complete verse (Joshua 21:8)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Joshua 21:8:

  • Kupsabiny: “These cities were given out through casting of lots as God had promised through Moses.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “As the LORD had commanded through Moses, the Israelites gave these cities to the Descendants of Levi with grazing land for their cattle.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Therefore by-means-of casting-lots, the Israelinhon gave the descendants of Levi towns/cities and pasturelands, according-to what the LORD commanded Moises.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “So the Israeli leaders gave cities and pastureland to the tribe of Levi, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses that they should do.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Joshua 21:5 - 21:8

Verses 4-8 classify the Levites according to their clans, which descended from Levi’s three sons, Kohath, Gershon, and Merari. The clans descended from Kohath are divided into two groups (verses 4-5), one of which consists of the descendants of Aaron, grandson of Kohath (Exo 6.18-20), the other one consisting of the other descendants of Kohath. Although Gershon was the oldest son (Exo 6.16; Num 3.17), Kohath is named first because of Aaron.

The Hebrew text mentions the use of the sacred lots in this initial classification of the levitical clans (see Revised Standard Version verses 4, 5, 6; strangely enough, it is not mentioned in verse 7). Good News Translation has taken these references to be anticipatory, that is, they actually refer to the choosing of the cities as such, and so the matter is mentioned specifically in verse 8, where a summary statement is made of the assignment of the cities.

It is possible, however, either to follow the pattern of the Hebrew (see Revised Standard Version), or else to introduce an initial summary statement. If this second suggestion is followed, then verse 4 and the first part of verse 5 may be restructured as follows:

• Each clan received its cities by drawing lots. The descendants of Aaron from the tribe of Kohath received their cities first. They were given thirteen cities from the territories of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin. 5 Then the rest of the clan of Kohath….

So as to arrange verse 8 in a somewhat more chronological sequence, it may be translated:

• The LORD had commanded Moses to let the tribe of Levi draw lots to see what cities they would receive. So they drew lots, and the people of Israel gave them these cities together with the pasture lands around them.

A shift may also be made to direct discourse: “The LORD had commanded Moses, ‘The tribe of Levi will draw lots, and they will receive the cities according to the lots that they draw.’ So they drew lots….”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Newman, Barclay M. A Handbook on Joshua. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1983. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 21:8

Paragraph 21:8

21:8a

So the Israelites allotted to the Levites these cities, together with their pasturelands: Here is another way to translate this part of the verse:

the Israelites gave these towns and their grasslands to the clan of Levi by throwing lots

21:8b

as the LORD had commanded through Moses: This part of the verse is similar to verse 21:2b.

Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

just as Yahweh had commanded Moses to tell them to do
-or-
Yahweh had told Moses that they must do this

General Comment on 21:8

Verse 8 is a summary statement of verses 4–7. It restates the information that was first said in verse 3.

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