Lectionary Calendar
Thursday, July 10th, 2025
the Week of Proper 9 / Ordinary 14
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Read the Bible

Revised Standard Version

Numbers 35:2

"Command the people of Israel, that they give to the Levites, from the inheritance of their possession, cities to dwell in; and you shall give to the Levites pasture lands round about the cities.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Canaan;   Levites;   Priest;   Thompson Chain Reference - Commands;   Divine;   Levites;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Cities;   Levites, the;   Priests;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Levites;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - City;   Levi;   Levite;   Tribes;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Worship;   Easton Bible Dictionary - City;   Levite;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Pentateuch;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Cities of Refuge;   Levites;   Pasture;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Clean and Unclean;   Numbers, Book of;   Priests and Levites;   Suburb;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Levites ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Levi;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Levites;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Le'vites;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Priest;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - On to Canaan;   Conquest of Canaan;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Criticism (the Graf-Wellhausen Hypothesis);   Deuteronomy;   Levitical Cities;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Asylum;   Commandments, the 613;   Priestly Code;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Command the children of Yisra'el that they give to the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and suburbs for the cities round about them shall you give to the Levites.
King James Version
Command the children of Israel, that they give unto the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and ye shall give also unto the Levites suburbs for the cities round about them.
Lexham English Bible
"Command the Israelites that they give to the Levites from the inheritance of their property cities to live in; and you will give to the Levites pastureland all around the cities.
English Standard Version
"Command the people of Israel to give to the Levites some of the inheritance of their possession as cities for them to dwell in. And you shall give to the Levites pasturelands around the cities.
New Century Version
"Command the Israelites to give the Levites cities to live in from the land they receive. Also give the Levites the pastureland around these cities.
New English Translation
"Instruct the Israelites to give the Levites towns to live in from the inheritance the Israelites will possess. You must also give the Levites grazing land around the towns.
Amplified Bible
"Command the Israelites to give to the Levites cities to live in from the inheritance of their possession; and you shall give to the Levites pasture lands around the cities.
New American Standard Bible
"Command the sons of Israel that they give to the Levites from the inheritance of their possession cities to live in; and you shall give to the Levites pasture lands around the cities.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Commande ye children of Israel, that they giue vnto the Leuites of the inheritace of their possession, cities to dwell in: yee shall giue also vnto the Leuites the suburbes of the cities round about them.
Legacy Standard Bible
"Command the sons of Israel that they give to the Levites from the inheritance of their possession cities to live in; and you shall give to the Levites pasture lands around the cities.
Contemporary English Version
to say to them: When you receive your tribal lands, you must give towns and pastures to the Levi tribe.
Complete Jewish Bible
"Order the people of Isra'el to give to the L'vi'im cities to live in from the heritage they will possess, and you are also to give the L'vi'im some of the open land surrounding the cities.
Darby Translation
Command the children of Israel, that of the inheritance of their possession they give unto the Levites cities to dwell in; and a suburb for the cities round about them shall ye give unto the Levites.
Easy-to-Read Version
"Tell the Israelites that they should give some of the cities in their part of the land to the Levites. The Israelites should give these cities and the pastures around them to the Levites.
George Lamsa Translation
Command the children of Israel that they give to the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and they shall give also to the Levites the suburbs of the cities round about them.
Good News Translation
"Tell the Israelites that from the property they receive they must give the Levites some cities to live in and pasture land around the cities.
Christian Standard Bible®
“Command the Israelites to give cities out of their hereditary property for the Levites to live in and pastureland around the cities.
Literal Translation
Command the sons of Israel that they give to the Levites cities to live in, from the land of their possessions, and you shall give to the Levites open land for the cities.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Commaunde the childre of Israel, that they geue vnto ye Leuites of the inheritauce of their possession, cities to dwell in. The suburbes also aboute the cities shal ye geue vnto the Leuites,
American Standard Version
Command the children of Israel, that they give unto the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and suburbs for the cities round about them shall ye give unto the Levites.
Bible in Basic English
Give orders to the children of Israel to give to the Levites, from the heritage which is theirs, towns for themselves, with land on the outskirts of the towns.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Commaunde ye chyldren of Israel, that they geue vnto the Leuites of the inheritaunce of their possession, cities to dwell in: And ye shal geue also vnto the cities of the Leuites, suburbes harde by their cities rounde about them.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
'Command the children of Israel, that they give unto the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and open land round about the cities shall ye give unto the Levites.
King James Version (1611)
Command the children of Israel, that they giue vnto the Leuites of the inheritance of their possession, cities to dwell in: and yee shall giue also vnto the Leuites suburbs for the cities round about them.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Give orders to the children of Israel, and they shall give to the Levites cities to dwell in from the lot of their possession, and they shall give to the Levites the suburbs of the cities round about them.
English Revised Version
Command the children of Israel, that they give unto the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and suburbs for the cities round about them shall ye give unto the Levites.
Berean Standard Bible
"Command the Israelites to give, from the inheritance they will possess, cities for the Levites to live in and pasturelands around the cities.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
ayens Jericho, Comaunde thou to the sones of Israel, that thei yyue to dekenes of her possessiouns,
Young's Literal Translation
`Command the sons of Israel, and they have given to the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to inhabit; also a suburb for the cities round about them ye do give to the Levites.
Update Bible Version
Command the sons of Israel, that they give to the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and suburbs for the cities round about them you shall give to the Levites.
Webster's Bible Translation
Command the children of Israel, that they give to the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and ye shall give [also] to the Levites suburbs for the cities around them.
World English Bible
Command the children of Israel that they give to the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and suburbs for the cities round about them shall you give to the Levites.
New King James Version
"Command the children of Israel that they give the Levites cities to dwell in from the inheritance of their possession, and you shall also give the Levites common-land around the cities.
New Living Translation
"Command the people of Israel to give to the Levites from their property certain towns to live in, along with the surrounding pasturelands.
New Life Bible
"Tell the people of Israel to give the Levites cities to live in from the land they receive. And give the Levites fields around the cities.
New Revised Standard
Command the Israelites to give, from the inheritance that they possess, towns for the Levites to live in; you shall also give to the Levites pasture lands surrounding the towns.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Command the sons of Israel, that they give unto the Levites - out of the inheritance which they possess - cities to dwell in, - pasture land also unto the cities, round about them, shall ye give unto the Levites.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Command the children of Israel that they give to the Levites out of their possessions,
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Command the sons of Israel that they give to the Levites from the inheritance of their possession cities to live in; and you shall give to the Levites pasture lands around the cities.

