Joshua 21:11
New International Version
They gave them Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron), with its surrounding pastureland, in the hill country of Judah. (Arba was the forefather of Anak.)

New Living Translation
Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), in the hill country of Judah, along with its surrounding pasturelands. (Arba was an ancestor of Anak.)

English Standard Version
They gave them Kiriath-arba (Arba being the father of Anak), that is Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, along with the pasturelands around it.

Berean Standard Bible
They gave them Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), with its surrounding pasturelands, in the hill country of Judah. (Arba was the father of Anak.)

Berean Literal Bible
And they gave to them Kiriath-arba (the father of Anak) that is, Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, and with its pasturelands surrounding it.

King James Bible
And they gave them the city of Arba the father of Anak, which city is Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, with the suburbs thereof round about it.

New King James Version
And they gave them Kirjath Arba (Arba was the father of Anak), which is Hebron, in the mountains of Judah, with the common-land surrounding it.

New American Standard Bible
So they gave them Kiriath-arba (Arba being the father of Anak), that is, Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, with its surrounding pasture lands.

NASB 1995
Thus they gave them Kiriath-arba, Arba being the father of Anak (that is, Hebron), in the hill country of Judah, with its surrounding pasture lands.

NASB 1977
Thus they gave them Kiriath-arba, Arba being the father of Anak (that is, Hebron), in the hill country of Judah, with its surrounding pasture lands.

Legacy Standard Bible
So they gave them Kiriath-arba (Arba being the father of Anak), that is, Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, with its pasture lands all around it.

Amplified Bible
They gave them [the city of] Kiriath-arba, Arba being the father of Anak (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah, with its surrounding pasture lands.

Berean Annotated Bible
They gave them Kiriath-arba (city of Arba) (that is, Hebron (association)), with its surrounding pasturelands, in the hill country of Judah (praised). (Arba was the father of Anak (neck).

Christian Standard Bible
They gave them Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron; Arba was the father of Anak) with its surrounding pasturelands in the hill country of Judah.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
They gave them Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) with its surrounding pasturelands in the hill country of Judah. Arba was the father of Anak.

American Standard Version
And they gave them Kiriath-arba, which Arba was the father of Anak (the same is Hebron), in the hill-country of Judah, with the suburbs thereof round about it.

English Revised Version
And they gave them Kiriath-arba, which Arba was the father of Anak, (the same is Hebron,) in the hill country of Judah, with the suburbs thereof round about it.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
They gave them Kiriath Arba (Arba was Anak's father) and the pastureland around it. This is the city of Hebron located in the mountains of Judah.

Good News Translation
They were given the city of Arba (Arba was Anak's father), now called Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, along with the pasture land surrounding it.

International Standard Version
They gave them Kiriath-arba, also known as Hebron, (Arba was named after the ancestor of Anak), in the hill country of Judah, along with its surrounding pasture lands.

NET Bible
They assigned them Kiriath Arba (Arba was the father of Anak), that is, Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, along with its surrounding grazing areas.

New Heart English Bible
They gave them Kiriath Arba, named after the father of Anak (that is, Hebron), in the hill country of Judah, with its suburbs around it.

Webster's Bible Translation
And they gave them the city of Arba the father of Anak (which city is Hebron) in the hill-country of Judah, with its suburbs round it.
Majority Text Translations
Majority Standard Bible
They gave them Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), with its surrounding pasturelands, in the hill country of Judah. (Arba was the father of Anak.)

World English Bible
They gave them Kiriath Arba, named after the father of Anak (also called Hebron), in the hill country of Judah, with its pasture lands around it.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and they give to them the city of Arba father of Anak (it [is] Hebron), in the hill-country of Judah, and its outskirts around it;

Berean Literal Bible
And they gave to them Kiriath-arba (the father of Anak) that is, Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, and with its pasturelands surrounding it.

