Joshua 21:9

And they gave out of the tribe of the children of Judah, and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, these cities which are here mentioned by name,

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Benson Commentary

Joshua 21:9-10. Judah and Simeon — These are mentioned together, because the cities of Simeon lay within Judah’s portion. Families — That is, of the family, the plural number being put for the singular which is not unusual.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

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 diffused amongst us.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The thirteen priestly cities (see the marginal references) were all in the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin. Thus, as Calvin remarks, God so overruled it that the priestly families were placed upon the spot which He had determined before hand to choose as the site of His temple.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Jos 21:9-42. The Cities of the Priests.

9-40. they gave … these cities which are here mentioned by name—It was overruled by the unerring providence of the Divine Lawgiver that the cities of the priests lay within the territories of Judah and Benjamin. This was a provision, the admirable wisdom and propriety of which were fully manifested on the schism that took place in the reign of Rehoboam.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Judah and

Simeon are mentioned together, because the cities of Simeon lay within Judah’s portion.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And they gave out of the tribe of the children of Judah,.... Here follows a particular account of the several cities which were given out of each tribe, and first out of this:

and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon; which is joined with that of Judah, because the cities of it lay within it, Joshua 19:1,

these cities which are here mentioned by name; Joshua 21:13.

Geneva Study Bible

And they gave out of the tribe of the children of Judah, and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, these cities which are here mentioned by name.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

9–19. The Cities of the Descendants of Aaron

9. And they gave] We have now first a list of the cities of the priests of the line of Aaron.

out of the tribe of the children of Judah] The list now given divides itself into two parts:

(a)  The nine cities which the sons of Aaron received in the country of Simeon and Judah (Joshua 21:9-16);

(b)  The four cities which they received in the country of Benjamin (Joshua 21:17-19).

Joshua 21:9

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Names of the Levitical Towns.

(Note: There is a similar list in 1 Chronicles 6:54-81, though in some respects differently arranged, and with many variations in the names, and corruptions of different kinds in the text, which show that the author of the Chronicles has inserted an ancient document that was altogether independent of the book before us. Thus in the Chronicles there are only forty-two towns mentioned by name instead of forty-eight, although it is stated in 1 Chronicles 6:45. that 13 + 10 + 13 + 12, i.e., forty-eight towns in all, were given up to the Levites. The names omitted are (1) Jutta in Judah; (2) Gibeon in Benjamin; (3 and 4) Ethekeh and Gibbethon in Dan; (5 and 6) and Jokneam and Nahalal in Zebulun (compare Joshua 21:16, Joshua 21:17, Joshua 21:23, Joshua 21:34, and Joshua 21:35, with 1 Chronicles 6:59-60, 1 Chronicles 6:68, 1 Chronicles 6:77. In some cases also the author of the Chronicles gives different names, though some of them indeed are only different forms of the same name, e.g., Hilen for Holon, Alemeth for Almon, Ashtaroth for Beeshterah, Mashal for Misheal, Hammon for Hammoth-dor, Kirjathaim for Kartan (compare 1 Chronicles 6:58, 1 Chronicles 6:60, 1 Chronicles 6:71, 1 Chronicles 6:74, 1 Chronicles 6:76, with Joshua 21:15, Joshua 21:18, Joshua 21:27, Joshua 21:30, Joshua 21:32); or in some cases possibly different names of the same town, e.g., Jokmeam for Kibzaim, and Ramoth for Jarmuth, and Anem for En-gannim (1 Chronicles 6:68, 83, and Joshua 21:22, Joshua 21:29); whilst some evidently give the true reading, viz., Ashan for Ain, and Bileam for Gath-rimmon (1 Chronicles 6:59, 1 Chronicles 6:70; Joshua 21:16, Joshua 21:26). The majority, however, are faulty readings, viz., Aner for Tanach, Kedesh for Kishon, Hukok for Helkath, Rimmon and Tabor (compare 1 Chronicles 6:70, 1 Chronicles 6:72, 1 Chronicles 6:75, 1 Chronicles 6:77, with Joshua 21:25, Joshua 21:28, Joshua 21:31, Joshua 21:34-35).)

Joshua 21:9-19

The priests' towns: (a) in Judah and Simeon (Joshua 21:9-16); (b) in Benjamin (Joshua 21:17-19).

Joshua 21:9-12

In the tribe of Judah the priests received Kirjath-arba, or Hebron, with the necessary pasturage round about the town (see Numbers 35:2), whilst the field of the town with the villages belonging to it remained in the hands of Caleb and his family as their possession (Joshua 14:12.).