The Meaning of Joshua 21:6 Explained

Joshua 21:6

KJV: And the children of Gershon had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities.

YLT: And for the sons of Gershon are, out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, by lot, thirteen cities.

Darby: And the children of Gershon had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities.

ASV: And the children of Gershon had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the children  of Gershon  [had] by lot  out of the families  of the tribe  of Issachar,  and out of the tribe  of Asher,  and out of the tribe  of Naphtali,  and out of the half  tribe  of Manasseh  in Bashan,  thirteen  cities. 

What does Joshua 21:6 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Joshua 21

1  Forty-eight cities given by lot, out of the other tribes unto the Levites
43  God gives the land, and rest unto the Israelites, according to his promise

What do the individual words in Joshua 21:6 mean?

And had the sons of Gershon from the families of the tribe of Issachar and from the tribe of Asher and from the tribe of Naphtali and from the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan by lot cities Three [and] ten -
וְלִבְנֵ֣י גֵרְשׁ֗וֹן מִמִּשְׁפְּח֣וֹת מַטֵּֽה־ יִשָּׂשכָ֣ר וּמִמַּטֵּֽה־ אָ֠שֵׁר וּמִמַּטֵּ֨ה נַפְתָּלִ֜י וּ֠מֵחֲצִי מַטֵּ֨ה מְנַשֶּׁ֤ה בַבָּשָׁן֙ בַּגּוֹרָ֔ל עָרִ֖ים שְׁלֹ֥שׁ עֶשְׂרֵֽה ס

וְלִבְנֵ֣י  And  had  the  sons 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
גֵרְשׁ֗וֹן  of  Gershon 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: גֵּרְשֹׁון  
Sense: firstborn son of Levi born before Jacob’s family went to Egypt.
מִמִּשְׁפְּח֣וֹת  from  the  families 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: מִשְׁפָּחָה  
Sense: clan, family.
מַטֵּֽה־  of  the  tribe 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַטֶּה  
Sense: staff, branch, tribe.
יִשָּׂשכָ֣ר  of  Issachar 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשָּׂשׂכָר  
Sense: the 9th son of Jacob and the 5th by Leah his first wife and the progenitor of a tribe by his name.
וּמִמַּטֵּֽה־  and  from  the  tribe 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַטֶּה  
Sense: staff, branch, tribe.
אָ֠שֵׁר  of  Asher 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָשֵׁר  
Sense: son of Jacob and Zilpah.
וּמִמַּטֵּ֨ה  and  from  the  tribe 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַטֶּה  
Sense: staff, branch, tribe.
נַפְתָּלִ֜י  of  Naphtali 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: נַפְתָּלִי  
Sense: the 5th son of Jacob and the 2nd by Bilhah the handmaid of Rachel.
וּ֠מֵחֲצִי  and  from  the 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חֲצִי 
Sense: half.
מַטֵּ֨ה  half-tribe 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַטֶּה  
Sense: staff, branch, tribe.
מְנַשֶּׁ֤ה  of  Manasseh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מְנַשֶּׁה  
Sense: the eldest son of Joseph and progenitor of the tribe of Manasseh.
בַבָּשָׁן֙  in  Bashan 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: בָּשָׁן 
Sense: a district east of the Jordan known for its fertility which was given to the half-tribe of Manasseh.
בַּגּוֹרָ֔ל  by  lot 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: גֹּורָל  
Sense: lot.
עָרִ֖ים  cities 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
שְׁלֹ֥שׁ  Three 
Parse: Number, feminine singular construct
Root: מִשְׁלֹשׁ 
Sense: three, triad.
עֶשְׂרֵֽה  [and]  ten 
Parse: Number, feminine singular
Root: עָשָׂר 
Sense: ten, -teen (in combination with other numbers).
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation