Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version The descendants of Gershon were allotted thirteen towns from the clans of the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan. New Living Translation The clan of Gershon was allotted thirteen towns from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan. English Standard Version The Gershonites received by lot from the clans of the tribe of Issachar, from the tribe of Asher, from the tribe of Naphtali, and from the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities. Berean Standard Bible The descendants of Gershon received thirteen cities by lot from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan. Berean Literal Bible and for the sons of Gershon, from the clans of the tribe of Issachar, and from the tribe of Asher, and from the tribe of Naphtali, and from the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, by lot thirteen cities; King James Bible And the children of Gershon had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities. New King James Version And the children of Gershon had thirteen cities by lot from the families of the tribe of Issachar, from the tribe of Asher, from the tribe of Naphtali, and from the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan. New American Standard Bible And to the sons of Gershon thirteen cities were given by lot from the families of the tribe of Issachar, from the tribe of Asher, from the tribe of Naphtali, and from the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan. NASB 1995 The sons of Gershon received thirteen cities by lot from the families of the tribe of Issachar and from the tribe of Asher and from the tribe of Naphtali and from the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan. NASB 1977 And the sons of Gershon received thirteen cities by lot from the families of the tribe of Issachar and from the tribe of Asher and from the tribe of Naphtali and from the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan. Legacy Standard Bible And the sons of Gershon received thirteen cities by lot from the families of the tribe of Issachar and from the tribe of Asher and from the tribe of Naphtali, and from the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan. Amplified Bible The sons of Gershon received thirteen cities by lot from the families of the tribe of Issachar and from the tribe of Asher and from the tribe of Naphtali and from the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan. Berean Annotated Bible The descendants of Gershon (exile) received thirteen cities by lot from the tribes of Issachar (there is recompense), Asher (happy), Naphtali (wrestling), and the half-tribe of Manasseh (causing to forget) in Bashan (fruitful). Christian Standard Bible Gershon’s descendants received thirteen cities by lot from the clans of the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and half the tribe of Manasseh in Bashan. Holman Christian Standard Bible Gershon’s descendants received 13 cities by lot from the clans of the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and half the tribe of Manasseh in Bashan. American Standard Version And the children of Gershon had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities. Contemporary English Version The clans that were descendants of Gershon were given 13 towns from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and East Manasseh. English Revised Version And the children of Gershon had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities. GOD'S WORD® Translation Gershon's descendants received 13 cities from the families of the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and half of the tribe of Manasseh in Bashan. Good News Translation The clan of Gershon was assigned thirteen cities from the territories of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and East Manasseh. International Standard Version The descendants of Gershon received thirteen cities by random lot from the families of the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and from the half-tribe of Manasseh located in Bashan. NET Bible Gershon's descendants were allotted thirteen cities from the clans of the tribe of Issachar, and from the tribes of Asher and Naphtali and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan. New Heart English Bible The descendants of Gershon had thirteen cities by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, out of the tribe of Asher, out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan. Webster's Bible Translation And the children of Gershon had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleThe descendants of Gershon received thirteen cities by lot from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan. World English Bible The children of Gershon had thirteen cities by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, out of the tribe of Asher, out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd for the sons of Gershon, out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, [are] thirteen cities by lot. Berean Literal Bible and for the sons of Gershon, from the clans of the tribe of Issachar, and from the tribe of Asher, and from the tribe of Naphtali, and from the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, by lot thirteen cities; Young's Literal Translation And for the sons of Gershon are, out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, by lot, thirteen cities. Smith's Literal Translation And to the sons of Gershon from the families of the tribe of Issachar, and from the tribe of Asher, and from the tribe of Naphtali, and from the half tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, by lot, thirteen cities. