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So by the command of the Lord the people of Israel gave the Levites the following towns and pasturelands out of their own grants of land.

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So, as the Lord had commanded, the Israelites gave the Levites the following towns and pasturelands out of their own inheritance:

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A curse on their anger, for it is fierce;
    a curse on their wrath, for it is cruel.
I will scatter them among the descendants of Jacob;
    I will disperse them throughout Israel.

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Cursed be their anger, so fierce,
    and their fury,(A) so cruel!(B)
I will scatter them in Jacob
    and disperse them in Israel.(C)

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Territory for the Levites

54 This is a record of the towns and territory assigned by means of sacred lots to the descendants of Aaron, who were from the clan of Kohath. 55 This territory included Hebron and its surrounding pasturelands in Judah, 56 but the fields and outlying areas belonging to the city were given to Caleb son of Jephunneh. 57 So the descendants of Aaron were given the following towns, each with its pasturelands: Hebron (a city of refuge),[a] Libnah, Jattir, Eshtemoa, 58 Holon,[b] Debir, 59 Ain,[c] Juttah,[d] and Beth-shemesh. 60 And from the territory of Benjamin they were given Gibeon,[e] Geba, Alemeth, and Anathoth, each with its pasturelands. So thirteen towns were given to the descendants of Aaron. 61 The remaining descendants of Kohath received ten towns from the territory of the half-tribe of Manasseh by means of sacred lots.

62 The descendants of Gershon received by sacred lots thirteen towns from the territories of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and from the Bashan area of Manasseh, east of the Jordan.

63 The descendants of Merari received by sacred lots twelve towns from the territories of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.

64 So the people of Israel assigned all these towns and pasturelands to the Levites. 65 The towns in the territories of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin, mentioned above, were assigned to them by means of sacred lots.

66 The descendants of Kohath were given the following towns from the territory of Ephraim, each with its pasturelands: 67 Shechem (a city of refuge in the hill country of Ephraim),[f] Gezer, 68 Jokmeam, Beth-horon, 69 Aijalon, and Gath-rimmon. 70 The remaining descendants of Kohath were assigned the towns of Aner and Bileam from the territory of the half-tribe of Manasseh, each with its pasturelands.

71 The descendants of Gershon received the towns of Golan (in Bashan) and Ashtaroth from the territory of the half-tribe of Manasseh, each with its pasturelands. 72 From the territory of Issachar, they were given Kedesh, Daberath, 73 Ramoth, and Anem, each with its pasturelands. 74 From the territory of Asher, they received Mashal, Abdon, 75 Hukok, and Rehob, each with its pasturelands. 76 From the territory of Naphtali, they were given Kedesh in Galilee, Hammon, and Kiriathaim, each with its pasturelands.

77 The remaining descendants of Merari received the towns of Jokneam, Kartah,[g] Rimmon,[h] and Tabor from the territory of Zebulun, each with its pasturelands. 78 From the territory of Reuben, east of the Jordan River opposite Jericho, they received Bezer (a desert town), Jahaz,[i] 79 Kedemoth, and Mephaath, each with its pasturelands. 80 And from the territory of Gad, they received Ramoth in Gilead, Mahanaim, 81 Heshbon, and Jazer, each with its pasturelands.

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Footnotes

  1. 6:57 As in parallel text at Josh 21:13; Hebrew reads were given the cities of refuge: Hebron, and the following towns, each with its pasturelands.
  2. 6:58 As in parallel text at Josh 21:15; Masoretic Text reads Hilez; other manuscripts read Hilen.
  3. 6:59a As in parallel text at Josh 21:16; Hebrew reads Ashan.
  4. 6:59b As in Syriac version (see also Josh 21:16); Hebrew lacks Juttah.
  5. 6:60 As in parallel text at Josh 21:17; Hebrew lacks Gibeon.
  6. 6:66-67 As in parallel text at Josh 21:21; Hebrew text reads were given the cities of refuge: Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and the following towns, each with its pasturelands.
  7. 6:77a As in Greek version (see also Josh 21:34); Hebrew lacks Jokneam, Kartah.
  8. 6:77b As in Greek version (see also Josh 19:13); Hebrew reads Rimmono.
  9. 6:78 Hebrew Jahzah, a variant spelling of Jahaz.

