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Monday, September 22nd, 2025
the Week of Proper 20 / Ordinary 25
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Contemporary English Version

Joshua 21:13

This verse is not available in the CEV!

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Hebron;   Levites;   Libnah;   Priest;   Thompson Chain Reference - Libnah;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Aaronites;   Hebron;   Libnah;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Hebron;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Levite;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Judah, Tribe of;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Hebron;   Judah;   Levi;   Libnah;   Mary, the Virgin;   Priest;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Joshua, the Book of;   Kohathites;   Libnah;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Joshua;   Numbers, Book of;   Priests and Levites;   Suburb;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Kohath, Kohathites ;   Levites ;   Libnah ;   Refuge, Cities of;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Cities of refuge;   Libnah;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Cities of Refuge,;   He'bron;   Lib'nah;   Priest;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Hebron;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Priesthood, the;   Conquest of Canaan;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Aaronites;   Assassination;   City;   Libnah;   Refuge, Cities of;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Levi ;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
They gave to the descendants of the priest Aaron:
Hebrew Names Version
To the children of Aharon the Kohen they gave Hevron with its suburbs, the city of refuge for the manslayer, and Livna with its suburbs,
King James Version
Thus they gave to the children of Aaron the priest Hebron with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Libnah with her suburbs,
Lexham English Bible
To the descendants of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron, the city of refuge for the killer, and its pasturelands, Libnah and its pasturelands,
English Standard Version
And to the descendants of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron, the city of refuge for the manslayer, with its pasturelands, Libnah with its pasturelands,
New Century Version
So they gave the city of Hebron to the descendants of Aaron (Hebron was a city of safety). They also gave them the towns of Libnah,
New English Translation
So to the descendants of Aaron the priest they assigned Hebron (a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter), Libnah,
Amplified Bible
So to the sons of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron, the city of refuge for anyone who committed manslaughter, with its pasture lands, and Libnah with its pasture lands,
New American Standard Bible
So to the sons of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron, the city of refuge for the one who commits manslaughter, with its pasture lands, Libnah with its pasture lands,
Geneva Bible (1587)
Thus they gaue to the children of Aaron the Priest, a citie of refuge for the slaier, euen Hebron with her suburbes, and Libnah with her suburbes,
Legacy Standard Bible
Thus to the sons of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron, the city of refuge for the manslayer, with its pasture lands, Libnah also with its pasture lands,
Complete Jewish Bible
Thus to the descendants of Aharon the cohen they gave: Hevron with its surrounding open land, already a city of refuge for the killer; Livnah with its surrounding open land;
Darby Translation
And they gave to the children of Aaron the priest the city of refuge for the slayer, Hebron and its suburbs; and Libnah and its suburbs,
Easy-to-Read Version
So they gave the city of Hebron to Aaron's descendants. (Hebron was a city of safety.) They also gave Aaron's descendants the towns of Libnah,
George Lamsa Translation
Thus they gave to the children of Aaron the priest, Hebron, the city of refuge for the slayers, with its suburbs, and Libnah with its suburbs,
Good News Translation
In addition to Hebron (one of the cities of refuge), the following cities were assigned to the descendants of Aaron the priest: Libnah,
Literal Translation
So they gave Hebron and its open lands to the sons of Aaron the priest as a city of refuge for the slayer, and Libnah and its open lands,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Thus gaue they vnto the children of Aaron the prest, the fre cite of the deed sleyers, Hebron and the suburbes therof, Libna and the suburbes therof,
American Standard Version
And unto the children of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron with its suburbs, the city of refuge for the manslayer, and Libnah with its suburbs,
Bible in Basic English
And to the children of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron with its grass-lands, the town where the taker of life might be safe, and Libnah with its grass-lands;
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And thus they gaue to the childre of Aaron the priest, a citie to the which the slayer myght flee, euen Hebron with her suburbes, and Libna with her suburbes,
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And unto the children of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron with the open land about it, the city of refuge for the manslayer, and Libnah with the open land about it;
King James Version (1611)
Thus they gaue to the children of Aaron the Priest Hebron with her suburbs to bee a citie of refuge for the slayer, and Libnah with her suburbs,
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And to the sons of Aaron he gave the city of refuge for the slayer, Chebron, and the suburbs belonging to it; and Lemna and the suburbs belonging to it;
English Revised Version
And unto the children of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron with her suburbs, the city of refuge for the manslayer, and Libnah with her suburbs;
Berean Standard Bible
So to the descendants of Aaron the priest they gave these cities with their pasturelands: Hebron, a city of refuge for the manslayer, Libnah,
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor Josue yaf to the sones of Aaron, preest, Ebron, a citee of refuyt, and the subarbis `of it, and Lebnam with hise subarbis,
Young's Literal Translation
And to the sons of Aaron the priest they have given the city of refuge [for] the man-slayer, Hebron and its suburbs, and Libnah and its suburbs,
Update Bible Version
And to the sons of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron with its suburbs-the city of refuge for the manslayer, and Libnah with its suburbs,
Webster's Bible Translation
Thus they gave to the children of Aaron the priest, Hebron with its suburbs, [to be] a city of refuge for the slayer; and Libnah with its suburbs,
World English Bible
To the children of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron with its suburbs, the city of refuge for the manslayer, and Libnah with its suburbs,
New King James Version
Thus to the children of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron with its common-land (a city of refuge for the slayer), Libnah with its common-land,
New Living Translation
The following towns with their pasturelands were given to the descendants of Aaron the priest: Hebron (a city of refuge for those who accidentally killed someone), Libnah,
New Life Bible
So to the sons of Aaron the religious leader they gave Hebron and Libnah with their fields. Hebron was the city where one who killed a man could go to be safe.
New Revised Standard
To the descendants of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron, the city of refuge for the slayer, with its pasture lands, Libnah with its pasture lands,
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, unto the sons of Aaron the priest, gave they the city of refuge for the manslayer, even Hebron, with the pasture lands thereof, - Libnah also, with her pasture lands;
Douay-Rheims Bible
He gave therefore to the children of Aaron the priest, Hebron a city of refuge, and the suburbs thereof, and Lebna with the suburbs thereof,
Revised Standard Version
And to the descendants of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron, the city of refuge for the slayer, with its pasture lands, Libnah with its pasture lands,
THE MESSAGE
To the descendants of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron (the asylum-city for the unconvicted killers), Libnah, Jattir, Eshtemoa, Holon, Debir, Ain, Juttah, and Beth Shemesh, all with their accompanying pastures—nine towns from these two tribes.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
So to the sons of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron, the city of refuge for the manslayer, with its pasture lands, and Libnah with its pasture lands,

