Joshua 21:6
New International Version
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.

New Living Translation
The clan of Gershon was allotted thirteen towns from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.

English Standard Version
The Gershonites received by lot from the clans of the tribe of Issachar, from the tribe of Asher, from the tribe of Naphtali, and from the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities.

Berean Standard Bible
The descendants of Gershon received thirteen cities by lot from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.

King James Bible
And the children of Gershon had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities.

New King James Version
And the children of Gershon had thirteen cities by lot from the families of the tribe of Issachar, from the tribe of Asher, from the tribe of Naphtali, and from the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.

New American Standard Bible
And to the sons of Gershon thirteen cities were given by lot from the families of the tribe of Issachar, from the tribe of Asher, from the tribe of Naphtali, and from the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.

NASB 1995
The sons of Gershon received thirteen cities by lot from the families of the tribe of Issachar and from the tribe of Asher and from the tribe of Naphtali and from the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.

NASB 1977
And the sons of Gershon received thirteen cities by lot from the families of the tribe of Issachar and from the tribe of Asher and from the tribe of Naphtali and from the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.

Legacy Standard Bible
And the sons of Gershon received thirteen cities by lot from the families of the tribe of Issachar and from the tribe of Asher and from the tribe of Naphtali, and from the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.

Amplified Bible
The sons of Gershon received thirteen cities by lot from the families of the tribe of Issachar and from the tribe of Asher and from the tribe of Naphtali and from the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.

Christian Standard Bible
Gershon’s descendants received thirteen cities by lot from the clans of the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and half the tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Gershon’s descendants received 13 cities by lot from the clans of the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and half the tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.

American Standard Version
And the children of Gershon had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities.

Contemporary English Version
The clans that were descendants of Gershon were given 13 towns from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and East Manasseh.

English Revised Version
And the children of Gershon had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Gershon's descendants received 13 cities from the families of the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and half of the tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.

Good News Translation
The clan of Gershon was assigned thirteen cities from the territories of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and East Manasseh.

International Standard Version
The descendants of Gershon received thirteen cities by random lot from the families of the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and from the half-tribe of Manasseh located in Bashan.

Majority Standard Bible
The descendants of Gershon received thirteen cities by lot from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.

NET Bible
Gershon's descendants were allotted thirteen cities from the clans of the tribe of Issachar, and from the tribes of Asher and Naphtali and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.

New Heart English Bible
The descendants of Gershon had thirteen cities by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, out of the tribe of Asher, out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the children of Gershon had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities.

World English Bible
The children of Gershon had thirteen cities by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, out of the tribe of Asher, out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And for the sons of Gershon, out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, [are] thirteen cities by lot.

Young's Literal Translation
And for the sons of Gershon are, out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, by lot, thirteen cities.

Smith's Literal Translation
And to the sons of Gershon from the families of the tribe of Issachar, and from the tribe of Asher, and from the tribe of Naphtali, and from the half tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, by lot, thirteen cities.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the lot came out to the children of Gerson, that they should take of the tribes of Issachar and of Aser and of Nephtali, and of the half tribe of Manasses in Basan, thirteen cities.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And next the lot went out to the sons of Gershon, so that they would receive, from the tribes of Issachar and Asher and Naphtali, and from the one half tribe of Manasseh at Bashan: the number of thirteen cities.

New American Bible
From the clans of the tribe of Issachar, from the tribe of Asher, from the tribe of Naphtali, and from the half-tribe of Manasseh, the Gershonites obtained by lot thirteen cities.

New Revised Standard Version
The Gershonites received by lot thirteen towns from the families of the tribe of Issachar, from the tribe of Asher, from the tribe of Naphtali, and from the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And the Gershonites had by lot from the tribe of Issachar, from the tribe of Asher, from the tribe of Naphtali, and from the half tribe of Manasseh in Mathnin, thirteen cities.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And to the children of Gershun they gave from the tribe of Issakar and from the tribe of Ashir and from the tribe of Naphtali and from half of the tribe of Menasheh in Mathnin, thirteen cities in the lot
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And the children of Gershon had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the sons of Gedson had thirteen cities, out of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Aser, and out of the tribe of Nephthali, and out of the half tribe of Manasse in Basan.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Forty-Eight Cities for the Levites
5The remaining descendants of Kohath received ten cities by lot from the tribes of Ephraim, Dan, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. 6The descendants of Gershon received thirteen cities by lot from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan. 7And the descendants of Merari received twelve cities from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.…

Cross References
Numbers 35:2-8
“Command the Israelites to give, from the inheritance they will possess, cities for the Levites to live in and pasturelands around the cities. / The cities will be for them to live in, and the pasturelands will be for their herds, their flocks, and all their other livestock. / The pasturelands around the cities you are to give the Levites will extend a thousand cubits from the wall on every side. ...

