Forty-Eight Cities for the Levites
(Numbers 35:1–8; 1 Chronicles 6:54–81)
Now the family heads of the Levites approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the other tribes of Israel Jos 14:1Jos 17:4Jos 19:51Exo 6:14Exo 6:25Num 34:17-29 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.” Jos 18:1Num 35:2-81Ti 5:17-18Ezk 48:9-18Gal 6:6Mat 10:10
So by the command of the LORD, the Israelites gave the Levites these cities and their pasturelands out of their own inheritance: Gen 49:71Ch 6:54-81Deu 33:8-10
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. 1Ch 6:54-60Jos 21:8-19Jos 24:33
The remaining descendants of Kohath received ten cities by lot from the tribes of Ephraim, Dan, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. Jos 21:20-261Ch 6:18-191Ch 6:611Ch 6:66-70Exo 6:16-25Gen 46:11Num 3:27
The descendants of Gershon received thirteen cities by lot from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan. Jos 21:27-331Ch 6:621Ch 6:71-76Exo 6:16-17Num 3:21-22
And the descendants of Merari received twelve cities from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun. Jos 21:34-401Ch 6:631Ch 6:77-81Exo 6:19Num 3:20
So the Israelites allotted to the Levites these cities, together with their pasturelands, as the LORD had commanded through Moses. Jos 21:3Jos 18:6Num 32:2Num 33:54Num 35:3Pro 16:33Pro 18:18
From the tribes of Judah and Simeon, they designated these cities by name 1Ch 6:65Jos 21:13-18 to the descendants of Aaron from the Kohathite clans of the Levites, because the first lot fell to them: Jos 21:4Exo 6:18Exo 6:20-26Num 3:19Num 3:2-4Num 3:27Num 4:2
They gave them Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), with its surrounding pasturelands, in the hill country of Judah. (Arba was the father of Anak.) 1Ch 6:55Luk 1:392Sa 15:72Sa 2:1-32Sa 5:1-5Gen 23:2Gen 35:27Jdg 1:10 But they had given the fields and villages around the city to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his possession. 1Ch 6:55-57Jos 14:13-15
So to the descendants of Aaron the priest they gave these cities, together with their pasturelands: Hebron, a city of refuge for the manslayer, Libnah, Jos 15:42Jos 10:29Jos 15:54Jos 20:71Ch 6:56-57Isa 37:8Num 35:6 Jattir, Eshtemoa, Jos 15:48Jos 15:501Sa 30:27-28 Holon, Debir, Jos 15:49Jos 15:511Ch 6:58Jos 12:13 Ain, Juttah, and Beth-shemesh—nine cities from these two tribes, together with their pasturelands. 1Ch 6:59Jos 15:10Jos 15:551Sa 6:121Sa 6:9Jos 15:42
And from the tribe of Benjamin they gave them Gibeon, Geba, Jos 18:24-25Jos 9:31Ch 6:60 Anathoth, and Almon—four cities, together with their pasturelands. 1Ch 6:601Ki 2:26Isa 10:30Jer 1:1
In all, thirteen cities, together with their pasturelands, were given to the priests, the descendants of Aaron.
The remaining Kohathite clans of the Levites were allotted these cities: 1Ch 6:66Jos 21:5
From the tribe of Ephraim they were given Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim (a city of refuge for the manslayer), Gezer, Jos 20:71Ch 6:671Ki 12:11Ki 9:15-17Gen 33:19Jdg 9:1Jos 16:10 Kibzaim, and Beth-horon—four cities, together with their pasturelands. 1Ch 6:68Jos 16:3Jos 16:5Jos 18:13-14
From the tribe of Dan they were given Elteke, Gibbethon, Jos 19:44-45 Aijalon, and Gath-rimmon—four cities, together with their pasturelands. 1Ch 6:69Jos 10:12Jos 19:42
And from the half-tribe of Manasseh they were given Taanach and Gath-rimmon—two cities, together with their pasturelands. Jdg 5:19Jos 17:11
In all, ten cities, together with their pasturelands, were given to the rest of the Kohathite clans.
This is what the Levite clans of the Gershonites were given: 1Ch 6:71Deu 1:4Deu 4:43Jos 20:8
From the half-tribe of Manasseh they were given Golan in Bashan, a city of refuge for the manslayer, and Beeshterah—two cities, together with their pasturelands.
From the tribe of Issachar they were given Kishion, Daberath, 1Ch 6:72-73Jos 19:12 Jarmuth, and En-gannim—four cities, together with their pasturelands. Jos 10:23Jos 10:3Jos 12:11
From the tribe of Asher they were given Mishal, Abdon, 1Ch 6:74-75Jos 19:25-28 Helkath, and Rehob—four cities, together with their pasturelands. 1Ch 6:75Jdg 1:31Jdg 18:21
And from the tribe of Naphtali they were given Kedesh in Galilee (a city of refuge for the manslayer), Hammoth-dor, and Kartan—three cities, together with their pasturelands. 1Ch 6:76Jos 20:7Jos 19:35Jos 19:37
In all, thirteen cities, together with their pasturelands, were given to the Gershonite clans.
This is what the Merarite clan (the rest of the Levites) were given: 1Ch 6:77Jos 12:22Jos 19:11Jos 19:15Jos 21:7
From the tribe of Zebulun they were given Jokneam, Kartah, Dimnah, and Nahalal—four cities, together with their pasturelands.
From the tribe of Reuben they were given Bezer, Jahaz, Jos 20:8Deu 4:431Ch 6:78-79Jos 13:18Num 21:23 Kedemoth, and Mephaath—four cities, together with their pasturelands.
And from the tribe of Gad they were given Ramoth in Gilead, a city of refuge for the manslayer, Mahanaim, Gen 32:21Ch 6:801Ki 22:32Sa 17:242Sa 19:32Deu 4:43Jos 20:8 Heshbon, and Jazer—four cities in all, together with their pasturelands. 1Ch 6:81Isa 16:8-9Jer 48:32Jos 13:17Jos 13:21Num 21:26-30Num 32:1Num 32:3
In all, twelve cities were allotted to the clans of Merari, the remaining Levite clans.
For the Levites, then, there were forty-eight cities in all, together with their pasturelands, within the territory of the Israelites. Deu 33:10Gen 49:7Num 35:1-8 Each of these cities had its own surrounding pasturelands; this was true for all the cities.
Thus the LORD gave Israel all the land He had sworn to give their fathers, and they took possession of it and settled in it. Gen 13:15Exo 23:27-31Gen 28:4Psa 106:42-45Psa 44:3Gen 15:13-21Deu 11:31Exo 3:8
And the LORD gave them rest on every side, just as He had sworn to their fathers. None of their enemies could stand against them, for the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand. Jos 11:23Deu 31:3-5Heb 4:9Deu 7:22-24Exo 23:31Jos 1:13Jos 1:15Jos 22:4
Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to the house of Israel had failed; everything was fulfilled. 1Ki 8:56Jos 23:14-15Num 23:191Th 5:241Co 1:9Heb 6:18Tit 1:2