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The Pulpit Commentary
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 21:1-45
The ecclesiastical settlement of Canaan. Though the ecclesiastical institutions of the Christian Church differ, in some respects materially, from these of the Jewish, yet inasmuch as the law and the gospel came from the…
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 21:1
Then came near the heads of the fathers of the Levites. We are not to suppose, with Calvin, that the Levites had been overlooked. Such a supposition is little in keeping with the devout spirit of him who now directed th…
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 21:2
At Shiloh. Another instance of exact accuracy. Shiloh was now the place of assembly in Israel (see Joshua 18:1). The Lord commanded. The command is given in Numbers 35:1-34. We have here, therefore, another quotation fr…
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 21:3
The cities of the Levites. The Levites were scattered among the other tribes of Israel, and yet not individually but in clusters, in cities of their own. This arrangement must have had some object:?? I. THE LEVITES WERE…
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 21:3
Out of their inheritance. Out of that of Israel (see note on Joshua 21:1). These cities. The number was forty-eight, i.e; four times twelve. Bahr ('Symbolik des Alten Testaments,' 1:221) remarks on the symbolical meanin…
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 21:3
The portion of the tribe of Levi. There might seem at first something strange in the withholding from the tribe of Levi its share among the cities of Canaan, divided by lot among the other tribes. There were, however, a…
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 21:4
And the lot came out. As in the distribution of the land among the tribes, so in the division of the cities among the tribes of Levi, the whole matter was referred to the judgment of God. Thus solemnly placed in His han…
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 21:11
In the hill country of Judah. The word in the original is ?囹淚, mountain, the title which is consistently applied to the highlands of Palestine in the Bible, while our version translates indiscriminately by "mountain" an…
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 21:12
The fields. The original is in the singular. We are not necessarily, therefore, to suppose that the land was mapped out into divisions analogous to our fields. Our word "land" would more accurately represent the meaning…
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 21:13
Hebron with her suburbs to be a city of refuge for the slayer. Rather, the city of refuge for the slayer, Hebron and her cattle drives (see note above on Joshua 21:2). The translation in our version obscures the meaning…
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 21:16
Ain with her suburbs. We have "Ashan" in 1혻Chronicles 6:59. If the view taken above of Ain (see note on Joshua 15:32, and Joshua 19:7) be correct, Ashen is the true reading here.
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 21:18
Anathoth. The birthplace of Jeremiah, where we find that Anathoth was still a priestly city (Joshua 1:1). No doubt it was for this reason that it was chosen (1혻Kings 2:26) as the place of Abiathar's banishment. Here aga…
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 21:21
To be a refuge for the slayer (see above Joshua 21:13). This order is observed in every case but one, which is explained in the note on Joshua 21:36.
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 21:25
Tanach. The same as the Taanach before mentioned, Joshua 12:21. In 1혻Chronicles 6:70 (56 Hebrews text) we have Eth-aner, an obvious blunder, as the Hebrew shows, Resh having been read for Hheth, and Aleph having been in…
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 21:27
To be a city of refuge (see above, Joshua 21:13). Be-eshterah. Thus printed by the Masorites, and thus translated by the LXX; but no doubt the same as Og's city Ashtaroth (see Joshua 12:4, and 1혻Chronicles 6:71).
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 21:30
Abdon (see note on Joshua 19:28).
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 21:32
Galilee (see above, Joshua 20:7).
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 21:36
And out of the tribe of Reuben. This verse and the succeeding have the Masoretic note appended that they are not found in the Masora or true tradition. Kimchi therefore rejects them. But they are found in the LXX. and t…
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 21:38
To be a city of refuge (see above, Joshua 21:13). Mahanaim (see Joshua 13:26). Perhaps the unquestionable entente cordiale between David and the sacerdotal party may have determined him to fix on this as his refuge when…
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 21:41
The established Church of Israel. These words project before us essentially the Church establishment of ancient Israel. It is quite true that the Old Testament priesthood in its functions differed in very many most esse…
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 21:42
These cities. Rather, perhaps, these cities were, (i.e; "have been enumerated,'' or "were given"), city by city, and their cattle drives surrounding them, thus was it with all these cities.
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 21:43-45
Last among the tribes to know the particular inheritance assigned to them came the Levites, since they were not to occupy a distinct territory, but certain selected cities in each district. By this arrangement each trib…
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 21:43
And the Lord gave. The LXX. adds before this passage: "And Joshua completed the division of the land in its boundaries, and the children gave a portion to Joshua, by the commandment of the Lord. They gave to him the cit…
The Pulpit Commentary on Joshua 21:43-45
God's faithfulness. I. WE MAY ASSURE OURSELVES OF GOD'S FAITHFULNESS BY A CONSIDERATION OF THE GROUNDS ON WHICH IT RESTS. (a) in nature?봧n changeless laws, as of light and gravitation, and in geological uniformity; (b)…