Joshua 21:4

And the lot came out for the family of the Kohathites,.... The first lot that was drawn out of the pot or urn was for the descendants of Kohath, a son of Levi: and the children of Aaron the priest,

And the lot came out for the families of the Kohathites: and the children of Aaron the priest, which were of the Levites, had by lot out of the tribe of Judah, and out of the tribe of Simeon, and out

Which three tribes were nearest to the temple, where their business lay. Thirteen cities; for though the priests were now few enough for one city, yet respect was to be had to their succeeding numbers; this division being made for all future generations. And seeing the Levites might sell their houses until the jubilee, , much more might they let them; and therefore it is probable their cities were not very long uninhabited, many being inclined to dwell with them by virtue of relations contracted with them, or dependence upon or expectation from them; or out of respect to the service of God, and the good of their souls.

Joshua 21:4 And the lot came out for the families of the Kohathites: and the children of Aaron the priest, [which were] of the Levites, had by lot out of the tribe of Judah, and out of the tribe of Simeon, and out of the tribe of Benjamin, thirteen cities.Ver. 4. Out of the tribe of Judah, &c.] The priests, by a sweet providence, were placed in those three tribes that were nearest to the tabernacle and temple, that they might do their work with more ease to themselves and content to the people.

(4-8) The order of the distribution—viz., (1) to priests, (2) to Kohathites, (3) to Gershonites, (4) to Merarites—is in strict agreement with the order of priority observed in the exodus. In the camp of Israel there were two squares surrounding the tabernacle: an inner square of priests and Levites, an outer square of the tribes of Israel, three on each side. The inner square was arranged thus:—The priests, with Moses and Aaron, on the east, by the entrance of the tabernacle; the Kohathites on the south, the Gershonites on the west, and the Merarites on the north. On the march the priests were the chief officers of this portion of the army. The Kohathites carried the sacred vessels, the Gershonites the curtains and various fabrics of the tent and tabernacle, and the Merarites the bars and boards. When they received their inheritances in Palestine, the same relative order was preserved. OF THE PRIESTS (Joshua 21:9-19). (9) Out of the tribe of . . . Judah . . . and Simeon; and (17) out of the tribe of Benjamin.—It is worthy of notice that, with the exception of a single city in the tribe of Simeon (viz., Ain, Joshua 21:16), all the priestly cities are so arranged as to fall ultimately within the kingdom of Judah, of which the capital was Jerusalem, the city which the Lord had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel to put His name there. The Levites also left their cities and their suburbs in the reign of Jeroboam (2 Chronicles 11:14), and came over to Judah. But the fact that all the priests, with the trifling exception noted above, were already settled in that kingdom, must have been a great attraction. When these facts are observed, it is hardly possible not to be struck with the undesigned agreement between the Book of Joshua and the later history, as well as with the Divine foresight which arranged the distribution of the people thus. (13) Hebron (El Khalil).(14) Jattir (Attir).Eshtemoa (Es Semϋ’a).(15) Debir.—Probably identical with the town of this name in Joshua 15:49 (Edh. Dhβherξyeh), south-west of Hebron. (16) Juttah (Yuttah). Beth-shemesh (Ain Shemes).(17) Gibeon (El Jib). Geba (Jeb’a).(18) Anathoth (‘Anβta).Almon (’Almit).(20) The children of Kohath . . . had the cities . . . out of the tribe of Ephraim.—In this instance the most honoured among the families of the Levites (after the house of Aaron) is grouped with the tribe next in honour after Judah. The tribes of Dan and Manasseh (Joshua 21:23-25) also were highly honoured, as they received Kohathites to settle among them. (21) Shechem . . . in mount Ephraim, to be a city of refuge.—The metropolis of Israel for the time being is made a city of refuge; and there is an obvious convenience in this. In the same way Solomon made Jerusalem a city of refuge for Shimei, binding him not to leave the city under penalty of death (1 Kings 2:36-46). Gezer (Tell Jezer).(22) Kibzaim (Tell el-Kabϋs).Beth-horon (Beit-’Ur).(23, 24) For these Danite cities, see Joshua 19:40-46.

Verse 4. Out of the tribe of Judah - Simeon, and - Benjamin, thirteen cities.] These tribes furnished more habitations to the Levites in proportion than any of the other tribes, because they possessed a more extensive inheritance; and Moses had commanded, Numbers 35:8, From them that have many, ye shall give many; and from them that have few, ye shall give few: every one shall give of his cities unto the Levites, according to his inheritance. It is worthy of remark, that the principal part of this tribe, whose business was to minister at the sanctuary, which sanctuary was afterwards to be established in Jerusalem, had their appointment nearest to that city; so that they were always within reach of the sacred work which God had appointed them.

4–8. General Description of the Levitical Cities 4. the lot came out] As in the case of the inheritance of the other tribes, so in the apportioning of their cities to the Levites, recourse was had to the sacred lot. “It had probably been decided beforehand what cities each tribe was to give up, and therefore it only now remained for the lot to determine to which branch of the Levites each city should be given.” the families of the Kohathites] The Levites were divided into three families, (a) the Gershonites, (b) the Kohathites, (c) the Merarites, so named after the three sons of Levi (Genesis 46:11). The family-tree stood as follows:— The Kohathites held the first rank, as being the family to which Aaron belonged, and while the priesthood was confined to the house of Aaron, the posterity of Moses were reckoned as Levites, on an equality with the rest of the descendants of Levi (Numbers 3; 1 Chronicles 6:48-49). It had been the duty of the Kohathites, during the wanderings, on the removal of the Tabernacle, to bear all the sacred vessels, including the Ark itself, the table of shewbread, the seven-branched candlestick, the altars of incense and of burnt-offering (Numbers 3:31; Numbers 4:6; Numbers 4:9; Numbers 4:15; Deuteronomy 31:25). and the children of Aaron the priest] As the first lot was drawn by the Kohathites, so again the first of theirs fell to the Aaronites or priests. out of the tribe of Judah] To the priests of the line of Aaron thirteen cities were assigned out of the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.

Thirteen cities - This number is said to be too great for the single family of Aaron. But it appears 1 Chr. 24 that the two surviving sons of Aaron, Eleazar and Ithamar, had together 24 sons, the heads of the priestly families.

4. Kohathites — The first of the families of the Levites among whom the family of Aaron were exclusively appointed to the priesthood.