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd the lot came out to the children of Gerson, that they should take of the tribes of Issachar and of Aser and of Nephtali, and of the half tribe of Manasses in Basan, thirteen cities. Catholic Public Domain Version And next the lot went out to the sons of Gershon, so that they would receive, from the tribes of Issachar and Asher and Naphtali, and from the one half tribe of Manasseh at Bashan: the number of thirteen cities. New American Bible From the clans of the tribe of Issachar, from the tribe of Asher, from the tribe of Naphtali, and from the half-tribe of Manasseh, the Gershonites obtained by lot thirteen cities. New Revised Standard Version The Gershonites received by lot thirteen towns from the families of the tribe of Issachar, from the tribe of Asher, from the tribe of Naphtali, and from the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd the Gershonites had by lot from the tribe of Issachar, from the tribe of Asher, from the tribe of Naphtali, and from the half tribe of Manasseh in Mathnin, thirteen cities. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And to the children of Gershun they gave from the tribe of Issakar and from the tribe of Ashir and from the tribe of Naphtali and from half of the tribe of Menasheh in Mathnin, thirteen cities in the lot OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And the children of Gershon had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities. Brenton Septuagint Translation And the sons of Gedson had thirteen cities, out of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Aser, and out of the tribe of Nephthali, and out of the half tribe of Manasse in Basan. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Forty-Eight Cities for the Levites…5The remaining descendants of Kohath received ten cities by lot from the tribes of Ephraim, Dan, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. 6The descendants of Gershon received thirteen cities by lot from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan. 7And the descendants of Merari received twelve cities from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.… Cross References The descendants of Gershon Numbers 3:18 These were the names of the sons of Gershon by their clans: Libni and Shimei. Numbers 4:24 This is the service of the Gershonite clans regarding work and transport: 1 Chronicles 6:17 These are the names of the sons of Gershom: Libni and Shimei. received thirteen cities by lot 1 Chronicles 6:62-63 The Gershomites, according to their clans, were allotted thirteen cities from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Manasseh in Bashan. / The Merarites, according to their clans, were allotted twelve cities from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun. Joshua 18:10 And Joshua cast lots for them in the presence of the LORD at Shiloh, where he distributed the land to the Israelites according to their divisions. Numbers 26:55-56 Indeed, the land must be divided by lot; they shall receive their inheritance according to the names of the tribes of their fathers. / Each inheritance is to be divided by lot among the larger and smaller tribes.” from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, Joshua 19:17-23 The fourth lot came out for the clans of the tribe of Issachar: / Their territory included Jezreel, Chesulloth, Shunem, / Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath, … Joshua 19:24-31 The fifth lot came out for the clans of the tribe of Asher: / Their territory included Helkath, Hali, Beten, Achshaph, / Allammelech, Amad, and Mishal. On the west the border touched Carmel and Shihor-libnath, … Joshua 19:32-39 The sixth lot came out for the clans of the tribe of Naphtali: / Their border started at Heleph and the great tree of Zaanannim, passing Adami-nekeb and Jabneel as far as Lakkum and ending at the Jordan. / Then the border turned westward to Aznoth-tabor and ran from there to Hukkok, touching Zebulun on the south side, Asher on the west, and Judah at the Jordan on the east. … and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan. Joshua 13:29-31 This is what Moses had given to the clans of the half-tribe of Manasseh, that is, to half the tribe of the descendants of Manasseh: / The territory from Mahanaim through all Bashan—all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, including all the towns of Jair that are in Bashan, sixty cities; / half of Gilead; and Ashtaroth and Edrei, the royal cities of Og in Bashan. All this was for the clans of the descendants of Machir son of Manasseh, that is, half of the descendants of Machir. Deuteronomy 3:13 To the half-tribe of Manasseh I gave the rest of Gilead and all of Bashan, the kingdom of Og. (The entire region of Argob, the whole territory of Bashan, used to be called the land of the Rephaim.) Numbers 32:33 So Moses gave to the Gadites, to the