---
title: "Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 1: Genesis to Jeremiah"
author: "Adam Clarke"
languages: [en]
shelf: "Commentaries"
section: 239 of 914
url: https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-1-genesis-to-jeremiah/239/
cite: "Adam Clarke, Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 1: Genesis to Jeremiah, section 239. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-1-genesis-to-jeremiah/239/"
---

# Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 1: Genesis to Jeremiah

*Adam Clarke*

Clarke's learned notes on the Hebrew and Greek, verse by verse, from Genesis to Revelation: volume 1 of 2.

## 239. Joshua · 25 of 30

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-1-genesis-to-jeremiah/239/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-1-genesis-to-jeremiah/239/#p-N

### Verse 2

[¶1] Cities of refuge - An institution of this kind was essentially necessary wherever the patriarchal law relative to the right of redemption and the avenging of blood was in force; we have already seen that the nearest of kin to a deceased person had not only the right of redeeming an inheritance that had been forfeited or alienated, but had also authority to slay on the spot the person who had slain his relative. Now, as a man might casually kill another against whom he had no ill-will, and with whom he had no quarrel, and might have his life taken away by him who was called the avenger of blood, though he had not forfeited his life to the law; therefore these privileged cities were appointed, where the person might have protection till the cause had been fully heard by the magistrates, who certainly had authority to deliver him up to the avenger, if they found, on examination, that he was not entitled to this protection. On this subject see the notes on [Num 35:11] to the end.

### Verse 7

[¶3] They appointed Kedesh in Galilee - The cities of refuge were distributed through the land at proper distances from each other that they might be convenient to every part of the land; and it is said they were situated on eminences, that they might be easily seen at a distance, the roads leading to them being broad, even, and always kept in good repair. In the concluding note on [Num 35:33] it has been stated that these cities were a type of our blessed Lord, and that the apostle refers to them as such, [Heb 6:17], [Heb 6:18]. Hence their names have been considered as descriptive of some character or office of Christ. I shall give each and its signification, and leave the application to others.

[¶4] 1. קדש Kedesh, from kadash, to separate or set apart, because it implies the consecration of a person or thing to the worship or service of God alone; hence to make or be holy, and hence Kedesh, holiness, the full consecration of a person to God.

[¶5] 2. שכם Shechem, from shacham, to be ready, forward, and diligent; hence Shechem, the shoulder, because of its readiness to bear burdens, prop up, sustain, etc., and from this ideal meaning it has the metaphorical one of Government.

[¶6] 3. חברון chebron; Hebron, from חבר chabar, to associate, join, conjoin, unite as friends; and hence chebron, fellowship, friendly association, or with the diminutive nun, the little fellow-ship or association.

[¶7] 4. בצר Bezer, from batsar, to restrain, enclose, shut up, or encompass with a wall; and hence the goods or treasure thus secured, and hence a fortified place, a fortress.

[¶8] 5. ראמות Ramoth, from ראם raam, to be raised, made high or exalted, and hence Ramoth, high places, eminences.

[¶9] 6. גולן Golan, from גלה galah, to remove, transmigrate, or pass away; hence Golan, a transmigration or passage. Some derive it from גל gal, to rejoice, hence Golan, rejoicing or exultation.

[¶10] A person of the spirit and turn of Origen could preach the whole Gospel from these particulars. Kedesh and Hebron were at the two extremities of the promised land; one was in Galilee, the other in the tribe of Judah, both in mountainous countries; and Shechem was in the tribe of Ephraim, nearly in the middle, between both. Bezer was on the east side of Jordan, in the plain, opposite to Jericho. Ramoth was about the midst of the country occupied by the two tribes and a half, about the middle of the mountains of Gilead. Golan was the capital of a district called Gaulonitis, in the land of Bashan, towards the southern extremity of the lot of Manasseh.

### Verse 9

[¶12] For all the children of Israel, and for the stranger - As these typified the great provision which God was making for the salvation of both Jews and Gentiles, hence the stranger as well as the Israelite had the same right to the benefits of these cities of refuge. Is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles?

[¶13] Until he stood before the congregation - The judges and elders of the people, in trying civil and criminal causes, always sat; the persons who came for judgment, or who were tried, always stood; hence the expressions so frequent in Scripture, Standing before the Lord, the judges, the elders, etc. It is worthy of remark that the cities of refuge were given to the Levites; see the following chapter, Joshua 21 (note). The sacrificial system alone afforded refuge; and while the suspected person was excluded from his family, etc., he had the advantage of being with those whose business it was to instruct the ignorant, and comfort the disconsolate. Thus he had the means constantly at hand, by a careful use of which he might grow wiser and better; secure the favor of his God, and a lot of blessedness in a better world. How wise, equal, and beneficent are all the institutions of God!

