Joshua 21:35 — Word Study
WLCאֶת־ דִּמְנָה֙ וְאֶת־ מִגְרָשֶׁ֔הָ אֶֽת־ נַהֲלָ֖ל וְאֶת־ מִגְרָשֶׁ֑הָ עָרִ֖ים אַרְבַּֽע׃
BSADimnahDimnâh△ [a city in Palestine, also known as Rimmon] and NahalalNahălâl [possibly the modern village of Malul] fourʼarbaʻ [a specific quantity, denoting completeness] citiesʻîyr [towns with walls or watchmen] together withʼêth their pasturelandsmigrâsh [open lands, common areas, or suburbs]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| אֶת־ | the object marker | Particle |
| דִּמְנָה֙ | Dimnah | Noun proper |
| וְאֶת־ | and the object marker | Conjunction, particle |
| מִגְרָשֶׁ֔הָ | pasture lands its | Noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| אֶֽת־ | the object marker | Particle |
| נַהֲלָ֖ל | Nahalal | Noun proper |
| וְאֶת־ | and the object marker | Conjunction, particle |
| מִגְרָשֶׁ֑הָ | pasture lands its | Noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| עָרִ֖ים | cities | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| אַרְבַּֽע׃ | four | Adj |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Dimnah, and Nahalal—four cities, together with their pasturelands. |
| KJV | Dimnah with her suburbs, Nahalal with her suburbs; four cities. |
| ASV | Dimnah with its suburbs, Nahalal with its suburbs; four cities. |
| YLT | Dimnah and its suburbs, Nahalal and its suburbs — four cities. |
| WEB | Dimnah with its pasture lands, and Nahalal with its pasture lands: four cities. |
| BBE | Dimnah and Nahalal with their grass-lands, four towns. |
Where they part company is in the details of the pasturelands, but the overall meaning remains consistent across translations.
The main clause introduces the cities, followed by a specific detail about the pasturelands, creating a clear and structured presentation.
5 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, AdamClarke, Cambridge & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
1 of 10 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word chosen on purpose.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Joshua 21:35
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Cities for the Levitesgenerated
Joshua 21:35 details the cities allocated to the Levites, specifically from the tribe of Zebulun. Dimnah and Nahalal are named as part of the provision, highlighting the importance of these cities in the context of the Levitical inheritance. This allocation reflects the care taken to provide for the Levites, who were set apart for service to God and did not receive a territorial inheritance like the other tribes.
Cross References
The Key Word — מִגְרָשׁ, migrashgenerated
The term מִגְרָשׁ (migrash) refers to common or open land, often associated with areas where flocks are driven for pasture. It can denote a suburb or the space around a building, indicating areas of shared use. The parsing as a noun common masculine plural construct with a suffix shows that it refers to the pasturelands belonging to the cities mentioned.
In this verse, it clarifies that the cities given to the Levites included not just the urban areas but also the surrounding lands necessary for their livelihood, emphasizing the comprehensive nature of the allotment.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses pasturelands for the Hebrew term מִגְרָשׁ.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main clause is governed by the finite verb עָרִ֖ים, cities, which is the focal point of the sentence. The structure includes several noun phrases that list the cities and their pasturelands, showing a clear enumeration of the items being described.
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the cities first, followed by the conjunctions and the additional details about the pasturelands, which organizes the information in a straightforward manner.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the term for cities is rendered as πόλεις (poleis), which is a common Greek word for cities. This choice maintains the meaning of urban centers, aligning closely with the Hebrew context.
The translation of pasturelands is not explicitly noted in the Septuagint, indicating a possible interpretative choice by the translators to focus on the cities themselves.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Joshua 21:35 describes how the Levites received four cities from the tribe of Zebulun, specifically Dimnah and Nahalal, along with their pasturelands. This allocation is significant as it provides for the Levites, who served in the religious life of Israel.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The cities provided a place for the Levites to live and serve, as they did not receive a territorial inheritance like the other tribes.
