Joshua 21:26
In all, ten cities, together with their pasturelands, were given to the rest of the Kohathite clans.
In all, ten cities, together with their pasturelands,

The remaining Kohathite families received ten Levitical cities drawn from Ephraim, Dan, and the western half-tribe of Manasseh. Their pasturelands provided necessary space for livestock and daily support, while the cities placed these Levites among the tribes they served. God’s provision for those devoted to tabernacle service was both orderly and sufficient.

1Ch 6:61 To the rest of the Kohathites, ten cities were…
Num 35:2-5 Command the Israelites to give, from the inheritance…
Deu 18:1-2 The Levitical priests shall have no portion…

were given to the rest of the Kohathite clans.

These Kohathites were distinct from Aaron’s priestly descendants, who had already received thirteen cities because of their responsibility for the priesthood. The Kohathites served in matters connected with the sanctuary’s sacred furnishings, though they did not perform the priestly offerings. Their scattered inheritance fulfilled Jacob’s prophecy that Levi would be dispersed in Israel, yet God transformed that scattering into a means of preserving worship, teaching His law, and maintaining spiritual ministry throughout the land.

1Ch 6:66-70 And some of the clans of the Kohathites were given…
Jos 20:7-8 So they set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country…
Num 35:6-8 Six of the cities you give the Levites…

Persons / Places / Events
1. Kohathites
A division of the Levites, descendants of Kohath, the second son of Levi. They were responsible for the care of the sanctuary's most sacred objects.

2. Levitical Cities
Cities allocated to the Levites throughout the tribes of Israel. These cities provided the Levites with places to live and pasturelands for their livestock.

3. Pasturelands
Areas surrounding the Levitical cities designated for the grazing of livestock, ensuring the Levites had means to sustain themselves.
Teaching Points
God's Provision for His Servants
The allocation of cities and pasturelands to the Levites demonstrates God's provision for those dedicated to His service. It reminds us that God provides for those who serve Him faithfully.

The Importance of Community Support
The Levites relied on the other tribes for their sustenance, highlighting the importance of community support within the body of believers. We are called to support those who minister among us.

Inheritance Beyond Material Wealth
The Levites' inheritance was not land but the privilege of serving God. This teaches us to value spiritual inheritance and service to God over material possessions.

Faithfulness in Assigned Roles
The Kohathites had specific duties related to the sanctuary. This encourages us to be faithful in the roles God assigns us, knowing each role is vital to His plan.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the allocation of cities to the Kohathites reflect God's care for those who serve Him? Consider how this applies to modern-day ministry support.

2. In what ways can we, as a church community, better support those who are dedicated to full-time ministry, similar to the support given to the Levites?

3. Reflect on the concept of spiritual inheritance. How can we prioritize our spiritual inheritance over material wealth in our daily lives?

4. What lessons can we learn from the Kohathites' specific roles in the sanctuary that apply to our own roles within the church?

5. How do the provisions for the Levites in Joshua 21:26 connect with the broader biblical theme of God's provision for His people? Consider other scriptures that illustrate this theme.
Connections to Other Scriptures
Numbers 35
This chapter outlines the command from God to Moses regarding the allocation of cities to the Levites, providing a foundational understanding of why the Levites received these cities.

1 Chronicles 6
Chronicles the genealogies and duties of the Levites, including the Kohathites, offering further insight into their roles and responsibilities.

