Joshua 21:34 - To the families of the children of Merari, the rest of the Levites, out of the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam with its suburbs, Kartah with its suburbs,
Select Bible Verse
Filter Categories
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
R
S
T
U
V
W
What does "Joshua 21:34" mean?
This verse is part of a larger passage in Joshua 21 that describes the allotment of cities to the Levites. The Levites were a priestly tribe and weren't given a specific territory like the other tribes of Israel. Instead, they were given cities scattered throughout the other tribes, along with their surrounding pasturelands (suburbs), to live in and perform their religious duties.
Let's break down the verse:
"To the families of the children of Merari, the rest of the Levites..." This identifies the recipients: a specific clan of Levites called the Merarites. These were descendants of Merari, one of the sons of Levi. The Merarites were responsible for certain tasks in the tabernacle/temple, particularly related to the framework and pillars. "The rest of the Levites" indicates that this is just one family of Levites being assigned cities. Other Levitical families (Gershonites and Kohathites) were assigned cities in different tribal territories.
"...out of the tribe of Zebulun..." This tells us that the cities being listed were located within the territory belonging to the tribe of Zebulun.
"Jokneam with its suburbs, Kartah with its suburbs..." These are the names of the specific cities given to the Merarites within the tribe of Zebulun. The phrase "with its suburbs" means that the pastureland and surrounding areas of these cities were also included in the grant, giving the Levites space for their livestock and other needs.
In summary, this verse is simply stating that two specific cities (Jokneam and Kartah), along with their surrounding pasturelands, located within the tribal territory of Zebulun, were given to the Merarite family of the Levites as a place to live and carry out their duties.
Significance:
Fulfillment of God's Promise: This allotment of cities fulfills God's promise to provide for the Levites, who did not receive a land inheritance.
Integration of the Levites: Scattering the Levites throughout the tribes helped to integrate religious leadership and teaching within the entire nation of Israel.
Historical Record: It's part of a detailed historical record of the land distribution after the Israelite conquest of Canaan.
Understanding this verse requires seeing it within the broader context of Joshua 21 and the role of the Levites in Israelite society. It's not a verse with deep theological meaning in itself, but it's a necessary part of the overall narrative of God's provision for his people.
Joshua 21:34 - To the families of the children of Merari, the rest of the Levites, out of the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam with its suburbs, Kartah with its suburbs,
What does "Joshua 21:34" mean?
This verse is part of a larger passage in Joshua 21 that describes the allotment of cities to the Levites. The Levites were a priestly tribe and weren't given a specific territory like the other tribes of Israel. Instead, they were given cities scattered throughout the other tribes, along with their surrounding pasturelands (suburbs), to live in and perform their religious duties.
Let's break down the verse:
"To the families of the children of Merari, the rest of the Levites..." This identifies the recipients: a specific clan of Levites called the Merarites. These were descendants of Merari, one of the sons of Levi. The Merarites were responsible for certain tasks in the tabernacle/temple, particularly related to the framework and pillars. "The rest of the Levites" indicates that this is just one family of Levites being assigned cities. Other Levitical families (Gershonites and Kohathites) were assigned cities in different tribal territories.
"...out of the tribe of Zebulun..." This tells us that the cities being listed were located within the territory belonging to the tribe of Zebulun.
"Jokneam with its suburbs, Kartah with its suburbs..." These are the names of the specific cities given to the Merarites within the tribe of Zebulun. The phrase "with its suburbs" means that the pastureland and surrounding areas of these cities were also included in the grant, giving the Levites space for their livestock and other needs.
In summary, this verse is simply stating that two specific cities (Jokneam and Kartah), along with their surrounding pasturelands, located within the tribal territory of Zebulun, were given to the Merarite family of the Levites as a place to live and carry out their duties.
Significance:
Fulfillment of God's Promise: This allotment of cities fulfills God's promise to provide for the Levites, who did not receive a land inheritance.
Integration of the Levites: Scattering the Levites throughout the tribes helped to integrate religious leadership and teaching within the entire nation of Israel.
Historical Record: It's part of a detailed historical record of the land distribution after the Israelite conquest of Canaan.
Understanding this verse requires seeing it within the broader context of Joshua 21 and the role of the Levites in Israelite society. It's not a verse with deep theological meaning in itself, but it's a necessary part of the overall narrative of God's provision for his people.