Young's Literal Translation
and they give to them the city of Arba father of Anak (it is Hebron), in the hill-country of Judah, and its suburbs round about it;

Smith's Literal Translation
And they will give to them the fourth city, the father of Anak (it is Hebron) in mount Judah, and the area round about it.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
The city of Arbe the father of Enac, which is called Hebron, in the mountain of Juda, and the suburbs thereof round about.

Catholic Public Domain Version
the city of Arba, the father of Anak, which is called Hebron, on the mountain of Judah, and its surrounding suburbs.

New American Bible
first, Kiriath-arba (Arba was the father of Anak), that is, Hebron, in the mountain region of Judah, with the adjacent pasture lands,

New Revised Standard Version
They gave them Kiriath-arba (Arba being the father of Anak), that is Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, along with the pasture lands around it.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And they gave them Koriath-arba, which belonged to the father of giants, that is, Hebron, on the mountain of Judah, with its suburbs round about it.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And they gave to them Quryath Arba of the father of the giants, that which is Khebron, that is on the hills of Yehuda and its fields as circling it
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And they gave them Kiriath-arba, which Arba was the father of Anak--the same is Hebron--in the hill-country of Judah, with the open land round about it.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And they gave to them Cariatharboc the metropolis of the sons of Enac; this is Chebron in the mountain country of Juda, and the suburbs round it.

Additional Translations ...



Context
Forty-Eight Cities for the Levites
10to the descendants of Aaron from the Kohathite clans of the Levites, because the first lot fell to them: 11They gave them Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), with its surrounding pasturelands, in the hill country of Judah. (Arba was the father of Anak.) 12But they had given the fields and villages around the city to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his possession.…

Cross References
They gave them Kiriath-arba

Judges 1:10
Judah also marched against the Canaanites who were living in Hebron (formerly known as Kiriath-arba), and they struck down Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.

Joshua 20:7
So they set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah.
(that is, Hebron),

Genesis 23:2
She died in Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went out to mourn and to weep for her.

Genesis 13:18
So Abram moved his tent and went to live near the Oaks of Mamre at Hebron, where he built an altar to the LORD.

2 Samuel 5:3
So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, where King David made with them a covenant before the LORD. And they anointed him king over Israel.
with its surrounding pasturelands,

1 Chronicles 6:55
They were given Hebron in the land of Judah and its surrounding pasturelands.

Numbers 35:2-5
“Command the Israelites to give, from the inheritance they will possess, cities for the Levites to live in and pasturelands around the cities. / The cities will be for them to live in, and the pasturelands will be for their herds, their flocks, and all their other livestock. / The pasturelands around the cities you are to give the Levites will extend a thousand cubits from the wall on every side. …
in the hill country of Judah.

Joshua 14:13
Then Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as his inheritance.

Joshua 15:14
And Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak—the descendants of Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.

Joshua 11:21
At that time Joshua proceeded to eliminate the Anakim from the hill country of Hebron, Debir, and Anab, and from all the hill country of Judah and of Israel. Joshua devoted them to destruction, along with their cities.
(Arba was the father of Anak.)

Joshua 15:13
According to the LORD’s command to him, Joshua gave Caleb son of Jephunneh a portion among the sons of Judah—Kiriath-arba, that is, Hebron. (Arba was the forefather of Anak.)

Numbers 13:22
They went up through the Negev and came to Hebron, where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, dwelled. It had been built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.

Deuteronomy 9:2
The people are strong and tall, the descendants of the Anakim. You know about them, and you have heard it said, “Who can stand up to the sons of Anak?”
Genesis 23:19
After this, Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave of the field at Machpelah near Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan.

Genesis 49:29-32
Then Jacob instructed them, “I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite. / The cave is in the field of Machpelah near Mamre, in the land of Canaan. This is the field Abraham purchased from Ephron the Hittite as a burial site. / There Abraham and his wife Sarah are buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah are buried, and there I buried Leah. …

Genesis 50:13
They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave at Machpelah in the field near Mamre, which Abraham had purchased from Ephron the Hittite as a burial site.