Pasturelands are important for the sustenance of livestock, which was essential for the livelihood of the Levites.
Dimnah is derived from a term meaning 'dunghill', indicating its nature or perhaps its location.
Nahalal is possibly identified with the modern village of Malul, showing continuity in settlement names.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What can we learn about God's provision for His people through the allocation of cities to the Levites?
- How does understanding the significance of pasturelands enhance our view of the Levites' role?
- In what ways can we see parallels in our own lives regarding provision and service?
- What does the historical context of these cities tell us about the importance of community in ancient Israel?
Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Joshua 21:35 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleDimnah with her suburbs,.... Nowhere mentioned, unless the same with Rimmon, 1 Chronicles 6:77; Nahalal with her suburbs; see Joshua 19:15; four cities; only two are mentioned, 1 Chronicles 6:77; and
Read John Gill on Joshua 21 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with her suburbs, Geba with her suburbs, No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on Joshua 21 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 35. Dimnah with her suburbs, c.] 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: "Verses 41 and 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…
Read AdamClarke on Joshua 21 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges35. Nahalal] See ch. Joshua 19:15 (Heb.).
Read Cambridge on Joshua 21 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible28-39. Dabareh — Joshua 19:12. En-gannim — Joshua 19:21.Kedesh — Joshua 12:22. Jokneam — Joshua 12:22. Ramoth — Joshua 13:26. Heshbon — Joshua 13:17; Joshua 13:26. Jazer — Joshua 13:25.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Joshua 21 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Dimnah, and Nahalal—four cities, together with their pasturelands.
Dimnah with its pasture lands, and Nahalal with its pasture lands: four cities.
Dimnah, and Nahalal—four cities, together with their pasturelands.
Dimnah, and Nahalal, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of four cities;
Tyndale line
Dimnah with her suburbs, Nahalal with her suburbs; four cities.
Dimnah with its suburbs, Nahalal with its suburbs; four cities.
Dimnah with her suburbs, Nahalal with her suburbs; four cities.
Dimnah with its suburbs, Nahalal with its suburbs; four cities.
Dimnah with her suburbes, Nahalal, with her suburbes: foure cities.
Strictly literal
Dimnah and its suburbs, Nahalal and its suburbs: four cities;
Dimnah and its suburbs, Nahalal and its suburbs — four cities.
Dimnah and its outskirts, Nahalal and its outskirts—four cities.
Dimnah with its open spaces, Nahalal with its open spaces: four cities.
Dimnah with its pasturelands, and Nahalal with its pasturelands—four cities in all.
From the Latin
And Damna and Naalol, four cities with their suburbs;
Simplified
Dimnah, and Nahalal.
Dimnah and Nahalal with their grass-lands, four towns.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint show agreement in the allocation of cities to the Levites, with a close correspondence in the wording. However, the Septuagint's word order differs from the Hebrew, reflecting its own syntactical structure.
אֶת־ דִּמְנָה֙ וְאֶת־ מִגְרָשֶׁ֔הָ אֶֽת־ נַהֲלָ֖ל וְאֶת־ מִגְרָשֶׁ֑הָ עָרִ֖ים אַרְבַּֽע׃
6 of the 10 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Joshua 21:35
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
base
H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
853 'eth ayth
apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of
entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more
definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or
namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).
see HEBREW for 0226
אֵת (et) — [Obj.].
sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative
Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
Conj | DirObjM — ParticleHTo
דִּמְנָה (Dimnah) refers to a Levitical city in Zebulun, described as a 'dung-heap.' It is derived from a related term and is mentioned in the context of locations in Palestine. The entries consistently identify it as a place name without significant disagreement.
דִּמְנָה n.pr.loc. Levitical city in Zebulun
base
H1829 דִּמְנָה
1829 Dimnah dim-naw'
feminine from the same as 1828; a dung-heap; Dimnah, a place
in Palestine:--Dimnah.
see HEBREW for 01828
דִּמְנָה (dim.nah) — Dimnah.