### Introduction

[¶15] The Levites apply to Eleazar, Joshua, and the elders, for the cities to dwell in which Moses had promised, [Jos 21:1], [Jos 21:2]. Their request is granted, [Jos 21:3]. The priests receive thirteen cities out of the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin, [Jos 21:4]. The Levites receive ten cities out of the tribes of Ephraim, Dan, and the half tribe of Manasseh, [Jos 21:5]; and thirteen out of the other half tribe of Manasseh, and the tribes of Issachar, Asher, and Naphtali, [Jos 21:6]. The children of Merari had twelve cities out of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun, [Jos 21:7]. The names of the cities given out of the tribes of Judah and Simeon, [Jos 21:8-16]. Those granted out of the tribe of Benjamin, [Jos 21:17-19]. Out of Ephraim, [Jos 21:20-22]. Those out of Dan, [Jos 21:23], [Jos 21:24]. Those out of both the halves of the tribe of Manasseh, [Jos 21:25-27]. Those out of the tribe of Issachar, [Jos 21:28], [Jos 21:29]. Those out of Asher, [Jos 21:30], [Jos 21:31]. Those out of Naphtali, [Jos 21:32]. These were the cities of the Gershonites, [Jos 21:33]. The cities of the Merarites, [Jos 21:34-40]. The sum of the cities given to the Levites, forty-eight, [Jos 21:41], [Jos 21:42]. The exact fulfillment of all God's promises, [Jos 21:43-45].

### Verse 1

[¶17] The heads of the fathers of the Levites - The Levites were composed of three brand families, the Gershonites, Koathites, and Merarites, independently of the family of Aaron, who might be said to form a fourth. To none of these had God assigned any portion in the division of the land. But in this general division it must have been evidently intended that the different tribes were to furnish them with habitations; and this was according to a positive command of God, [Num 35:2], etc. Finding now that each tribe had its inheritance appointed to it, the heads of the Levites came before Eleazar, Joshua, and the chiefs of the tribes who had been employed in dividing the land, and requested that cities and suburbs should be granted them according to the Divine command.

### Verse 3

[¶19] And the children of Israel gave unto the Levites - They cheerfully obeyed the Divine command, and cities for habitations were appointed to them out of the different tribes by lot, that it might as fully appear that God designed them their habitations, as he designed the others their inheritances.

### Verse 4

[¶21] Out of the tribe of Judah - Simeon, and - Benjamin, thirteen cities - These tribes furnished more habitations to the Levites in proportion than any of the other tribes, because they possessed a more extensive inheritance; and Moses had commanded, [Num 35:8], From them that have many, ye shall give many; and from them that have few, ye shall give few: every one shall give of his cities unto the Levites, according to his inheritance. It is worthy of remark, that the principal part of this tribe, whose business was to minister at the sanctuary, which sanctuary was afterwards to be established in Jerusalem, had their appointment nearest to that city; so that they were always within reach of the sacred work which God had appointed them.

### Verse 5

[¶23] And the rest of the children of Kohath - That is, the remaining part of that family that were not priests, for those who were priests had their lot in the preceding tribes. Those, therefore, of the family of Kohath, who were simply Levites, and not of the priests or Aaron's family, (see [Jos 21:10]), had their habitations in Ephraim, Dan, and the half tribe of Manasseh. It has been asked in what sense did the Levites possess those cities, seeing they had no inheritance? To which it may be answered that it is not likely the Levites had the exclusive property of the cities in which they dwelt, for it is evident that the other Israelites dwelt among them. We know, says Calmet, by history, that the cities of the Levites were almost entirely filled with Israelites of other tribes. For instance, Gibeah of Benjamin, which is here given to the Levites, [Jos 21:17], was always peopled by the Benjamites, as appears from the history of the Levite, whose wife was so horribly abused by them; [Jdg 19:22-27]. Saul and all his family dwelt in the same city; and David and his court spent the first years of his reign at Hebron, which was also a city of the Levites, [Jos 21:10]. It appears, therefore, that they had no other property in those cities than merely the right to certain houses, which they might sell, but always with the right of perpetual redemption, for they could finally alienate nothing; and if the possessor of such a house, having sold it, did not redeem it at the year of jubilee, it reverted to the Levites. And as to their lands for their cattle, which extended two thousand cubits without the city, these they were not permitted to sell: they were considered as the Lord's property. See [Lev 25:32-34] (note), and the notes there. It is therefore very likely that, in the first instance, the Levites had simply the right to choose, in all the cities assigned them, the houses in which they were to dwell, and that those of the tribe to which the city belonged occupied all the other dwellings. There is also reason to believe that in process of time, when the families of the Levites increased, they had more dwellings assigned to them, which were probably built at the public expense. We may also observe that the Levites were not absolutely bound to live in these and no other cities: for when the tabernacle was at Nob, priests and Levites dwelt there, see [1Sam 21:1], etc.; and when the worship of God was established at Jerusalem, multitudes both of priests and Reviles dwelt there, though it was no Levitical city: as did the courses of priests afterwards at Jericho. This was a circumstance which Moses had foreseen, and for which he had provided. See [Deu 18:6], etc.

