Territories for the Levites

The descendants of Aaron receive the first allotment, including Hebron and other cities in Judah and Benjamin, while the other main Levitical branches are each assigned their number of towns. The section emphasizes ordered distribution by lot and by clan.

N⁵⁴ow these were the territories assigned to the descendants of Aaron from the Kohathite clan for their settlements, because the first lot fell to them: ⁵⁵They were given Hebron in the land of Judah and its surrounding pasturelands. ⁵⁶But the fields and villages around the city were given to Caleb son of Jephunneh. ⁵⁷So the descendants of Aaron were given Hebron (a city of refuge), Libnah, Jattir, Eshtemoa, ⁵⁸Hilen, Debir, ⁵⁹Ashan, Juttah, and Beth-shemesh, together with their pasturelands. ⁶⁰And from the tribe of Benjamin they were given Gibeon, Geba, Alemeth, and Anathoth, together with their pasturelands. So they had thirteen cities in all among their families. ⁶¹To the rest of the Kohathites, ten cities were allotted from the half-tribe of Manasseh. ⁶²The Gershomites, according to their clans, were allotted thirteen cities from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Manasseh in Bashan. ⁶³The Merarites, according to their clans, were allotted twelve cities from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun. ⁶⁴So the Israelites gave to the Levites these cities and their pasturelands. ⁶⁵They assigned by lot the cities named above from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.

Some Kohathite clans receive cities from Ephraim and the half-tribe of Manasseh, including Shechem and its pasturelands. Their inheritance extends the Kohathite presence into central Israel.

⁶⁶And some of the clans of the Kohathites were given cities from the tribe of Ephraim for their territory: ⁶⁷They were given Shechem (a city of refuge) with its pasturelands in the hill country of Ephraim, and Gezer, ⁶⁸Jokmeam, Beth-horon, ⁶⁹Aijalon, and Gath-rimmon, together with their pasturelands. ⁷⁰And from the half-tribe of Manasseh the rest of the clans of the Kohathites were given Aner and Bileam, together with their pasturelands.

The Gershomites receive cities from Issachar, Asher, and Naphtali, with each town named alongside its pasturelands. Their towns spread the Levitical presence northward across several tribes.

⁷¹The Gershomites received the following: ⁷²From the tribe of Issachar they were given Kedesh, Daberath, ⁷³Ramoth, and Anem, together with their pasturelands. ⁷⁴From the tribe of Asher they were given Mashal, Abdon, ⁷⁵Hukok, and Rehob, together with their pasturelands. ⁷⁶And from the tribe of Naphtali they were given Kedesh in Galilee, Hammon, and Kiriathaim, together with their pasturelands.

The Merarites receive cities from Reuben and Gad east of the Jordan, again with their pasturelands. The final list completes the map of Levitical settlement on the far side of the river as well.

⁷⁷The Merarites (the rest of the Levites) received the following: ⁷⁸From the tribe of Reuben east of the Jordan opposite Jericho they were given Bezer in the wilderness, Jahzah, ⁷⁹Kedemoth, and Mephaath, together with their pasturelands. ⁸⁰And from the tribe of Gad they were given Ramoth in Gilead, Mahanaim, ⁸¹Heshbon, and Jazer, together with their pasturelands.