Глава 21

1–7. The request of the leaders of the generations of the tribe of Levi in ​​the Shiloh assembly for cities for residence and the division by lot of the cities appointed by the Israeli tribes between the three generations of the tribe of Levi. 8–42. List of designated cities. 43–45. The fulfillment of divine promises about the granting of the land of Canaan to the Israeli people and victories over their enemies. Joshua 21:1. The leaders of the families of the Levites came to Eleazar the priest, and to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the leaders of the families of the children of Israel, Joshua 21:2. And they spoke to them in Shiloh, in the land of Canaan, and said: The Lord commanded through Moses to give us cities to live in and their suburbs for our livestock. The tribe of Levi consisted of three generations: Gershon, Kohaphon and Merarin (Numbers 3:17–20). The divine promise on which the leaders of the generations base their request for cities to live in was given to Moses (Num. 35:1–8). Joshua 21:4. The lot was drawn for the tribes of Kohath; and the sons of Aaron the priest, the Levites, inherited by lot from the tribe of Judah, and from the tribe of Simeon, and from the tribe of Benjamin, thirteen cities; The division of the cities assigned by the Israelite tribes for the tribe of Levi between the generations of the latter was carried out by lot (Joshua 14:2), which determined which of the Levitical generations would own the cities assigned by one or the other tribe. The first lot went to the generation of Kohath, which consisted of 4 clans (Exodus 6:18), the eldest of which was the clan of Amram, which at that time consisted of two houses: Aaron and Moses (Exodus 6:20). The “house of Aaron the priest,” which represented the senior line in the generation of Kohath by origin and service in the community of the Lord, received precisely the cities assigned to the Levites from the tribes of Judah, Simeon and Benjamin in the amount of 13. The indication of the lot on the cities in these particular tribes, as the place of residence of the priests, and not in the tribe of Ephraim, in whose inheritance the Tabernacle of Meeting was located at that time, is not an accidental event, without a doubt, but a significant one in view of the greatest proximity of the places of residence of the priests indicated by the lot to the Jerusalem Temple. Joshua 21:5. and the rest of the sons of Kohath, from the tribes of the tribes of Ephraim, and from the tribe of Dan, and from half the tribe of Manasseh, by lot, received ten cities; “And to the rest of the sons of Kohath,” i.e. the younger line of the clan of Amram, consisting of the house of Moses and the clans of Izgar, Hebron and Uzziel (Ex. 6:18), received by lot the cities in the inheritance of Ephraim, Dan and the West Jordan half of the tribe of Manasseh in the amount of 10. Joshua 21:6. the sons of Gershon - from the tribes of the tribe of Issachar, and from the tribe of Asher, and from the tribe of Naphtali, and from half the tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, by lot, received thirteen cities; Joshua 21:7. to the sons of Merari, according to their families, from the tribe of Reuben, from the tribe of Gad, and from the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities. Joshua 21:8. And the children of Israel gave these cities and their suburbs to the Levites, as the Lord commanded by Moses, by lot. The Girson and Merarin generations received another 25 cities in the inheritance of other West and East Jordanian tribes. The appointment of 48 cities for the tribe of Levi, which at the last count consisted of 23,000 males (Num. 26:62), is explained by the fact that, firstly, the cities in the land of Canaan were small at that time and generally consisted of a small number of inhabitants, and, secondly, it is explained by the fact that these cities were occupied not only by priests or Levites, but together with them lived in them members of the tribe in whose inheritance they were were, as is especially clear from what was said about Beth-shemesh, which was a priestly city, the inhabitants of which, who reaped wheat and then brought burnt offerings to the Lord, are clearly different from the Levites, who took down the Ark of the Lord and set it on a large stone (1 Sam. 6:13,15). When assigning cities to the tribe of Levi, of course, the increase in its number in subsequent times was also taken into account. Some of these cities would also have houses for unwitting killers. As for the number of priests who made up the house of Aaron during the division of the land of Canaan, it is not known with certainty, but it cannot be imagined as too small, consisting of Eleazar and Ithamar (Num. 3: 2, 25: 7). Their significant number at that time is evident from the fact that during the crossing