Joshua 21:40

In all, twelve cities were allotted to the clans of Merari, the remaining Levite clans.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — The narrator records Joshua’s distribution of Levite cities to the clans of Merari, immediately following the allotment to the Gershonite clans. This occurs during the final phase of the land distribution to the tribes of Israel.

The words — כָּל־עָרִים (kol-'arim) translates literally as "all the cities," marking the complete count of twelve allotted to Merari. הַנּוֹתָרִים (ha-notarim) means "which remained," distinguishing these from the previously listed Levite inheritances.

The thread — This inventory parallels the Gershonite allocation in Joshua 21:39 and culminates in Joshua 21:41’s summary of forty-eight Levite cities within Israelite territory. The pattern of numbered city distributions establishes the fulfillment of earlier tribal division mandates.

Why it lands — The text requires a reader to recognize the precise accounting of land given to a tribe without territorial inheritance. It demands attention to the systematic distribution of resources rather than personal or tribal advantage.

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

כָּל־kol-all הֶ֨עָרִ֜יםhe./'a.Rimthe/ cities לִבְנֵ֤יli/v.Neiof/ [the] descendants of מְרָרִי֙me.ra.RiMerari לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֔םle./mish.pe.cho.Ta/mto/ clans/ their הַנּוֹתָרִ֖יםha./no.ta.Rimwhich/ remained מִמִּשְׁפְּח֣וֹתmi./mish.pe.Chotof/ [the] clans of הַלְוִיִּ֑םha/l.vi.Yimthe/ Levites וַיְהִי֙va/y.Hiand/ it was גּוֹרָלָ֔םgo.ra.La/mlot/ their עָרִ֖ים'a.Rimcities שְׁתֵּ֥יםshe.Teimtwo [plus]עֶשְׂרֵֽה׃'es.Rehten

King James Version

So all the cities for the children of Merari by their families, which were remaining of the families of the Levites, were by their lot twelve cities.