Bible Strands
Joshua 21:13
So to the descendants of Aaron the priest they gave these cities, together with their pasturelands: Hebron, a city of refuge for the manslayer, Libnah,
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator addresses Israel regarding the final distribution of conquered territory, specifying the allocation made to the descendants of Aaron the priest. This record follows the immediate note that Caleb retained the surrounding fields and villages of his own inheritance.
The words — The Hebrew verb נָֽתְנוּ֙ (nāṯenū) translates literally as "they gave," denoting the formal transfer of property. The noun מִקְלַ֣ט (miqleṯ) means "refuge" or "place of flight," designating the legal function of the assigned city.
The thread — The text links these assigned cities to earlier territorial records, noting Hebron (Kiriath-arba) in Joshua 15:54 and Libnah in Joshua 15:42 and 10:29. These references establish the geographic continuity of the land distribution.
Why it lands — The passage requires the reader to recognize the precise execution of the land allotment, where specific cities and their pasturelands are formally transferred to the priestly line. It demands attention to the legal designation of Hebron as a city of refuge for the manslayer.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Thus 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,
Cross-references
- Joshua 15:42 Libnah, Ether, Ashan,
- Joshua 10:29 Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Makkedah to Libnah and fought against Libnah.
- Joshua 15:54 Humtah, Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), and Zior—nine cities, along with their villages.
- Joshua 20:7 So they set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah.
- Numbers 35:6 Six of the cities you give the Levites are to be appointed as cities of refuge, to which a manslayer may flee. In addition to these, give the Levites forty-two other cities.
- 1 Chronicles 6:56 But the fields and villages around the city were given to Caleb son of Jephunneh.
- Isaiah 37:8 When the Rabshakeh heard that the king of Assyria had left Lachish, he withdrew and found the king fighting against Libnah.