And Ain with her suburbs, and Juttah with her suburbs, and Bethshemesh with her suburbs; nine cities out of those two tribes.

JOSHUA 21:16KJV
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Joshua 21:16 (KJV)

What does Joshua 21:16 mean?

Joshua 21:16 lists three towns—Ain, Juttah, and Bethshemesh—along with their surrounding lands, as part of a group of nine cities given from two tribes to the Levites. This verse is part of a detailed record of how certain cities and their nearby areas were set aside for the Levite families in ancient Israel.

Joshua is recounting how the land was divided after Israel entered Canaan. The Levites, who served in religious roles, did not receive a large territory like the other tribes but were given specific cities and their "suburbs" (the land around them) to live in. This verse is part of a larger section listing these Levitical cities, showing careful attention to the distribution of land and the fulfillment of earlier instructions from God.

The Hebrew behind Joshua 21:16

  • עַיִן (Ayin, transliterated "Ain"): This is the name of one of the cities. The name means "spring" or "fountain," which may hint at the city's location near a water source.
  • מִגְרָשׁ (migrash, transliterated "suburbs"): This word refers to the open land or pastureland around a city, not urban suburbs as we think of today. These lands were important for the Levites' livestock and daily needs.
  • יֻטָּה (Yuttah, transliterated "Juttah"): Another city name, included in the list to show the specific places given.
  • בֵּית שֶׁמֶשׁ (Beit Shemesh, transliterated "Bethshemesh"): This city name means "house of the sun," possibly indicating a location associated with sun worship or with a prominent position.
  • תֵּשַׁע (tesha', transliterated "nine"): The verse emphasizes the total number of cities given from these two tribes, showing the careful accounting in the distribution.

Why Joshua 21:16 matters

  • Joshua 21:16 clarifies that the Levites were given not just cities but also the surrounding lands, which were essential for their way of life and service.
  • The verse highlights the fulfillment of God's earlier commands about providing for the Levites, showing the community's responsibility to care for those who served in religious roles.
  • By naming specific cities and their lands, Joshua 21:16 connects this passage to the broader narrative of land division and faithfulness to God's instructions in the book of Joshua.

Where else these words appear

“Juttah” Hebrew H3194 · used in 2 verses

“Ain” Hebrew H5871 · used in 5 verses

  • Numbers 34:11 And the coast shall go down from Shepham to Riblah, on the east side of Ain; and the border shall descend, and shall reach unto the side of the sea of Chinnereth eastward:
  • Joshua 15:32 And Lebaoth, and Shilhim, and Ain, and Rimmon: all the cities are twenty and nine, with their villages:
  • Joshua 19:7 Ain, Remmon, and Ether, and Ashan; four cities and their villages:

“Bethshemesh” Hebrew H1053 · used in 19 verses

  • Joshua 15:10 And the border compassed from Baalah westward unto mount Seir, and passed along unto the side of mount Jearim, which is Chesalon, on the north side, and went down to Bethshemesh, and passed on to Timnah:
  • 1 Samuel 6:13 And they of Bethshemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley: and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it.
  • 2 Kings 14:13 And Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Bethshemesh, and came to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim unto the corner gate, four hundred cubits.

“nine” Hebrew H8672 · used in 57 verses

  • Genesis 5:5 And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.
  • Numbers 34:13 And Moses commanded the children of Israel, saying, This is the land which ye shall inherit by lot, which the LORD commanded to give unto the nine tribes, and to the half tribe:
  • 2 Kings 25:8 And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, which is the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, unto Jerusalem: