Joshua 14:4

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

The descendants of Joseph became two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. The Levites did not receive a portion of land but were instead given cities to live in, with pasturelands for their livestock and possessions.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

כִּֽי־הָי֧וּ בְנֵֽי־יוֹסֵ֛ף שְׁנֵ֥י מַטּ֖וֹת מְנַשֶּׁ֣ה וְאֶפְרָ֑יִם וְלֹֽא־נָתְנוּ֩ חֵ֨לֶק לַלְוִיִּ֜ם בָּאָ֗רֶץ כִּ֤י אִם־עָרִים֙ לָשֶׁ֔בֶת וּמִ֨גְרְשֵׁיהֶ֔ם לְמִקְנֵיהֶ֖ם וּלְקִנְיָנָֽם׃

Transliteration

For hāyû bᵊnê-yôsēp̄ šᵊnê maṭṭôt mᵊnaššeh and ʾep̄rāyim and not nātᵊnû ḥēleq to halᵊwiyyim in hāʾāreṣ except ʿārîm for lāšebet and their migrᵊšêhem for their miqnêhem and for their qinyānām.

Grammar Details

• *kî*: conjunction - for/because
• *hāyû*: verb, qal perfect, 3rd plural - they were
• *bᵊnê*: noun, masculine plural construct - sons of
• *yôsēp̄*: proper noun - Joseph
• *šᵊnê*: number, masculine construct - two of
• *maṭṭôt*: noun, masculine plural - tribes
• *mᵊnaššeh*: proper noun - Manasseh
• *wᵊ*: conjunction - and
• *ʾep̄rāyim*: proper noun - Ephraim
• *lōʾ*: negative particle - not
• *nātᵊnû*: verb, qal perfect, 3rd plural - they gave
• *ḥēleq*: noun, masculine singular - portion
• *la*: preposition - to
• *halᵊwiyyim*: definite article + proper noun, plural - the Levites
• *bā*: preposition + definite article - in the
• *ʾāreṣ*: noun, feminine singular - land
• *kî ʾim*: conjunction + particle - except/but only
• *ʿārîm*: noun, feminine plural - cities
• *lā*: preposition - for
• *šebet*: verb, qal infinitive construct - to dwell
• *migrᵊšêhem*: noun, masculine plural + 3rd masculine plural suffix - their pasture lands/open spaces
• *lᵊ*: preposition - for
• *miqnêhem*: noun, masculine plural + 3rd masculine plural suffix - their livestock
• *qinyānām*: noun, masculine singular + 3rd masculine plural suffix - their possessions

Word Meanings

• *hāyû*: were/became/existed as
• *ḥēleq*: portion/share/allotment
• *ʿārîm*: cities/towns
• *šebet*: dwelling/residing/living
• *migrᵊšêhem*: their pastures/their open lands/their suburban areas
• *miqnêhem*: their cattle/their livestock/their domestic animals
• *qinyānām*: their possessions/their property/their substance

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  For the children of eph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim: therefore they gave no part unto the Levites in the land, save cities to dwell in, with their suburbs for their cattle and for their substance.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  For the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim; therefore they gave no part to the Levites in the land, except cities to live in, with their pasture lands for their cattle and for their possessions.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  For the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim: therefore they gave no part unto the Levites in the land, save cities to dwell in, with their suburbs for their cattle and for their substance.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  For the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim: and they gave no portion unto the Levites in the land, save cities to dwell in, with the suburbs thereof for their cattle and for their substance.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  For the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim: therefore they gave no part unto the Levites in the land, save cities to dwell in, with their suburbs for their cattle and for their substance.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  For of the childre of Ioseph there were two trybes, Manasses and Ephraim. Therfore gaue they the Leuites no porcion in the londe, but cities, to dwell therin, and suburbes for their catell and goodes.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  For the childre of Ioseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim: therefore they gaue no part vnto the Leuites in the lande, saue cities to dwell in, with the suburbes of the same for their beastes and their substance.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  For the children of Ioseph were two tribes, Manasses and Ephraim: And therfore they gaue no parte vnto the Leuites in the land, saue cities to dwell in, with the suburbes of the same, for their beastes and cattel.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  For the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim: therefore they gave no part unto the Levites in the land, save cities to dwell [in], with their suburbs for their cattle and for their substance.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  For the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim: and they gave no portion to the Levites in the land, save cities to dwell in, with the suburbs of it for their cattle and for their substance.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  for the sons of Joseph hath been two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim, and they have not given a portion to the Levites in the land, except cities to dwell in, and their suburbs for their cattle, and for their possessions;

