Joshua 21:16

Verse

Ain, Juttah, and Beth-shemesh—nine cities from these two tribes, together with their pasturelands.

American Standard Version (1901)

and Ain with its suburbs, and Juttah with its suburbs, and Beth-shemesh with its suburbs; nine cities out of those two tribes.

Bible in Basic English

And Ain, and Juttah, and Beth-shemesh, with their grass-lands; nine towns from those two tribes.

Free Bible Version

Ain, Juttah, and Beth-shemesh—nine towns from these two tribes.

Geneva Bible 1599

And Ain with her suburbes, and Iuttah with her suburbes, Beth-shemesh with her suburbes: nine cities out of those two tribes.

King James (Authorized) Version

And Ain with her suburbs, and Juttah with her suburbs, and Beth-shemesh with her suburbs; nine cities out of those two tribes.

Translation for Translators

Ain, Juttah, and Beth-Shemesh. Altogether they were allotted those nine cities which were located in the areas that had been allotted to the tribes of Judah and Simeon.

Unlocked Literal Bible

Ain with its pasturelands, Juttah with its pasturelands, and Beth Shemesh with its pasturelands. There were nine cities that were given from these two tribes.

Noah Webster Bible

And Ain with its suburbs, and Juttah with its suburbs, and Beth-shemesh with its suburbs; nine cities out of those two tribes.

World English Bible

Ain with its pasture lands, Juttah with its pasture lands, and Beth Shemesh with its pasture lands: nine cities out of those two tribes.

Young's Literal Translation

and Ain and its suburbs, and Juttah and its suburbs, Beth-Shemesh and its suburbs; nine cities out of these two tribes.

Context

Forty-Eight Cities for the Levites

¹⁵Holon, Debir,¹⁶Ain, Juttah, and Beth-shemesh—nine cities from these two tribes, together with their pasturelands.

Summary

In Joshua 21:16, we see the fulfillment of God's promise to the Levites as they receive their allotted cities and pasturelands. This verse highlights the faithfulness of God in providing for the needs of His people and honoring His covenant with them. The Levites, who were set apart for priestly duties, were given cities to dwell in among the other tribes of Israel, demonstrating God's care for those who serve Him. This distribution of land symbolizes the unity and cooperation among the tribes of Israel, as they work together to establish God's kingdom in the promised land.

Commentary

John Gill

John Gill Bible Commentary

And Ain with her suburbs,.... See Gill on Jos 15:32, and Juttah with her suburbs; See Gill on Jos 15:55, and Bethshemesh with her suburbs; which is not mentioned among the cities of Judah, Jos 15:21; only as in the borders of it, Jos 21:10; and perhaps is the same Bethshemesh to which the ark was directed by the Philistines from Ashdod, Sa1 6:9; in it formerly was a temple dedicated to the sun, from whence it had its name: nine cities out of those two tribes; and they seem all but one, which is Ain, to be of the tribe of Judah, and that originally belonged to it; and as that tribe had the largest number of cities in its lot, the more were given out of it to the Levites, according to a rule prescribed, Num 35:8.