Deuteronomy 18
Discusses the provisions for the Levites, emphasizing their dependence on the offerings and support from the other tribes, as they had no inheritance of land like the other tribes.
Divine FaithfulnessR. Hall, M. A.Joshua 21:1-45
Ministers Liberally TreatedC. Ness.Joshua 21:1-45
Ministers Wisely LocatedW. Seaton.Joshua 21:1-45
The Divine Fidelity AcknowledgedA. Maclaren, D. D.Joshua 21:1-45
The Supreme WorkerA. Maclaren, D. D.Joshua 21:1-45
The Triumphant Record of God's FaithfulnessA. Maclaren, D. D.Joshua 21:1-45
People
Aaron, Abdon, Anak, Anathoth, Arba, Asher, Benjamin, Bezer, Caleb, Dan, Debir, Eleazar, Eshtemoa, Gad, Gershon, Gershonites, Gersonites, Gibeon, Israelites, Issachar, Jephunneh, Joshua, Kohath, Kohathites, Levi, Levites, Manasseh, Merari, Naphtali, Nun, Rehob, Reuben, Simeon, Simeonites, Zebulun
Places
Abdon, Aijalon, Ain, Almon, Anathoth, Bashan, Beeshterah, Beth-horon, Beth-shemesh, Bezer, Canaan, Daberath, Debir, Elteke, En-gannim, Eshtemoa, Galilee, Gath-rimmon, Geba, Gezer, Gibbethon, Gibeon, Gilead, Golan, Hammoth-dor, Hebron, Helkath, Heshbon, Holon, Jahaz, Jarmuth, Jattir, Jazer, Jokneam, Juttah, Kartah, Kartan, Kedemoth, Kedesh, Kibzaim, Kiriath-arba, Kishion, Libnah, Mahanaim, Mephaath, Mishal, Nahalal, Ramoth, Rehob, Shechem, Shiloh, Taanach
Topics
Cities, Clans, Families, Grass-lands, Kohath, Kohathite, Ko'hathites, Lands, Open, Pasture, Pasturelands, Rest, Sons, Suburbs, Ten, Towns
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Joshua 21:1-42

     7266   tribes of Israel

Library
October 8. "There Failed not Aught of any Good Thing which the Lord had Spoken" (Josh. xxi. 45).
"There failed not aught of any good thing which the Lord had spoken" (Josh. xxi. 45). Some day, even you, trembling, faltering one, shall stand upon those heights and look back upon all you have passed through, all you have narrowly escaped, all the perils through which He guided you, the stumblings through which He guarded you, and the sins from which He saved you; and you shall shout, with a meaning you cannot understand now, "Salvation unto Him who sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb."
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

The End of the War
'And the Lord gave unto Israel all the land which He sware to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein. 44. And the Lord gave them rest round about, according to all that He sware unto their fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand. 45. There failed not ought of any good thing which the Lord had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass. 'Then Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites,
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Mountainous Country of Judea.
"What is the mountainous country of Judea? It is the king's mountain." However Judea, here and there, doth swell out much with mountains, yet its chief swelling appears in that broad back of mountains, that runs from the utmost southern cost as far as Hebron, and almost as Jerusalem itself. Which the Holy Scripture called "The hill-country of Judah," Joshua 21:11; Luke 1:39. Unless I am very much mistaken,--the maps of Adricomus, Tirinius, and others, ought to be corrected, which have feigned to
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

Divers Matters.
I. Beth-cerem, Nehemiah 3:14. "The stones, as well of the altar, as of the ascent to the altar, were from the valley of Beth-cerem, which they digged out beneath the barren land. And thence they are wont to bring whole stones, upon which the working iron came not." The fathers of the traditions, treating concerning the blood of women's terms, reckon up five colours of it; among which that, "which is like the water of the earth, out of the valley of Beth-cerem."--Where the Gloss writes thus, "Beth-cerem
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

Nob. Bahurim.
That Nob was placed in the land of Benjamin, not far from Jerusalem, whence Jerusalem also might be seen,--the words of the Chaldee paraphrast, upon Isaiah 10:32, do argue. For so he speaks; "Sennacherib came and stood in Nob, a city of the priests, before the walls of Jerusalem; and said to his army, 'Is not this the city of Jerusalem, against which I have raised my whole army, and have subdued all the provinces of it? Is it not small and weak in comparison of all the fortifications of the Gentiles,
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

Joshua
The book of Joshua is the natural complement of the Pentateuch. Moses is dead, but the people are on the verge of the promised land, and the story of early Israel would be incomplete, did it not record the conquest of that land and her establishment upon it. The divine purpose moves restlessly on, until it is accomplished; so "after the death of Moses, Jehovah spake to Joshua," i. 1. The book falls naturally into three divisions: (a) the conquest of Canaan (i.-xii.), (b) the settlement of the
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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