King James Version

What Does Joshua 21:2 Mean?

Joshua 21:2 in the King James Version says “And they spake unto them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, The LORD commanded by the hand of Moses to give us cit...” — study this verse from Joshua chapter 21 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And they spake unto them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, The LORD commanded by the hand of Moses to give us cities to dwell in, with the suburbs thereof for our cattle.”

Joshua 21:2 · KJV

Context

1

Then came near the heads of the fathers of the Levites unto Eleazar the priest, and unto Joshua the son of Nun, and unto the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel;

2

And they spake unto them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, The LORD commanded by the hand of Moses to give us cities to dwell in, with the suburbs thereof for our cattle.

3

And the children of Israel gave unto the Levites out of their inheritance, at the commandment of the LORD, these cities and their suburbs.

4

And the lot came out for the families of the Kohathites: and the children of Aaron the priest, which were of the Levites, had by lot out of the tribe of Judah, and out of the tribe of Simeon, and out of the tribe of Benjamin, thirteen cities.

Read Joshua 21 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
And they spake unto them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, The LORD commanded by the hand of Moses to give us cities to dwell in, with the suburbs thereof for our cattle.

The Levites' appeal "The LORD commanded by the hand of Moses" (Yahweh tsivah beyad-Moshe, יְהוָה צִוָּה בְּיַד־מֹשֶׁה) grounds their request in direct divine revelation rather than human need or entitlement. The phrase beyad (בְּיַד, "by the hand of") designates Moses as God's authorized mediator—these weren't Moses' ideas but Yahweh's commands transmitted through Moses (Numbers 35:1-8, Deuteronomy 18:6-8). This demonstrates proper biblical advocacy: citing God's explicit Word rather than appealing to sentiment, tradition, or pragmatic arguments.

The request for "cities to dwell in" (arim lashevet, עָרִים לָשָׁבֶת) with "suburbs thereof for our cattle" (migresheyhen livhemtenu, מִגְרְשֵׁיהֶן לִבְהֶמְתֵּנוּ) shows the Levites understood both their spiritual calling and practical needs. Though they received no territorial inheritance like other tribes (Numbers 18:20-24), God commanded provision for housing and livestock. The migrash (מִגְרָשׁ, pasture land) extended 1000 cubits around each city, balancing the Levites' priestly dependence on tithes with agricultural subsistence. This models how Christian ministers deserve material support (1 Corinthians 9:13-14, 1 Timothy 5:17-18) without owning church property as personal inheritance.

The setting "at Shiloh" (beShilo, בְּשִׁלֹה) is significant—Shiloh housed the Tabernacle and represented Israel's worship center. The Levites made their claim where God's presence dwelt, before both civil (Joshua) and priestly (Eleazar) leadership. This illustrates proper ecclesiastical order: spiritual matters addressed in God's presence, with proper authorities cooperating in their distinct spheres.

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Historical & Cultural Context

This conversation occurred at Shiloh in central Canaan, where the Tabernacle was set up after the initial conquest (Joshua 18:1). Shiloh served as Israel's religious capital for over 300 years until its destruction during the judges period (Jeremiah 7:12-14). The Levites' petition came after the land distribution to the other twelve tribes was complete—they waited for others to receive inheritances before claiming their own provision, demonstrating patience and trust in God's timing.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does grounding your requests in God's revealed Word (rather than personal preference or need) change how you pray and make decisions?
  2. What does the balance between spiritual calling and practical provision teach about Christian vocation and material support for ministers?
  3. How does the Levites' patient waiting for God's timing before claiming their cities challenge your impatience in seeking God's promises?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 16 words
וַיְדַבְּר֨וּ1 of 16

“And they spake”

H1696

perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue

אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם2 of 16
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

בְּשִׁלֹ֗ה3 of 16

“unto them at Shiloh”

H7887

shiloh, a place in palestine

בְּאֶ֤רֶץ4 of 16

“in the land”

H776

the earth (at large, or partitively a land)

כְּנַ֙עַן֙5 of 16

“of Canaan”

H3667

kenaan, a son a ham; also the country inhabited by him

לֵאמֹ֔ר6 of 16

“saying”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

יְהוָה֙7 of 16

“The LORD”

H3068

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god

צִוָּ֣ה8 of 16

“commanded”

H6680

(intensively) to constitute, enjoin

בְיַד9 of 16

“by the hand”

H3027

a hand (the open one [indicating power, means, direction, etc.], in distinction from h3709, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great v

מֹשֶׁ֔ה10 of 16

“of Moses”

H4872

mosheh, the israelite lawgiver

לָֽתֶת11 of 16

“to give”

H5414

to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)

לָ֥נוּ12 of 16
H0
עָרִ֖ים13 of 16

“us cities”

H5892

a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)

לָשָׁ֑בֶת14 of 16

“to dwell in”

H3427

properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry

וּמִגְרְשֵׁיהֶ֖ן15 of 16

“with the suburbs”

H4054

a suburb (i.e., open country whither flocks are driven from pasture); hence, the area around a building, or the margin of the sea

לִבְהֶמְתֵּֽנוּ׃16 of 16

“thereof for our cattle”

H929

properly, a dumb beast; especially any large quadruped or animal (often collective)

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Joshua. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Joshua 21:2 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Joshua 21:2 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Joshua 18:1Numbers 35:2-8Matthew 10:101 Timothy 5:17-18Ezekiel 48:9-18Galatians 6:6

Places in This Verse

CanaanRegion · Modern: Canaan · 32.77°N, 35.33°E101 verses across 16 books
ShilohSettlement · Modern: Khirbet Seilun · 32.06°N, 35.29°E37 verses across 8 books
View all places in Joshua 21 →

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