The family heads of the Levites approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the other tribal families of Israel at Shiloh, Joshua 18:1. The Levites were given no inheritance of land because God was their inheritance, Numbers 18:20.
However, on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho, God speaks to Moses and asks him to command the Israelites to give the Levites towns to live in from the inheritance the Israelites will possess and give them pasture lands that surround the towns, Joshua 21:2 / Numbers 35:1-2.
The Levites will have towns to live in and pasturelands for the cattle they own and all their other animals, Numbers 35:3. So, as God had commanded, the Israelites gave the Levites the following towns and pasturelands out of their own inheritance, Joshua 21:3 / 1 Chronicles 6:54-81.
The pasturelands around the towns that are to be given to the Levites will extend a thousand cubits, which is around one thousand five-hundred feet from the town wall, Numbers 35:4.
The outside of the town measures two thousand cubits, which is around two thousand feet on the east side, two thousand on the south side, two thousand on the west and two thousand on the north, with the town in the centre, Numbers 35:5.
There were to be a total of forty-eight towns for the Levites, six cities of refuge, and forty-two additional cities. The towns the Levites are to be given are from the land the Israelites possess and are to be given in proportion to the inheritance of each tribe, Numbers 35:8. Moses tells us that he was to take many towns from a tribe that has many, but few from one that has few, Numbers 35:8.
Rea, in his commentary, says the following.
‘This distribution of the Levitical cities was a fulfilment of Jacob’s curse on Levi, Genesis 49:5-7, but God overruled it, through Moses, because of this tribe’s having stood with Moses in a crucial hour, Exodus 32:26.’
Levi, like Simeon, had sinned grossly, Genesis 34:25-26, and their punishment was to be their dispersion throughout the people. However, twice the Levites showed themselves to be faithful to God.
They sided with Moses when the golden calf was built, and the people were ready to give themselves to idolatry, Exodus 32:26. Phinehas, a Levite, vindicated God’s justice on the plains of Moab, Numbers 25. Therefore, they received forty-eight cities and were provided for by the people of God. Repentance brings blessing, Jeremiah 18:7-8 / Ezekiel 18:30-32 / Acts 2:38.
The first lot came out for the Kohathites, and we are told that the Levites, who were descendants of Aaron the priest, were allotted thirteen towns from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin, Joshua 21:4.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘This number is said to be too great for the single family of Aaron. But it appears, 1 Chronicles 24:1-19, that the two surviving sons of Aaron, Eleazar and Ithamar, had together 24 sons, the heads of the priestly families. Since Aaron was 123 years old when he died, Numbers 33:39, his sons’ grandchildren and great-grandchildren were no doubt living in the elapsing years of Joshua’s course and had to be provided with dwellings.’
The rest of Kohath’s descendants were allotted ten towns from the clans of the tribes of Ephraim, Dan, and half of Manasseh, Joshua 21:5. The descendants of Gershon were allotted thirteen towns from the clans of the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, Joshua 21:6.
The descendants of Merari, according to their clans, received twelve towns from the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Zebulun, Joshua 21:7. And so the Israelites allotted to the Levites these towns and their pasturelands, as the LORD had commanded through Moses, Joshua 21:8 / Joshua 21:1-3 / Numbers 35:1-2.
From the tribes of Judah and Simeon, they allotted the following towns by name, and we are told that these towns were assigned to the descendants of Aaron who were from the Kohathite clans of the Levites, because the first lot fell to them, Joshua 21:9-10.
They were given Kiriath Arba, that is, Hebron, with its surrounding pastureland, in the hill country of Judah, and we are told that Arba was the forefather of Anak, Joshua 21:11. But the fields and villages around the city they had given to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his possession, Joshua 21:12.
To the descendants of Aaron the priest, they gave Hebron, which we are told is a city of refuge for one accused of murder, Joshua 21:13 / Joshua 20:1-6 / Joshua 20:7. Libnah, Jattir, Eshtemoa, Holon, Debir, Ain, Juttah and Beth Shemesh, together with their pasturelands, nine towns from these two tribes, Joshua 21:13-16.
And from the tribe of Benjamin, they gave them Gibeon, Geba, Anathoth and Almon, together with their pasturelands, four towns, Joshua 21:17-18. We are told that the total number of towns for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, came to thirteen, together with their pasturelands, Joshua 21:19.
