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Joshua 21:37

Old Testament Historical ASV (1901)

What does Joshua 21:37 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “Kedemoth with its suburbs, and Mephaath with its suburbs; four cities.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

Kedemoth with its suburbs, and Mephaath with its suburbs; four cities.
Joshua 21:37 — American Standard Version

Context — Joshua 21

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
34And unto the families of the children of Merari, the rest of the Levites, out of the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam with its suburbs, and Kartah with its suburbs,
35Dimnah with its suburbs, Nahalal with its suburbs; four cities.
36And out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer with its suburbs, and Jahaz with its suburbs,
37Kedemoth with its suburbs, and Mephaath with its suburbs; four cities.
38And out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with its suburbs, the city of refuge for the manslayer, and Mahanaim with its suburbs,
39Heshbon with its suburbs, Jazer with its suburbs; four cities in all.
40All [these were] the cities of the children of Merari according to their families, even the rest of the families of the Levites; and their lot was twelve cities.
← Joshua 21:36Joshua 21:38 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“Kedemoth with her suburbs, etc.] Near to which was a wilderness of that name; (see <050226>Deuteronomy 2:26); and Mephaath with her suburbs; of which (see Gill on “<061318>Joshua 13:18”); where the two preceding cities are mentioned along with it: four cities, (<062135>Joshua 21:35,36), are not in some ancient copies of the Hebrew Bible, as is noted by the Masorites; but are in some others, as Kimchi owns, and stand in the Targum, in the Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions, and in a manuscript referred to by Hottinger f510; and the same words are to be, found in (<130678>1 Chronicles 6:78,79), and are absolutely necessary to be retained, since without them there would be but eight cities…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Merarite cities. Some of these places are not found in the list of Zebulonite cities in Joshua 19:10-16. The text is considered corrupt. return to 'Top of Page'”
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Sources and verification