Joshua 21:2–40

^21:2in Shiloh in the land of Canaan and said, “The Lord told Moses to assign us cities in which to live along with the grazing areas for our cattle.” ^21:3So the Israelites assigned these cities and their grazing areas to the Levites from their own holdings, as the Lord had instructed.

^21:4The first lot belonged to¹ the Kohathite clans. The Levites who were descendants of Aaron the priest were allotted thirteen cities from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin. ^21:5The rest of Kohath’s descendants were allotted ten cities from the clans of the tribe of Ephraim, and from the tribe of Dan and the half-tribe of Manasseh. ^21:6Gershon’s descendants were allotted thirteen cities from the clans of the tribe of Issachar, and from the tribes of Asher and Naphtali and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan. ^21:7Merari’s descendants by their clans were allotted twelve cities from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun. ^21:8So the Israelites assigned to the Levites by lot these cities and their grazing areas, as the Lord had instructed Moses.

^21:9They assigned from the tribes of Judah and Simeon the cities listed below. ^21:10They were assigned to the Kohathite clans of the Levites who were descendants of Aaron,² for the first lot belonged to them. ^21:11They assigned them Kiriath Arba (Arba was the father of Anak), that is, Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, along with its surrounding grazing areas. ^21:12(Now the city’s fields and surrounding towns they had assigned to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his property.) ^21:13So to the descendants of Aaron the priest they assigned Hebron (a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter), Libnah, ^21:14Jattir, Eshtemoa, ^21:15Holon, Debir, ^21:16Ain, Juttah, and Beth Shemesh, along with the grazing areas of each—a total of nine cities taken from these two tribes. ^21:17From the tribe of Benjamin they assigned³ Gibeon, Geba, ^21:18Anathoth, and Almon, along with the grazing areas of each—a total of four cities. ^21:19The priests descended from Aaron received thirteen cities and their grazing areas.

^21:20The rest of the Kohathite clans of the Levites were allotted cities from the tribe of Ephraim. ^21:21They assigned them Shechem (a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter) in the hill country of Ephraim, Gezer, ^21:22Kibzaim, and Beth Horon, along with the grazing areas of each—a total of four cities. ^21:23From the tribe of Dan they assigned Eltekeh, Gibbethon, ^21:24Aijalon, and Gath Rimmon, along with the grazing areas of each—a total of four cities. ^21:25From the half-tribe of Manasseh they assigned Taanach and Gath Rimmon,⁴ along with the grazing areas of each—a total of two cities. ^21:26The rest of the Kohathite clans received ten cities and their grazing areas.

^21:27They assigned to the Gershonite clans of the Levites the following cities:⁵ from the half-tribe of Manasseh: Golan in Bashan (a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter) and Beeshtarah, along with the grazing areas of each—a total of two cities; ^21:28from the tribe of Issachar: Kishon, Daberath, ^21:29Jarmuth, and En Gannim, along with the grazing areas of each—a total of four cities; ^21:30from the tribe of Asher: Mishal, Abdon, ^21:31Helkath, and Rehob, along with the grazing areas of each—a total of four cities; ^21:32from the tribe of Naphtali: Kedesh in Galilee (a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter), Hammoth Dor, and Kartan, along with the grazing areas of each—a total of three cities. ^21:33The Gershonite clans received thirteen cities and their grazing areas.

^21:34They assigned to the Merarite clans (the remaining Levites) the following cities: from the tribe of Zebulun: Jokneam, Kartah, ^21:35Dimnah, and Nahalal, along with the grazing areas of each—a total of four cities; ^21:366 from the tribe of Reuben: Bezer, Jahaz, ^21:37Kedemoth, and Mephaath, along with the grazing areas of each—a total of four cities; ^21:38from the tribe of Gad: Ramoth in Gilead (a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter), Mahanaim, ^21:39Heshbon, and Jazer, along with the grazing areas of each—a total of four cities. ^21:40The Merarite clans (the remaining Levites) were allotted twelve cities.