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Geneva Bible

Joshua 21:1

Then came the principall fathers of the Leuites vnto Eleazar the Priest, and vnto Ioshua the sonne of Nun, and vnto the chiefe fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel,

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Petition;   Priest;   Shiloh;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Eleazar;   Levite;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Levi;   Pentateuch;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Aaron;   High Priest;   Joshua, the Book of;   Ownership;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Eleazar;   Joshua;   Numbers, Book of;   Priests and Levites;   Shiloh;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Levites ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Eleazar;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Conquest of Canaan;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Eleazar;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The Levite family heads approached the priest Eleazar, Joshua son of Nun, and the family heads of the Israelite tribes.
Hebrew Names Version
Then came near the heads of fathers' [houses] of the Levites to El`azar the Kohen, and to Yehoshua the son of Nun, and to the heads of fathers' [houses] of the tribes of the children of Yisra'el;
King James Version
Then came near the heads of the fathers of the Levites unto Eleazar the priest, and unto Joshua the son of Nun, and unto the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel;
Lexham English Bible
Then the heads of the families of the Levites came to Eleazar the priest, to Joshua son of Nun, and to the heads of the families of the tribes of the Israelites.
English Standard Version
Then the heads of the fathers' houses of the Levites came to Eleazar the priest and to Joshua the son of Nun and to the heads of the fathers' houses of the tribes of the people of Israel.
New Century Version
The heads of the Levite families went to talk to Eleazar the priest, to Joshua son of Nun, and to the heads of the families of all the tribes of Israel.
New English Translation
The tribal leaders of the Levites went before Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun and the Israelite tribal leaders
Amplified Bible
Then the heads of the households of the Levites came to Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the households of the tribes of the sons of Israel.
New American Standard Bible
Then the heads of fathers' households of the Levites approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of fathers' households of the tribes of the sons of Israel.
Legacy Standard Bible
Then the heads of households of the Levites came near to Eleazar the priest and to Joshua the son of Nun and to the heads of households of the tribes of the sons of Israel.
Contemporary English Version
While the Israelites were still camped at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, the family leaders of the Levi tribe went to speak to the priest Eleazar, Joshua, and the family leaders of the other Israelite tribes. The leaders of Levi said, "The Lord told Moses that you have to give us towns and provide pastures for our animals."
Complete Jewish Bible
Then the leaders of the ancestral clans of the L'vi'im approached El‘azar the cohen, Y'hoshua the son of Nun and the leaders of the ancestral clans of the tribes of the people of Isra'el.
Darby Translation
Then the chief fathers of the Levites drew near to Eleazar the priest, and to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the chief fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel;
Easy-to-Read Version
The family rulers of the Levite tribe went to talk to Eleazar the priest, to Joshua son of Nun, and to the rulers of the other tribes of Israel.
George Lamsa Translation
THEN the chiefs of the priests and the Levites came near to Eleazar the priest and to Joshua the son of Nun and to the heads of the fathers of the tribes of Israel,
Good News Translation
The leaders of the Levite families went to Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and to the heads of the families of all the tribes of Israel.
Literal Translation
And the heads of the fathers of the Levites came near to Eleazar the priest, and to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the sons of Israel.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then the chefe fathers amonge the Leuites came forth vnto Eleasar the prest and to Iosua the sonne of Nun, and to ye awncient fathers amoge the trybes of the children of Israel,
American Standard Version
Then came near the heads of fathers' houses of the Levites unto Eleazar the priest, and unto Joshua the son of Nun, and unto the heads of fathers' houses of the tribes of the children of Israel;
Bible in Basic English
Then the heads of the families of the Levites came to Eleazar the priest and Joshua, the son of Nun, and to the heads of families of the tribes of the children of Israel;
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And then came the principall fathers of ye Leuites vnto Eleazar the priest, and vnto Iosuah the sonne of Nun, & vnto the auncient fathers that were ouer ye tribes of the children of Israel.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Then came near the heads of fathers' houses of the Levites unto Eleazar the priest, and unto Joshua the son of Nun, and unto the heads of fathers' houses of the tribes of the children of Israel;
King James Version (1611)
Then came neere the heads of the fathers of the Leuites vnto Eleazar the Priest, and vnto Ioshua the sonne of Nun, and vnto the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the heads of the families of the sons of Levi drew near to Eleazar the priest, and to Joshua the son of Naue, and to the heads of families of the tribes of Israel.
English Revised Version
Then came near the heads of fathers' houses of the Levites unto Eleazar the priest, and unto Joshua the son of Nun, and unto the heads of fathers' houses of the tribes of the children of Israel;
Berean Standard Bible
Now the family heads of the Levites approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the other tribes of Israel
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the princes of meynees of Leuy neiyiden to Eleazar, preest, and to Josue, sone of Nun, and to the duykis of kynredis, bi alle the lynagis of the sones of Israel;
Young's Literal Translation
And the heads of the fathers of the Levites draw nigh unto Eleazar the priest, and unto Joshua son of Nun, and unto the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the sons of Israel,
Update Bible Version
Then came near the heads of fathers' [houses] of the Levites to Eleazar the priest, and to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the heads of fathers' [houses] of the tribes of the sons of Israel;
Webster's Bible Translation
Then came near the heads of the fathers of the Levites to Eleazar the priest, and to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel;
World English Bible
Then came near the heads of fathers' [houses] of the Levites to Eleazar the priest, and to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the heads of fathers' [houses] of the tribes of the children of Israel;
New King James Version
1 Chronicles 6:54-81">[xr] Then the heads of the fathers' houses of the Levites came near to Eleazar the priest, to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the heads of the fathers' houses of the tribes of the children of Israel.
New Living Translation
Then the leaders of the tribe of Levi came to consult with Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders of the other tribes of Israel.
New Life Bible
Then the family heads of the Levites came to Eleazar the religious leader, Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the family groups of Israel.
New Revised Standard
Then the heads of the families of the Levites came to the priest Eleazar and to Joshua son of Nun and to the heads of the families of the tribes of the Israelites;
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then came near the ancestral heads of the Levites, unto Eleazar, the priest, and unto Joshua son of Nun, - and unto the ancestral heads of the tribes, of the sons of Israel;
Douay-Rheims Bible
Then the princes of the families of Levi came to Eleazar the priest, and to Josue the son of Nun, and to the princes of the kindreds of all the tribes of the children of Israel
Revised Standard Version
Then the heads of the fathers' houses of the Levites came to Elea'zar the priest and to Joshua the son of Nun and to the heads of the fathers' houses of the tribes of the people of Israel;
THE MESSAGE
The ancestral heads of the Levites came to Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun and to the heads of the other tribes of the People of Israel. This took place at Shiloh in the land of Canaan. They said, " God commanded through Moses that you give us cities to live in with access to pastures for our cattle."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then the heads of households of the Levites approached Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of households of the tribes of the sons of Israel.