Dimnah = "dunghill"
a Levitical city in Zebulun
Also named: rim.mon (רִמּוֹן, רִמּוֹנוֹ "Rimmon" H7417H)
N-proper — Noun properHNpl
dim'-na (dimnah, "dung"; Damna): A city of the Merarite Levites in the territory of Zebulun (Jos 21:35). The name is probably a clerical error for Rimmon.
Dimnah
Dunghill, a city of Zebulun given to the Merarite Levites (Josh. 21:35). In 1 Chr. 6:77 the name “Rimmon” is substituted.
(dung), a city int he tribe of Zebulun, given to the Merarite Levites. (Joshua 21:35)
→ A Levitical city of Zebulun Jos 21:35
אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
base
H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
853 'eth ayth
apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of
entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more
definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or
namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).
see HEBREW for 0226
אֵת (et) — [Obj.].
sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative
Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
HC/To — Conjunction · particleHC/To
מִגְרָשׁ (migrash) refers to common or open land, often associated with areas where flocks are driven for pasture. It can denote a suburb or the space around a building, and is noted in Ezekiel 27:28. The term is derived from a root meaning to drive out.
מִגְרָשׁ n.m. common, common-land, open land
base
H4054 מִגְרָשׁ
4054 migrash mig-rawsh'
also (in plural) feminine (Ezek. 27:28) migrashah
{mig-raw-shaw'}; from 1644; a suburb (i.e. open country
whither flocks are driven from pasture); hence, the area
around a building, or the margin of the sea:--cast out,
suburb.
see HEBREW for 01644
מִגְרָשׁ (mig.rash) — pasture.
common, common land, open land, suburb
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp3fs
אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
base
H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
853 'eth ayth
apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of
entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more
definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or
namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).
see HEBREW for 0226
אֵת (et) — [Obj.].
sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative
Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
HTo — ParticleHTo
נַהֲלֹל (Nahalal) refers to a location in Palestine, specifically a city in the territory of Zebulun. It is associated with the Levites and is noted for its meaning related to 'pasture.' The name appears in several biblical references, including Judges 1:30 and Joshua 19:15.
נַהֲלֹל n.pr.loc. Ju 1:30 in Zebulun; = נַהֲלָל Jos 19:15 21:35
ref
H5096 נַהֲלֹל, נַהֲלָל
5096 Nahalal nah-hal-awl'
or Nahalol {nah-hal-ole'}; the same as 5097; Nahalal or
Nahalol, a place in Palestine:--Nahalal, Nahallal, Nahalol.
see HEBREW for 05097
נַהֲלֹל (na.ha.lal) — Nahalol.
§ Nahalal or Nahallal or Nahalol = "pasture"
one of the cities of Zebulun given to the Merarite Levites
maybe modern 'Malul', a village in the plain of Esdraelon
N-proper — Noun properHNpl
na'-hal-al (nachalal; Codex Vaticanus, Baithman; Codex Alexandrinus Naalol, and other forms): A city in the territory of Zebulun assigned with its suburbs to the Merarite Levites, out of which the Canaanite inhabitants were not driven (Jos 19:15, the King James Version (incorrectly) "Nahallal"; Jos 21:35; Jud 1:30, "Nahalol"). In the Talmud Jerusalem (Meg., i.1) it is identified with Mahlul. This name might correspond either with `Ain Mahil, or with Ma`lul. The former lies about 3 1/2 miles Northeast of Nazareth on a hill near the eastern boundary of Zebulun. The latter is situated about 3 1/2 miles West of Nazareth, near the southern border of Zebulun. The change of "n" to "m" is not unusual.