of the Jordan, the priests not only carried the Ark of the Covenant, but also held it on their shoulders during the entire time during which the people crossed the Jordan, and when going around Jericho, in addition to the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant, there were 7 more priests who blew the jubilee trumpets. The first book of Chronicles, chapter XXIV (1 Chronicles 24:4) provides a clear indication that the sons of Aaron, Eleazar and Ithamar, had 24 sons, who became the heads of 24 priestly families, among whom, under David, the ministry at the sanctuary was distributed. And since at the beginning of the 2nd year after leaving Egypt (Ex.40:12–15; Lev.9:1,10:12) these sons of Aaron were already priests, i.e. adults, then 40 years later their children were already adults and also had children. After three generations, Aaron's descendants would have grown to several hundred males. Joshua 21:9. From the tribe of the sons of Judah, and from the tribe of the sons of Simeon, [and from the tribe of the sons of Benjamin] they gave cities, which are here named by name: Joshua 21:10. the sons of Aaron, from the tribes of Kohath, from the sons of Levi [since their lot was the first], Joshua 21:11. gave Kiriath-arba, the father of Anak, otherwise Hebron, on Mount Judah, and its suburbs around it; Joshua 21:12. and the field of this city and its villages were given as the property of Caleb the son of Jephunneh. Joshua 21:13. So to the sons of Aaron the priest they gave a city of refuge for the murderer - Hebron and its suburbs, Libn and its suburbs, Joshua 21:14. Iattir and its suburbs, Eshtemo and its suburbs, Joshua 21:15. Holon and its suburbs, Debir and its suburbs, Joshua 21:16. Ain and its suburbs, Jutta and its suburbs, Beth Shemesh and its suburbs: nine cities from these two tribes; Joshua 21:17. and from the tribe of Benjamin: Gibeon and her suburbs, Geba and her suburbs, Joshua 21:18. Anathoth and its suburbs, Almon and its suburbs: four cities. Joshua 21:19. Of all the cities, the sons of Aaron, the priests, inherited thirteen cities with their suburbs. Of the 13 cities that fell to the priests, 11 were named in the previous chapters and indicated by their location (Hebron, Joshua 10:3; Libnah, Joshua 10:29; Iattir, Joshua 15:48; Eshtemo, Joshua 15:50; Holon, Joshua 15:51; Debir, Joshua 10:38; Ain, Joshua 19:7 ; Utah, Joshua 15:55 ; Gibeon, Joshua 18:28 ; Of the other two cities, Anathoth was an hour's journey northeast of Jerusalem, on the site of which is now the Muslim village of Anata; from the top of the hill on which the village is located, there is a wide view of the Jordan Valley and the Trans-Jordan mountains. Almon, currently the site of the ruins of Almit, 20 minutes northeast of Anata. The cities given to the priests are listed back in 1 Chronicles 6:54–60. Joshua 21:20. And the tribes of the sons of Kohath, the Levites, and the rest of the sons of Kohath, according to their lot, received cities from the tribe of Ephraim; Joshua 21:21. They gave them a city of refuge for the murderer - Shechem and its suburbs, on Mount Ephraim, Gezer and its suburbs, Joshua 21:22. Kibzaim and its suburbs, Beth-oron and its suburbs: four cities; Joshua 21:23. from the tribe of Dan: Elpheke and its suburbs, Gibethon and its suburbs, Joshua 21:24. Aijalon and its suburbs, Gath-rimmon and its suburbs: four cities; Joshua 21:25. from the half tribe of Manasseh: Taanach and its suburbs, Gath-rimmon and its suburbs: two cities. Joshua 21:26. Of all the cities with their suburbs, the other tribes of the sons of Kohath got ten. Of the 10 cities received by the other clans of the generation of Kohath, 8 cities are named in the previous chapters (Shechem, Joshua 17:7; Gezer, Joshua 10:33; Beth-Oron - upper (Joshua 10:10) or lower (Joshua 16:3); Elteke and Gibethon, Joshua 19:44; Ailon, Joshua 19:42 ; Gath-Rimmon, Joshua 19:45 ; Taanach, Joshua 12:21 ). Of the other two, Kivtsaim remains unknown in its position. As for Gath-Rimmon, given to the Kohathites from the half-tribe of Manasseh, this name, according to the current Hebrew text, is the same as that of the city of the tribe of Dan, named in Joshua 21:24, recognized by commentators who follow the Hebrew text, which was included in it by mistake of an ancient scribe 215. In 1 Chronicles 6:70, the second city given from the half-tribe of Manasseh to the Kohathites is called Bileam, according to the Slavic Bible Ievlaam, according to the Greek lists. This last name is exactly the same as Ivlaam according to the Slavic Bible, as Ivlaam was called according to the Hebrew text, which belonged to the half-tribe of Manasseh (Joshua 17:11) 216. Joshua 21:27. And to the sons of Gershon, from the tribes of the Levites, they gave: from half the tribe of Manasseh a city of refuge for the murderer - Golan in Bashan and its