โยชูวา 21:2 วิจารณ์

It had been often said that the tribe of Levi should have "no inheritance with their brethren," no particular part of the country assigned them, as the other tribes had, no, not the country about Shiloh, which one might have expected to be appropriated to them as the lands of the church; but, though they were not thus cast into a country by themselves, it appears, by the provision made for them in this chapter, that they were no losers, but the rest of the tribes were very much gainers, by their being dispersed. We have here, I. The motion they made to have their cities assigned them, according to God's appointment (Jos 21:1, Jos 21:2). II. The nomination of the cities accordingly out of the several tribes, and the distribution of them to the respective families of this tribe (Jos 21:3-8). III. A catalogue of the cities, forty-eight in all (v. 9-42). IV. A receipt entered in full of all that God had promised to his people Israel (Jos 21:43-45).

INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 21 This chapter contains the address of the Levites to the court, to have the cities and suburbs given them according to the command of God by Moses, Jos 21:1; the grant of them by lot out of the several tribes, Jos 21:3; the particular cities out of the tribes of Judah and Simeon are mentioned by name, Jos 21:9; then those out of the tribe of Benjamin, Jos 21:17; next those out of the tribe of Ephraim, Jos 21:20; afterwards those out of the tribe of Dan, Jos 21:23; then those out of the half tribe of Manasseh, Jos 21:27; and out of the tribe of Issachar, Jos 21:28; and out of the tribe of Asher, Jos 21:30; and of Naphtali, Jos 21:32; and of Zebulun, Jos 21:34; and of Reuben, Jos 21:36; and of Gad, Jos 21:38; which in all made forty eight, Jos 21:41; and the chapter is concluded with observing, that God gave Israel all the land of Canaan, and rest in it, according to his promise, very faithfully and punctually, Jos 21:43.

And they spake unto them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan,.... Where the tabernacle was fixed, at or near which the above persons met to cast lots for the division of the land to the seven tribes that had not received their inheritance: saying, the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses to give us cities to dwell in, with the suburbs thereof for our cattle; this command is extant in Num 35:2.

It was fitting that there be a drawing of lots even regarding the suburbs and cities so that perhaps the renowned division among the Levites might not seem perhaps indiscriminate and accidental. Therefore, the distribution by lot that took place among the sons of Israel was characterized by reason, by which someone was considered worthy of the first lot, and someone else the second, as we have already previously examined to the extent we were able. This was true in regard to both those who receive through Moses beyond the Jordan and those who receive from Jesus [Joshua] in the land of promise, where the first lot fell to Benjamin and afterwards to the rest, among whom Dan was the last. Even so it is necessary that there be some reason also in the order of priestly and levitical lots. Thus the first is drawn for someone, the second for someone else, and the third for another, through which these or those places are determined for each one.

Who will explain the diverse sites of the encampments, how this distribution must be retained in the resurrection for each priestly or levitical order of the saints, so that, just as the apostle says, nothing is done haphazardly in the resurrection, but everyone comes "in his own order, Christ first, then those who belong to Christ who have believed in his coming, when he will hand the kingdom over to our God and Father, when he will subject to him every principality and power"?On that occasion, without doubt, there will be some such observances of encampments and priestly distributions and ranks and signals of trumpets.

The Levites apply to Eleazar, Joshua, and the elders, for the cities to dwell in which Moses had promised, Jos 21:1, Jos 21:2. Their request is granted, Jos 21:3. The priests receive thirteen cities out of the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin, Jos 21:4. The Levites receive ten cities out of the tribes of Ephraim, Dan, and the half tribe of Manasseh, Jos 21:5; and thirteen out of the other half tribe of Manasseh, and the tribes of Issachar, Asher, and Naphtali, Jos 21:6. The children of Merari had twelve cities out of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun, Jos 21:7. The names of the cities given out of the tribes of Judah and Simeon, Jos 21:8-16. Those granted out of the tribe of Benjamin, Jos 21:17-19. Out of Ephraim, Jos 21:20-22. Those out of Dan, Jos 21:23, Jos 21:24. Those out of both the halves of the tribe of Manasseh, Jos 21:25-27. Those out of the tribe of Issachar, Jos 21:28, Jos 21:29. Those out of Asher, Jos 21:30, Jos 21:31. Those out of Naphtali, Jos 21:32. These were the cities of the Gershonites, Jos 21:33. The cities of the Merarites, Jos 21:34-40. The sum of the cities given to the Levites, forty-eight, Jos 21:41, Jos 21:42. The exact fulfillment of all God's promises, Jos 21:43-45.

EIGHT AND FORTY CITIES GIVEN BY LOT OUT OF THE OTHER TRIBES UNTO THE LEVITES. (Jos 21:1-8) Then came near the heads of the fathers of the Levites--The most venerable and distinguished members of the three Levitical families, on behalf of their tribe, applied for the special provision that had been promised them to be now awarded (see on Num 35:2). Their inheritance lay within the territory of every tribe. It was assigned in the same place and manner, and by the same commissioners as the other allotments. While the people, knowing the important duties they were to perform, are described (Jos 21:3) as readily conceding this "peculiar" to them, it had most probably been specified and reserved for their use while the distribution of the land was in progress.

After the cities of refuge had been set apart, the towns were also selected, which the different tribes were to give up for the priest and Levites to dwell in according to the Mosaic instructions in Num 35:1-8, together with the necessary fields as pasturage for their cattle. The setting apart of the cities of refuge took place before the appointment of the Levitical towns, because the Lord had given commandment through Moses in Num 35:6, that they were to give to the Levites the six cities of refuge, and forty-two cities besides, i.e., forty-eight cities in all. From the introductory statement in Jos 21:1, Jos 21:2, that the heads of the fathers (see Exo 6:14, Exo 6:25) of the Levitical families reminded the distribution committee at Shiloh of the command of God that had been issued through Moses, that towns were to be given them to dwell in, we cannot infer, as Calvin has done, that the Levites had been forgotten, till they came and asserted their claims. All that is stated in these words is, "that when the business had reached that point, they approached the dividers of the land in the common name of the members of their tribe, to receive by lot the cities appointed for them. They simply expressed the commands of God, and said in so many words, that they had been deputed by the Levites generally to draw lots for those forty-eight cities with their suburbs, which had been appointed for that tribe" (Masius). The clause appended to Shiloh, "in the land of Canaan," points to the instructions in Num 34:29 and Num 35:10, to give the children of Israel their inheritance in the land of Canaan.