W. Ewing
אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
base
H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
853 'eth ayth
apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of
entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more
definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or
namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).
see HEBREW for 0226
אֵת (et) — [Obj.].
sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative
Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
HC/To — Conjunction · particleHC/To
מִגְרָשׁ (migrash) refers to common or open land, often associated with areas where flocks are driven for pasture. It can denote a suburb or the space around a building, and is noted in Ezekiel 27:28. The term is derived from a root meaning to drive out.
מִגְרָשׁ n.m. common, common-land, open land
base
H4054 מִגְרָשׁ
4054 migrash mig-rawsh'
also (in plural) feminine (Ezek. 27:28) migrashah
{mig-raw-shaw'}; from 1644; a suburb (i.e. open country
whither flocks are driven from pasture); hence, the area
around a building, or the margin of the sea:--cast out,
suburb.
see HEBREW for 01644
מִגְרָשׁ (mig.rash) — pasture.
common, common land, open land, suburb
HNcmpc/Sp3fs — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp3fs
The Hebrew word עִיר (*'iyr*) has meanings related to both excitement and city. It can denote excitement, particularly of terror or rage, as well as refer to a city or town, indicating a place that is guarded or inhabited. The entries suggest a broad application, from fortified cities to simple encampments. There is a specific mention of a man named Ir in 1 Chronicles 4:12.
עִיר n.[m.] excitement;—of terror; of rage
base
עִיר 1092 n.f. city, town
city, town, abode of men
of fortress in a city
appar. fortified place, of any size
base
H5892a עִיר excitement;—of terror; of rage H5892b עִיר city, town . city, town, abode of men
. of fortress in a city
. appar. fortified place, of any size
5892 `iyr eer
or (in the plural) par {awr}; or ayar (Judges 10:4)
{aw-yar'}; from 5782 a city (a place guarded by waking or a
watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or
post):--Ai (from margin), city, court (from margin), town.
see HEBREW for 05782
עִיר (ir) — excitement.
1) excitement, anguish
1a) of terror
עִיר (ir) — city.
1) city, town (a place of waking, guarded)
1a) city, town (a place of waking, guarded)
1a) city, town
עִיר (ir) — City (of On).
Combined with on (אֹן "On" H0204)
This name means city, town
Another name of on (אֹן "On" H0204)
עִיר (ir) — Ir-.
#A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.4.12;
son of: Tehinnah (H8468)
N-fp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
The earliest notice in Scripture of city-building is of Enoch by Cain, in the land of his exile. (Genesis 4:17) After the confusion of tongues the descendants of Nimrod founded Babel, Erech, Accad and Calneh, in the land of Shinar, and Asshur, a branch from the same stock, built Nineveh, Rehoboth-by-the-river, Calah and Resen, the last being "a great city." The earliest description of a city, properly so called, is that of Sodom, (Genesis 19:1-22) Even before the time of Abraham there were cities in Egypt, (Genesis 12:14,15; Numbers 13:22) and the Israelites, during their sojourn there, were employed in building or fortifying the "treasure cities" of Pithom and Raamses.…
אַרְבַּע (arba) means 'four' in Hebrew. It is a masculine noun derived from the root associated with the number four. The entries consistently affirm this meaning without any significant disagreement among lexicons.
אַרְבַּע, אַרְבָּעָה four
base
H702 אַרְבַּע, אַרְבָּעָה four
702 'arba` ar-bah'
masculine oarbaah {ar-baw-aw'}; from 7251; four:--four.
see HEBREW for 07251
אַרְבַּע (ar.ba) — four.
four
Adj — AdjHAcbsa
for ('arba`; tessares): "Four" (cardinal number) was a sacred and complete number with the Hebrews, as well as with several other peoples. It occurs very frequently in the Old Testament and the New Testament.
(1) It indicates completeness. We have the four rivers of Paradise (Ge 2:10); the four winds of heaven (Eze 37:9; Da 7:2; 8:8; 11:4; Zec 6:5, the Revised Version, margin "spirits"; /APC 2Esdras 13:5); "the four winds" (Mt 24:31; Mr 13:27); "the four corners of the earth" (Isa 11:12;