suburbs, and Beeshtera and its suburbs: two cities; Joshua 21:28. from the tribe of Issachar: Kishion and its suburbs, Davrath and its suburbs, Joshua 21:29. Jarmuth and its suburbs, En-Gannim and its suburbs: four cities; Joshua 21:30. from the tribe of Asher: Mishal and its suburbs, Abdon and its suburbs, Joshua 21:31. Helkath and its suburbs, Rehob and its suburbs: four cities; Joshua 21:32. from the tribe of Naphtali, a city of refuge for a murderer is Kedesh in Galilee and its suburbs, Hamoth-dor and its suburbs, Carphan and its suburbs: three cities. Joshua 21:33. Of all the cities, the sons of Gershon, according to their tribes, inherited thirteen cities with their suburbs. Of the 13 cities given to the generation of Gershon, the names of 9 cities clearly correspond to those indicated in the previous chapters (Golan, Joshua 20:8; Kishion, Joshua 19:20; Davrath, Joshua 19:12; En-Gannim, Joshua 19:21; Mishal, Joshua 19:26; Helkath, Joshua 19:25; Rehob, Joshua 19:28 ; Kedesh in Galilee, Joshua 19:37 ; Kedesh and Hamoth-dor, Hamath Joshua 19:35 ). The other 4 city names require explanation. Beeshtera (Βοσορα, Βεεθαρα, Veesfera; translated by Blessed Hieronymus Bosra) is distinguished by some [researchers] from Astarof (Joshua 9:10,12:4) as having a different name (in the LXX Ασταρωθ - slav. Astarof) and is recognized specifically as Bostra, the former main city of Gaurana, located, according to Eusebius (Ασταρωθ), 31 Roman stages (about 43 versts) east of Astarof. In Eusebius, Veesfera, corresponding to the biblical Beeshtera, also differs, as one might think, from Astaroth. With all this, the identification of Beeshtera with Bostra is subject to doubt in view of the fact that in 1 Chronicles 6:71, where the cities given to the generation of Gershon are listed, instead of Beeshtera the name Ashtaroth is put in the Hebrew text, i.e., the name that the capital of the Bashan king bore according to the instructions of Joshua 9:10 and other places. This is given by the writer of the book. Chronicles, the explanation of the name Beeshtera must, of course, have greater significance than considerations based on ancient translations and inspection of the area. Beeshtera, therefore, represents a slightly different, but homogeneous in basis (the name of the goddess Astarte), perhaps an abbreviated (from the words “beit Ashtera” - the house of Ashtera) name of Astarov, which was located within the West Jordanian tribe of Manasseh, on the site of the present Tel Aghoter, north of Hieromax. Iarmuth (Ρεμμαθ, Ιερμαθ, Iermoth), given to the Levites from the tribe of Issachar, also represents a slightly different name for the same city, which in Joshua 19:21 is indicated under the name Remeth (Ρεμμας, Ρεμαθ, Ramath). The basis for this identification is the obvious similarity of both names, especially according to the Vatican list, and the fact that Iarmuth and Remeth in both places of the biblical text precede the name of the city of En-Gannim - Avdon (Δαββων, Αβδων, Avdon) 217, given by the tribe of Asher, do not appear in the list of cities this knee. The opinion of some of the commentators that Abʹdon corresponds to Euron, named in Joshua 19:28, whose name instead of the original Avdon entered the Hebrew text due to a scribe’s error, is not without foundation; the latter is that in the 20 codices of the Hebrew text, Joshua 19:28 reads Abdon 218. The place of Abdon is currently indicated not far from the shore of the Mediterranean Sea, 6 versts east of Achziv (Joshua 19:29) in Abde, as the ruins are called. Karfan (Θεμμων, Νοεμμων, Noemmon) is unknown in its position. Joshua 21:34. To the tribes of the sons of Merari, the rest of the Levites, were given: from the tribe of Zebulun Jokneam and its suburbs, Carpha and its suburbs, Joshua 21:35. Dimna and its suburbs, Nagalal and its suburbs: four cities; Joshua 21:36. [on the other side of the Jordan against Jericho] from the tribe of Reuben [a city of refuge for the murderer was given] Bezer [in the desert of Misor] and its suburbs, Jaaz and its suburbs, Joshua 21:37. Kedemoth and its suburbs, Mephaath and its suburbs: four cities; Joshua 21:38. from the tribe of Gad: cities of refuge for the murderer - Ramoth in Gilead and its suburbs, Mahanaim and its suburbs, Joshua 21:39. Heshbon and its suburbs, Jazer and its suburbs: all the cities are four. Joshua 21:40. Of all the cities, the sons of Merari according to their tribes, and the rest of the tribes of the Levites, by lot, received twelve cities. Of the 12 cities given to the generation of Merari, on the western and eastern sides of the Jordan, 10 cities are named in the previous chapters (Jokneam, Joshua 12:22; Bezer, Joshua 20:8; Jaazah, Kedemoth, Mephaath, Joshua 13:18; Ramoth in Gilead, Joshua 20:8; Mahanaim, Joshua 13:26; Heshbon, Joshua 13:17 and Jazer, Joshua 13:25). The remaining two