1 Chronicles 6:67
New International Version
In the hill country of Ephraim they were given Shechem (a city of refuge), and Gezer,

New Living Translation
Shechem (a city of refuge in the hill country of Ephraim), Gezer,

English Standard Version
They were given the cities of refuge: Shechem with its pasturelands in the hill country of Ephraim, Gezer with its pasturelands,

Berean Standard Bible
They were given Shechem (a city of refuge) with its pasturelands in the hill country of Ephraim, and Gezer,

King James Bible
And they gave unto them, of the cities of refuge, Shechem in mount Ephraim with her suburbs; they gave also Gezer with her suburbs,

New King James Version
And they gave them one of the cities of refuge, Shechem with its common-lands, in the mountains of Ephraim, also Gezer with its common-lands,

New American Standard Bible
They gave to them the following cities of refuge: Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim with its pasture lands, Gezer with its pasture lands,

NASB 1995
They gave to them the following cities of refuge: Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim with its pasture lands, Gezer also with its pasture lands,

NASB 1977
And they gave to them the following cities of refuge: Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim with its pasture lands, Gezer also with its pasture lands,

Legacy Standard Bible
And they gave to them the following cities of refuge: Shechem, with its pasture lands, in the hill country of Ephraim, and Gezer with its pasture lands,

Amplified Bible
They gave to the Levites the following cities of refuge: Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim with its pasture lands, Gezer with its pasture lands;

Christian Standard Bible
Shechem (a city of refuge) with its pasturelands in the hill country of Ephraim, Gezer and its pasturelands,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Shechem (a city of refuge) with its pasturelands in the hill country of Ephraim, Gezer and its pasturelands,

American Standard Version
And they gave unto them the cities of refuge, Shechem in the hill-country of Ephraim with its suburbs; Gezer also with its suburbs,

English Revised Version
And they gave unto them the cities of refuge, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim with her suburbs; Gezer also with her suburbs;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
They were given these cities of refuge: Shechem with its pastureland in the hills of Ephraim, Gezer with its pastureland,

Good News Translation
Shechem, the city of refuge in the hills of Ephraim, Gezer,

International Standard Version
They were given these cities of refuge: Shechem with its surrounding suburbs in the hill country of Ephraim, Gezer with its surrounding suburbs,

Majority Standard Bible
They were given Shechem (a city of refuge) with its pasturelands in the hill country of Ephraim, and Gezer,

NET Bible
They were allotted as cities of refuge Shechem and its pasturelands (in the hill country of Ephraim), Gezer and its pasturelands,

New Heart English Bible
They gave to them the cities of refuge, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim with its suburbs; Gezer also with its suburbs,

Webster's Bible Translation
And they gave to them, of the cities of refuge, Shechem in mount Ephraim with its suburbs; they gave also Gezer with its suburbs,

World English Bible
They gave to them the cities of refuge, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim with its pasture lands and Gezer with its pasture lands,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and they give the cities of refuge to them: Shechem and its outskirts in the hill-country of Ephraim, and Gezer and its outskirts,

Young's Literal Translation
and they give to them the cities of refuge, Shechem and its suburbs in the hill-country of Ephraim, and Gezer and its suburbs,

Smith's Literal Translation
And they will give to them the cities of refuge, Shechem and her areas in mount Ephraim and Gezer and her areas,
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And they gave the cities of refuge Sichem with its suburbs in mount Ephraim, and Gazer with its suburbs,

Catholic Public Domain Version
Then they gave to them the cities of refuge: Shechem with its suburbs on mount Ephraim, and Gezer with its suburbs,

New American Bible
They were assigned cities of refuge: Shechem in the mountain region of Ephraim, with its pasture lands, Gezer with its pasture lands,

New Revised Standard Version
They were given the cities of refuge: Shechem with its pasture lands in the hill country of Ephraim, Gezer with its pasture lands,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And they gave to them, of the cities of refuge, Shechem with its suburbs in mount Ephraim and Gezer with its suburbs,