The rest of the Kohathite clans of the Levites were allotted towns from the tribe of Ephraim, Joshua 21:20. In the hill country of Ephraim they were given Shechem, which we are told is a city of refuge for one accused of murder, Joshua 21:21 / Joshua 20:1-6 / Joshua 20:7. Gezer, Kibzaim and Beth Horon, 1 Chronicles 6:68, together with their pasturelands, four towns, Joshua 21:21-22.
Also from the tribe of Dan, they received Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Aijalon and Gath Rimmon, 1 Chronicles 6:70 / Joshua 17:11, together with their pasturelands, four towns, Joshua 13:23-24.
From half the tribe of Manasseh, they received Taanach and Gath Rimmon, together with their pasturelands, two towns, Joshua 13:25. We are told that all these ten towns and their pasturelands were given to the rest of the Kohathite clans, Joshua 21:26.
The Levite clans of the Gershonites were given from the half-tribe of Manasseh, Golan in Bashan, which we are told is a city of refuge for one accused of murder, Joshua 21:27 / Joshua 20:1-6 / Joshua 20:8. Be Eshterah, together with their pasturelands, two towns, Joshua 21:27-28.
From the tribe of Issachar, Kishion, Daberath, Jarmuth and En Gannim, together with their pasturelands, four towns, Joshua 21:29. From the tribe of Asher, Mishal, Abdon, Helkath and Rehob, together with their pasturelands, four towns, Joshua 21:30-31. From the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee, which we are told is a city of refuge for one accused of murder, Joshua 21:32 / Joshua 20:1-6 / Joshua 20:7.
Hammoth Dor and Kartan, together with their pasturelands, three towns, Joshua 21:32. The total number of towns of the Gershonite clans came to thirteen, together with their pasturelands, Joshua 21:33.
Blair, in his commentary, says the following.
‘In all of these assignments, it should be remembered that the Levites were neither the sole possessors of those cities nor the rulers of them. The regulation meant that adequate room for the Levites was to be provided, and that they had the right to the pasture lands around their cities.’
The Merarite clans, the rest of the Levites were given from the tribe of Zebulun, Joshua 19:10-16, Jokneam, Kartah, Dimnah and Nahalal, together with their pasturelands, four towns, Joshua 21:34-35. From the tribe of Reuben, Bezer, Jahaz, Kedemoth and Mephaath, together with their pasturelands, four towns, Joshua 21:36-37.
From the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead, which we are told is a city of refuge for one accused of murder, Joshua 21:38 / Joshua 20:1-6 / Joshua 20:8. Mahanaim, Heshbon and Jazer, together with their pasturelands, four towns in all, Joshua 21:38-39. The total number of towns allotted to the Merarite clans, who were the rest of the Levites, came to twelve, Joshua 21:40.
Coffman, in his commentary, says the following.
‘It is specifically pointed out that each of these four divisions of the cities of the Levites received either one or two of the cities of refuge: (1) The priests received Hebron; (2) the rest of the Kohathites received Shechem; (3) The Gershonites received Golan and Kedesh; (4) The Merarites received Bezer and Ramoth-Gilead.’
The towns of the Levites in the territory held by the Israelites were forty-eight in all, together with their pasturelands, Joshua 21:41 / Numbers 35:7. Each of these towns had pasturelands surrounding it, this was true for all these towns, Joshua 21:42.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘After this verse, Joshua 21:42, the Septuagint introduces a passage (in part a repetition from Joshua 19:49-50), recording the grant of a special inheritance to Joshua, and also that he buried at Timnath-Serah the flint-knives with which he had circumcised, Joshua 5:2, the people after the passage of Jordan. The latter statement, which has the authority of the Septuagint only, is a Jewish legend of early date.’
Notice it says that God gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their ancestors, Deuteronomy 7:22, and they took possession of it and settled there, Joshua 21:43.
God gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their ancestors and not one of their enemies withstood them because God gave all their enemies into their hands, Joshua 21:44. And then we read one of the most important verses within the Bible, not one of God’s good promises to Israel failed, every one was fulfilled, Joshua 21:45.
Coffman, in his commentary, says the following.
‘These verses enable us to see the big picture. God has indeed accomplished exactly what He intended; He has moved the newly-created nation of Israel into the room of the shameful Canaanites whose cup of wickedness was running over, and this nation, in the process of time, would deliver to mankind the Redeemer in the person of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.’
God provides for all of our needs, and as long as we endeavour to do God’s will, He will bless us, Matthew 6:33. One of the contentions of the premillennialists is that the land promise was never fulfilled.
They say that the Jews must still receive their land, and then Jesus will return to set up the kingdom He promised. However, Joshua 21:43-45, very clearly says that God gave them ALL THE LAND.