Joshua 21:35 (KJV)

What does Joshua 21:35 mean?

Joshua 21:35 lists two towns, Dimnah and Nahalal, along with their surrounding lands ("suburbs"), as part of a group of four cities. These places were assigned to the Levites as part of their inheritance among the tribes of Israel.

This verse is part of a larger section where Joshua, as the leader of Israel, is distributing towns and lands to the Levite families, since the Levites did not receive a tribal territory of their own. The mention of "suburbs" refers to the pasturelands around each city, which were given for the Levites’ livestock and daily needs. The verse is a factual record, helping to show how the Israelites organized their land and fulfilled God's instructions for the Levites.

The Hebrew behind Joshua 21:35

• דִּמְנָה (Dimnah): This is the Hebrew name for one of the towns given to the Levites. Its meaning is not certain, but it identifies a specific location in Israel’s territory.
• נַחֲלָל (Nahalal): This is another town assigned to the Levites. The name may be related to the idea of something "winding" or "undulating," possibly describing the landscape.
• מִגְרָשׁ (migrash, translated "suburbs"): This word refers to the open land or pastureland around a city. It is not urban "suburbs" as we think of today, but rather the fields and grazing areas that supported the Levites’ daily life.
• אַרְבַּע (arba‘, "four"): The verse notes that these two towns, along with two others mentioned earlier, make up a total of four cities given in this allotment.
• עִיר (‘ir, "cities"): The word simply means "cities" or "towns," emphasizing the official status of these places as recognized settlements.

Why Joshua 21:35 matters

• Joshua 21:35 helps clarify that the Levites were provided for by being given specific towns and surrounding lands, rather than a single large territory like other tribes.
• The verse shows the careful organization and record-keeping in Israel’s settlement, reflecting the importance of each tribe and family’s role.
• This detail connects to the broader theme in Joshua of fulfilling God’s instructions for the distribution of the land, showing faithfulness to the covenant and practical care for the Levites.