Contextual Overview

9Towns from Judah, Simeon, Benjamin The descendants of Aaron from the Kohath clans of Levi were priests, and they were chosen to receive towns first. They were given thirteen towns and the pastureland around them. Nine of these towns were from the tribes of Judah and Simeon and four from Benjamin. Hebron, Libnah, Jattir, Eshtemoa, Holon, Debir, Ashan, Juttah, and Beth-Shemesh were from Judah and Simeon. Hebron, located in the hill country of Judah, was earlier called Arba's Town. It had been named after Arba, the ancestor of the Anakim. Hebron's pasturelands went along with the town, but its farmlands and the villages around it had been given to Caleb. Hebron was also one of the Safe Towns for people who had accidentally killed someone. Gibeon, Geba, Anathoth, and Almon were from Benjamin. 20Towns from Ephraim, Dan, West Manasseh The rest of the Kohath clans of the Levi tribe received ten towns and the pastureland around them. Four of these towns were from the tribe of Ephraim, four from Dan, and two from West Manasseh. Shechem, Gezer, Kibzaim, and Beth-Horon were from Ephraim. Shechem was located in the hill country, and it was also one of the Safe Towns for people who had accidentally killed someone. Elteke, Gibbethon, Aijalon, and Gath-Rimmon were from Dan. Taanach and Jibleam were from West Manasseh. 27Towns from East Manasseh, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali The clans of Levi that were descendants of Gershon received thirteen towns and the pastureland around them. Two of these towns were from the tribe of East Manasseh, four from Issachar, four from Asher, and three from Naphtali. Golan in Bashan and Beeshterah were from East Manasseh. Kishion, Daberath, Jarmuth, and En-Gannim were from Issachar. Mishal, Abdon, Helkath, and Rehob were from Asher. Kedesh in Galilee, Hammothdor, and Kartan were from Naphtali. Golan in Bashan and Kedesh in Galilee were also Safe Towns for people who had accidentally killed someone. 34Towns from Zebulun, Reuben, Gad The rest of the Levi clans were descendants of Merari, and they received twelve towns with the pastureland around them. Four towns were from the tribe of Zebulun, four from Reuben, and four from Gad. Jokneam, Kartah, Rimmonah, and Nahalal were from Zebulun. Bezer, Jazah, Kedemoth, and Mephaath were from Reuben. Bezer was located in the desert flatlands east of the Jordan River across from Jericho. Ramoth in Gilead, Mahanaim, Heshbon, and Jazer were from Gad. Bezer and Ramoth in Gilead were Safe Towns for people who had accidentally killed someone. 41The people of the Levi tribe had a total of forty-eight towns within Israel, and they had pastures around each one of their towns.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

they gave: 1 Chronicles 6:56

Hebron: Joshua 15:54

a city: Joshua 20:7, Numbers 35:6

Libnah: Joshua 10:29, Joshua 15:42, 1 Chronicles 6:57, Isaiah 37:8

Reciprocal: Numbers 13:22 - Hebron Joshua 10:36 - Hebron Joshua 21:9 - these cities 2 Kings 8:22 - Libnah 2 Chronicles 21:10 - Libnah Luke 1:39 - city

Cross-References

Genesis 16:10
I will give you a son, who will be called Ishmael, because I have heard your cry for help. And later I will give you so many descendants that no one will be able to count them all.
Genesis 17:20
I have heard what you asked me to do for Ishmael, and so I will also bless him with many descendants. He will be the father of twelve princes, and I will make his family a great nation.
Genesis 21:12
But God said, "Abraham, don't worry about your slave woman and the boy. Just do what Sarah tells you. Isaac will inherit your family name,
Genesis 21:18
Help him up and hold his hand, because I will make him the father of a great nation."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Thus they gave to the children of Aaron the priest,.... The families of the Kohathites, that part of them which descended from him, and were priests:

Hebron with her suburbs, [to be] a city of refuge for the slayer; that had slain a person unawares, and without design; see on Joshua 20:3;

and Libnah with her suburbs; a royal city, of which see

Joshua 10:29.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The thirteen priestly cities (see the marginal references) were all in the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin. Thus, as Calvin remarks, God so overruled it that the priestly families were placed upon the spot which He had determined before hand to choose as the site of His temple.


 
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