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And they gave them the cities of salvation: Shecheem and its villages in the mountain of the tribe of the house of Aphreim, and Yazir and its hamlets
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And they gave unto them the city of refuge, Shechem in the hill-country of Ephraim with the open land about it; Gezer also with the open land about it;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And they gave them the cities of refuge, Sychem and her suburbs in mount Ephraim, and Gazer and her suburbs,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Territories for the Levites
66And some of the clans of the Kohathites were given cities from the tribe of Ephraim for their territory: 67They were given Shechem (a city of refuge) with its pasturelands in the hill country of Ephraim, and Gezer, 68Jokmeam, Beth-horon,…

Cross References
Joshua 21:21
they were given Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim (a city of refuge for the manslayer), Gezer,

Joshua 21:11-13
They gave them Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), with its surrounding pasturelands, in the hill country of Judah. (Arba was the father of Anak.) / But they had given the fields and villages around the city to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his possession. / So to the descendants of Aaron the priest they gave these cities, together with their pasturelands: Hebron, a city of refuge for the manslayer, Libnah,

1 Chronicles 6:54-55
Now these were the territories assigned to the descendants of Aaron from the Kohathite clan for their settlements, because the first lot fell to them: / They were given Hebron in the land of Judah and its surrounding pasturelands.

1 Chronicles 6:64-65
So the Israelites gave to the Levites these cities and their pasturelands. / They assigned by lot the cities named above from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.

1 Chronicles 6:77-81
The Merarites (the rest of the Levites) received the following: From the tribe of Zebulun they were given Rimmono and Tabor, together with their pasturelands. / From the tribe of Reuben east of the Jordan opposite Jericho they were given Bezer in the wilderness, Jahzah, / Kedemoth, and Mephaath, together with their pasturelands. ...

1 Chronicles 6:61
To the rest of the Kohathites, ten cities were allotted from the half-tribe of Manasseh.

1 Chronicles 6:70
And from the half-tribe of Manasseh the rest of the clans of the Kohathites were given Aner and Bileam, together with their pasturelands.

1 Chronicles 6:71
The Gershomites received the following: From the clan of the half-tribe of Manasseh they were given Golan in Bashan and also Ashtaroth, together with their pasturelands.

1 Chronicles 6:72
From the tribe of Issachar they were given Kedesh, Daberath,

1 Chronicles 6:73
Ramoth, and Anem, together with their pasturelands.

1 Chronicles 6:74
From the tribe of Asher they were given Mashal, Abdon,

1 Chronicles 6:75
Hukok, and Rehob, together with their pasturelands.

1 Chronicles 6:76
And from the tribe of Naphtali they were given Kedesh in Galilee, Hammon, and Kiriathaim, together with their pasturelands.

1 Chronicles 6:78
From the tribe of Reuben east of the Jordan opposite Jericho they were given Bezer in the wilderness, Jahzah,

1 Chronicles 6:79
Kedemoth, and Mephaath, together with their pasturelands.


Treasury of Scripture

And they gave to them, of the cities of refuge, Shechem in mount Ephraim with her suburbs; they gave also Gezer with her suburbs,

Shechem.

Genesis 33:18
And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the city.

Genesis 35:4
And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem.

Joshua 20:7
And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and Kirjatharba, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah.

Gezer.

Joshua 12:12
The king of Eglon, one; the king of Gezer, one;

Joshua 16:3,10
And goeth down westward to the coast of Japhleti, unto the coast of Bethhoron the nether, and to Gezer: and the goings out thereof are at the sea…

Joshua 21:21
For they gave them Shechem with her suburbs in mount Ephraim, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Gezer with her suburbs,

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1 Chronicles 6
1. The sons of Levi.
4. The line of Eleazar unto the captivity.
16. The families of Gershom, Kohath, and Merari.
49. The office of Aaron, and his line unto Ahimaaz.
54. The cities of the priests and Levites.