Reubenites, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan—the land including its cities and the territory surrounding them. Numbers 35:2-8 “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. … Deuteronomy 18:1-2 The Levitical priests—indeed the whole tribe of Levi—shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel. They are to eat the food offerings to the LORD; that is their inheritance. / Although they have no inheritance among their brothers, the LORD is their inheritance, as He promised them. Joshua 13:14 To the tribe of Levi, however, Moses had given no inheritance. The food offerings to the LORD, the God of Israel, are their inheritance, just as He had promised them. Joshua 14:3-4 For Moses had given the inheritance east of the Jordan to the other two and a half tribes. But he granted no inheritance among them to the Levites. / The descendants of Joseph became two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. And no portion of the land was given to the Levites, except for cities in which to live, along with pasturelands for their flocks and herds. Treasury of Scripture And the children of Gershon had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities. Joshua 21:27-33 And unto the children of Gershon, of the families of the Levites, out of the other half tribe of Manasseh they gave Golan in Bashan with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Beeshterah with her suburbs; two cities… Exodus 6:16,17 And these are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari: and the years of the life of Levi were an hundred thirty and seven years… Numbers 3:21,22 Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimites: these are the families of the Gershonites… Jump to Previous Allotted Asher Bashan Children Cities Clans Descendants Half Half-Tribe Issachar Is'sachar Lot Manasseh Manas'seh Naphtali Naph'tali Received Thirteen Towns Tribe TribesJump to Next Allotted Asher Bashan Children Cities Clans Descendants Half Half-Tribe Issachar Is'sachar Lot Manasseh Manas'seh Naphtali Naph'tali Received Thirteen Towns Tribe TribesJoshua 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 The descendants of Gershon The Gershonites were one of the three main divisions of the Levites, the others being the Kohathites and the Merarites. As descendants of Levi, the Gershonites were set apart for specific duties related to the tabernacle, primarily involving the care of the tabernacle's fabrics and coverings (Numbers 3:25-26). This division highlights the organized structure of Israelite worship and the importance of the Levites in maintaining the sacred space. received thirteen cities by lot from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan. Persons / Places / Events 1. GershonOne of the three sons of Levi, Gershon's descendants, the Gershonites, were assigned specific duties related to the tabernacle. They were responsible for the care of the tabernacle's curtains, coverings, and other related items. 2. Issachar One of the twelve tribes of Israel, descended from Jacob's son Issachar. This tribe was known for its agricultural prowess and wisdom. 3. Asher Another of the twelve tribes of Israel, descended from Jacob's son Asher. This tribe was known for its abundance and prosperity. 4. Naphtali A tribe of Israel descended from Jacob's son Naphtali. This tribe was known for its swiftness and agility. 5. Half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan Manasseh was one of Joseph's sons, and his descendants were divided into two half-tribes. The half-tribe in Bashan was located east of the Jordan River. Teaching Points God's Provision for His ServantsThe allocation of cities to the Gershonites demonstrates God's provision for those who serve Him. Just as the Levites were given specific cities, God provides for the needs of those who dedicate their lives to His service today. The Importance of Community The distribution of cities among different tribes emphasizes the importance of community and interdependence among God's people. Believers are called to support and care for one another within the body of Christ. Faithfulness in Assigned Roles The Gershonites had specific duties related to the tabernacle. This teaches us the importance of being faithful in the roles and responsibilities God assigns to us, no matter how seemingly small or large. Inheritance and Legacy The cities given to the Gershonites were part of their inheritance. This reminds us of the spiritual inheritance we have in Christ and the legacy we leave for future generations. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Joshua 21:6?2. How does Joshua 21:6 demonstrate God's provision for the Levites' inheritance? 3. What role did the Levites play in Israel, according to Joshua 21:6? 4. How does Joshua 21:6 connect to God's promises in Numbers 18:20-24? 5. How can we ensure our church leaders are supported, as seen in Joshua 21:6? 6. What does Joshua 21:6 teach about God's faithfulness to His people today? 7. Why were the Gershonites given thirteen cities in Joshua 21:6? 8. How does Joshua 21:6 reflect God's provision for the Levites? 9. What is the significance of the number thirteen in Joshua 21:6? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Joshua 21? 11. Do the cities assigned in Joshua 21 conflict with the earlier tribal boundaries in Joshua 14-20? 