Joshua 21 in the early church

[Vulgate: Josue]

14 passages quote, allude to, or echo Joshua 21, grouped by verse; passages on the same verse are in date order. Verse text from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain). References use the Protestant English Bible's numbering, with a writer's own numbering in brackets where it differs.

Verses: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 41 · 42

Joshua 21:1

Now the family heads of the Levites approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the other tribes of Israel
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Josh 21:1	Homilies on Joshua 25.1 · Origen	quotation, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)

Joshua 21:2

at Shiloh in the land of Canaan and said to them, “The LORD commanded through Moses that we be given cities in which to live, together with pasturelands for our livestock.”
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Josh 21:2	Homilies on Joshua 25.1 · Origen	quotation, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)

Joshua 21:3

So by the command of the LORD, the Israelites gave the Levites these cities and their pasturelands out of their own inheritance:
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Josh 21:3	Homilies on Joshua 17.2 · Origen	allusion, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Josh 21:3	Homilies on Joshua 17.3 · Origen	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)

Joshua 21:4

The first lot came out for the Kohathite clans. The Levites who were descendants of Aaron the priest received thirteen cities by lot from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Josh 21:4	Homilies on Joshua 25.2 · Origen	quotation, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Josh 21:4	Homilies on Joshua 25.3 · Origen	allusion, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)

Joshua 21:5

The remaining descendants of Kohath received ten cities by lot from the tribes of Ephraim, Dan, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Josh 21:5	Homilies on Joshua 25.2 · Origen	quotation, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Josh 21:5	Homilies on Joshua 25.3 · Origen	allusion, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)

Joshua 21:6

The descendants of Gershon received thirteen cities by lot from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Josh 21:6	Homilies on Joshua 25.2 · Origen	quotation, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Josh 21:6	Homilies on Joshua 25.3 · Origen	allusion, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)

Joshua 21:7

And the descendants of Merari received twelve cities from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Josh 21:7	Homilies on Joshua 25.2 · Origen	quotation, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Josh 21:7	Homilies on Joshua 25.3 · Origen	allusion, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)

Joshua 21:41

For the Levites, then, there were forty-eight cities in all, together with their pasturelands, within the territory of the Israelites.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Josh 21:41–42	Joshua, lines 446–469 · Cyprianus Gallus	allusion, high confidence	early 5th cent.

Joshua 21:42

Each of these cities had its own surrounding pasturelands; this was true for all the cities.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Josh 21:42	Homilies on Joshua 26.1 · Origen	allusion, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)