9 And they give out of the tribe of the sons of Judah, and out of the tribe of the sons of Simeon, these cities which are called by name; 10 and they are for the sons of Aaron, of the families of the Kohathite, of the sons of Levi, for theirs hath been the first lot; 11 and they give to them the city of Arba father of Anak (it 'is' Hebron), in the hill-country of Judah, and its suburbs round about it; 12 and the field of the city and its villages they have given to Caleb son of Jephunneh for his possession. 13 And to the sons of Aaron the priest they have given the city of refuge 'for' the man-slayer, Hebron and its suburbs, and Libnah and its suburbs, 14 and Jattir and its suburbs, and Eshtemoa and its suburbs, 15 and Holon and its suburbs, and Debir and its suburbs, 16 and Ain and its suburbs, and Juttah and its suburbs, Beth-Shemesh and its suburbs; nine cities out of these two tribes. 17 And out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon and its suburbs, Geba and its suburbs, 18 Anathoth and its suburbs, and Almon and its suburbs—four cities; 19 all the cities of the sons of Aaron the priests, 'are' thirteen cities and their suburbs. 20 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; 21 and they give to them the city of refuge 'for' the man-slayer, Shechem and its suburbs, in the hill-country of Ephraim, and Gezer and its suburbs, 22 and Kibzaim and its suburbs, and Beth-Horon and its suburbs—four cities. 23 And out of the tribe of Dan, Eltekeh and its suburbs, Gibbethon and its suburbs, 24 Aijalon and its suburbs, Gath-Rimmon and its suburbs—four cities. 25 And out of the half of the tribe of Manasseh, Taanach and its suburbs, and Gath-Rimmon and its suburbs—two cities; 26 all the cities 'are' ten and their suburbs, for the families of the sons of Kohath who are left. 27 And for the sons of Gershon, of the families of the Levites, out of the half of the tribe of Manasseh, the city of refuge 'for' the man-slayer, Golan in Bashan and its suburbs, and Beeshterah and its suburbs—two cities. 28 And out of the tribe of Issachar, Kishon and its suburbs, Dabarath and its suburbs, 29 Jarmuth and its suburbs, En-Gannim and its suburbs—four cities. 30 And out of the tribe of Asher, Mishal and its suburbs, Abdon and its suburbs, 31 Helkath and its suburbs, and Rehob and its suburbs—four cities. 32 And out of the tribe of Naphtali, the city of refuge 'for' the man-slayer, Kedesh in Galilee and its suburbs, and Hammoth-Dor and its suburbs, and Kartan and its suburbs—three cities; 33 all the cities of the Gershonite, for their families, 'are' thirteen cities and their suburbs. 34 And for the families of the sons of Merari, the Levites, who are left, 'are,' out of the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam and its suburbs, Kartah and its suburbs, 35 Dimnah and its suburbs, Nahalal and its suburbs—four cities. 36 And out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer and its suburbs, and Jahazah and its suburbs, 37 Kedemoth and its suburbs, and Mephaath and its suburbs—four cities. 38 And out of the tribe of Gad, the city of refuge 'for' the man-slayer, Ramoth in Gilead and its suburbs, and Mahanaim and its suburbs, 39 Heshbon and its suburbs, Jazer and its suburbs—'in' all four cities. 40 All the cities for the sons of Merari, for their families, who are left of the families of the Levites—their lot is twelve cities. 41 All the cities of the Levites in the midst of the possession of the sons of Israel 'are' forty and eight cities, and their suburbs. 42 These cities are each city and its suburbs round about it; so to all these cities.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Joshua 21:9-42

Commentary on Joshua 21:9-42

(Read Joshua 21:9-42)

By mixing the Levites with the other tribes, they were made to see that the eyes of all Israel were upon them, and therefore it was their concern to walk so that their ministry might not be blamed. Every tribe had its share of Levites' cities. Thus did God graciously provide for keeping up religion among them, and that they might have the word in all parts of the land. Yet, blessed be God, we have the gospel more diffused amongst us.