Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Joshua
Book: Joshua
Chapter: 21
Overview:
Cities for the Levites.
(1-8) The cities allotted to the
Levites.
(9-42) God gave the land and
Rest to the Israelites,
according to his promise.
(43-45)
1-8 The Levites waited till the other tribes were provided for,
before they preferred their claim to
Joshua. They build their
claim upon a very good foundation; not their own merits or
services, but the Divine precept. The maintenance of ministers
is not a thing left merely to the will of the people, that they
may let them starve if they please; they which preach the
Gospel
should live
By the
Gospel, and should live comfortably.
9-42 By mixing the Levites with the other tribes, they were
made to see that the eyes of all
Israel were upon them, and
therefore it was their concern to walk
So that their ministry
might not be blamed. Every
Tribe had its share of Levites'
cities. Thus did
God graciously provide for keeping up religion
among them, and that they might have the
Word in all parts of
the land. Yet, blessed be
God, we have the
Gospel more diffused
amongst us.
43-45 God promised to give to the seed of
Abraham the land of
Canaan for a possession, and now they possessed it, and dwelt
therein. And the promise of the heavenly
Canaan is as sure to
all
God's spiritual
Israel; for it is the promise of Him that
cannot
Lie. There stood not a
Man before them. The
after-prevalence of the
Canaanites was the effect of
Israel's
slothfulness, and the
Punishment of their sinful inclination to
the idolatries and abominations of the
Heathen whom they
harboured and indulged. There failed not aught of any good
thing, which the
Lord had spoken to the
House of
Israel. In due
season all his promises will be accomplished; then will his
people acknowledge that the
Lord has exceeded their largest
expectations, and made them more than conquerors, and brought
them to their desired
Rest.