Joshua 21:25

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

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Benson Commentary

Joshua 21:25. Half the tribe — Namely, that half which dwelt in Canaan.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

21:9-42 By mixing the Levites with the other tribes, they were made to see that the eyes of all Israel were upon them, and therefore it was their concern to walk so that their ministry might not be blamed. Every tribe had its share of Levites' cities. Thus did God graciously provide for keeping up religion among them, and that they might have the word in all parts of the land. Yet, blessed be God, we have the gospel more diffused amongst us.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Of the cities of the non-priestly Kohathites, for Kibzaim we find Jokmeam in 1 Chronicles 6:68. This is perhaps another name for the same place, since both names may be derived from roots having a similar meaning; and for Gath-rimmon in 1 Chronicles 6:70, Bileam is given, and probably correctly; Gath-rimmon having apparently been repeated inadvertently from the preceding verse. Bileam is but another form of Ibleam Joshua 17:11.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Jos 21:9-42. The Cities of the Priests.

9-40. they gave … these cities which are here mentioned by name—It was overruled by the unerring providence of the Divine Lawgiver that the cities of the priests lay within the territories of Judah and Benjamin. This was a provision, the admirable wisdom and propriety of which were fully manifested on the schism that took place in the reign of Rehoboam.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

To wit, that half which dwelt in Canaan, by comparing this with Joshua 21:27.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And out of the half tribe of Manasseh, Taanach with her suburbs,.... Of which see Joshua 17:10,

and Gathrimmon with her suburbs, there was a city of this name in Dan, as in Joshua 21:24; nor was it unusual for cities to be called by the same name in different tribes:

two cities; these are called Aner and Bilean in 1 Chronicles 6:70; in process of time cities changed their names; two cities were a proper proportion for this half tribe; two more were given out of the other half tribe on the other side Jordan, as appears by what follows.

Geneva Study Bible

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

(i) Who dwelt in Canaan.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

25. Tanach] See ch. Joshua 12:21; Gath-rimmon, or Bileam (1 Chronicles 6:70) = Ibleam, see above, ch. Joshua 17:2.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 25. - Tanach. The same as the Taanach before mentioned, Joshua 12:21. In 1 Chronicles 6:70 (56 Hebrews text) we have Eth-aner, an obvious blunder, as the Hebrew shows, Resh having been read for Hheth, and Aleph having been inserted to form the Eth of the accusative ease. This reading existed, however, as far back as the LXX. version. Gath-rimmon. There is a blunder also here, where Gath-rimmon has crept in by the mistake of a copyist from the last verse. The true reading is preserved in 1 Chronicles 6:70, where we find Ibleam (see Joshua 17:11), or as it is there written Bileam; no doubt by mistake; the Hebrew letters (omitting the Jod, which has dropped out), being those that compose the familiar name of Balaam the prophet. The LXX. reads Jebath here. Joshua 21:25

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Towns of the Levites. - Joshua 21:20-26. The other Kohathites received four towns from the tribe of Ephraim (Joshua 21:21, Joshua 21:22), four from Dan (Joshua 21:23, Joshua 21:24), and two from the half tribe of Manasseh on this side of the Jordan (Joshua 21:25). From Ephraim they received Shechem (see Joshua 17:7), Gezer (Joshua 10:33), Kibzaim - for which we find Jockmeam in 1 Chronicles 6:68, possibly a different name for the same place, which has not yet been discovered - and Beth-horon, whether Upper or Lower is not stated (see Joshua 10:10). From Dan they received Elthekeh and Gibbethon (Joshua 19:44), Ajalon and Gath-rimmon (Joshua 19:42, Joshua 19:45). From half Manasseh they received Taanach (Joshua 17:11; Joshua 12:21) and Gath-rimmon - eye to the previous verse, for Bileam (1 Chronicles 6:70), i.e., Jibleam (Joshua 17:11).