Joshua 14:4

Two tribes. The Levites were not reckoned among the tribes as far as inheritance was concerned. Their dwelling was to be among all the tribes. One of the sons of Joseph took his place so as to make up the number 12 in the reckoning of the tribes. Thus there are two ways of enumerating the tribes of Israel, each yielding the total 12. It has been suggested that these two systems may have been distinguished in the account given in Ex. 28. Mention is there made that the high priest should bear the names of the children of Israel on his shoulders according to birth (that is, Joseph being counted as well as Levi, but not Ephraim and Manasseh). On his breastplate these names were to appear according to the 12 tribes (that is, Ephraim and Manasseh being specified but Joseph and Levi left out).

Suburbs. Literally, “pastures.” The Hebrew word comes from a root that means “to drive out.” Therefore, literally, the suburbs were places to which cattle were driven to graze. Num. 35:1-5 gives the size of these pasture grounds.