Joshua 21:4

2 And they spake unto them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, The LORD commanded by the hand of Moses to give us cities to dwell in, with the suburbs thereof for our cattle.

3 And the children of Israel gave unto the Levites out of their inheritance, at the commandment of the LORD, these cities and their suburbs.

And the lot came out for the families of the Kohathites: and the children of Aaron the priest, which were of the Levites, had by lot out of the tribe of Judah, and out of the tribe of Simeon, and out of the tribe of Benjamin, thirteen 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 half tribe of Manasseh, ten cities.

6 And the children of Gershon had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
The first lot came out for the Kohathite clans. The Levites who were descendants of Aaron the priest received thirteen cities by lot from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.
KJV
And the lot came out for the families of the Kohathites: and the children of Aaron the priest, which were of the Levites, had by lot out of the tribe of Judah, and out of the tribe of Simeon, and out of the tribe of Benjamin, thirteen cities.
WEB
The lot came out for the families of the Kohathites. The children of Aaron the priest, who were of the Levites, had thirteen cities by lot out of the tribe of Judah, out of the tribe of the Simeonites, and out of the tribe of Benjamin.
ASV
And the lot came out for the families of the Kohathites: and the children of Aaron the priest, who were of the Levites, had by lot out of the tribe of Judah, and out of the tribe of the Simeonites, and out of the tribe of Benjamin, thirteen cities.
DARBY
And the lot came forth for the families of the Kohathites. And the children of Aaron the priest, of the Levites, had by lot out of the tribe of Judah, and out of the tribe of the Simeonites, and out of the tribe of Benjamin, thirteen cities.
BLB
And the lot came out for the clans of the Kohathite, and there were for the sons of Aaron the priest of the Levites, from the tribe of Judah, and from the tribe of the Simeonite, and from the tribe of Benjamin, by lot thirteen cities;
ÅB
Først kom loddet ut for kahatittenes slekter, og blant disse levitter fikk Arons, prestens, sønner ved loddkastingen tretten byer av Juda stamme og av simeonittenes stamme og av Benjamins stamme,
OTB
Det første loddet ble kastet for klanene til kehatittene. Så disse etterkommerne av Levi, etterkommerne av Aron presten, mottok ved lodd fra stammene Juda, Simeon og Benjamin, tretten byer.
B1930
Først kom loddet ut for kahatittenes ætter, og blandt disse levitter fikk Arons, prestens, sønner ved loddkastingen tretten byer av Juda stamme og av simeonittenes stamme og av Benjamins stamme,

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Joshua 24:33

    And Eleazar the son of Aaron died; and they buried him in a hill that pertained to Phinehas his son, which was given him in mount Ephraim.

    Read in context
  • 1 Chronicles 6:54–60

    Now these are their dwelling places throughout their castles in their coasts, of the sons of Aaron, of the families of the Kohathites: for theirs was the lot.

    Read in context
  • Joshua 21:8–19

    And the children of Israel gave by lot unto the Levites these cities with their suburbs, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.

    Read in context