Contextual Overview

1 Then came the principall fathers of the Leuites vnto Eleazar the Priest, and vnto Ioshua the sonne of Nun, and vnto the chiefe fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, 2 And spake vnto them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, The Lorde commanded by the hande of Moses, to giue vs cities to dwell in, with the suburbes thereof for our cattell. 3 So the children of Israel gaue vnto the Leuites, out of their inheritance at the commaundement of the Lord these cities with their suburbes. 4 And the lot came out for the families of the Kohathites: and the children of Aaron ye Priest, which were of the Leuites, had by lot, out of the tribe of Iudah, & out of the tribe of Simeon, and out of the tribe of Beniamin thirteene cities. 5 And the rest of the children of Kohath had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Ephraim, and out of the tribe of Dan, and out of the halfe tribe of Manasseh, tenne cities. 6 Also the children of Gershon had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, & out of the tribe of Asher, and out of ye tribe of Naphtali, and out of the halfe tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteene cities. 7 The children of Merari according to their families had out of the tribe of Reuben, and out of the tribe of Gad, and out of the tribe of Zebulun, twelue cities. 8 So the children of Israel gaue by lot vnto the Leuites these cities with their suburbes, as the Lord had commanded by the hand of Moses.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the heads: Joshua 19:51, Exodus 6:14, Exodus 6:25

Eleazar: Joshua 14:1, Joshua 17:4, Numbers 34:17-29

Reciprocal: Genesis 47:22 - for the priests Genesis 49:7 - I will divide Leviticus 25:32 - the cities Numbers 3:17 - General Nehemiah 11:36 - And of Ezekiel 48:10 - for the priests

