Joshua 21:1

_THEN CAME NEAR THE HEADS OF THE FATHERS OF THE LEVITES UNTO ELEAZAR THE PRIEST, AND UNTO JOSHUA THE SON OF NUN, AND UNTO THE HEADS OF THE FATHERS OF THE TRIBES OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL;_ Then came near the heads of the fathers of the Levites - the most venerable and distinguished members of the three Levitical families, who, on behalf of their tribe, applied for the special provision that had been promised them to be now awarded (see the note at Numbers 35:1). Their inheritance lay within the territory of every tribe. It was assigned in the same place and manner, and by the same commissioners, as the other allotments; and while the people, knowing the important duties these were to perform, are described (Joshua 21:3) as readily conceding this 'peculiar' to them, it had most probably been spe

1._Then came near the heads, _etc Here we have at a later period a narrative of what ought to have preceded. For no cities of refuge were appointed before they had been assigned to the Levites. To this may be added what was formerly said, that Joshua and Eleazar had made an end of dividing the land. Now, the land was not truly divided till the habitation of the Levites was fixed. We must understand, therefore, that when the lot was cast in the name of the ten tribes, a reservation was made of cities in the land of Canaan for the habitation of the Levites. Beyond the Jordan their portion had already been assigned to them. But as the Levites come forward and request a ratification of the divine grant, it is probable that they were neglected till they pleaded their own cause. For so it is apt to happen, every one being so attentive in looking after his own affairs that even brethren are for...

1-8 The Levites waited till the other tribes were provided for, before they preferred their claim to Joshua. They build their claim upon a very good foundation; not their own merits or services, but the Divine precept. The maintenance of ministers is not a thing left merely to the will of the people, that they may let them starve if they please; they which preach the gospel should live by the gospel, and should live comfortably....

CHAPTER XXI _The Levites apply to Eleazar, Joshua, and the elders, for the_ _cities to dwell in which Moses had promised_, 1, 2. _Their request is granted_, 3. _The priests receive thirteen cities out of the tribes of Judah,_ _Simeon, and Benjamin_, 4. _The Levites receive ten cities out of the tribes of Ephraim,_ _Dan, and the half tribe of Manasseh_, 5; _and thirteen out of the other half tribe of Manasseh, and the_ _tribes of Issachar, Asher, and Naphtali_, 6. _The children of Merari had twelve cities out of the tribes of_

A list of the Levitical cities, varying in some particulars from that given in this chapter, is also, given in 1 Chronicles 6:54....

EXPOSITION THE INHERITANCE OF THE LEVITES. JOSHUA 21:1 THEN CAME NEAR THE HEADS OF THE FATHERS OF THE LEVITES. We are not to suppose, with Calvin, that the Levites had been overlooked. Such a supposition is little in keeping with the devout spirit of him who now directed the affairs of the Israelites, who had been minister to Moses the Levite, and had but lately been concerned with Eleazar, the high priest, in making a public recognition of that God to whose service the Levites had been specially set apart. The delay in appointing to the Levites their cities arose from the nature of the arrangement which had to be made for the Levitical cities. The prophecy which threatened ...

THEN CAME NEAR THE HEADS OF THE FATHERS OF THE LEVITES,.... When the land was divided to the several tribes, and everyone knew the cities that belonged to them, and what they could and should part with to the Levites, and when the six cities of refuge were fixed; the Levites came to put in their claim for cities of habitation, they having no share in the division of the land; and yet it was necessary they should have habitations; the persons that undertook to put in a claim for them were the principal men among them; the fathers of them were Kohath, Gershon, and Merari; the heads of those were the chief men that were then living: these came UNTO ELEAZAR THE PRIEST, AND UNTO JOSHUA THE SON OF NUN; the high priest and chief magistrate: AND UNTO THE HEADS OF THE FATHERS OF THE TRIBES OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL; the princes appointed to divide the land with the two great personages before m...

8. THE PORTION OF THE LEVITES CHAPTER 21 _ 1. The Levites, the children of Aaron, and their portions (Joshua 21:1)_ 2. Kohath (Joshua 21:9) 3. Gershon (Joshua 21:27) 4. Merari (Joshua 21:34) 5. The Lord's faithfulness (Joshua 21:41) In Chapter s 13:14, 33 and 14:3, 4 the statement is made that Moses gave no inheritance to the Levites. The Lord was their inheritance. After the tribes had received their allotments the heads of the fathers of the Levites came to Joshua and Eleazar with a petition. They b

THE LEVITICAL CITIES. The cities promised by Moses to the Levites are here assigned to them. The sons of Aaron have 13 in Judah, the Levites 10 in Ephraim and Manasseh, 13 in Galilee, and 12 in the E. Jordan territory. Both promises and performance are unhistorical. The simple fact that the descendants of Aaron could at this time have numbered only a few families shows the assignment of 13 cities to them to be purely imaginary. For the true history of the priesthood, reference must be made to the Introduction to the Pentateuch. JOSHUA 21:11 is an interesting piece of harmonising. The conquest and possession of the city of Hebron by Caleb was so prominent in the old tradition that the assignment of it to the Priests had to be explained. The fields and villages are therefore said to have been assigned to Caleb, while the city and the suburbs go to the Priests....

ELEAZAR THE PRIEST. See note on Joshua 14:4 I. CHILDREN. sons....