### Verse 11

[¶25] The city of Arba - See the note on [Jos 14:15].

### Verse 12

[¶27] The fields of the city - gave they to Caleb - This was an exclusive privilege to him and his family, with which the grant to the Levites did not interfere. See the notes on [Jos 14:14].

### Verse 18

[¶29] Anathoth - Celebrated as the birthplace of Jeremiah, about three miles northward of Jerusalem, according to St. Jerome.

### Verse 19

[¶31] Thirteen cities with their suburbs - At the time mentioned here certainly thirteen cities were too large a proportion for the priests, as they and their families amounted to a very small number: but this ample provision was made in reference to their great increase in after times, when they formed twenty-four courses, as in the days of David.

### Verse 22

[¶33] Beth-horon - There were two cities of this name, the upper and the nether; but which is intended here, cannot be ascertained.

### Verse 24

[¶35] Aijalon - See on [Jos 10:12] (note).

### Verse 27

[¶37] Golan in Bashan - On this and the other cities of refuge mentioned here, see the note on [Jos 20:7].

### Verse 35

[¶39] Dimnah with her suburbs, etc. - It is well known to every Hebrew scholar that the two following verses are wholly omitted by the Masora; and are left out in some of the most correct and authentic Hebrew Bibles. Between critics there is no small controversy relative to the authenticity of these verses; and those who wish to see the arguments at large on both sides, must consult the Variae Lectiones of De Rossi on this place. Dr. Kennicott, who is a strenuous advocate for their authenticity argues thus in their behalf: "[Jos 21:41] and [Jos 21:42] of this chapter tell us that the Levitical cities were forty-eight, and that they had been all as such described; so that they must have been all specified in this chapter: whereas now in all the Hebrew copies printed in full obedience to the Masora, which excludes two verses containing four of these cities, the number amounts only to forty-four. "The cities are first mentioned, in the general, as being thirteen and ten, with thirteen and twelve, which are certainly forty-eight. And yet when they are particularly named, [Jos 21:13-19] gives thirteen cities; [Jos 21:20-26] gives ten cities; [Jos 21:27-33] gives thirteen; [Jos 21:34-36] gives four cities; and [Jos 21:35-36] gives four more, all which can make but forty-four. And what still increases the wonder is, that [Jos 21:40] infers from the verses immediately preceding, that the cities allowed to the Merarites were twelve, though they here make eight only, unless we admit the four other cities expressed in those two verses, which have been rejected by that blind guide the Masora. In defiance of this authority these two verses, thus absolutely necessary, were inserted in the most early editions of the Hebrew text, and are found in Walton's Polyglot, as well as in our English Bible. But they have scarce ever been as yet printed completely, thus, And out of the tribe or Reuben, A City of Refuge for the Slayer, Bezer, in the Wilderness, with her suburbs, and Jahazah with her suburbs, Kedemoth with her suburbs, and Mephaath with her suburbs; four cities. See on this place my edition of the Hebrew Bible, where no less than one hundred and forty-nine copies are described, which happily preserve these verses, most clearly essential to the truth and consistency of this chapter. See also General Discourse, pp. 19, 26, 54."

[¶40] Though this reasoning of Dr. Kennicott appears very conclusive, yet there are so many and important variations among the MSS. that retain, and those that reject these verses, as to render the question of their authenticity very difficult to be determined. To Dr. Kennicott's one hundred and forty-nine MSS. which have these two verses, may be added upwards of forty collated by De Rossi. Those who deny their authenticity say they have been inserted here from [1Chr 6:78], [1Chr 6:79], where they are found it is true, in general, but not exactly as they stand here, and in Dr. Kennicott's Hebrew Bible.

### Verse 36

[¶42] Jahazah - See on [Jos 13:18] (note).

### Verse 41

[¶44] Forty and eight cities - At the last census of the Hebrew people, related Numbers 26, we find from [Num 26:62] that the tribe of Levi amounted only to 23,000; and it is supposed that forty-eight cities were too great a proportion for this tribe, the other tribes having so very few. But,