54Now these are their dwelling places according to their encampments in their borders: to the sons of Aaron, of
54—81 (= 39—66 according to the Heb. division). The forty-eight
Levitic cities.
This section has been adopted with some rearrangement from the parallel passage in Joshua. In Joshua the number of cities taken from each group of tribes and given to its respective division of the Levites is first stated, no city being named; and next the names of the cities are given under each division of the Levites and under the name of the tribe from which the cities were taken. In Chron. the cities given to the Aaronites are first mentioned by name and reckoned to be thirteen in number (vv. 55—60); next the cities given to each remaining division of the Levites are reckoned shortly by number only (vv. 61—63); lastly, these cities are separately reckoned at length by name only (vv. 66—81). This rearrangement is not happy; perhaps the Chronicler originally intended to give the Aaronite cities only by name as well as number, and so vv. 66—81 (containing the names of the non-Aaronite cities) may be a supplement to the original text. Notice that no names of cities taken from Simeon are given; but this apparently arises through the Chronicler's rearrangement of the parallel passage in Joshua; for ver. 65, which here follows the list of Aaronite cities, mentions Simeon, and in the original context (Josh. xxi. 9) it precedes the list.
(Critical Note on 54—81.)
The text of the passage has suffered in transcription. In vv. 55—60 eleven names are given, but thirteen are reckoned (ver. 60), the explanation being that the names Juttah and Gibeon (Josh. xxi. 16, 17) have fallen out. In ver. 61, after or before Manasseh, the names of Ephraim and Dan have fallen out (cp. ver. 66 and Josh. xxi. 5); Manasseh contributed only two out of the ten cities. Before ver. 69 we must restore from Josh. xxi. 23 the words, And out of the tribe of Dan, Eltekeh with her suburbs, Gibbethon with her suburbs. In ver. 77 or immediately before ver. 78 two names of cities of Zebulun have fallen out; cp. ver. 63 ("twelve cities") with vv. 77—81 (ten cities only are named).
54—60 (= Josh. xxi. 10—19). The [thirteen] cities
of the Aaronites.
54. Now these . . . borders] the words are supplied by the Chronicler. Owing to his rearrangement of the material, the original introduction (i.e. Josh. xxi. 9) appears in this chapter as ver. 65 (where see note).
encampments] Properly, the circular encampments of a nomadic tribe; here used more freely = habitations.