Deuteronomy 18:1-2
The Levitical priests—indeed the whole tribe of Levi—shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel. They are to eat the food offerings to the LORD; that is their inheritance. / Although they have no inheritance among their brothers, the LORD is their inheritance, as He promised them.

Joshua 13:14
To the tribe of Levi, however, Moses had given no inheritance. The food offerings to the LORD, the God of Israel, are their inheritance, just as He had promised them.

Joshua 14:3-4
For Moses had given the inheritance east of the Jordan to the other two and a half tribes. But he granted no inheritance among them to the Levites. / The descendants of Joseph became two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. And no portion of the land was given to the Levites, except for cities in which to live, along with pasturelands for their flocks and herds.

Joshua 18:7
The Levites, however, have no portion among you, because their inheritance is the priesthood of the LORD. And Gad, Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh have already received the inheritance that Moses the servant of the LORD gave them beyond the Jordan to the east.”

1 Chronicles 6:54-81
Now these were the territories assigned to the descendants of Aaron from the Kohathite clan for their settlements, because the first lot fell to them: / They were given Hebron in the land of Judah and its surrounding pasturelands. / But the fields and villages around the city were given to Caleb son of Jephunneh. ...

Leviticus 25:32-34
As for the cities of the Levites, the Levites always have the right to redeem their houses in the cities they possess. / So whatever belongs to the Levites may be redeemed—a house sold in a city they possess—and must be released in the Jubilee, because the houses in the cities of the Levites are their possession among the Israelites. / But the open pastureland around their cities may not be sold, for this is their permanent possession.

Numbers 18:20-24
Then the LORD said to Aaron, “You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the Israelites. / Behold, I have given to the Levites all the tithes in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work they do, the service of the Tent of Meeting. / No longer may the Israelites come near to the Tent of Meeting, or they will incur guilt and die. ...

Ezekiel 44:28
In regard to their inheritance, I am their inheritance. You are to give them no possession in Israel, for I am their possession.

Hebrews 7:5
Now the law commands the sons of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people—that is, from their brothers—though they too are descended from Abraham.

1 Corinthians 9:13-14
Do you not know that those who work in the temple eat of its food, and those who serve at the altar partake of its offerings? / In the same way, the Lord has prescribed that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.

Matthew 10:10
Take no bag for the road, or second tunic, or sandals, or staff; for the worker is worthy of his provisions.

Luke 10:7
Stay at the same house, eating and drinking whatever you are offered. For the worker is worthy of his wages. Do not move around from house to house.

Acts 18:3
and he stayed and worked with them because they were tentmakers by trade, just as he was.

1 Timothy 5:17-18
Elders who lead effectively are worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. / For the Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and, “The worker is worthy of his wages.”


Treasury of Scripture

And the children of Gershon had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities.

Joshua 21:27-33
And unto the children of Gershon, of the families of the Levites, out of the other half tribe of Manasseh they gave Golan in Bashan with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Beeshterah with her suburbs; two cities…

Exodus 6:16,17
And these are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari: and the years of the life of Levi were an hundred thirty and seven years…

Numbers 3:21,22
Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimites: these are the families of the Gershonites…

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Allotted Asher Bashan Children Cities Clans Descendants Half Half-Tribe Issachar Is'sachar Lot Manasseh Manas'seh Naphtali Naph'tali Received Thirteen Towns Tribe Tribes
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Allotted Asher Bashan Children Cities Clans Descendants Half Half-Tribe Issachar Is'sachar Lot Manasseh Manas'seh Naphtali Naph'tali Received Thirteen Towns Tribe Tribes
Joshua 21
1. Forty-eight cities given by lot, out of the other tribes unto the Levites.
43. God gives the land, and rest unto the Israelites, according to his promise














The descendants of Gershon
The Gershonites were one of the three main divisions of the Levites, the others being the Kohathites and the Merarites. As descendants of Levi, the Gershonites were set apart for specific duties related to the tabernacle, primarily involving the care of the tabernacle's fabrics and coverings (Numbers 3:25-26). This division highlights the organized structure of Israelite worship and the importance of the Levites in maintaining the sacred space.