cities, Karfa and Dimna, are unknown in their position. In Joshua 21:36, the words in parentheses "[Beyond the Jordan against Jericho... in the wilderness of Misor]" are not readable in the current Hebrew text, in editions of which the verses of Joshua 21:36-37 are omitted or printed below the line. But they are found in the LXX translation, in its oldest and most recent copies, on the basis of which they were translated in the Slavic and Russian Bible; in the latter the translation follows the text of the Alexandrian list. That these verses were originally in the Hebrew text is evident, in addition to the evidence of the LXX translation, from Joshua 20:7, which says that the sons of Merarin received cities from the tribe of Reuben; the Levitical cities of this tribe are listed in the given verses. Joshua 21:42. With these cities there were suburbs around each city: so it was with all these cities. [When Jesus finished dividing the land according to its borders, then the children of Israel gave a part to Joshua at the commandment of the Lord, they gave him the city that he asked for, they gave Timnath-Sarah to him on Mount Ephraim, and Jesus built the city that he asked for and lived in it. And Joshua took the stone knives with which he had circumcised the children of Israel who were born on the way in the wilderness, for they were not circumcised in the wilderness; and laid them in Timnath-sara]. The words “[when Jesus ended the division of the earth... at Timnath-Sara]” placed here in brackets are not in the Hebrew text, but are read in the LXX translation, according to its oldest and most recent copies. The first half of them is a repetition of what was said in Joshua 19:49–50; the second is an addition made by Greek translators. At the time of Origen, this insertion was already in the translation copies of the LXX, as can be seen from the special sign (ovela) preserved in some of them, indicating the absence of the words that comprise it in the Hebrew text. The possibility of omission of these words in later copies of the Hebrew text is eliminated by the fact that they are not in the Syriac translation 219 and in the translation of Blessed Jerome. Confirmation of the information about the circumcision knives laid by Joshua in Timnath-sara, through the discovery that was made in the tomb of Anbie (Joshua 19:50), turns out to be invalid 220; when the city of Joshua is identified with Kefar Horez, its very tomb is transferred to another place, and through this the connection with what was found in the tomb of Anbiye is severed. In view of this, the quoted words of the LXX translation can rightly be recognized as an addition made by Greek translators on the basis of a tradition or legend that existed in their time, which they valued so highly that they added it as an addition to the biblical text. Joshua 21:43. Thus the Lord gave to Israel all the land that he had sworn to give to their fathers, and they received it as an inheritance and settled on it. Joshua 21:44. And the Lord gave them rest on all sides, as he swore to their fathers, and none of all their enemies stood against them; The Lord delivered all their enemies into their hands. Joshua 21:45. Of all the good words that the Lord spoke to the house of Israel, not one word remained unfulfilled; everything came true. The presentation of the second part of the book of Joshua ends with an indication of the perfect fulfillment on the part of the Lord of the promises He gave to the people of Israel: the people took possession of the land of Canaan, and no enemy opposed its dominion over it. If the country was not completely cleared of its former inhabitants and the latter prevented the new rulers from using some areas, then the Lord did not promise the immediate extermination of the enemies (Ex. 23:29–30; Deut. 7:22). This cleansing of the land from the Canaanites remaining in it had to be accomplished through the people’s own efforts with God’s help, which was always given when asked for. If this did not happen, then the reason was the lack of not only national efforts, but also the efforts of individual tribes in expelling the Canaanites from their inheritance at a time when they were able to do this (Joshua 17:13). See, for example, Keil. Iosua, 167. The name Gath-Rimmon in Joshua 21:25, in the Alexandrian and other lists corresponds to Βαιθσα or Βαιθσαν (Vatican list Ιεβαθα), according to the Slavic Bible "Bethsan" was the name of the city, which also belonged to the Manasseh half-tribe (Joshua 17:11). But this Bethsan was not a Levitical city. In the LXX this name is conveyed in the Vatican list. Keil. Iosua, 157. It should be noted, however, that Euron in the LXX bears other names different from those by which Avdon is designated; it is precisely called Ελβων, Αχραν. Akhran in ancient lists. You might be interested in: