The Meaning of Joshua 21:1 Explained

Joshua 21:1

KJV: Then came near the heads of the fathers of the Levites unto Eleazar the priest, and unto Joshua the son of Nun, and unto the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel;

YLT: And the heads of the fathers of the Levites draw nigh unto Eleazar the priest, and unto Joshua son of Nun, and unto the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the sons of Israel,

Darby: Then the chief fathers of the Levites drew near to Eleazar the priest, and to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the chief fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel;

ASV: Then came near the heads of fathers houses of the Levites unto Eleazar the priest, and unto Joshua the son of Nun, and unto the heads of fathers houses of the tribes of the children of Israel;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then came near  the heads  of the fathers  of the Levites  unto Eleazar  the priest,  and unto Joshua  the son  of Nun,  and unto the heads  of the fathers  of the tribes  of the children  of Israel; 

What does Joshua 21:1 Mean?

Context Summary

Joshua 21:1-3 - 40-45, The Lord's Promises Fulfilled
After the cities of refuge had been provided, those to be set apart for priests and Levites were next allotted, Numbers 35:1-8. Forty-two cities were set apart in addition to the six cities of refuge. The priests and the Levites were not the sole possessors of those towns, but dwelled in them, receiving freely their dwellings and pasture-lands. The closing verses represent the position of affairs at Joshua's death. So far as God's promises went, there had been no failure. The chronicler repeatedly affirms that. It is right to distinguish, says Calvin, between the clear, certain and unwavering fidelity of God, and the weakness and the indolence of His people, which cause God's gifts to slip from their hands.
At the end of life, when we review it from our last halting-place, we shall accept as absolutely true the conclusion of Joshua 21:45, and much more; but alas, for our failures to use His gifts to the full! [source]

Chapter Summary: Joshua 21

1  Forty-eight cities given by lot, out of the other tribes unto the Levites
43  God gives the land, and rest unto the Israelites, according to his promise

What do the individual words in Joshua 21:1 mean?

And came near the heads of the fathers' [houses] of the Levites to Eleazar the priest and to Joshua son of Nun the heads of the tribes of the sons of Israel
וַֽיִּגְּשׁ֗וּ רָאשֵׁי֙ אֲב֣וֹת הַלְוִיִּ֔ם אֶל־ אֶלְעָזָר֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְאֶל־ יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ בִּן־ נ֑וּן רָאשֵׁ֛י הַמַּטּ֖וֹת לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל

וַֽיִּגְּשׁ֗וּ  And  came  near 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: נָגַשׁ  
Sense: to draw near, approach.
רָאשֵׁי֙  the  heads 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
אֲב֣וֹת  of  the  fathers'  [houses] 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
הַלְוִיִּ֔ם  of  the  Levites 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: לֵוִי  
Sense: the descendants of Levi, the 3rd son of Jacob by Leah.
אֶלְעָזָר֙  Eleazar 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֶלְעָזָר  
Sense: Additional Information: Eleazar = “God has helped”.
הַכֹּהֵ֔ן  the  priest 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
וְאֶל־  and  to 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ  Joshua 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהֹושֻׁעַ  
Sense: son of Nun of the tribe of Ephraim and successor to Moses as the leader of the children of Israel; led the conquest of Canaan.
בִּן־  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
נ֑וּן  of  Nun 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: נוּן  
Sense: father of Joshua the successor of Moses.
רָאשֵׁ֛י  the  heads 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
הַמַּטּ֖וֹת  of  the  tribes 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַטֶּה  
Sense: staff, branch, tribe.
לִבְנֵ֥י  of  the  sons 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.