received thirteen cities by lot
The allocation of cities by lot underscores the belief in divine providence guiding the distribution of land. The number thirteen is significant, as it reflects the specific needs and size of the Gershonite clan. The use of lots was a common practice in ancient Israel to ensure fairness and divine will, as seen in other instances such as the selection of Saul as king (1 Samuel 10:20-24).

from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali,
These tribes were located in the northern part of Israel. Issachar was known for its agricultural productivity (Genesis 49:14-15), Asher for its rich food and prosperity (Genesis 49:20), and Naphtali for its freedom and beauty (Genesis 49:21). The allocation of cities from these tribes to the Gershonites reflects the integration of the Levites throughout Israel, ensuring their presence and religious influence in various regions.

and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.
Bashan was a fertile region east of the Jordan River, known for its rich pastures and strong cattle (Deuteronomy 32:14). The half-tribe of Manasseh settled in this area, which was part of the land conquered from Og, king of Bashan (Numbers 21:33-35). The inclusion of cities from this region for the Gershonites highlights the extension of Levitical influence even into the trans-Jordan territories, ensuring that the worship of Yahweh was central to all Israel, regardless of geographical boundaries.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Gershon
One of the three sons of Levi, Gershon's descendants, the Gershonites, were assigned specific duties related to the tabernacle. They were responsible for the care of the tabernacle's curtains, coverings, and other related items.

2. Issachar
One of the twelve tribes of Israel, descended from Jacob's son Issachar. This tribe was known for its agricultural prowess and wisdom.

3. Asher
Another of the twelve tribes of Israel, descended from Jacob's son Asher. This tribe was known for its abundance and prosperity.

4. Naphtali
A tribe of Israel descended from Jacob's son Naphtali. This tribe was known for its swiftness and agility.

5. Half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan
Manasseh was one of Joseph's sons, and his descendants were divided into two half-tribes. The half-tribe in Bashan was located east of the Jordan River.
Teaching Points
God's Provision for His Servants
The allocation of cities to the Gershonites demonstrates God's provision for those who serve Him. Just as the Levites were given specific cities, God provides for the needs of those who dedicate their lives to His service today.

The Importance of Community
The distribution of cities among different tribes emphasizes the importance of community and interdependence among God's people. Believers are called to support and care for one another within the body of Christ.

Faithfulness in Assigned Roles
The Gershonites had specific duties related to the tabernacle. This teaches us the importance of being faithful in the roles and responsibilities God assigns to us, no matter how seemingly small or large.

Inheritance and Legacy
The cities given to the Gershonites were part of their inheritance. This reminds us of the spiritual inheritance we have in Christ and the legacy we leave for future generations.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The descendants
וְלִבְנֵ֣י (wə·liḇ·nê)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of Gershon
גֵרְשׁ֗וֹן (ḡê·rə·šō·wn)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1648: Gershon -- a son of Levi

received thirteen
שְׁלֹ֥שׁ (šə·lōš)
Number - feminine singular construct
Strong's 7969: Three, third, thrice

cities
עָרִ֖ים (‘ā·rîm)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 5892: Excitement

by lot
בַּגּוֹרָ֔ל (bag·gō·w·rāl)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1486: Lot -- a lot (for casting)

from the tribes
מַטֵּֽה־ (maṭ·ṭêh-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4294: A staff, rod, shaft, branch, a tribe

of Issachar,
יִשָּׂשכָ֣ר (yiś·śā·š·ḵār)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3485: Issachar -- perhaps 'there is recompense', a son of Jacob and Leah, also a son of Obed-edom

Asher,
אָ֠שֵׁר (’ā·šêr)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 836: Asher -- 'happy one', a son of Jacob, also the tribe descended from him, also perhaps a city in Palestine

Naphtali,
נַפְתָּלִ֜י (nap̄·tā·lî)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 5321: Naphtali -- a son of Jacob, also his descendants and the district settled by them

and the half-tribe
וּ֠מֵחֲצִי (ū·mê·ḥă·ṣî)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2677: The half, middle

of Manasseh
מְנַשֶּׁ֤ה (mə·naš·šeh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4519: Manasseh -- 'causing to forget', a son of Joseph, also a king of Judah, also two Israelites

in Bashan.
בַבָּשָׁן֙ (ḇab·bā·šān)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 1316: Bashan -- 'smooth', a region East of the Jordan


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OT History: Joshua 21:6 The children of Gershon had thirteen cities (Josh. Jos)
Joshua 21:5
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