Treasury of Scripture

And they gave them the city of Arba the father of Anak, which city is Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, with the suburbs thereof round about it.

And they

1 Chronicles 6:55
And they gave them Hebron in the land of Judah, and the suburbs thereof round about it.

the city of Arba.

Joshua 15:13,14,54
And unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a part among the children of Judah, according to the commandment of the LORD to Joshua, even the city of Arba the father of Anak, which city is Hebron…

Genesis 23:2
And Sarah died in Kirjatharba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.

Genesis 35:27
And Jacob came unto Isaac his father unto Mamre, unto the city of Arbah, which is Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac sojourned.

is Hebron

2 Samuel 2:1-3
And it came to pass after this, that David inquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the LORD said unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said, Unto Hebron…

2 Samuel 5:1-5
Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and spake, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh…

2 Samuel 15:7
And it came to pass after forty years, that Absalom said unto the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto the LORD, in Hebron.

in the hill

Joshua 20:7
And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and Kirjatharba, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah.

Luke 1:39
And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;

Jump to Previous
Anak Arba City Country Hebron Hill Hill-Country Judah Kiriath Kiriath-Arba Kir'iath-Ar'ba Kirjath-Arba Lands Mountain Open Pasture Pastureland Round Suburbs Surrounding Thereof
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Anak Arba City Country Hebron Hill Hill-Country Judah Kiriath Kiriath-Arba Kir'iath-Ar'ba Kirjath-Arba Lands Mountain Open Pasture Pastureland Round Suburbs Surrounding Thereof
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












They gave them Kiriath-arba

Associated with Arba and the Anakim, Kiriath-arba, meaning “City of Arba,” was assigned to the descendants of Aaron among the Levites. Since the Levites received no tribal territory, they were given cities throughout Israel.

Jdg 1:10 Judah also marched against the Canaanites…
Jos 20:7 So they set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country…

(that is, Hebron),

Hebron was an ancient Canaanite city closely connected with Abraham and the patriarchs. It later became David’s first royal capital before Jerusalem was established as Israel’s capital.

Gen 23:2 She died in Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron)…
Gen 13:18 So Abram moved his tent and went to live near the Oaks…
2Sa 5:3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron…

with its surrounding pasturelands,

The pasturelands provided grazing land and support for the priests’ households, allowing them to maintain their families and livestock while serving in Israel’s worship.

1Ch 6:55 They were given Hebron in the land of Judah…
Num 35:2-5 Command the Israelites to give, from the inheritance…

in the hill country of Judah.

Located in Judah’s rugged central highlands, Hebron held an important and defensible position within the land of Judah while remaining a Levitical city.

Jos 14:13 Then Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh…
Jos 15:14 And Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak—…
Jos 11:21 At that time Joshua proceeded to eliminate the Anakim…

(Arba was the father of Anak.)

The name preserved the city’s connection to the Anakim, a powerful people known for their great stature. Israel’s possession of Hebron marked the removal of its former inhabitants and the settlement of the land God had given to His people.

Jos 15:13 According to the LORD’s command to him, Joshua gave…
Num 13:22 They went up through the Negev and came to Hebron,…
Deu 9:2 The people are strong and tall, the descendants of…

Persons / Places / Events
1. Kiriath-arba (Hebron)
An ancient city in the hill country of Judah, significant as a city of refuge and a Levitical city. It was originally named after Arba, the greatest man among the Anakim, a race of giants.

2. Arba
Known as the forefather of Anak, Arba was a notable figure among the Anakim, a group of people known for their great size and strength.

3. Anak
The son of Arba, representing the lineage of the Anakim, who were formidable inhabitants of the land before the Israelites.

4. Levites
The tribe of Levi, who were given cities and pasturelands throughout Israel, including Hebron, to serve in religious duties and maintain the spiritual life of the nation.

