Lectionary Calendar
Thursday, July 31st, 2025
the Week of Proper 12 / Ordinary 17
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Read the Bible

Christian Standard Bible ®

Joshua 21:10

to the descendants of Aaron from the Kohathite clans of the Levites, because they received the first lot.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Aaron;   Levites;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Priest;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Hebron;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Levite;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Caleb;   Judah, Tribe of;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Judah;   Levi;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Joshua, the Book of;   Kohathites;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Joshua;   Numbers, Book of;   Priests and Levites;   Suburb;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Kohath, Kohathites ;   Levites ;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Aaronites;   Ezekiel;   Hebron (1);  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
and they were for the children of Aharon, of the families of the Kehati, who were of the children of Levi; for theirs was the first lot.
King James Version
Which the children of Aaron, being of the families of the Kohathites, who were of the children of Levi, had: for theirs was the first lot.
Lexham English Bible
and they were for the descendants of Aaron, from the families of the Kohathites, from the descendants of Levi, because the first lot was theirs.
English Standard Version
which went to the descendants of Aaron, one of the clans of the Kohathites who belonged to the people of Levi; since the lot fell to them first.
New Century Version
The first choice of towns was given to the Kohath family groups of the Levites.
New English Translation
They were assigned to the Kohathite clans of the Levites who were descendants of Aaron, for the first lot belonged to them.
Amplified Bible
and they were for the sons of Aaron, one of the families of the Kohathites, of the sons of Levi, because the lot fell to them first.
New American Standard Bible
and they were for the sons of Aaron, one of the families of the Kohathites, of the sons of Levi, because the lot was theirs first.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And they were the childrens of Aaron being of the families of the Kohathites, and of the sonnes of Leui, (for theirs was the first lot)
Legacy Standard Bible
and they were for the sons of Aaron, one of the families of the Kohathites, of the sons of Levi, for the lot was theirs first.
Complete Jewish Bible
they were for the descendants of Aharon, of the families of the K'hati, who were among the descendants of Levi; because theirs was the first lot.
Darby Translation
and which the children of Aaron, of the families of the Kohathites, of the children of Levi had (for theirs was the first lot);
Easy-to-Read Version
The first choice of towns was given to the Levites from the Kohath family group.
George Lamsa Translation
They became the property of the descendants of Aaron, being of the family of the Kohathites, who were the children of Levi, for theirs was the first lot.
Good News Translation
to the descendants of Aaron who were of the clan of Kohath, which was descended from Levi. Their assignment was the first to be made.
Literal Translation
which the sons of Aaron had, being of the families of the Kohathites, who were of the sons of Levi. For theirs was the first lot.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
vnto the children of Aaron of the kynred of the Kahathites amonge the children of Leui: for the first lot was theyrs.
American Standard Version
and they were for the children of Aaron, of the families of the Kohathites, who were of the children of Levi; for theirs was the first lot.
Bible in Basic English
These were for the children of Aaron among the families of the Kohathites, of the children of Levi: for they came first in the distribution.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Which the children of Aaron being of the kynredes of the Caathites, and of the childre of Leui, obtained: (for theirs was the first lotte.)
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And they were for the children of Aaron, of the families of the Kohathites, who were of the children of Levi; for theirs was the first lot.
King James Version (1611)
Which the children of Aaron being of the families of the Kohathites, who were of the children of Leui, had: (for theirs was the first lot.)
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
to the sons of Aaron of the family of Caath of the sons of Levi, for the lot fell to these.
English Revised Version
and they were for the children of Aaron, of the families of the Kohathites, who were of the children of Levi: for theirs was the first lot.
Berean Standard Bible
to the descendants of Aaron from the Kohathite clans of the Levites, because the first lot fell to them:
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
to the sones of Aaron, bi the meynees of Caath, of the kyn of Leuy, of whiche citees these ben the names; for the firste lot yede out to hem;
Young's Literal Translation
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;
Update Bible Version
and they were for the sons of Aaron, of the families of the Kohathites, who were of the sons of Levi; for theirs was the first lot.
Webster's Bible Translation
Which the children of Aaron, [being] of the families of the Kohathites, [who were] of the children of Levi, had: for theirs was the first lot.
World English Bible
and they were for the children of Aaron, of the families of the Kohathites, who were of the children of Levi; for theirs was the first lot.
New King James Version
which were for the children of Aaron, one of the families of the Kohathites, who were of the children of Levi; for the lot was theirs first.
New Living Translation
to the descendants of Aaron, who were members of the Kohathite clan within the tribe of Levi, since the sacred lot fell to them first:
New Life Bible
They were for the sons of Aaron, one of the families of the Kohathites, of the sons of Levi. For their name was drawn first.
New Revised Standard
which went to the descendants of Aaron, one of the families of the Kohathites who belonged to the Levites, since the lot fell to them first.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And the sons of Aaron, from among the sons of Kohath, from among the sons of Levi, had them, - because, theirs, was the first lot;
Douay-Rheims Bible
To the sons of Aaron, of the families of Caath of the race of Levi (for the first lot came out for them)
Revised Standard Version
which went to the descendants of Aaron, one of the families of the Ko'hathites who belonged to the Levites; since the lot fell to them first.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
and they were for the sons of Aaron, one of the families of the Kohathites, of the sons of Levi, for the lot was theirs first.