They gave them
This phrase indicates an act of provision and generosity. In the context of the Levitical cities, it reflects the Israelites' obedience to God's command to allocate cities to the Levites, who were set apart for priestly duties. The Levites did not receive a territorial inheritance like the other tribes, as their inheritance was the Lord Himself (Numbers 18:20). This act of giving underscores the communal responsibility to support those dedicated to spiritual service.

Shechem
Shechem holds significant historical and spiritual importance. It is one of the oldest cities in the region, first mentioned in Genesis 12:6 when Abram passed through the land. It later became a city of refuge, a place where individuals who committed unintentional manslaughter could seek asylum (Joshua 20:7). The Hebrew root of Shechem means "shoulder," symbolizing strength and support, fitting for a city of refuge. Shechem's location in the hill country of Ephraim also made it a central and accessible place for those seeking refuge.

(a city of refuge)
The concept of a city of refuge is deeply rooted in the justice system established by God for the Israelites. These cities provided protection and ensured that justice was served without the cycle of blood vengeance. Theologically, they foreshadow the refuge found in Christ, who offers protection and redemption to those who seek Him. The cities of refuge highlight God's mercy and the provision of a way to escape judgment, pointing to the ultimate refuge found in Jesus.

in the hill country of Ephraim
Ephraim was one of the prominent tribes of Israel, descended from Joseph's son. The hill country of Ephraim was a fertile and strategically important area. It was known for its rugged terrain and natural fortifications, making it a suitable location for a city of refuge. The mention of Ephraim also reminds us of the blessings and responsibilities given to this tribe, as Ephraim often played a leading role in the history of Israel.

and Gezer
Gezer was another significant city, strategically located on the route between Egypt and Mesopotamia. It was an ancient Canaanite city that was later conquered by the Israelites. Archaeological excavations have uncovered evidence of its fortifications and historical significance. Gezer's inclusion as a Levitical city emphasizes the integration of conquered lands into the spiritual and communal life of Israel. It serves as a reminder of God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promises to give the land to His people and the importance of dedicating portions of it for His service.

(67) And they gave unto them, of the cities of refuge . . .--The correct version of the Hebrew text is, "And they gave unto them the cities of refuge, Shechem and her pastures, in the hill-country of Ephraim; and Gezer and her pastures." Perhaps both here and in 1Chronicles 6:57 above "city" ('iyr), and not "cities" ('arey), is the original reading. We have already noticed many indications of textual corruption in this and the former section. Gezer was not a city of refuge. (See Note on 1Chronicles 6:57.) Joshua 21:21 has the singular.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
They were given
וַיִּתְּנ֨וּ (way·yit·tə·nū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

Shechem
שְׁכֶ֥ם (šə·ḵem)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 7927: Shechem -- 'ridge', a district in Northern Palestine, also a son of Hamor

(a city
עָרֵ֧י (‘ā·rê)
Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 5892: Excitement

of refuge)
הַמִּקְלָ֛ט (ham·miq·lāṭ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4733: Refuge, asylum

with its pasturelands
מִגְרָשֶׁ֖יהָ (miḡ·rā·še·hā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 4054: A suburb, the area around a, building, the margin of the sea

in the hill country
בְּהַ֣ר (bə·har)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2022: Mountain, hill, hill country

of Ephraim,
אֶפְרָ֑יִם (’ep̄·rā·yim)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 669: Ephraim -- a son of Joseph, also his descendants and their territory

and
וְאֶת־ (wə·’eṯ-)
Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

Gezer,
גֶּ֖זֶר (ge·zer)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 1507: Gezer -- 'portion', a Levitical city on the border of Ephraim


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OT History: 1 Chronicles 6:67 They gave to them the cities (1 Chron. 1Ch iCh i Ch 1 chr 1chr)
1 Chronicles 6:66
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