12. How do we reconcile the mass killing commanded in this chapter with the Bible's teachings on mercy (Joshua 6:21)? 13. If God loves everyone, why does He command the Israelites to kill entire populations, including women and children (Joshua 6:21)? 14. In Joshua 14:3-4, how does the Levites' lack of a territorial inheritance align with other biblical passages that mention Levitical cities and lands? What Does Joshua 21:6 Mean The descendants of Gershon- Gershon was the firstborn son of Levi (Exodus 6:16). His descendants, the Gershonites, were set apart for sacred service alongside the other Levitical clans (Numbers 3:17). - God assigned them responsibility for the curtains, coverings, and hangings of the tabernacle (Numbers 3:25-26), symbolizing a ministry of protection and beauty in worship. - Though Levites owned no tribal territory (Numbers 18:20-24), the Lord guaranteed them dwelling places among the people so they could “teach Your ordinances to Jacob” (Deuteronomy 33:10). received thirteen cities - Of the forty-eight Levitical towns promised by God (Numbers 35:1-8), thirteen were set apart for the Gershonites (Joshua 21:27-33; 1 Chronicles 6:71-76). - This precise number shows the Lord’s thoughtful balance: • enough communities to sustain the clan’s families, • yet few enough to keep them dependent on Him rather than on landholdings. - Every city came with surrounding pastureland so their daily needs were fully met, a tangible reminder that the Lord Himself is the Gershonites’ inheritance (Joshua 13:33). by lot - “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD” (Proverbs 16:33). Using lots guarded the process from human favoritism and highlighted divine sovereignty (Numbers 26:55; Joshua 14:2). - The same principle guided the early church when choosing Matthias (Acts 1:26), confirming that God directs His servants’ appointments. - For the Gershonites, casting lots assured them—and the other tribes—that the allocation came straight from God’s hand, reinforcing confidence in the fairness and finality of the outcome. from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan - The towns were scattered across northern Israel: • Issachar’s fertile Jezreel Valley (Genesis 49:14) • Asher’s coastal and hill country rich in olive oil (Genesis 49:20) • Naphtali’s Galilean highlands (Genesis 49:21) • Manasseh’s eastern region of Bashan, famed for strong cattle and oaks (Deuteronomy 3:13) - By being woven into four separate tribal territories, the Gershonites could: • model covenant worship in multiple regions, • teach God’s law widely, and • remind every tribe that true unity rests in shared reverence for the Lord (Deuteronomy 10:8-9). - Their dispersion foreshadows the way believers would later be “salt and light” throughout the world (Matthew 5:13-16). summary Joshua 21:6 shows God faithfully providing for the Gershonite Levites through thirteen cities, assigned by lot and nestled within four northern tribes. The verse underscores divine sovereignty in distribution, the Lord’s tender care for those devoted to His service, and His plan to plant spiritual influence across the land. It invites us to trust the same God who orders every inheritance, supplies every need, and strategically positions His people for worship and witness. Hebrew The descendantsוְלִבְנֵ֣י (wə·liḇ·nê) Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct Strong's 1121: A son of Gershon גֵרְשׁ֗וֹן (ḡê·rə·šō·wn) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 1648: Gershon -- a son of Levi received thirteen שְׁלֹ֥שׁ (šə·lōš) Number - feminine singular construct Strong's 7969: Three, third, thrice cities עָרִ֖ים (‘ā·rîm) Noun - feminine plural Strong's 5892: Excitement by lot בַּגּוֹרָ֔ל (bag·gō·w·rāl) Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 1486: Lot -- a lot (for casting) from the tribes מַטֵּֽה־ (maṭ·ṭêh-) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 4294: A staff, rod, shaft, branch, a tribe of Issachar, יִשָּׂשכָ֣ר (yiś·śā·š·ḵār) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3485: Issachar -- perhaps 'there is recompense', a son of Jacob and Leah, also a son of Obed-edom Asher, אָ֠שֵׁר (’ā·šêr) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 836: Asher -- 'happy one', a son of Jacob, also the tribe descended from him, also perhaps a city in Palestine Naphtali, נַפְתָּלִ֜י (nap̄·tā·lî) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 5321: Naphtali -- a son of Jacob, also his descendants and the district settled by them and the half-tribe וּ֠מֵחֲצִי (ū·mê·ḥă·ṣî) Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 2677: The half, middle of Manasseh מְנַשֶּׁ֤ה (mə·naš·šeh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 4519: Manasseh -- 'causing to forget', a son of Joseph, also a king of Judah, also two Israelites in Bashan. בַבָּשָׁן֙ (ḇab·bā·šān) Preposition-b, Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular Strong's 1316: Bashan -- 'smooth', a region East of the Jordan Links Joshua 21:6 NIVJoshua 21:6 NLT Joshua 21:6 ESV Joshua 21:6 NASB Joshua 21:6 KJV Joshua 21:6 BibleApps.com Joshua 21:6 Biblia Paralela Joshua 21:6 Chinese Bible Joshua 21:6 French Bible Joshua 21:6 Catholic Bible OT History: Joshua 21:6 The children of Gershon had thirteen cities (Josh. 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