Justin Houtz

Joshua 21, Hebrews 4

DateVersionReading Plan
July 27, 2025ESV (2016)OT/NT Plan 2025 – 2027

Joshua 21

Observation & Interpretation

Josh. 21:1-2 – The heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites came to Eleazar the priest and Joshua and spoke to them regarding the command of the LORD given through Moses that the Levites be given cities to dwell in

Josh. 21:1-3 – The request of the clans of the Levites is similar to the request of the daughters of Zelophehad in Josh. 17:4 (ESVEC – Comment)

Josh. 21:3 – The people responded faithfully to the command to give the Levites pasturelands out of their own inheritance

Josh. 21:4-7 – Provides a sort of table of contents for the detailed land allotments that follow (ESVEC – Comment)

Josh. 21:4-40 – Description of the cities and pastureland given to the Levites

Josh. 21:41 – The total of the cities given to the Levites

Josh. 21:43-45 – Summary that the LORD gave to Israel all the land that He swore to give to the fathers of the people, defeating their enemies and giving them rest on every side

  • Thus all the good promises that the LORD made to the house of Israel came to pass

Josh. 21:12 – The fields of the city and its villages given to Caleb are again specified

  • No mention of Joshua’s allotment in the chapter

Hebrews 4

Observation & Interpretation

Heb. 4:2 – Contrast between “us” and “them”

  • The message came to both, but the message they heard did not benefit them because they were not unified by faith with those who listened
    • Contrast of those who responded in faith to the message with those who did not

Heb. 4:1-16 – The word “rest” (or its past-tense, “rested”) is mentioned 10x in the chapter

Heb. 4:6 – The failure to enter into rest is due to disobedience

Heb. 4:13 – No creature is hidden from the sight of God, all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account

Application

Heb. 4:1-13 – We strive in anticipation of the rest that awaits us at the climax of our earthly pilgrimage, for it is faith in Christ’s work (not ours) that places us in the lifelong process of entering God’s rest (ESVEC – Response)

Resources