Joshua 21:20

Verse

The remaining Kohathite clans of the Levites were allotted these cities: From the tribe of Ephraim

American Standard Version (1901)

And the families of the children of Kohath, the Levites, even the rest of the children of Kohath, they had the cities of their lot out of the tribe of Ephraim.

Bible in Basic English

The rest of the families of the children of Kohath, the Levites, were given towns from the tribe of Ephraim.

Free Bible Version

As for the remaining families of the children of Kothah from the tribe of Levi, they were given by lot four towns and their pastures from the tribe of Ephraim:

Geneva Bible 1599

But to the families of the children of Kohath of the Leuites, which were the rest of the children of Kohath (for the cities of their lot were out of the tribe of Ephraim)

King James (Authorized) Version

¶ And the families of the children of Kohath, the Levites which remained of the children of Kohath, even they had the cities of their lot out of the tribe of Ephraim.

Translation for Translators

The other members the Kohath clan were allotted four cities and the surrounding pastureland in the area that had been allotted to the tribe of Ephraim.

Unlocked Literal Bible

As for the rest of Kohathites who belong to the Kohathite clans of the Levites—they had cities given to them from the tribe of Ephraim by the casting of lots.

Noah Webster Bible

And the families of the children of Kohath, the Levites who remained of the children of Kohath, even they had the cities of their lot out of the tribe of Ephraim.

World English Bible

The families of the children of Kohath, the Levites, even the rest of the children of Kohath, had the cities of their lot out of the tribe of Ephraim.

Young's Literal Translation

And for the families of the sons of Kohath, the Levites, who are left of the sons of Kohath, even the cities of their lot are of the tribe of Ephraim;

Context

Forty-Eight Cities for the Levites

¹⁹In all, thirteen cities, together with their pasturelands, were given to the priests, the descendants of Aaron. ²⁰The remaining Kohathite clans of the Levites were allotted these cities: From the tribe of Ephraim²¹they were given Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim (a city of refuge for the manslayer), Gezer,

Summary

Joshua 21:20 lists the cities given to the tribe of Ephraim from the inheritance of the Levites. This verse highlights the fulfillment of God's promise to provide for the Levites, who were not given a specific territory but were allocated cities to dwell in among the other tribes. It demonstrates God's faithfulness in ensuring that the Levites had places to live and minister, even though they did not receive a portion of land like the other tribes. This distribution of cities among the Levites within the territories of other tribes symbolizes the unity and interdependence of God's people in fulfilling their respective roles and responsibilities.

Commentary

John Gill

John Gill Bible Commentary

And the families of the children of Kohath, the Levites,.... Who were not priests: which remained of the children of Kohath; these are the children of Moses, as Jarchi says, and those that descended from Kohath in the lines of Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel: even they had the cities of their lot out of the tribe of Ephraim; and were as follow.