Levitical Cities
Numbers 35:1-5
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Num.35.1 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- וידבר: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- אל: NEG
- משה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- בערבת: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,cstr
- מואב: NOUN,m,sg,prop
- על: PREP
- ירדן: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ירחו: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- לאמר: INF,qal,infc
Parallels
- Deuteronomy 1:1 (verbal): Repeats the same geographic framing formula — 'in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho' — linking Moses' discourses and setting.
- Deuteronomy 4:41-43 (thematic): Gives the designation of cities of refuge 'beyond the Jordan' in the plains of Moab; parallels the subject and location of Numbers 35's instructions.
- Joshua 20:1-9 (structural): Reiterates the law and appointment of cities of refuge under Joshua, reflecting the practical implementation of Moses' commands in Numbers 35.
- Numbers 34:1-15 (structural): Immediately adjacent material in Numbers where the LORD speaks to Moses about land boundaries and allotments in the same Moab/Jordan setting, linking legal/territorial instructions.
Alternative generated candidates
- The LORD spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying,
- The LORD spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying,
Num.35.2 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- צו: VERB,qal,imp,2,m,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- בני: NOUN,m,pl,construct
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ונתנו: CONJ+VERB,qal,perf,3,m,pl
- ללוים: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,def
- מנחלת: NOUN,f,sg,cons
- אחזתם: NOUN,f,sg,abs+PRON,3,m,pl
- ערים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- לשבת: PREP+VERB,qal,inf
- ומגרש: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- לערים: PREP+NOUN,f,pl,abs
- סביבתיהם: NOUN,f,sg,abs+3,m,pl
- תתנו: VERB,qal,impf,2,m,pl
- ללוים: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,def
Parallels
- Joshua 21:41-42 (verbal): Joshua records the fulfillment: the landowners gave the Levites forty‑eight cities with their surrounding pasturelands—language and arrangement echo Numbers 35.
- Numbers 18:20-24 (structural): Gives the rationale and related provisions for the Levites (no tribal land inheritance; provision by God and by tithes) and sets up the practice of providing cities/pastures.
- Deuteronomy 10:9 (thematic): States the principle that Levi has no portion or inheritance among his brothers because the LORD is his inheritance—explains why Levitical cities (not tribal territory) are provided.
- 1 Chronicles 6:54-81 (structural): The Chronicler lists the cities assigned to the Levites (and Aaron’s descendants), paralleling Numbers/Joshua in the allocation of Levitical towns and their environs.
Alternative generated candidates
- “Command the people of Israel and say to them: Give to the Levites the inheritance of their possession—cities to live in; and pasturelands for the cities around them you shall give to the Levites.
- Command the people of Israel and say to them: You shall give to the Levites the possession of their inheritance—cities to live in, and pasturelands for the cities around them you shall give to the Levites.
Num.35.3 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- והיו: CONJ+VERB,qal,imperfect,3,m,pl
- הערים: NOUN,f,pl,def
- להם: PREP+PRON,3,m,pl
- לשבת: PREP+VERB,qal,inf
- ומגרשיהם: CONJ+NOUN,m,pl,abs+PRON,3,m,pl
- יהיו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- לבהמתם: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs+PRON,3,m,pl
- ולרכשם: CONJ+PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRON,3,m,pl
- ולכל: CONJ+PREP+DET
- חיתם: NOUN,f,sg,abs+PRON,3,m,pl
Parallels
- Joshua 21:2-4 (verbal): Direct parallel wording and theme: cities given to the Levites “with the suburbs thereof for their cattle, and for their substance, and for all their beasts,” echoing Num 35:3’s provision of cities and their outskirts for Levites’ animals and goods.
- Joshua 20:1-6 (thematic): Deals with the designation and use of special cities (cities of refuge) and their territorial extent; parallels the idea of allocating cities and their borders for particular social/ritual functions.
- Deuteronomy 19:1-4 (thematic): Commands the setting aside of specific cities (three cities of refuge) within the land for asylum; thematically related to Num 35’s prescription for designated cities and their surrounding areas for Levitical use.
- 1 Chronicles 6:54 (Heb. 6:64) (structural): Chronicles repeats the list and provision for Levitical cities, noting that these cities were given “with their suburbs for their cattle,” thereby echoing Num 35:3’s allocation of cities and outskirts for the Levites’ animals and possessions.
Alternative generated candidates
- The cities shall be for them to live in, and their pasturelands shall be for their cattle, for their property, and for all their animals.