Cross-References

Genesis 17:16
And I will blesse her, & will also giue thee a sonne of her, yea, I will blesse her, and she shall be the mother of nations: Kings also of people shall come of her.
Genesis 17:19
Then God saide, Sarah thy wife shall beare thee a sonne in deede, and thou shalt call his name Izhak: and I will establish my couenant with him for an euerlasting couenant, and with his seede after him.
Genesis 17:21
But my couenant will I establish with Izhak, which Sarah shall beare vnto thee, the next yeere at this season.
Genesis 18:10
And he saide, I will certainely come againe vnto thee according to ye time of life: and loe, Sarah thy wife shall haue a sonne. and Sarah heard in the tent doore, which was behinde him.
Genesis 18:14
(Shall any thing be hard to the Lord? at the time appointed will I returne vnto thee, euen according to the time of life, and Sarah shall haue a sonne.)
Genesis 21:17
Then God heard the voyce of ye childe, and the Angel of God called to Hagar from heauen, and said vnto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? feare not, for God hath heard the voyce of the childe where he is.
Genesis 21:20
So God was with the childe, and he grewe and dwelt in the wildernesse, and was an archer.
Genesis 50:24
And Ioseph sayd vnto his brethren, I am ready to dye, and God will surely visite you, and bring you out of this land, vnto ye land which hee sware vnto Abraha, vnto Izhak, and vnto Iaakob.
Exodus 3:16
Go & gather the Elders of Israel together, & thou shalt say vnto the, The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Izhak, & Iaakob appeared vnto me, & said, I haue surely remembred you, & that which is done to you in Egypt.
Exodus 4:31
And the people beleeued, and when they heard that the Lorde had visited the children of Israel, and had looked vpon their tribulation, they bowed downe, and worshipped.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then came near the heads of the fathers of the Levites,.... When the land was divided to the several tribes, and everyone knew the cities that belonged to them, and what they could and should part with to the Levites, and when the six cities of refuge were fixed; the Levites came to put in their claim for cities of habitation, they having no share in the division of the land; and yet it was necessary they should have habitations; the persons that undertook to put in a claim for them were the principal men among them; the fathers of them were Kohath, Gershon, and Merari; the heads of those were the chief men that were then living: these came

unto Eleazar the priest, and unto Joshua the son of Nun; the high priest and chief magistrate:

and unto the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel; the princes appointed to divide the land with the two great personages before mentioned, Numbers 34:17.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A list of the Levitical cities, varying in some particulars from that given in this chapter, is also, given in 1 Chronicles 6:54-81.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER XXI

The Levites apply to Eleazar, Joshua, and the elders, for the

cities to dwell in which Moses had promised, 1, 2.

Their request is granted, 3.

The priests receive thirteen cities out of the tribes of Judah,

Simeon, and Benjamin, 4.

The Levites receive ten cities out of the tribes of Ephraim,

Dan, and the half tribe of Manasseh, 5;

and thirteen out of the other half tribe of Manasseh, and the

tribes of Issachar, Asher, and Naphtali, 6.

The children of Merari had twelve cities out of the tribes of

Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun, 7.

The names of the cities given out of the tribes of Judah and

Simeon, 8-16.

Those granted out of the tribe of Benjamin, 17-19.

Out of Ephraim, 20-22.

Those out of Dan, 23, 24.

Those out of both the halves of the tribe of Manasseh, 25-27.

Those out of the tribe of Issachar, 28, 29.

Those out of Asher, 30, 31.

Those out of Naphtali, 32.

These were the cities of the Gershonites, 33.

The cities of the Merarites, 34-40.

The sum of the cities given to the Levites, forty-eight, 41, 42.

The exact fulfilment of all God's promises, 43-45.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXI.

Verse Joshua 21:1. The heads of the fathers of the Levites — The Levites were composed of three brand families, the Gershonites, Koathites, and Merarites, independently of the family of Aaron, who might be said to form a fourth. To none of these had God assigned any portion in the division of the land. But in this general division it must have been evidently intended that the different tribes were to furnish them with habitations; and this was according to a positive command of God, Numbers 35:2, &c. Finding now that each tribe had its inheritance appointed to it, the heads of the Levites came before Eleazar, Joshua, and the chiefs of the tribes who had been employed in dividing the land, and requested that cities and suburbs should be granted them according to the Divine command.


 
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