And out of the half tribe of Manasseh, Tanach with her suburbs, and Gathrimmon with her suburbs; two cities.

JOSHUA 21:25KJV
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Joshua 21:25 (KJV)

What does Joshua 21:25 mean?

Joshua 21:25 records part of the land allotment for the Levites, a group within Israel set apart for religious service. Two towns and their surrounding lands came from the territory of the half tribe of Manasseh: Tanach and Gathrimmon.

The verse continues a list of towns assigned to Levite families descended from Kohath. The count of “two cities” marks the contribution from this part of Manasseh’s territory.

The Hebrew behind Joshua 21:25

  • “suburbs” — מִגְרָשׁ (migrash): This word refers to open land around a town. Here, “suburbs” means surrounding land, rather than a modern residential area outside a city.
  • “cities” — עִיר (ʿir): This word can mean a town or a settled place. The KJV’s “cities” need not suggest large urban centers like cities today.

Why Joshua 21:25 matters

  • The Levites’ towns were drawn from other tribes’ territories. Joshua 21:25 places these two towns within the area belonging to the half tribe of Manasseh.
  • The surrounding land was part of the allotment, not just the places where people lived. The verse names each town “with her suburbs.”

Where else these words appear

“Gathrimmon” Hebrew H1667 · used in 4 verses

  • Joshua 19:45 And Jehud, and Beneberak, and Gathrimmon,
  • Joshua 21:24 Aijalon with her suburbs, Gathrimmon with her suburbs; four cities.
  • 1 Chronicles 6:69 And Aijalon with her suburbs, and Gathrimmon with her suburbs:

“Tanach” Hebrew H8590 · used in 7 verses

  • Joshua 12:21 The king of Taanach, one; the king of Megiddo, one;
  • Judges 1:27 Neither did Manasseh drive out the inhabitants of Bethshean and her towns, nor Taanach and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns: but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.
  • 1 Kings 4:12 Baana the son of Ahilud; to him pertained Taanach and Megiddo, and all Bethshean, which is by Zartanah beneath Jezreel, from Bethshean to Abelmeholah, even unto the place that is beyond Jokneam:

“half” Hebrew H4276 · used in 14 verses

  • Exodus 30:13 This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary:(a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the LORD.
  • Leviticus 6:20 This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons, which they shall offer unto the LORD in the day when he is anointed; the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a meat offering perpetual, half of it in the morning, and half thereof at night.
  • Numbers 31:47 Even of the children of Israel's half, Moses took one portion of fifty, both of man and of beast, and gave them unto the Levites, which kept the charge of the tabernacle of the LORD; as the LORD commanded Moses.

“suburbs” Hebrew H4054 · used in 67 verses

  • Leviticus 25:34 But the field of the suburbs of their cities may not be sold; for it is their perpetual possession.
  • Joshua 21:26 All the cities were ten with their suburbs for the families of the children of Kohath that remained.
  • 1 Chronicles 6:68 And Jokmeam with her suburbs, and Bethhoron with her suburbs,