• American Standard Version (1901)

  For the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim: and they gave no portion unto the Levites in the land, save cities to dwell in, with the suburbs thereof for their cattle and for their substance.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  For the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim: and they gave no portion unto the Levites in the land, save cities to dwell in, with the suburbs thereof for their cattle and for their substance.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  Because the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim; and they gave the Levites no part in the land, only towns for their living-places, with the grass-lands for their cattle and for their property.

• World English Bible (2000)

  For the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim: and they gave no portion to the Levites in the land, except cities to dwell in, with their suburbs for their livestock and for their property.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  The descendants of Joseph were considered as two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. The Levites were allotted no territory, though they were assigned cities in which to live, along with the grazing areas for their cattle and possessions.

Referenced Verses

• Gen 48:5 : 5 'Now, your two sons who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you here will be mine. Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are.'
• 1 Chr 5:1-2 : 1 The sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel—although he was the firstborn, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph, the son of Israel, because he defiled his father’s bed. He is not counted as the firstborn in the records. 2 Though Judah became strong among his brothers and a leader came from him, the birthright belonged to Joseph.
• 1 Chr 6:54-66 : 54 Aijalon with its pasturelands, and Gath Rimmon with its pasturelands. 55 From half the tribe of Manasseh, they gave Aner with its pasturelands and Bileam with its pasturelands for the remaining families of the Kohathites. 56 To the sons of Gershom, from the half-tribe of Manasseh, they gave Golan in Bashan with its pasturelands and Ashtaroth with its pasturelands. 57 From the tribe of Issachar, they gave Kedesh with its pasturelands, Daberath with its pasturelands. 58 Ramoth with its pasturelands, and Anem with its pasturelands. 59 From the tribe of Asher, they gave Mashal with its pasturelands, and Abdon with its pasturelands. 60 Hukok with its pasturelands and Rehob with its pasturelands. 61 From the tribe of Naphtali, they gave Kedesh in Galilee with its pasturelands, Hammon with its pasturelands, and Kiriathaim with its pasturelands. 62 To the remaining sons of Merari, from the tribe of Zebulun, they gave Rimmono with its pasturelands and Tabor with its pasturelands. 63 From beyond the Jordan at Jericho, east of the Jordan, from the tribe of Reuben, they gave Bezer in the desert with its pasturelands and Jahzah with its pasturelands. 64 They also gave Kedemoth with its pasturelands and Mephaath with its pasturelands. 65 From the tribe of Gad, they were given Ramoth in Gilead with its pasturelands, Mahanaim with its pasturelands. 66 They were also given Heshbon with its pasturelands and Jazer with its pasturelands.
• Num 35:2-8 : 2 Command the Israelites to give the Levites cities to live in from their inheritance, and give them pasture lands around the cities. 3 The cities will be places for them to live, and the pasture lands will be for their livestock, their property, and all their animals. 4 The pasture lands of the cities that you give the Levites shall extend from the city wall outward a distance of a thousand cubits all around. 5 You shall measure from outside the city: two thousand cubits on the east side, two thousand on the south side, two thousand on the west side, and two thousand on the north side, with the city in the middle. This shall be their pasture lands for the cities. 6 The cities that you give to the Levites shall include six cities of refuge for someone who kills another unintentionally to flee to; in addition, give them forty-two more cities. 7 The total number of cities you give to the Levites will be forty-eight, along with their pasture lands. 8 The cities you give from the inheritance of the Israelites shall be proportionate: from larger tribes give more, and from smaller tribes give less. Each tribe shall give cities to the Levites in accordance with the inheritance it receives.
