Out of the Tribe of Gad - Joshua 21:38

In the book of Joshua, we learned how cites were given to the Levites, “out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer with her suburbs, and Jahazah with her suburbs. Kedemoth with her suburbs, and Mephaath with her suburbs; four cities”, and in chapter twenty-one and verse thirty-eight of Joshua we learn about cites given to the Levites, “out of the tribe of Gad” where we read, 

And out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with her suburbs, 

to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Mahanaim with her suburbs,

The verse reads, “And out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with her suburbs, …” Joshua or the writer began with the words, “and out of the tribe of Gad” which means “and from the clan or people group belonging to Gad whose name means ‘troop’ and was seventh son of Jacob by Zilpah, Leah's handmaid, and full brother of Asher and the progenitor of the tribe that descended from Gad” “Ramoth” whose name means “heights” and was “Remoth-Gilead” “in Gilead” which means “within Gilead whose name means “rocky region” and was “a mountainous region bounded on the west by the Jordan, on the north by Bashan, on the east by the Arabian plateau, and on the south by Moab and Ammon; sometimes called 'Mount Gilead' or the 'land of Gilead' or just ‘Gilead’ and was divided into north and south Gilead” “with her suburbs” or “alongside and accompanied by her, Gilead’s, open and common land”. Joshua or the writer shared how “Ramoth in Gilead” along with it’s common land was provided to the “Levites” by the “tribe of Gad”. 

The verse continues, “… to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Mahanaim with her suburbs, …” Joshua or the writer added the words, “to be a city of refuge” which means “to exist as a dwelling place or place of wakening pertaining to asylum” “for the slayer” or “on behalf of the person who kills another person by accident or inadvertently”; “and Mahanaim” whose name means “two camps” and was a place east of the Jordan, named from Jacob's encounter with angels and a Levitical city in Gad“ “with her suburbs” or “alongside and accompanied by her, Mahanaim’s, open and common land”. Joshua or the writer said “Gilead” was to be a dwelling place of asylum for the people of Israel, and “Mahanaim” along with it’s common land was also given to the “Levites”. 

When we consider the words in this verse, we learn how the “tribe of Gad” provided “Ramoth in Gilead, a city of refuge, and Mahaanaim” to the “Levites”. One by one the “Levites” were being given their locations to serve Jehovah God and the people of Israel. God uses people to accomplish His will, and because He loves us, He sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind and to be raised from the dead after three days. When we put our faith and trust in Him as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and put His Holy Spirit within us to guide us into all truth and to help us live in a manner that is in keeping with His ways. (See John 3:16: 16:13; Acts 1:8; Revelation 4:11)

Next time we learn about, “Heshbon and Jazer”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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