Joshua 21:9-19 Meaning: God's Care for His Priests
9They gave out of the tribe of the children of Judah, and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, these cities which are mentioned by name:
10and 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.
11They gave them Kiriath Arba, named after the father of Anak (also called Hebron), in the hill country of Judah, with its pasture lands around it.
12But they gave the fields of the city and its villages to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for his possession.
13To the children of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron with its pasture lands, the city of refuge for the man slayer, Libnah with its pasture lands,
14Jattir with its pasture lands, Eshtemoa with its pasture lands,
15Holon with its pasture lands, Debir with its pasture lands,
16Ain with its pasture lands, Juttah with its pasture lands, and Beth Shemesh with its pasture lands: nine cities out of those two tribes.
17Out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with its pasture lands, Geba with its pasture lands,
18Anathoth with its pasture lands, and Almon with its pasture lands: four cities.
19All the cities of the children of Aaron, the priests, were thirteen cities with their pasture lands.
9And they gave out of the tribe of the children of Judah, and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, these cities which are here mentioned by name,
10Which 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.
11And they gave them the city of Arba the father of Anak, which city is Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, with the suburbs thereof round about it.
12But the fields of the city, and the villages thereof, gave they to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for his possession.
13Thus they gave to the children of Aaron the priest Hebron with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Libnah with her suburbs,
14And Jattir with her suburbs, and Eshtemoa with her suburbs,
15And Holon with her suburbs, and Debir with her suburbs,
16And Ain with her suburbs, and Juttah with her suburbs, and Beth–shemesh with her suburbs; nine cities out of those two tribes.
17And out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with her suburbs, Geba with her suburbs,
18Anathoth with her suburbs, and Almon with her suburbs; four cities.
19All the cities of the children of Aaron, the priests, were thirteen cities with their suburbs.
9And they gave out of the tribe of the children of Judah, and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, these cities which are here mentioned by name:
10and 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.
11And they gave them Kiriath-arba, which Arba was the father of Anak (the same is Hebron), in the hill-country of Judah, with the suburbs thereof round about it.
12But the fields of the city, and the villages thereof, gave they to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for his possession.
13And unto the children of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron with its suburbs, the city of refuge for the manslayer, and Libnah with its suburbs,
14and Jattir with its suburbs, and Eshtemoa with its suburbs,
15and Holon with its suburbs, and Debir with its suburbs,
16and Ain with its suburbs, and Juttah with its suburbs, and Beth-shemesh with its suburbs; nine cities out of those two tribes.
17And out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with its suburbs, Geba with its suburbs,
18Anathoth with its suburbs, and Almon with its suburbs; four cities.
19All the cities of the children of Aaron, the priests, were thirteen cities with their suburbs.
9And 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;
10and 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;
11and 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;
12and the field of the city and its villages they have given to Caleb son of Jephunneh for his possession.
13And 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,
14and Jattir and its suburbs, and Eshtemoa and its suburbs,
15and Holon and its suburbs, and Debir and its suburbs,
16and Ain and its suburbs, and Juttah and its suburbs, Beth-Shemesh and its suburbs; nine cities out of these two tribes.
17And out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon and its suburbs, Geba and its suburbs,
18Anathoth and its suburbs, and Almon and its suburbs--four cities;
19all the cities of the sons of Aaron the priests, are thirteen cities and their suburbs.
9And they gave out of the tribe of the children of Judah, and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, these cities which were mentioned by name,
10and which the children of Aaron, of the families of the Kohathites, of the children of Levi had (for theirs was the first lot);
11and they gave them Kirjath-Arba, [which Arba was] the father of Anak, that is, Hebron, in the mountain of Judah, with its suburbs round about it.
12But the fields of the city and the hamlets thereof gave they to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for his possession.
13And they gave to the children of Aaron the priest the city of refuge for the slayer, Hebron and its suburbs; and Libnah and its suburbs,
14and Jattir and its suburbs, and Eshtemoa and its suburbs,
15and Holon and its suburbs, and Debir and its suburbs,
16and Ain and its suburbs, and Juttah and its suburbs, [and] Beth-shemesh and its suburbs: nine cities out of those two tribes;
17and out of the tribe of Benjamin: Gibeon and its suburbs, Geba and its suburbs,
18Anathoth and its suburbs, and Almon and its suburbs; four cities.