54 These were the locations of their settlements(A) allotted as their territory (they were assigned to the descendants of Aaron who were from the Kohathite clan, because the first lot was for them):

55 They were given Hebron in Judah with its surrounding pasturelands. 56 But the fields and villages around the city were given to Caleb son of Jephunneh.(B)

57 So the descendants of Aaron were given Hebron (a city of refuge), and Libnah,[a](C) Jattir,(D) Eshtemoa, 58 Hilen, Debir,(E) 59 Ashan,(F) Juttah[b] and Beth Shemesh, together with their pasturelands. 60 And from the tribe of Benjamin they were given Gibeon,[c] Geba, Alemeth and Anathoth,(G) together with their pasturelands.

The total number of towns distributed among the Kohathite clans came to thirteen.

61 The rest of Kohath’s descendants were allotted ten towns from the clans of half the tribe of Manasseh.

62 The descendants of Gershon, clan by clan, were allotted thirteen towns from the tribes of Issachar, Asher and Naphtali, and from the part of the tribe of Manasseh that is in Bashan.

63 The descendants of Merari, clan by clan, were allotted twelve towns from the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Zebulun.

64 So the Israelites gave the Levites these towns(H) and their pasturelands. 65 From the tribes of Judah, Simeon and Benjamin they allotted the previously named towns.

66 Some of the Kohathite clans were given as their territory towns from the tribe of Ephraim.

67 In the hill country of Ephraim they were given Shechem (a city of refuge), and Gezer,[d](I) 68 Jokmeam,(J) Beth Horon,(K) 69 Aijalon(L) and Gath Rimmon,(M) together with their pasturelands.

70 And from half the tribe of Manasseh the Israelites gave Aner and Bileam, together with their pasturelands, to the rest of the Kohathite clans.

71 The Gershonites(N) received the following:

From the clan of the half-tribe of Manasseh

they received Golan in Bashan(O) and also Ashtaroth, together with their pasturelands;

72 from the tribe of Issachar

they received Kedesh, Daberath,(P) 73 Ramoth and Anem, together with their pasturelands;

74 from the tribe of Asher

they received Mashal, Abdon,(Q) 75 Hukok(R) and Rehob,(S) together with their pasturelands;

76 and from the tribe of Naphtali

they received Kedesh in Galilee, Hammon(T) and Kiriathaim,(U) together with their pasturelands.

77 The Merarites (the rest of the Levites) received the following:

From the tribe of Zebulun

they received Jokneam, Kartah,[e] Rimmono and Tabor, together with their pasturelands;

78 from the tribe of Reuben across the Jordan east of Jericho

they received Bezer(V) in the wilderness, Jahzah, 79 Kedemoth(W) and Mephaath, together with their pasturelands;

80 and from the tribe of Gad

they received Ramoth in Gilead,(X) Mahanaim,(Y) 81 Heshbon and Jazer,(Z) together with their pasturelands.(AA)

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 6:57 See Joshua 21:13; Hebrew given the cities of refuge: Hebron, Libnah.
  2. 1 Chronicles 6:59 Syriac (see also Septuagint and Joshua 21:16); Hebrew does not have Juttah.
  3. 1 Chronicles 6:60 See Joshua 21:17; Hebrew does not have Gibeon.
  4. 1 Chronicles 6:67 See Joshua 21:21; Hebrew given the cities of refuge: Shechem, Gezer.
  5. 1 Chronicles 6:77 See Septuagint and Joshua 21:34; Hebrew does not have Jokneam, Kartah.

Moses said this about the tribe of Levi:

“O Lord, you have given your Thummim and Urim—the sacred lots—
    to your faithful servants the Levites.[a]
You put them to the test at Massah
    and struggled with them at the waters of Meribah.
The Levites obeyed your word
    and guarded your covenant.
They were more loyal to you
    than to their own parents.
They ignored their relatives
    and did not acknowledge their own children.
10 They teach your regulations to Jacob;
    they give your instructions to Israel.
They present incense before you
    and offer whole burnt offerings on the altar.

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Footnotes

  1. 33:8 As in Greek version; Hebrew lacks the Levites.

About Levi(A) he said:

“Your Thummim and Urim(B) belong
    to your faithful servant.(C)
You tested(D) him at Massah;
    you contended with him at the waters of Meribah.(E)
He said of his father and mother,(F)
    ‘I have no regard for them.’
He did not recognize his brothers
    or acknowledge his own children,
but he watched over your word
    and guarded your covenant.(G)
10 He teaches(H) your precepts to Jacob
    and your law to Israel.(I)
He offers incense before you(J)
    and whole burnt offerings on your altar.(K)

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