The Meaning of Joshua 21:8 Explained

Joshua 21:8

KJV: And the children of Israel gave by lot unto the Levites these cities with their suburbs, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.

YLT: And the sons of Israel give to the Levites these cities and their suburbs, as Jehovah commanded by the hand of Moses, by lot.

Darby: And the children of Israel gave by lot to the Levites these cities and their suburbs, as Jehovah commanded through Moses.

ASV: And the children of Israel gave by lot unto the Levites these cities with their suburbs, as Jehovah commanded by Moses.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the children  of Israel  gave  by lot  unto the Levites  these cities  with their suburbs,  as the LORD  commanded  by the hand  of Moses. 

What does Joshua 21:8 Mean?

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 21:8 mean?

And gave the sons of Israel to the Levites - cities these and with their common-lands as had commanded Yahweh by the hand of Moses by lot -
וַיִּתְּנ֤וּ בְנֵֽי־ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לַלְוִיִּ֔ם אֶת־ הֶעָרִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה וְאֶת־ מִגְרְשֵׁיהֶ֑ן כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֧ה יְהוָ֛ה בְּיַד־ מֹשֶׁ֖ה בַּגּוֹרָֽל פ

וַיִּתְּנ֤וּ  And  gave 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
בְנֵֽי־  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙  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.
לַלְוִיִּ֔ם  to  the  Levites 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: לֵוִי  
Sense: the descendants of Levi, the 3rd son of Jacob by Leah.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הֶעָרִ֥ים  cities 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
הָאֵ֖לֶּה  these 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
וְאֶת־  and  with 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
מִגְרְשֵׁיהֶ֑ן  their  common-lands 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person feminine plural
Root: מִגְרָשׁ 
Sense: common, common land, open land, suburb.
צִוָּ֧ה  had  commanded 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: צָוָה  
Sense: to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order.
יְהוָ֛ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
בְּיַד־  by  the  hand 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
מֹשֶׁ֖ה  of  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
בַּגּוֹרָֽל  by  lot 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: גֹּורָל  
Sense: lot.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation