Joshua 21:31
Helkath, and Rehob--four cities, together with their pasturelands.
Helkath,

Helkath, meaning “portion” or “inheritance,” was assigned to the Gershonite Levites within Asher’s tribal territory. Its place among the Levitical cities showed that the worship and instruction of the Lord were to be present throughout Israel, including the northern regions.

Jos 19:25 Their territory included Helkath, Hali, Beten, Achshaph,
2Sa 2:16 Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head…

and Rehob—

Rehob, meaning broad or spacious, was likewise given to the Gershonites. Several places bore this name, but the city listed here belonged to Asher’s inheritance and served as a settled home for Levites whose service supported Israel’s worship and obedience to God’s Law.

Jos 19:30 Ummah, Aphek, and Rehob. There were twenty-two cities…
1Ch 6:75 Hukok, and Rehob, together with their pasturelands.
Jos 19:28 It went on to Ebron, Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah…

four cities,

Asher provided four cities for the Gershonite clan of Levi, joining the larger allotment of forty-eight Levitical cities commanded in the Law (Numbers 35:1–8). The Levites received no separate tribal territory because the Lord Himself was their inheritance, yet God provided for them through the faithfulness of the other tribes.

1Ch 6:60 And from the tribe of Benjamin they were given…
1Ch 6:67 They were given Shechem (a city of refuge)…
1Ch 6:68 Jokmeam, Beth-horon,

together with their pasturelands.

Pasturelands surrounding the cities supplied room for livestock and the ordinary needs of Levitical households. God’s provision enabled the Levites to carry out their appointed responsibilities without being left destitute, reminding Israel that those devoted to the service of the Lord were to be sustained by the people of God.

Num 35:2 Command the Israelites to give, from the inheritance…
Jos 14:4 The descendants of Joseph became two tribes…
1Ch 6:55 They were given Hebron in the land of Judah…

Persons / Places / Events
1. Helkath
A city allocated to the Levites within the territory of the tribe of Asher. It served as a place for the Levites to live and perform their priestly duties.

2. Rehob
Another city given to the Levites in the land of Asher. Like Helkath, it provided a home and resources for the Levitical priests.

3. Levites
The priestly tribe of Israel, set apart for religious duties and service to God. They were given cities throughout Israel instead of a contiguous territory.

4. Tribe of Asher
One of the twelve tribes of Israel, whose land included the cities of Helkath and Rehob. The tribe was responsible for supporting the Levites in their midst.

5. Pasturelands
The surrounding lands of these cities, used for grazing livestock, which were essential for the sustenance of the Levites and their families.
Teaching Points
God's Provision for His Servants
The allocation of cities to the Levites demonstrates God's care and 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 supported.

Community Responsibility
The tribes of Israel were responsible for supporting the Levites, teaching us the importance of community and mutual support within the body of Christ.

Spiritual Inheritance
While the Levites did not receive a large territory, their inheritance was spiritual and tied to their service to God. This reminds us that our true inheritance is spiritual and eternal.

Integration of Faith and Life
The presence of Levites in various cities ensured that spiritual guidance was integrated into daily life, encouraging us to incorporate our faith into every aspect of our lives.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the allocation of cities to the Levites reflect God's care for those who serve Him, and how can we apply this principle in supporting our church leaders today?

2. In what ways does the responsibility of the tribes to support the Levites parallel the responsibilities of Christians to support one another in the church community?

3. Considering the spiritual inheritance of the Levites, how can we prioritize our spiritual inheritance over material possessions in our daily lives?

4. How can we ensure that our faith is integrated into all areas of our life, similar to how the Levites were integrated into the communities of Israel?

5. Reflect on a time when you experienced God's provision in your life. How can this encourage you to trust Him more fully in your current circumstances?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Numbers 35
This chapter outlines the commandment from God to allocate cities to the Levites, emphasizing their role and the importance of their sustenance.

1 Chronicles 6
Provides a genealogical record of the Levites and lists the cities given to them, reinforcing the distribution of cities as seen in Joshua 21.

Deuteronomy 18
Discusses the provisions for the Levites, highlighting their dependence on the offerings and support from 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
Cities, Grass-lands, Helkath, Lands, Open, Pasture, Pasturelands, Rehob, Suburbs, Towns
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

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