- The cities shall be their dwelling places, and their pasturelands shall be for their cattle, for their property, and for all their animals.
Num.35.4 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ומגרשי: CONJ+NOUN,m,pl,cons
- הערים: NOUN,f,pl,def
- אשר: PRON,rel
- תתנו: VERB,qal,impf,2,m,pl
- ללוים: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,def
- מקיר: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,cons
- העיר: NOUN,f,sg,def
- וחוצה: CONJ+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- אלף: NUM,m,sg
- אמה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- סביב: ADV
Parallels
- Numbers 35:2–3 (structural): Immediate context: commands about assigning cities to the Levites and measuring the suburb from the city wall (same legal instruction and measurement).
- Joshua 21:4–5 (verbal): Repeats the Mosaic prescription when the land is distributed: cities given to the Levites 'with their suburbs round about' as commanded by Moses (close verbal and legal parallel).
- Joshua 21:41 (verbal): Summarizes the Levitical allotment: forty‑eight cities were given to the Levites 'together with their suburbs,' echoing the phrasing of suburbs extending from the city.
- 1 Chronicles 6:54 (thematic): Lists cities assigned to the Levites and repeatedly notes they received the cities 'and their suburbs,' reflecting the same practice of granting surrounding plots for the Levites' use.
Alternative generated candidates
- And the pasturelands of the cities that you give to the Levites shall extend from the wall of the city outward a thousand cubits all around.
- The pasturelands of the cities that you give to the Levites shall extend from the city wall outward a thousand cubits all around.
Num.35.5 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ומדתם: VERB,qal,perf,2,m,pl
- מחוץ: PREP
- לעיר: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- את: PRT,acc
- פאת: NOUN,f,sg,cons
- קדמה: ADV
- אלפים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- באמה: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- ואת: CONJ
- פאת: NOUN,f,sg,cons
- נגב: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אלפים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- באמה: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- ואת: CONJ
- פאת: NOUN,f,sg,cons
- ים: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אלפים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- באמה: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- ואת: CONJ
- פאת: NOUN,f,sg,cons
- צפון: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אלפים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- באמה: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- והעיר: CONJ+NOUN,f,sg,def
- בתוך: PREP
- זה: PRON,dem,m,sg
- יהיה: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- להם: PREP+PRON,3,m,pl
- מגרשי: NOUN,m,pl,const
- הערים: NOUN,f,pl,def
Parallels
- Numbers 35:2-3 (verbal): Immediate context: commands to give the Levites cities and their surrounding suburbs/pasturelands—directly connected language and prescription for measuring land around the cities.
- Deuteronomy 19:2-3 (thematic): Establishes the setting aside of cities (cities of refuge) within the land and the provision of their surrounding area—same legal/thematic concern for designated urban precincts and their outskirts.
- Joshua 21:4-5 (verbal): Describes the allotment of cities to the Levites “with their suburbs round about them,” using parallel vocabulary and reflecting the implementation of the Numbers prescription in the conquest settlement.
- 1 Chronicles 6:54 (structural): Lists the Levitical cities and their pasturelands/suburbs, showing the practical distribution and continued observance of the urban-and-suburb pattern set out in Numbers 35.
- Ezekiel 45:2 (allusion): In Ezekiel’s temple-city vision a central city is surrounded by precisely measured land; parallels the idea of a city set in the midst of a measured surrounding area for sacred/functional purposes.
Alternative generated candidates
- And you shall measure outside the city the border: the edge toward the east a thousand cubits, and the edge toward the south a thousand cubits, and the edge toward the west a thousand cubits, and the edge toward the north a thousand cubits; and the city shall be in the midst of it—these shall be the pasturelands of the cities for them.”
- Measure outside the city: the side toward the east a thousand cubits, the side toward the south a thousand cubits, the side toward the sea a thousand cubits, and the side toward the north a thousand cubits; the city shall be within these—these shall be the pasturelands of the cities for them.
The LORD spoke to Moses on the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying,
Command the people of Israel and say to them: Give to the Levites the possession of their inheritance—cities to dwell in; and pasture-lands for the cities around them you shall give to the Levites.
The cities shall be for them to live in, and their pasture-lands shall be for their cattle, for their property, and for all their animals. And the pasture-lands of the cities that you give to the Levites shall lie from the city wall outward one thousand cubits all around.
Measure outside the city: the edge toward the east one thousand cubits, and the edge toward the south one thousand cubits, and the edge toward the west one thousand cubits, and the edge toward the north one thousand cubits; and the city shall be within these—these shall be the pasture-lands of the cities for them.