Joshua 21
-In this chapter we discover one more appropriation that
needed to be made as the settlement of the Promised Land neared completion. 48
cities of the Levities are detailed as the priests of God approached Eleazar
the highest priest, Joshua, and the heads of the households of the tribes of
the sons of Israel. They came to them in Shiloh, where the other allotments had
been made to the tribes along with the 6 cities of refuge in the territory.
These priests recounted how Moses, by command of the Living God, was instructed
to give them cities to live in with pasture lands for their cattle. By lot the
sons of Kohath (Levi’s middle son, Genesis 46:11, Exodus 6:16) received 13
cities to live in Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin along with 10 cities from the
tribes of Ephraim, Dan, and the western half-tribe of Manasseh. The sons of
Gershon (Levi’s oldest son, Genesis 46:11, Exodus 6:16) received 13 cities by
lot from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and the eastern half-tribe of
Manasseh in Bashan. The sons of Merari (Levi’s youngest son, Genesis 46:11,
Exodus 6:16) received 12 cities by lot from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and
Zebulun (Joshua 21:1-8). Then the cities with their pasture lands are listed by
name (Joshua 21:9-42):
1) Kohath- in Judah & Simeon- Kiriath-arba (Hebron, the fields and villages were given to
Caleb as his possession, which was also a man slayer city of refuge), Libnah, Jattir,
Eshtemoa, Holon, Debir, Ain, Juttah, Beth-shemesh, in Benjamin- Gibeon, Geba, Anathoth, Almon, in Ephraim- Shechem (which was also a man slayer city of refuge),
Gezer, Kibzaim, Beth-horon, in Dan- Elteke,
Gibbethon, Aijalon, Gath-rimmon, in western Manasseh- Taanach, Gath-rimmon……[23 cities all together]
2) Gershon- in eastern Manasseh- Golan in Bashan (which was
also a man slayer city of refuge), Be-eshterah, in Issachar- Kishion, Daberath, Jarmuth, En-gannim, in Asher- Mishal, Abdon, Helkath, Rehob, in
Naphtali- Kedesh in Galilee (which
was a man slayer city of refuge), Hammoth-dor, Kartan……[13 cities all together]
3) Merari- in Zebulun- Jokneam, Kartah, Dimnah, Nahalal, in Reuben- Bezer (which was a man slayer city of refuge), Jahaz,
Kedemoth, Mephaath, in Gad- Ramoth
in Gilead (which was a man slayer city of refuge), Mahanaim, Heshbon, Jazer……[12
cities all together]
-“So the LORD gave Israel
all the land which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they possessed it
and lived in it. And the LORD gave them rest on every side, according to all
that He had sworn to their fathers, and no one of all their enemies stood
before them; the LORD gave all their enemies into their hand. Not one of the
good promises which the LORD had made to the house of Israel failed; all came
to pass (Joshua 21:43-45).”
-*Application* A remarkable achievement in a miraculously
short period of time. It had taken so many years to get to this point, but now
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob’s promise, along with many others along the way like
Joseph, Moses, Joshua, and Caleb, had come to fruition. God had multiplied His
children more than the stars of the heavens and the sand on the seashore
(Genesis 15:5; 22:17; 32:12, Exodus 32:12). They were in their Promised Land
with fulfillment realized. God is sovereign and will fulfill all He says, just
give it some time and keep the faith. His work is amazing! His faithfulness is
real! He is a God we can all count on.
Verse to Memorize: Joshua 21:45
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