Joshua 21:23
From the tribe of Dan they were given Elteke, Gibbethon,
From the tribe of Dan

Dan’s inheritance lay along Israel’s western frontier, where Philistine and Amorite pressure repeatedly tested the tribe’s ability to possess the land. Even amid those struggles, Daniel remained responsible to provide for the worship and instruction of the whole nation.

Jos 19:40-48 The seventh lot came out for the clans of the tribe of Dan:…
Jdg 18:1-2 In those days there was no king in Israel,…
Jdg 1:34 The Amorites forced the Danites into the hill country…

they were given

The Levites received cities rather than a separate tribal territory, according to the command of the Lord. Their presence among every tribe kept the ministry of sacrifice, teaching, and judgment near the people.

1Ch 6:64-65 So the Israelites gave to the Levites these cities…
Num 35:2-8 Command the Israelites to give, from the inheritance…
Deu 18:1-2 The Levitical priests shall have no portion…

Elteke,

Elteke stood within Dan’s allotted region and became a Levitical city. God placed His servants in areas of conflict as well as prosperity, reminding Israel that security depended upon covenant faithfulness.

Jos 19:44 Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath,
1Ch 6:69 Aijalon, and Gath-rimmon, together with their pasturelands.

Gibbethon,

Gibbethon later became a contested site during Israel’s wars with the Philistines and in the reigns of Baasha and Zimri. Its inclusion among the Levitical cities shows that God’s provision for spiritual leadership extended even to Israel’s vulnerable borderlands.

1Ki 15:27 Then Baasha son of Ahijah of the house of Issachar…
1Ki 16:15 In the twenty-seventh year of Asa’s reign over Judah,…
1Ki 16:17-18 Then Omri and all the Israelites marched up from Gibbethon…

Persons / Places / Events
1. Tribe of Dan
One of the twelve tribes of Israel, descended from Dan, the fifth son of Jacob and Bilhah. The tribe was allocated land in the northern part of Israel.

2. Eltekeh
A city given to the Levites from the tribe of Dan. It was one of the cities with pasturelands for the Levites to dwell in and sustain themselves.

3. Gibbethon
Another city given to the Levites from the tribe of Dan. Like Eltekeh, it included surrounding pasturelands.

4. Levites
The priestly tribe of Israel, descendants of Levi. They were given specific cities and pasturelands throughout Israel as they did not receive a contiguous territory like the other tribes.

5. Allocation of Cities
This event is part of the broader distribution of the Promised Land among the tribes of Israel, with specific cities designated for the Levites.
Teaching Points
God's Provision for His Servants
The allocation of cities to the Levites demonstrates God's provision for those who serve Him. Just as the Levites were provided for, God ensures that those who dedicate their lives to His service are cared for.

The Importance of Community Support
The tribes of Israel were responsible for supporting the Levites, illustrating the importance of community and mutual support within the body of believers.

Faithfulness in Fulfilling God's Commands
The Israelites' obedience in distributing the land as commanded by God serves as a model for us to faithfully follow God's instructions in our lives.

The Role of Spiritual Leaders
The Levites were set apart for spiritual leadership and service. This reminds us of the importance of supporting and respecting those who lead and serve in our spiritual communities.
Bible Study Questions
1. What does the allocation of cities to the Levites teach us about God's provision for those who serve Him?

2. How can we, as a community of believers, support those who are dedicated to spiritual leadership and service today?

3. In what ways does the obedience of the Israelites in distributing the land challenge us to be faithful in our own lives?

4. How does the concept of community support seen in the allocation of Levitical cities apply to the church today?

5. Reflect on a time when you experienced God's provision in your life. How can this encourage you to trust Him more fully?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Numbers 35
This chapter outlines the command from God to give the Levites cities to dwell in, along with pasturelands. It provides the background for the allocations seen in Joshua 21.

1 Chronicles 6
This passage lists the Levitical cities, providing a parallel account to Joshua 21 and emphasizing the importance of the Levites' role in Israel.