• Josh 21:2-9 : 2 They spoke to them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, 'The LORD commanded through Moses to give us cities to live in, with pasture lands for our livestock.' 3 So the Israelites gave the Levites, according to the LORD’s command, the following cities and pasture lands from their inheritance. 4 The lot came out for the Kohathite clans. The descendants of Aaron, the priest, who were from the Levites, received, by lot, thirteen cities from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin. 5 The remaining Kohathites received, by lot, ten cities from the clans of the tribes of Ephraim, Dan, and half the tribe of Manasseh. 6 The descendants of Gershon received, by lot, thirteen cities from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan. 7 The descendants of Merari, by their families, received twelve cities from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun. 8 So the Israelites gave these cities with their pasture lands to the Levites, as the LORD had commanded through Moses, by lot. 9 From the tribes of Judah and Simeon, they gave the following cities by name. 10 These cities were for the descendants of Aaron, who were from the Kohathite clans of the Levites, for the first lot was for them. 11 They gave them Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron), in the hill country of Judah, along with its surrounding pasture lands. Arba was the ancestor of the Anakites. 12 However, the fields and villages around the city were given to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his possession. 13 To the descendants of Aaron, the priest, they gave Hebron (a city of refuge for one who had killed someone), along with its pasture lands, and Libnah with its pasture lands. 14 Jattir with its pasture lands, Eshtemoa with its pasture lands, 15 Holon with its pasture lands, Debir with its pasture lands. 16 Ain with its pasture lands, Juttah with its pasture lands, Beth-shemesh with its pasture lands—nine cities from these two tribes. 17 From the tribe of Benjamin: Gibeon with its pasture lands, Geba with its pasture lands, 18 Anathoth with its pasture lands, and Almon with its pasture lands—four cities in total. 19 In total, the descendants of Aaron, the priests, received thirteen cities with their pasture lands. 20 The rest of the Kohathite clans of the Levites received cities allotted to them from the tribe of Ephraim. 21 They were given Shechem (a city of refuge for one who had killed someone) with its pasture lands in the hill country of Ephraim, Gezer with its pasture lands, 22 Kibzaim with its pasture lands, and Beth-horon with its pasture lands—four cities. 23 From the tribe of Dan: Elteke with its pasture lands, Gibbethon with its pasture lands, 24 Aijalon with its pasture lands, and Gath-rimmon with its pasture lands—four cities. 25 From half the tribe of Manasseh: Taanach with its pasture lands and Gath-rimmon with its pasture lands—two cities. 26 In total, the remaining Kohathite clans received ten cities with their pasture lands. 27 To the descendants of Gershon, from the families of the Levites, they gave from the half-tribe of Manasseh: Golan in Bashan (a city of refuge for one who had killed someone) with its pasture lands, and Be-eshterah with its pasture lands—two cities. 28 From the tribe of Issachar: Kishion with its pasture lands, Daberath with its pasture lands, 29 Jarmuth with its pasture lands, and En-gannim with its pasture lands—four cities. 30 From the tribe of Asher: Mishal with its pasture lands, Abdon with its pasture lands, 31 Helkath with its pasture lands and Rehob with its pasture lands—four cities. 32 From the tribe of Naphtali: Kedesh in Galilee (a city of refuge for one who had killed someone) with its pasture lands, Hammoth-dor with its pasture lands, and Kartan with its pasture lands—three cities. 33 In total, the families of the Gershonites received thirteen cities with their pasture lands. 34 To the families of the Merarites, the remaining Levites, they gave from the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam with its pasture lands, and Kartah with its pasture lands, 35 Dimnah with its pasture lands, and Nahalal with its pasture lands—four cities in total. 36 From the tribe of Reuben: Bezer with its pasture lands, and Jahzah with its pasture lands, 37 Kedemoth with its pasture lands, and Mephaath with its pasture lands—four cities in total. 38 From the tribe of Gad: Ramoth in Gilead (a city of refuge for one who had killed someone) with its pasture lands, Mahanaim with its pasture lands, 39 Heshbon with its pasture lands, and Jazer with its pasture lands—four cities in total. 40 In total, the families of the Merarites, the remaining Levite families, received twelve cities by lot. 41 In total, the cities of the Levites within the possession of the Israelites numbered forty-eight cities along with their pasture lands. 42 Each of these cities had its surrounding pasture lands. This was true for all these cities.