Joshua 21:16-30

Jos 21:16

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

 

Juttah was about 7 miles (11 KM) due south of Hebron.  Beth-shemesh was located about 17 miles (27 KM) northwest of Hebron.  The location of Ain is unknown.

 

Jos 21:17

And out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with her suburbs, Geba with her suburbs,

 

Gibeon was about 10 miles (16 KM) northwest of Jerusalem.  Geba was about 5 miles (8 KM) east of Gibeon.

 

Jos 21:18

Anathoth with her suburbs, and Almon with her suburbs; four cities.

 

Anathoth was about 6 miles (10 KM) northeast of Jerusalem.  Anathoth was also the home of Jeremiah the Prophet.  The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin: (Jeremiah 1:1)  Almon was about 2 miles (3 KM) northeast of Anathoth.

 

Jos 21:19

All the cities of the children of Aaron, the priests, were thirteen cities with their suburbs.

 

These were the thirteen cities which were assigned to the children of Aaron.

 

Jos 21:20

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.

 

The descendants of Kohath both those who were not priests and who were priests were given the following cities.  If you recall Merari was the line of the priests and the other three children of Kohath were not: Izehar, Hebron, and Uzziel.  They received their inheritance out of the tribe of Ephraim which was Joshua’s home tribe.

 

Jos 21:21

For they gave them Shechem with her suburbs in mount Ephraim, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Gezer with her suburbs,

 

Shechem was just a little north of Mount Gerizim in the hill country of Ephraim.  Shechem was also a city of refuge for the someone who slayed a person unintentionally.  Gezer was located about 23 miles (37 KM) west of Jerusalem. 

 

Jos 21:22

And Kibzaim with her suburbs, and Beth-horon with her suburbs; four cities.

 

Kibzaim is probably Jokmeam or Jokneam and was located on the River Kishon in the plain of Megiddo.  And Jokmeam with her suburbs, and Beth-horon with her suburbs, (1 Chronicles 6:68)  It was located about 35 miles (56 KM) north of Shechem.  Beth-horon was located about 13 miles (21 KM) northwest of Jerusalem.

 

Jos 21:23

And out of the tribe of Dan, Eltekeh with her suburbs, Gibbethon with her suburbs,

 

Eltekeh was about 30 miles (48 KM) west of Jerusalem.  Gibbethon was located about 7 miles (11 KM) southeast of Eltekeh.

 

Jos 21:24

Aijalon with her suburbs, Gath-rimmon with her suburbs; four cities.

 

Aijalon was located about 10 miles (16 KM) east of Gibbethon.  Gath-rimmon was located about 34 miles (55 KM) northwest of Jerusalem.

 

Jos 21:25

And out of the half tribe of Manasseh, Tanach with her suburbs, and Gath-rimmon with her suburbs; two cities.

 

Taanach was located about 23 miles (37 KM) north of Shechem.  This may be another Gath-rimmon because it was not an uncommon procedure to give a town a same name but in the location of a different tribe.  For example there was a Bethlehem in both Judah and Zebulun. If this is a different Gath-rimmon the location is unknown.

 

Jos 21:26

All the cities were ten with their suburbs for the families of the children of Kohath that remained.

 

These were the ten cities assigned to the families of the children of Kohath along with the suburbs which surrounded them.  There was 4 from Ephraim, 4 from Dan and 2 from the half tribe of Manasseh.

 

Jos 21:27

And unto the children of Gershon, of the families of the Levites, out of the other half tribe of Manasseh they gave Golan in Bashan with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Beesh-terah with her suburbs; two cities.

 

Then the children of Gershon who were the descendants of Levi.  And the sons of Levi; Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. (Genesis 46:11)  This half tribe of Manasseh was the one who was on the east side of the Jordan.  Golan was about 18 miles (29 KM) east of the Sea of Chinnereth in the area of Bashan.  Golan was also to be a city of refuge to protect an unintentional slayer.  Beesh-terah was also known as Ashtaroth in Bashan which was 5 miles (8 KM) east of Golan.  Unto the sons of Gershom were given out of the family of the half tribe of Manasseh, Golan in Bashan with her suburbs, and Ashtaroth with her suburbs: (1 Chronicles 6:71)

 

Jos 21:28

And out of the tribe of Issachar, Kishon with her suburbs, Dabareh with her suburbs,

 

Kishon or Kishion is located about 14 miles (23 KM) northeast of Megiddo.  The town was probably named after the River Kishon.  Dabareh or Daberath was located about 12 miles (19 KM) west of the southern part of the Sea of Chinnereth.

 

Jos 21:29

Jarmuth with her suburbs, En-gannim with her suburbs; four cities.

 

Jarmuth was also named Ramoth and Remeth and was located about 9 miles (14 KM) south of the southern tip of the Sea of Chinnereth.  En-gannim was located about 17 miles (27 KM) southwest of Jarmuth. 

 

Jos 21:30

And out of the tribe of Asher, Mishal with her suburbs, Abdon with her suburbs,

 

Mishal was located about 6 miles (10 KM) southeast of Acco.  Abdon or Abdeh was located about 8 miles (13 KM) northeast of Acco.

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