Contextual Overview

1 The LORD said to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, 2 "Command the people of Israel, that they give to the Levites, from the inheritance of their possession, cities to dwell in; and you shall give to the Levites pasture lands round about the cities. 3 The cities shall be theirs to dwell in, and their pasture lands shall be for their cattle and for their livestock and for all their beasts. 4 The pasture lands of the cities, which you shall give to the Levites, shall reach from the wall of the city outward a thousand cubits all round. 5 And you shall measure, outside the city, for the east side two thousand cubits, and for the south side two thousand cubits, and for the west side two thousand cubits, and for the north side two thousand cubits, the city being in the middle; this shall belong to them as pasture land for their cities. 6 The cities which you give to the Levites shall be the six cities of refuge, where you shall permit the manslayer to flee, and in addition to them you shall give forty-two cities. 7 All the cities which you give to the Levites shall be forty-eight, with their pasture lands. 8 And as for the cities which you shall give from the possession of the people of Israel, from the larger tribes you shall take many, and from the smaller tribes you shall take few; each, in proportion to the inheritance which it inherits, shall give of its cities to the Levites."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Leviticus 25:32, Leviticus 25:33, Joshua 14:3, Joshua 14:4, Joshua 21:2-42, Ezekiel 45:1-8, Ezekiel 48:8, Ezekiel 48:22, 1 Corinthians 9:10-14

Reciprocal: Numbers 26:57 - these are Numbers 26:62 - those that Deuteronomy 18:6 - come Deuteronomy 33:11 - his substance 1 Chronicles 6:64 - with their 1 Chronicles 13:2 - their cities and suburbs 2 Chronicles 11:14 - suburbs 2 Chronicles 31:19 - the fields Nehemiah 13:10 - to his field Jeremiah 32:7 - for

Cross-References

Genesis 18:19
No, for I have chosen him, that he may charge his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice; so that the LORD may bring to Abraham what he has promised him."
Genesis 31:19
Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole her father's household gods.
Genesis 31:34
Now Rachel had taken the household gods and put them in the camel's saddle, and sat upon them. Laban felt all about the tent, but did not find them.
Genesis 34:2
and when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her, he seized her and lay with her and humbled her.
Genesis 35:1
God said to Jacob, "Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there; and make there an altar to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau."
Genesis 35:2
So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, "Put away the foreign gods that are among you, and purify yourselves, and change your garments;
Genesis 35:3
then let us arise and go up to Bethel, that I may make there an altar to the God who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone."
Genesis 35:4
So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods that they had, and the rings that were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was near Shechem.
Genesis 35:7
and there he built an altar, and called the place El-bethel, because there God had revealed himself to him when he fled from his brother.
Genesis 35:10
And God said to him, "Your name is Jacob; no longer shall your name be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name." So his name was called Israel.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Command the children of Israel,.... All the tribes of them; it is not a bare instruction that is given them, much less a mere request that is made to them, or something proposed, and left to their option whether they would agree to it or not; but it is strictly enjoined them by the Lord, who had given them freely all they should possess, and who had a right to all they had, and to whom they were in duty and gratitude bound to do his will and pleasure: the order is,

that they give unto the Levites, of the inheritance of their possession, cities to dwell in; which was but reasonable and requisite, that the ministers of God, and the assistants of the priests, and who did the service of the congregation, that they should have, habitations for them and their families, as well as food and raiment was provided for them in another way:

and ye shall give also unto the Levites suburbs for the cities round about them; which were partly for ornament to their cities, and partly for their health, that they might have air, and not be too closely confined within the walls of their cities; and also for convenience, that they have room for their cattle, and places to lay up the increase of their fields, as after suggested. Jarchi says, that a suburb was a space and place parted without the city, round about, for the beauty of it; but they were not allowed to build there an house (i.e. to dwell in), nor to plant a vineyard, nor to sow seed; other ground is after provided for such uses.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Suburbs - Rather, “pasture-grounds,” required for their large cattle, for their sheep and goats, and for all their beasts whatever they might be Numbers 35:3.


 
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