Joshua 21:32

And out of the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Hammothdor with her suburbs, and Kartan with her suburbs; three cities.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

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

Compare Joshua 19:18, etc. Of the cities of the Gershonites, for Beesh-terah read (Beeshterah.) The name is a contraction of Beth-Ashterah ("house of Ashterah") and the city is undoubtedly the Ashtaroth or Astaroth of Og Joshua 12:4; Deuteronomy 1:4; 1 Chronicles 6:71.

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

No text from Poole on this verse.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And out of the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee with her suburbs,.... Of which see Joshua 20:7,

to be a city of refuge for the slayer; this is the fourth city of refuge mentioned:

and Hammothdor with her suburbs; the same with Hammon, 1 Chronicles 6:76; and with Hammath, Joshua 19:35; and is thought by some to be Tiberias, so called from the hot baths in or near it:

and Kartan with her suburbs; called Kirjathaim, 1 Chronicles 6:76; but cannot be the Kirjathaim in Numbers 32:37; for that belonged to the tribe of Reuben, and was on the other side Jordan:

three cities; this being a lesser tribe than some others gave fewer cities, according to the rule in Numbers 35:8.

Geneva Study Bible

And out of the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Hammothdor with her suburbs, and Kartan with her suburbs; three cities.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

32. Kedesh in Galilee] See ch. Joshua 19:37; Hammoth-dor, Joshua 19:35; Kartan = Rakkath, ch. Joshua 19:35, and written Kirjathaim, 1 Chronicles 6:76.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 32. - Galilee (see above, Joshua 20:7). Joshua 21:32

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

From Naphtali they received three towns: Kedesh (Joshua 19:37 and Joshua 12:22), Hammoth-dor (called Hammath in Joshua 19:35, and Hammon in 1 Chronicles 6:76), and Kartan (contracted from Kartain for Kirjathaim, 1 Chronicles 6:76; like Dothan in 2 Kings 6:13, from Dothain in Genesis 37:17). Kartan is not mentioned among the towns of Naphtali in Joshua 19:33.; according to Knobel it may possibly be Katanah, a place with ruins to the north-east of Safed (Van de Velde, Mem. p. 147).