19All the cities of the children of Aaron, the priests, were thirteen cities and their suburbs.
Meaning in one sentence
Learn why God placed the priestly cities in Judah and Benjamin, and what it teaches about His provision for those who serve Him.
Context
The book of Joshua records the distribution of the Promised Land among the tribes of Israel. But the Levites, the tribe set apart for religious service, received no single territory. Instead, God commanded that they be given cities scattered throughout the other tribes. This passage lists the cities given to the priestly family of Aaron, the first to receive their allotment. These thirteen cities were all located in the southern tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin, the region that would one day surround Jerusalem and the Temple. This arrangement shows God's deliberate care for those who served Him.
Key Words
Three Hebrew words anchor this passage. The first is goral, translated as 'lot.' It refers to the small stones used for decision-making, but here it signals something deeper. The priests did not choose their cities; God directed the outcome. Their lot came first, showing that their place was determined by divine purpose, not human ambition.
The second word is nathan, 'gave,' repeated like a refrain. It is the language of generosity. God was providing homes and pasturelands for families who owned no land of their own.
The third word is miqlat, 'refuge,' used for Hebron. Hebron was a city of refuge for someone who killed accidentally. The priests lived in that city, placed at the center of mercy. Their calling was not just ritual; it was compassion.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have seen God's hand in the location of these cities. The Protestant commentator Calvin noted that God overruled the distribution so the priestly families were placed near the site where the Temple would later stand, Jerusalem, on the border of Benjamin. The Methodist scholar Adam Clarke observed that thirteen cities seemed large for the small number of priests at the time, but this provision anticipated their growth into twenty-four courses in David's day. Both point to the same truth: God was thinking ahead, arranging for His servants to be sustained and positioned for His purposes.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers assume the priests received agricultural land to farm, like the other tribes. In fact, the text is careful to show that the fields and villages around Hebron went to Caleb, not to the priests (v12). The priests received only the cities and their pasturelands for livestock. They were supported by the tithes and offerings of the people, not by farming. This distinction highlights their dependence on God and the community for provision.
Living This Out
This week, consider the people who provide for your spiritual life, your pastors, teachers, those who lead worship. How are you contributing to their support? The priests had no land, but God made sure they had a place to live and land for their animals. He used the generosity of the other tribes to make that happen. Maybe you can check in on someone who serves your church: a meal, a note of thanks, or a practical gift. God's provision often comes through willing hands.
Main takeaway: God faithfully provides homes and stability for those who serve Him, even when they own no land of their own.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
God gave the priests and their families special cities to live in. He made sure they had homes near the place where people would worship Him.
For ages 9, 12
The priests didn't get their own big piece of land like the other tribes. Instead, God told the people to give them cities scattered throughout the country. This way, the priests could live near everyone and help them worship God. It also meant the people supported the priests by giving them homes. Think of how your family helps support your church's pastor or leaders. God wanted everyone to work together.
Questions People Ask
Why did the priestly cities have 'pasture lands'?
The pasture lands (Hebrew migrash) were open areas around the cities where the Levites could graze their livestock. The priests did not own fields for farming, so these pasturelands were essential for their animals. God made sure they had what they needed to sustain their families.
Why was Hebron called a 'city of refuge'?
Hebron was one of six cities of refuge established by God. These cities protected someone who accidentally killed another person from the avenger of blood. The priests lived in these cities, and their presence there signaled that mercy and justice could be found.
How many priestly cities were there?
The passage lists thirteen cities: nine from Judah and Simeon, and four from Benjamin. All were given to the descendants of Aaron, the priests. This number is consistent with the later organization of the priesthood into twenty-four courses by King David.
Why did Caleb get the fields of Hebron instead of the priests?
Caleb had been promised that land years earlier because of his faithfulness as a spy (Joshua 14:13-14). When the priests received Hebron as a city, they got the city itself and its pasturelands, but the fields and villages remained with Caleb. This shows that God keeps His promises to individuals even while providing for the needs of His servants.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study