Forty-Eight Cities for the Levites
(Numbers 35:1–8; 1 Chronicles 6:54–81)

1Now the family heads of the Levites approached Eleazar (God has helped) the priest, Joshua (YHWH saves) son of Nun (fish / posterity), and the heads of the other tribes of Israel (he wrestles with God) 2at Shiloh (place of rest) in the land of Canaan (lowland) and said to them, “The LORD {YHWH} commanded through Moses (drawn out) that we be given cities in which to live, together with pasturelands for our livestock.”

3So by the command of the LORD {YHWH}, the Israelites (God prevails) gave the Levites these cities and their pasturelands out of their own inheritance:

4The first lot came out for the Kohathite clans. The Levites who were descendants of Aaron (light bringer) the priest received thirteen cities by lot from the tribes of Judah (praised), Simeon, and Benjamin (son of the right hand).

5The remaining descendants of Kohath (assembly) received ten cities by lot from the tribes of Ephraim (doubly fruitful), Dan (He has judged), and the half-tribe of Manasseh (causing to forget).

6The descendants of Gershon (exile) received thirteen cities by lot from the tribes of Issachar (there is recompense), Asher (happy), Naphtali (wrestling), and the half-tribe of Manasseh (causing to forget) in Bashan (fruitful).

7And the descendants of Merari (bitter) received twelve cities from the tribes of Reuben (behold a son), Gad (troop), and Zebulun (exalted).

8So the Israelites (God prevails) allotted to the Levites these cities, together with their pasturelands, as the LORD {YHWH} had commanded through Moses (drawn out).

9From the tribes of Judah (praised) and Simeon (heard), they designated these cities by name 10to the descendants of Aaron (light bringer) from the Kohathite clans of the Levites (joined to), because the first lot fell to them:

11They gave them Kiriath-arba (city of Arba) (that is, Hebron (association)), with its surrounding pasturelands, in the hill country of Judah (praised). (Arba was the father of Anak (neck).) 12But they had given the fields and villages around the city to Caleb (dog) son of Jephunneh (He will be facing) as his possession.

13So to the descendants of Aaron (light bringer) the priest they gave these cities, together with their pasturelands: Hebron (association), a city of refuge for the manslayer, Libnah (pavement), 14Jattir (plenty), Eshtemoa (fire of astonishment), 15Holon (sandy), Debir (sanctuary), 16Ain (spring), Juttah (stretched out), and Beth-shemesh (house of the sun)—nine cities from these two tribes, together with their pasturelands.

17And from the tribe of Benjamin they gave (son of the right hand) them Gibeon (hill city), Geba (hill), 18Anathoth (answers to prayer), and Almon (concealed)—four cities, together with their pasturelands.

19In all, thirteen cities, together with their pasturelands, were given to the priests, the descendants of Aaron (light bringer).

20The remaining Kohathite (assembly) clans of the Levites were allotted these cities:

From the tribe of Ephraim (doubly fruitful) 21they were given Shechem (shoulder) in the hill country of Ephraim (doubly fruitful) (a city of refuge for the manslayer), Gezer (portion), 22Kibzaim (two gatherings), and Beth-horon (house of hollowness)—four cities, together with their pasturelands.

23From the tribe of Dan they were given (He has judged) Elteke (let God spew you out), Gibbethon (mound), 24Aijalon (field of deer), and Gath-rimmon (winepress of the pomegranate)—four cities, together with their pasturelands.

25And from the half-tribe of Manasseh they were given (causing to forget) Taanach (sandy) and Gath-rimmon (winepress of the pomegranate)—two cities, together with their pasturelands.

26In all, ten cities, together with their pasturelands, were given to the rest of the Kohathite (assembly) clans.

27This is what the Levite clans of the Gershonites were given (exile):

From the half-tribe of Manasseh (causing to forget) they were given Golan (their captivity) in Bashan (fruitful), a city of refuge for the manslayer, and Beeshterah (with increase)—two cities, together with their pasturelands.

28From the tribe of Issachar they were given (there is recompense) Kishion (hard), Daberath (word), 29Jarmuth (heights), and En-gannim (fountain of the garden)—four cities, together with their pasturelands.

30From the tribe of Asher they were given (happy) Mishal (entreaty), Abdon (servile), 31Helkath (smooth), and Rehob (broad place)—four cities, together with their pasturelands.

32And from the tribe of Naphtali they were given (wrestling) Kedesh (holy place) in Galilee (circuit) (a city of refuge for the manslayer), Hammoth-dor (hot springs of Dor), and Kartan (two cities)—three cities, together with their pasturelands.

33In all, thirteen cities, together with their pasturelands, were given to the Gershonite clans.

34This is what the Merarite (bitter) clan (the rest of the Levites) were given:

From the tribe of Zebulun they were given (exalted) Jokneam (the people lament), Kartah (city), 35Dimnah (dunghill), and Nahalal (pasture)—four cities, together with their pasturelands.

36From the tribe of Reuben they were given (behold a son) Bezer (gold ore), Jahaz (trodden down), 37Kedemoth (eastern), and Mephaath (splendor / height)—four cities, together with their pasturelands.

38And from the tribe of Gad they were given (troop) Ramoth (heights) in Gilead (rocky region), a city of refuge for the manslayer, Mahanaim (two camps), 39Heshbon (stronghold), and Jazer (helped)—four cities in all, together with their pasturelands.

40In all, twelve cities were allotted to the clans of Merari (bitter), the remaining Levite clans.

41For the Levites, then, there were forty-eight cities in all, together with their pasturelands, within the territory of the Israelites (God prevails). 42Each of these cities had its own surrounding pasturelands; this was true for all the cities.

43Thus the LORD {YHWH} gave Israel (he wrestles with God) all the land He had sworn to give their fathers, and they took possession of it and settled in it.

44And the LORD {YHWH} 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.

45Not one of all the LORD’s {YHWH} good promises to the house of Israel (he wrestles with God) had failed; everything was fulfilled.