New American Standard Bible 1995

Back to Reader

Joshua

Note Journal Prayer

21

:

6

“

The sons of Gershon received thirteen cities by lot 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.

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Hebrew: Transliteration:
The sons son Noun H1121 וְלִבְנֵ֣י ve·liv·nei
of Gershon a son of Levi Noun H1648 גֵרְשֹׁ֗ון ge·re·sho·vn
received thirteen a three, triad Noun H7969 שְׁלֹ֥שׁ she·losh
Analysis:

Thirteen: Unity between man and God, good things happen

The meaning of the number thirteen is found when the numbers one and twelve are combined. We have learned that twelve refers to the people of God and the number one relates to HaShem; therefore, the number thirteen speaks of a unity between God and His people. The classic example of this is found in the book of Joshua.

"All the cities of the children of Aaron, the Priests, (were) thirteen and their fields."
Joshua 21:19

The Priests’ general calling was to serve in order to bring about unity between HaShem and His people.

The number thirteen is also seen when the people are commanded to make a special offering to HaShem. There is a clear reference to thirteen bulls which were to be offered (see Numbers 29:13-14). Obviously, when the people made a sacrificial offering which was to be a pleasing aroma to HaShem, it is for the purpose of unity. This unity is not simply for the sake of unity, but for a mighty outcome which is the result from such a unity between God and His people. What is this outcome? The answer is victory, or the fulfillment of the will of God. In the book of Genesis, one reads that Ishmael was circumcised at the age of 13 years. Circumcision expresses the death of the flesh. In other words, the death of the flesh is the outcome of faith, the basis for the Abrahamic covenant. The death of the flesh represents the fulfillment of the will of God and the purpose of HaShem entering into a covenantal relationship with man. Again, the fulfillment of God's will relates to victory. 

This same idea is subtly seen in the account of the walls of Jericho. The Children of Israel were to march around the walls of Jericho one time for six days and on the seventh day (Shabbat) they were commanded to do so seven times. Rabbinical scholars point out that in all, the Children of Israel marched around the city of Jericho 13 times. When they fulfilled the commandment of HaShem, they were united with God through obedience to His word, that the walls supernaturally crumbled into dust. This miraculous event gave the Children of Israel victory. Hence, the number thirteen relates to unity between God and His people, which brings about victory.  In this example, the number 13 was comprised of the numbers six and seven.  This reveals another aspect for the number 13.  We have seen that unity speaks about the unity between man and God.  The numbers six and seven are related to this idea.  The only way that there can be unity between man and a Holy God is when sinners are made holy (7) by the grace of God (6).

In the book of Esther the number 13 appears the most—six occurrences in all. Each of these occurrences is in regard to the 13th day of the 12th month. Originally, this date represented the plan of Haman to destroy the Jewish people. It is most significant that this date was chosen in the first month, the month of Nissan, which is the month of redemption, i.e. Passover, for the Jewish people and in the 12th year of the King. The reader needs to remember that the number 12 relates to the people of God. Therefore, the message the reader should derive from the verse (Esther 3:7) is that although Haman intended this date to be for the destruction of the Jewish people, HaShem intended it to be for the redemption of His people. In the end, the 13th day became known as the fast of Esther. One of the primary purposes of fasting is to rid oneself from those things that are a hindrance between the one fasting and God. Hence, fasting is for the purpose of unity between man and God. 

Loveisrael.org - Baruch Korman, Ph.D. - All Rights Reserved - Used with Permission 2016
cities city, town Noun H5892 עָרִ֖ים a·rim
by lot a lot (for casting) Noun H1486 בַּגֹּורָ֔ל bag·go·v·ral,
from the families a clan Noun H4940 מִמִּשְׁפְּחֹ֣ות mim·mish·pe·cho·vt
of the tribe a staff, rod, shaft, branch, a tribe Noun H4294 מַטֵּֽה־ mat·teh-
of Issachar perhaps "there is recompense," a son of Jacob and Leah, also a son of Obed-edom Noun H3485 יִשָּׂשכָ֣ר yis·sa·sh·char
Analysis:
Read more about: Issachar
and from the tribe a staff, rod, shaft, branch, a tribe Noun H4294 וּמִמַּטֵּֽה־ u·mim·mat·teh-
of Asher "happy one," a son of Jacob, also the tribe descended from him, also perhaps a city in Pal. Noun H836 אָ֠שֵׁר a·sher
Analysis:
Read more about: Asher
and from the tribe a staff, rod, shaft, branch, a tribe Noun H4294 וּמִמַּטֵּ֨ה u·mim·mat·teh
of Naphtali a son of Jacob, also his desc. and the district settled by them Noun H5321 נַפְתָּלִ֜י naf·ta·li
Analysis:
Read more about: Naphtali
and from the half-tribe half Noun H2677 וּ֠מֵחֲצִי u·me·cha·tzi
of Manasseh "causing to forget," a son of Joseph, also a tribe desc. from him, also a king of Judah , also two Isr. Noun H4519 מְנַשֶּׁ֤ה me·na·sheh
Analysis:
Read more about: Manasseh, Manasseh
in Bashan. "smooth," a region E. of the Jordan Noun H1316 בַבָּשָׁן֙ vab·ba·shan
Analysis:
Read more about: Bashan

Locations

Bashan

BASHANba'-shan (ha-bashan, "the Bashan"; Basan): This name is probably the same in meaning as the cognate Arabic bathneh, "soft, fertile land," or bathaniyeh (batanaea), "this land sown with wheat" ("wheatland").1. Boundaries:It often occurs with the article, "the Bashan," to describe the kingdom of Og, the most northerly part of the land East of the Jordan.... View Details

People

Issachar

Issachar, one of the twelve tribes of Isr.

Asher

|happy one,| a son of Jacob, also the tribe descended from him, also perhaps a city in Palestine

Naphtali

a son of Jacob, also his desc. and the district settled by them

Lot

Lot [N] [H] [S]   Lot, (Heb. lot), a covering; veil, the son of Haran, and nephew of Abraham ( Genesis 11:27 ). On the death of his father, he was left in charge of his grandfather Terah (31), after whose death he accompanied his uncle Abraham into Canaan ( 12:5 ), thence into Egypt (10), and back again to Canaan ( 13:1 ). After this he separated from him and settled in Sodom ( 13:5-13 ). Th... View Details

Manasseh

Manasseh [N] [H] [S] who makes to forget. "God hath made me forget" (Heb. nashshani),  Genesis 41:51 .  The elder of the two sons of Joseph. He and his brother Ephraim were afterwards adopted by Jacob as his own sons ( 48:1 ). There is an account of his marriage to a Syrian ( 1 Chronicles 7:14 ); and the only thing afterwards recorded of him is, that his grandchildren were "... View Details

Manasseh

Manasseh [N] [H] [S] who makes to forget. "God hath made me forget" (Heb. nashshani),  Genesis 41:51 .  The elder of the two sons of Joseph. He and his brother Ephraim were afterwards adopted by Jacob as his own sons ( 48:1 ). There is an account of his marriage to a Syrian ( 1 Chronicles 7:14 ); and the only thing afterwards recorded of him is, that his grandchildren were "... View Details

Parallel Verses

Removed text
Added text
New American Standard Bible 1995 The sons of Gershon received thirteen cities by lot 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.
King James Bible The sons And the children of Gershon received thirteen cities had by lot from out of the families of the tribe of Issachar Issachar, and from out of the tribe of Asher Asher, and from out of the tribe of Naphtali Naphtali, and from out of the half-tribe half tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.Bashan, thirteen cities.
Hebrew Greek English The sons of Gershon received thirteen cities by lot 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.