5. Hill Country of Judah
A region in the southern part of Israel, known for its rugged terrain and significant biblical history, including being the tribal territory of Judah.
Teaching Points
Significance of Hebron
Hebron's role as a Levitical city and a city of refuge underscores the importance of spiritual centers in maintaining the faith and justice within the community.

Heritage and Legacy
The mention of Arba and the Anakim reminds us of the enduring impact of our heritage and the importance of overcoming formidable challenges through faith.

Role of the Levites
The Levites' inheritance of cities like Hebron highlights the necessity of dedicated spiritual leaders who guide and nurture the faith of the community.

God's Provision
The allocation of cities to the Levites demonstrates God's provision for His people, ensuring that spiritual needs are met alongside physical ones.

Faith Over Fear
The history of Hebron, from the giants to its role in Israel, teaches us to trust in God's promises and provision, even when faced with daunting obstacles.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1. What is the meaning of Joshua 21:11?

2. How does Joshua 21:11 demonstrate God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promises?

3. What significance does Hebron hold in the context of Joshua 21:11?

4. How does Joshua 21:11 connect to God's covenant with Abraham in Genesis 15?

5. How can we trust God's provision in our lives, as seen in Joshua 21:11?

6. What lessons on obedience can we learn from the Levites receiving Hebron?

7. How does Joshua 21:11 support the historical accuracy of biblical land allocations?

8. What archaeological evidence exists for Hebron's significance in Joshua 21:11?

9. Why was Hebron given to the Levites in Joshua 21:11?

10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Joshua 21?


Verse 11. - In the hill country of Judah. The word in the original is הַר, mountain, the title which is consistently applied to the highlands of Palestine in the Bible, while our version translates indiscriminately by "mountain" and "hill."

Joshua 21:11 records more than a land grant; it showcases the Lord’s meticulous faithfulness. He transforms a giant-ruled stronghold into a Levitical city, intertwines priestly provision with patriarchal promise, and situates worship at a strategic height in Judah. Every phrase testifies that when God’s people obey, He supplies, redeems, and fulfills His word exactly as written.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
They gave
וַיִּתְּנ֨וּ (way·yit·tə·nū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

them
לָהֶ֜ם (lā·hem)
Preposition-l | Pronoun - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1992: They

Kiriath-arba
אַרְבַּ֨ע (’ar·ba‘)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 7153: Kiriath-arba -- 'city of the four', an older name of Hebron

(that is,
הִ֥יא (hî)
Pronoun - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

Hebron),
חֶבְר֖וֹן (ḥeḇ·rō·wn)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 2275: Hebron -- 'association, league', a city in southern Judah

with its surrounding
סְבִיבֹתֶֽיהָ׃ (sə·ḇî·ḇō·ṯe·hā)
Adverb | third person feminine singular
Strong's 5439: A circle, neighbour, environs, around

pasturelands,
מִגְרָשֶׁ֖הָ (miḡ·rā·še·hā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 4054: A suburb, the area around a, building, the margin of the sea

in the hill country
בְּהַ֣ר (bə·har)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2022: Mountain, hill, hill country

of Judah.
יְהוּדָ֑ה (yə·hū·ḏāh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3063: Judah -- 'praised', a son of Jacob, also the southern kingdom, also four Israelites

(Arba was the father
אֲבִ֧י (’ă·ḇî)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1: Father

of Anak.)
הָֽעֲנ֛וֹק (hā·‘ă·nō·wq)
Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 6061: Anak -- 'neck', a Canaanite


Additonal Resources
Joshua 21:11 Blue Letter Bible
Joshua 21:11 Bible Gateway
Joshua 21:11 Bible.com

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Joshua 21:11 Catholic Bible

OT History: Joshua 21:11 They gave them Kiriath Arba named after (Josh. Jos)

Joshua 21:10
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