Deuteronomy 18
Discusses the inheritance of the Levites, highlighting their unique role and the provision made for them by the other tribes.
Divine FaithfulnessR. Hall, M. A.Joshua 21:1-45
Ministers Liberally TreatedC. Ness.Joshua 21:1-45
Ministers Wisely LocatedW. Seaton.Joshua 21:1-45
The Divine Fidelity AcknowledgedA. Maclaren, D. D.Joshua 21:1-45
The Supreme WorkerA. Maclaren, D. D.Joshua 21:1-45
The Triumphant Record of God's FaithfulnessA. Maclaren, D. D.Joshua 21:1-45
People
Aaron, Abdon, Anak, Anathoth, Arba, Asher, Benjamin, Bezer, Caleb, Dan, Debir, Eleazar, Eshtemoa, Gad, Gershon, Gershonites, Gersonites, Gibeon, Israelites, Issachar, Jephunneh, Joshua, Kohath, Kohathites, Levi, Levites, Manasseh, Merari, Naphtali, Nun, Rehob, Reuben, Simeon, Simeonites, Zebulun
Places
Abdon, Aijalon, Ain, Almon, Anathoth, Bashan, Beeshterah, Beth-horon, Beth-shemesh, Bezer, Canaan, Daberath, Debir, Elteke, En-gannim, Eshtemoa, Galilee, Gath-rimmon, Geba, Gezer, Gibbethon, Gibeon, Gilead, Golan, Hammoth-dor, Hebron, Helkath, Heshbon, Holon, Jahaz, Jarmuth, Jattir, Jazer, Jokneam, Juttah, Kartah, Kartan, Kedemoth, Kedesh, Kibzaim, Kiriath-arba, Kishion, Libnah, Mahanaim, Mephaath, Mishal, Nahalal, Ramoth, Rehob, Shechem, Shiloh, Taanach
Topics
Dan, Elteke, El'teke, Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Gib'bethon, Grass-lands, Lands, Open, Pasture, Received, Suburbs, Tribe
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Joshua 21:1-42

     7266   tribes of Israel

Library
October 8. "There Failed not Aught of any Good Thing which the Lord had Spoken" (Josh. xxi. 45).
"There failed not aught of any good thing which the Lord had spoken" (Josh. xxi. 45). Some day, even you, trembling, faltering one, shall stand upon those heights and look back upon all you have passed through, all you have narrowly escaped, all the perils through which He guided you, the stumblings through which He guarded you, and the sins from which He saved you; and you shall shout, with a meaning you cannot understand now, "Salvation unto Him who sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb."
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

The End of the War
'And the Lord gave unto Israel all the land which He sware to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein. 44. And the Lord gave them rest round about, according to all that He sware unto their fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand. 45. There failed not ought of any good thing which the Lord had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass. 'Then Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites,
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Mountainous Country of Judea.
"What is the mountainous country of Judea? It is the king's mountain." However Judea, here and there, doth swell out much with mountains, yet its chief swelling appears in that broad back of mountains, that runs from the utmost southern cost as far as Hebron, and almost as Jerusalem itself. Which the Holy Scripture called "The hill-country of Judah," Joshua 21:11; Luke 1:39. Unless I am very much mistaken,--the maps of Adricomus, Tirinius, and others, ought to be corrected, which have feigned to
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

Divers Matters.
I. Beth-cerem, Nehemiah 3:14. "The stones, as well of the altar, as of the ascent to the altar, were from the valley of Beth-cerem, which they digged out beneath the barren land. And thence they are wont to bring whole stones, upon which the working iron came not." The fathers of the traditions, treating concerning the blood of women's terms, reckon up five colours of it; among which that, "which is like the water of the earth, out of the valley of Beth-cerem."--Where the Gloss writes thus, "Beth-cerem
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

Nob. Bahurim.
That Nob was placed in the land of Benjamin, not far from Jerusalem, whence Jerusalem also might be seen,--the words of the Chaldee paraphrast, upon Isaiah 10:32, do argue. For so he speaks; "Sennacherib came and stood in Nob, a city of the priests, before the walls of Jerusalem; and said to his army, 'Is not this the city of Jerusalem, against which I have raised my whole army, and have subdued all the provinces of it? Is it not small and weak in comparison of all the fortifications of the Gentiles,
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

Joshua
The book of Joshua is the natural complement of the Pentateuch. Moses is dead, but the people are on the verge of the promised land, and the story of early Israel would be incomplete, did it not record the conquest of that land and her establishment upon it. The divine purpose moves restlessly on, until it is accomplished; so "after the death of Moses, Jehovah spake to Joshua," i. 1. The book falls naturally into three divisions: (a) the conquest of Canaan (i.-xii.), (b) the settlement of the
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

Links
Joshua 21:23 NIV
Joshua 21:23 NLT
Joshua 21:23 ESV
Joshua 21:23 NASB
Joshua 21:23 KJV

Joshua 21:23 Commentaries

Bible Hub
Joshua 21:22
Top of Page
Top of Page