The Levites placed throughout israel and the conquest summarised

Text Joshua 21 Time 20 06 21 Place Childs Hill Baptist Church (Zoom)

We come this week to Joshua 21 where we read of the final tribal allotment of land, that to the Levites. The Levites, of course, are different in that they are given land all over Israel not just in one place.

There are three movements in the chapter - an introduction and the main matter on the Levites in verses 9-20. There then comes a conclusion for the book so far.

1. Consider the opening statements made about the Levites

In verses 1-8 we read Now the family heads of the Levites approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the other tribal families of Israel at Shiloh in Canaan and said to them, "The LORD commanded through Moses that you give us towns to live in, with pasturelands for our livestock." So, as the LORD had commanded, the Israelites gave the Levites the following towns and pasturelands out of their own inheritance:

and then you read how The first lot came out for the Kohathites, according to their clans. The Levites who were descendants of Aaron the priest were allotted 13 towns from the tribes of Judah, Simeon and Benjamin.

Next The rest of Kohath's descendants were allotted 10 towns from the clans of the tribes of Ephraim, Dan and half of Manasseh.

Then The descendants of Gershon were allotted 13 towns from the clans of the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.

And finally The descendants of Merari, according to their clans, received 12 towns from the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Zebulun.

Verse 8 concludes So the Israelites allotted to the Levites these towns and their pasturelands, as the LORD had commanded through Moses. Three things here

1. The Levites make their approach

The final lot was not assigned until the Levites made their claim. An inheritance is provided as with the other tribes but they must ask for it. Ask, and it shall be given you. They are an example in this. Note how they build their claim on a good foundation - not their own merits but God's command (The LORD commanded through Moses that you give us towns to live in, with pasturelands for our livestock they say). God provides for us but he will have us pray for these blessings.

He commands today that ministers be provided for. We should all consider our role in this

They did not make their claim until all the rest of the tribes were provided for, of course. Until then the various tribes could not give anything to the Levites. It showed humility, modesty and patience for the Levites to be willing to be served last. We too should be the same.

2. The Levites are provided for immediately, without dispute.

It says that as the LORD had commanded, the Israelites gave the Levites the following towns and pasturelands out of their own inheritance .... God decided how many there would be - 48 in all. Presumably it was done by Joshua and the others deciding how many towns each tribe was to give. So God had commanded (Numbers 35:8) The towns you give the Levites from the land the Israelites possess are to be given in proportion to the inheritance of each tribe: Take many towns from a tribe that has many, but few from one that has few. And here it is happening - and, it would seem, they gave some of the best and most considerable places. It looks like they chose them in a way that would mean there were Levites everywhere in Israel. No-one would be too far from a Levite city.

On the other hand the giving was at the Lord's command. This was an act of obedience. They gave the number God commanded. It was right that the Levites should not ask for more. The Israelites kindly included the pasturelands around the towns in their allotment

3. When the 48 cities were chosen, they were divided into four lots and then distributed by lot among the different Levite clans.

The first lot went to Aaron and his sons, who were the only priests. They were given 13 cities by the tribes of Judah, Simeon and Benjamin. In God's wisdom then though Jerusalem was not made a Levite city, it being still in Jebusite hands, the priests were given towns near Jerusalem. In due time that would be the holy city, where their main work would be.

The second lot went to the rest of the Kohathites. They were given the cities that lay in Dan, which was next to Judah, and Ephraim and the half-tribe of Manasseh, which was next to Benjamin. So these Kohathites lived next to Aaron's sons.

Gershon was the eldest son of Levi and so his children were put before Merari but not Kohath, even though younger. This is all part of God's mysterious providence.

The Merarites were last and furthest off.

2. Consider the main statements made about the Levites

In verses 9-42 we have more detail about the four allotments to the Levites.

First (9-19) we read how the first lot fell to the Aaronites who were given cities From the tribes of Judah and Simeon ... Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron), with its surrounding pastureland, in the hill country of Judah. (Arba was the forefather of Anak.) But the fields and villages around the city they had given to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his possession. So to the descendants of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron (a city of refuge for one accused of murder), and

Libnah, Jattir, Eshtemoa, Holon, Debir, Ain, Juttah & Beth Shemesh, together with their pasturelands - 9 towns from these 2 tribes.

and from the tribe of Benjamin ... Gibeon, Geba, Anathoth and Almon ... with their pasturelands - 4 towns

The total number of towns for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, came to 13 ... with their pasturelands

Then comes the rest of the Kohathites (20-26) they were allotted towns from the tribe of Ephraim: In the hill country of Ephraim they were given Shechem (a city of refuge ...) and Gezer, Kibzaim and Beth Horon, ... with their pasturelands - 4 towns.

Also from the tribe of Dan they received Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Aijalon and Gath Rimmon ... with their pasturelands - 4 towns.

From half the tribe of Manasseh they received Taanach and Gath Rimmon...with their pasturelands - 2 towns

All these 10 towns & their pasturelands were given to the rest of the Kohathite clans.

