Now these were the territories assigned to the descendants of Aaron from the Kohathite clan for their settlements, because the first lot fell to them: They were given Hebron in the land of Judah and its surrounding pasturelands. But the fields and villages around the city were given to Caleb son of Jephunneh. So the descendants of Aaron were given Hebron (a city of refuge), Libnah, Jattir, Eshtemoa, Hilen, Debir, Ashan, Juttah, and Beth-shemesh, together with their pasturelands. And from the tribe of Benjamin they were given Gibeon, Geba, Alemeth, and Anathoth, together with their pasturelands. So they had thirteen cities in all among their families.
to the descendants of Aaron from the Kohathite clans of the Levites, because the first lot fell to them: They gave them Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), with its surrounding pasturelands, in the hill country of Judah. (Arba was the father of Anak.) But they had given the fields and villages around the city to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his possession. So to the descendants of Aaron the priest they gave these cities, together with their pasturelands: Hebron, a city of refuge for the manslayer, Libnah, Jattir, Eshtemoa, Holon, Debir, Ain, Juttah, and Beth-shemesh—nine cities from these two tribes, together with their pasturelands. And from the tribe of Benjamin they gave them Gibeon, Geba, Anathoth, and Almon—four cities, together with their pasturelands. In all, thirteen cities, together with their pasturelands, were given to the priests, the descendants of Aaron.
Significance
The Chronicler reproduces Joshua 21:10-19's specific allocation of cities to the sons of Aaron from the Kohathite clan. Both texts name Hebron as a city of refuge (ir miqlat) given to the Aaronite priests, along with its surrounding pasturelands. The Chronicler closely follows Joshua's city list while making minor adjustments, demonstrating that the Aaronite priestly cities established during the conquest remain the normative framework for priestly settlement. This validates the post-exilic priesthood's territorial claims by tracing them to Joshua-era divine appointment. Both preserve the fine distinction that while Hebron and its pasturelands (מִגְרָשֶׁיהָ, migrasheyha) went to the Aaronic priests, its outlying fields and villages were given to Caleb.
Found via
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Reference Type
Direct Quotation
Connection Method(s)
Redemptive-Historical Progression (recapitulation) — the Levitical-cities institution at its Aaronic center, preserved rather than developed forward (its bearing on Christ is analogical, carried by the fulfilled Exodus 19:6 promise): Joshua 21's grant of Hebron (a refuge city) with its companion towns to Aaron's sons is reproduced in 1 Chr 6:54-60, carrying the Numbers 35 institution through the conquest record into the post-exilic register that legitimates priestly settlement.
