Lexical Summary Qartan: Qartan Original Word: קַרְתּן Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Kartan From qereth; city-plot; Kartan, a place in Palestine -- Kartan. see HEBREW qereth NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom qarah Definition a city in Naphtali NASB Translation Kartan (1). Topical Lexicon Kartan in the Tribal Allotment of Naphtali Kartan stands alongside Kedesh and Hammoth Dor as one of the three towns within Naphtali handed over to the Gershonite division of the Levites (Joshua 21:32). This placement situates the settlement in lower Galilee, likely in the fertile basin west of the Sea of Galilee where Naphtali’s inheritance bordered Zebulun and Issachar (Joshua 19:32-39). The clustered listing with Kedesh—a well-known city of refuge—suggests Kartan lay on the same north–south corridor that later became central to Galilee’s commercial and ministry routes. Levitical Function and Ministry Role The Gershonites were charged with transporting the tabernacle’s curtains, coverings, and screen (Numbers 3:25-26). By assigning Kartan to this clan, the Lord ensured a priestly presence near the Galilean highway that linked northern Israel to the Jordan Valley. From Kartan the Gershonites would have taught the Torah, adjudicated ritual questions, and supervised worship in surrounding villages, reinforcing the ideal that every tribe shared responsibility for Israel’s covenant life (Deuteronomy 33:10). Connection with the Cities of Refuge System Though Kartan was not itself designated a city of refuge, its proximity to Kedesh meant the Gershonite residents lived at a strategic junction for mediating cases of unintentional manslaughter. The Levites in Kartan would have been familiar with asylum protocols, available to escort fugitives to Kedesh and to testify in Levitical courts, thereby upholding the sanctity of life and due process established in Numbers 35. Textual Variation: Kartan and Kiriathaim Joshua 21:32 reads “Kartan” (קַרְתּן), whereas the parallel catalogue in 1 Chronicles 6:76 registers “Kiriathaim.” The ancient scribes preserved both forms without contradiction, indicating either a dual name or a later orthographic adjustment. The variant does not alter the town’s location or function, and it illustrates the careful transmission of the Levitical lists across centuries. Archaeological and Geographical Considerations Proposed sites include Khirbet Qarata and Tell el-Qurein, both commanding views of the Sea of Galilee and lying within walking distance of modern Kefar Qedesh (ancient Kedesh). Surface pottery from the Late Bronze and early Iron Age aligns with the era of initial settlement. Although definitive identification remains elusive, each suggested mound occupies terrain ideal for grazing—matching the pastoral lands granted together with the town (Joshua 21:32). Redemptive-Historical Significance 1. Presence in Galilee: By planting a Levitical stronghold in Galilee centuries before the Incarnation, the Lord prepared the region that would witness much of Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry (Matthew 4:12-16). Kartan reminds readers that the priestly voice was already echoing through Galilee long before the Gospel era. Key References Joshua 21:32 – “And from the tribe of Naphtali they gave Kedesh in Galilee, a city of refuge for the manslayer, Hammoth-dor, and Kartan, together with their pasturelands—three cities.” 1 Chronicles 6:76 – “...Kedesh in Galilee with its pasturelands, Hammon with its pasturelands, and Kiriathaim with its pasturelands.” Summary Although Kartan receives only a single explicit mention, its Levitical assignment anchors it in the larger biblical themes of priestly provision, justice, and the spread of covenant instruction. Nestled in Galilee’s hills, Kartan helped shape a spiritual landscape that centuries later would be graced by the ministry of the Great High Priest Himself. Forms and Transliterations קַרְתָּ֖ן קרתן karTan qar·tān qartānLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Joshua 21:32 HEB: מִגְרָשֶׁ֔הָ וְאֶת־ קַרְתָּ֖ן וְאֶת־ מִגְרָשֶׁ֑הָ NAS: with its pasture lands and Kartan with its pasture lands; KJV: with her suburbs, and Kartan with her suburbs; INT: and Hammoth-dor lands and Kartan pasture cities 1 Occurrence |
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