Contextual Overview

9The Israelites gave these cities by name from the tribes of the descendants of Judah and Simeon 10to the descendants of Aaron from the Kohathite clans of the Levites, because they received the first lot. 11They gave them Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron; Arba was the father of Anak) with its surrounding pasturelands in the hill country of Judah. 12But they gave the fields and settlements of the city to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his possession. 13They gave to the descendants of the priest Aaron: 14Jattir with its pasturelands, Eshtemoa with its pasturelands, 15Holon with its pasturelands, Debir with its pasturelands, 16Ain with its pasturelands, Juttah with its pasturelands, and Beth-shemesh with its pasturelands—nine cities from these two tribes. 17From the tribe of Benjamin they gave: 18Anathoth with its pasturelands, and Almon with its pasturelands—four cities.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Joshua 21:4, Exodus 6:18, Exodus 6:20-26, Numbers 3:2-4, Numbers 3:19, Numbers 3:27, Numbers 4:2

Cross-References

Genesis 17:19
But God said, “No. Your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will name him Isaac. I will confirm my covenant with him as a permanent covenant for his future offspring.
Genesis 17:21
But I will confirm my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this time next year.”
Genesis 20:11
Abraham replied, “I thought, ‘There is absolutely no fear of God in this place. They will kill me because of my wife.’
Genesis 21:6
Sarah said, “God has made me laugh, and everyone who hears will laugh with me.”
Genesis 21:7
She also said, “Who would have told Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne a son for him in his old age.”
Genesis 21:11
This was very distressing to Abraham because of his son.
Genesis 21:12
But God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed about the boy and about your slave. Whatever Sarah says to you, listen to her, because your offspring will be traced through Isaac,
Genesis 21:22
At that time Abimelech, accompanied by Phicol the commander of his army, said to Abraham, “God is with you in everything you do.
Genesis 21:31
Therefore that place was called Beer-sheba because it was there that the two of them swore an oath.
Genesis 22:10
Then Abraham reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Which the children of Aaron, [being] of the families of the Kohathites,.... Who descending from Kohath, in the line of Aaron, were priests:

[who were] of the children of Levi, had; they were Levites, as descending from Levi, but were priests also, as being of the stock of Aaron, and the cities hereafter mentioned in the said tribe fell to their portion:

for theirs was the first lot; for being of the line of Aaron, and priests, they had the honour and privilege to have the first lot drawn for them, and out of the tribe for which the first lot was also drawn, the tribe of Judah; here they had their cities allotted them, for a reason before given.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The thirteen priestly cities (see the marginal references) were all in the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin. Thus, as Calvin remarks, God so overruled it that the priestly families were placed upon the spot which He had determined before hand to choose as the site of His temple.


 
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