuteronomy 33:10
They shall teach Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy law: they shall put incense before thee, and whole burnt sacrifice upon thine altar.
Genesis 49:7
Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

within.
Ge 49:7; Nu 35:1-8; De 33:10
forty.At the last census, the tribe of Levi amounted only to 23,000 (Nu 36:62); and it is thought by some that forty-eight cities was too great a proportion for this tribe. But it should be considered, that cities in ancient times were little more than villages.

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

Context

Joshua 21:40
So all the cities for the children of Merari by their families, which were remaining of the families of the Levites, were by their lot twelve cities.
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.
Joshua 21:42
These cities were every one with their suburbs round about them: thus were all these cities.

Read all of Joshua 21

Joshua 21:41 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y todas la villas de los Levitas en medio de la posesión de los hijos de Israel, fueron cuarenta y ocho villas con sus ejidos.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Toutes les villes des Lévites, au milieu de la possession des fils d’Israël: 48 villes et leurs banlieues.
German Elberfelder 1871	Alle Städte der Leviten inmitten des Eigentums der Kinder Israel: 48 Städte und ihre Bezirke.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Deditque Dominus Deus Israëli omnem terram, quam traditurum se patribus eorum juraverat: et possederunt illam, atque habitaverunt in ea.