Joshua 21:35 Коментар

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.

Dimnah with her suburbs,.... Nowhere mentioned, unless the same with Rimmon, Ch1 6:77, Nahalal with her suburbs; see Jos 19:15, four cities; only two are mentioned, Ch1 6:77; and they by different names; the one is Rimmon, before observed, and the other Tabor; perhaps the same with Chislothtabor, Jos 19:12.

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.

Dimnah with her suburbs, etc. - It is well known to every Hebrew scholar that the two following verses are wholly omitted by the Masora; and are left out in some of the most correct and authentic Hebrew Bibles. Between critics there is no small controversy relative to the authenticity of these verses; and those who wish to see the arguments at large on both sides, must consult the Variae Lectiones of De Rossi on this place. Dr. Kennicott, who is a strenuous advocate for their authenticity argues thus in their behalf: "Jos 21:41 and Jos 21:42 of this chapter tell us that the Levitical cities were forty-eight, and that they had been all as such described; so that they must have been all specified in this chapter: whereas now in all the Hebrew copies printed in full obedience to the Masora, which excludes two verses containing four of these cities, the number amounts only to forty-four. "The cities are first mentioned, in the general, as being thirteen and ten, with thirteen and twelve, which are certainly forty-eight. And yet when they are particularly named, Jos 21:13-19 gives thirteen cities; Jos 21:20-26 gives ten cities; Jos 21:27-33 gives thirteen; Jos 21:34-36 gives four cities; and Jos 21:35-36 gives four more, all which can make but forty-four. And what still increases the wonder is, that Jos 21:40 infers from the verses immediately preceding, that the cities allowed to the Merarites were twelve, though they here make eight only, unless we admit the four other cities expressed in those two verses, which have been rejected by that blind guide the Masora. In defiance of this authority these two verses, thus absolutely necessary, were inserted in the most early editions of the Hebrew text, and are found in Walton's Polyglot, as well as in our English Bible. But they have scarce ever been as yet printed completely, thus, And out of the tribe or Reuben, A City of Refuge for the Slayer, Bezer, in the Wilderness, with her suburbs, and Jahazah with her suburbs, Kedemoth with her suburbs, and Mephaath with her suburbs; four cities. See on this place my edition of the Hebrew Bible, where no less than one hundred and forty-nine copies are described, which happily preserve these verses, most clearly essential to the truth and consistency of this chapter. See also General Discourse, pp. 19, 26, 54." Though this reasoning of Dr. Kennicott appears very conclusive, yet there are so many and important variations among the MSS. that retain, and those that reject these verses, as to render the question of their authenticity very difficult to be determined. To Dr. Kennicott's one hundred and forty-nine MSS. which have these two verses, may be added upwards of forty collated by De Rossi. Those who deny their authenticity say they have been inserted here from Ch1 6:78, Ch1 6:79, where they are found it is true, in general, but not exactly as they stand here, and in Dr. Kennicott's Hebrew Bible.

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.