Third, the Gershonites (27-33). Their towns came from the half-tribe of Manasseh, Golan in Bashan (a city of refuge ... ) and Be Eshterah ...with their pasturelands - 2 towns;

from the tribe of Issachar, Kishion, Daberath, Jarmuth and En Gannim...with their pasturelands - 4 towns

from the tribe of Asher, Mishal, Abdon, Helkath & Rehob...with their pasturelands - 4 towns

from the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee (a city of refuge ...), Hammoth Dor and Kartan...with their pasturelands - 3 towns.

The total number of towns of the Gershonite clans came to 13, together with their pasturelands.

Finally, the Merarites (34-42) The Merarite clans (the rest of the Levites) were given:

from the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam, Kartah, Dimnah and Nahalal...with their pasturelands - 4 towns

from the tribe of Reuben, Bezer, Jahaz, Kedemoth and Mephaath...with their pasturelands - 4 towns

from the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead (a city of refuge ...) Mahanaim, Heshbon and Jazer, together with their pasturelands - 4 towns in all.

The total number of towns allotted to the Merarite clans who were the rest of the Levites came to 12

The towns of the Levites in the territory held by the Israelites were 48 in all...with their pasturelands. Each of these towns had pasturelands surrounding it; this was true for all these towns

1. The Levites were dispersed among the tribes and not allowed all to live in any one area.

By this means they would find work to do and be able to provide for themselves to some extent. They were open to scrutiny by the people in away that they would not have been had they all lived in one place. The eyes of all Israel were on them and they would have lived in the light of that fact.

2. Every tribe in Israel was honoured by the presence of at least some Levite cities.

They were all God's people, and therefore they all had Levites among them. It showed the kindness of God to them. it made it easy for the people to receive advice and instruction from the Levites. The Levites were like salt preserving the life of the nation - just as we who believe are to be the same in society today. At the same time because potentially there is a minister in every church we are all provided for.

3. Some 13 cities, including some of the best, were given to the priests, the sons of Aaron.

The Aaronites proved to be a large clan in the end even though two of aaropn's sons were out to death. God saw how they would flourish in due time and provided fro them.

4. Some Levite towns are mentioned later in Scripture - Hebron is where David began his reign. Mahanaim is where he had his headquarters when he fled from Absalom. The first Israelite considered a sort of king was Abimelech, son of Gideon, and he reigned in Shechem, another Levite city. Anathoth was where Jeremiah was from.

5. The number of Levite cities altogether was more than most tribes, except Judah, even though Levi was one of the smaller tribes. It is a reminder of God's kindness and a call to be kind to his servants. Of course, unlike the Levites, the tribes had olenty of unwalled towns and other areas not mentioned by name. Levites were provided for so that they could live comfortable and useful lives, as should eb the case with ministers today.

3. Consider the concluding statements made of a more general nature

Verses 43-45 So the LORD gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their ancestors, and they took possession of it and settled there. Then The LORD gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their ancestors. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the LORD gave all their enemies into their hands. And Not one of all the LORD's good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.

Dale Ralph Davis calls these verses the theological heart of the book and yet some commentaries do not give the verses the attention they deserve. One writer suggests that verse 43 summarises Chapters 13-21 So the LORD gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their ancestors, and they took possession of it and settled there and verse 44, Chapters 1-12 The LORD gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their ancestors. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the LORD gave all their enemies into their hands. Verse 45 then sums up the whole book - Not one of all the LORD's good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.

Three things here about God's promises

1. God had promised to give the seed of Abraham the land of Canaan as a possession, and now at last he had done it. They possessed it and lived in it. Though they had long not benefited from the promise and it had been a long time coming now at last all the difficulties were over and Canaan was now their own.

One day we who believe will know something similar - heaven will be ours forever.

2. God had promised to give them rest in that land, and now they had rest.

The trudging through the wilderness was over, the wars in Canaan were over. They were now living in their own land. it was quiet and peaceful, though there were still Canaanites remaining. But with the right spirit all was going to be well. It was only when their own sin and folly reasserted itself that they lost that peace. Watch out!

3. God had promised to give them victory and success in their wars, and this promise was also fulfilled.

There was no one left to face them. Wherever they turned their forces had seen success. Yes, there were Canaanites now remaining in many parts of the land and later on that would be a problem but that did not contradict God's promise. In Exodus 23:28-30 he had said

I will send the hornet ahead of you to drive the Hivites, Canaanites and Hittites out of your way. But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals too numerous for you. Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land.

At this point Israel held as much land as they needed and could manage. The Canaanites merely kept possession of some less cultivated parts of the country until Israel, in due time, would become numerous enough. It was only later that Israel had problems with the Canaanites and that was due to their own cowardice and laziness. God used the Canaanites to punish them at that time.

This is always the case then - God's promises can be trusted. He always fulfils them. Never doubt him.