Tag Archives: Joshua

Introduction to Joshua 14:4: Tribal Allocation and Levitical Exception Joshua 14:4 outlines the distribution of the land among the tribes of Yisra’el, highlighting the unique position of the descendants of Yosef and the tribe of Levi. Most tribes received a geographical inheritance, but the Levites were given no such portion. Instead, they were allotted cities and pasturelands. The phrase כִּ֤י אִם־עָרִים֙ לָשֶׁ֔בֶת employs the Hebrew restrictive construction כִּי אִם—“but only”—to emphasize this exception. This article explores the grammatical construction of כִּי אִם and how it functions within biblical legal-narrative texts to express restriction and contrast.… Learn Hebrew

Introduction to Joshua 14:4 Joshua 14:4 is part of the allotment of land among the Israelite tribes, specifically highlighting the inheritance of the descendants of יֹוסֵף (Yosef). The verse explains that Yosef’s sons, מְנַשֶּׁה (Menashsheh) and אֶפְרָיִם (Efrayim), were counted as two separate tribes, making up two of the twelve tribal allocations. It also clarifies that the Levites did not receive a land inheritance but were given cities and pasturelands. Grammatically, this verse presents an important example of construct chains (סְמִיכוּת), a fundamental feature of Biblical Hebrew syntax.… Learn Hebrew