Joshua 21:7

And the descendants of Merari received twelve cities from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Joshua records the territorial distribution to the Levitical clans following the conquest of Canaan. This verse specifies the Merarite allocation immediately after detailing the Gershonites' portion.

The words — לִ/בְנֵ֨י (li/v.Nei) literally means "to the descendants of," identifying the specific Merarite lineage. מִ/מַּטֵּ֨ה (mi./ma.Teh) translates as "from the tribe of," marking the geographic source of their allotted cities.

The thread — The Merarite inheritance continues in Joshua 21:34 with additional cities from Zebulun, tracing back to the family lines recorded in Exodus 6:19 and Numbers 3:20. This distribution fulfills the earlier command to support the Levitical ministry.

Why it lands — The text mandates the physical provision of urban centers and pasturelands for the tribe that holds no territorial inheritance. A reader must recognize that religious service in Israel required direct material support from the conquered land.

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

לִבְנֵ֨יli/v.Nei[and belonged] to/ [the] descendants of מְרָרִ֜יme.ra.RiMerari לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֗םle./mish.pe.cho.Ta/mto/ clans/ their מִמַּטֵּ֨הmi./ma.Tehfrom/ [the] tribe of רְאוּבֵ֤ןre.'u.VenReuben וּמִמַּטֵּה־u./mi./ma.teh-and/ from/ [the] tribe of גָד֙gadGad וּמִמַּטֵּ֣הu./mi./ma.Tehand/ from/ [the] tribe of זְבוּלֻ֔ןze.vu.LunZebulun עָרִ֖ים'a.Rimcities שְׁתֵּ֥יםshe.Teimtwo [plus]עֶשְׂרֵֽה׃'es.Rehten

King James Version

The children of Merari by their families had out of the tribe of Reuben, and out of the tribe of Gad, and out of the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities.

Cross-references

Joshua 21:34 This is what the Merarite clan (the rest of the Levites) were given: From the tribe of Zebulun they were given Jokneam, Kartah,
Exodus 6:19 The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. These were the clans of the Levites according to their records.
Numbers 3:20 And the sons of Merari by their clans were Mahli and Mushi. These were the clans of the Levites, according to their families.
1 Chronicles 6:63 The Merarites, according to their clans, were allotted twelve cities from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.
1 Chronicles 6:77 The Merarites (the rest of the Levites) received the following: From the tribe of Zebulun they were given Rimmono and Tabor, together with their pasturelands.