Thus they gave to the children of Aaron the priest Hebron with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Libnah with her suburbs,
So they gave to Aaron's descendants, who were priests, the city of Hebron with its surrounding pasturelands as a city of refuge for anyone who accidentally killed someone. They also gave them Libnah with its surrounding lands.
The writer is describing how the Israelites gave specific cities, including Hebron as a safe haven, to the priest families as their inheritance.
📚 Historical Context
In the Book of Joshua, which recounts the Israelites' conquest and settlement of the Promised Land after their exodus from Egypt, the tribes were dividing the territory as God had commanded. The Levites, including the descendants of Aaron the priest, were not given a full tribal inheritance but instead received specific cities for their needs, as they were dedicated to religious duties. Hebron was assigned to them as a city of refuge, a designated safe place for someone who accidentally caused a death to escape immediate retaliation until justice could be determined, highlighting God's structured system of law and protection.
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