Then the leaders of the tribe of Levi came to consult with Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders of the other tribes of Israel.
They spoke to them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, "The LORD instructed Moses to give us towns to live in and pasturelands for our cattle."
So by the command of the LORD the Levites were given as their inheritance the following towns with their pasturelands.
The descendants of Aaron, who were members of the Kohathite clan within the tribe of Levi, were given thirteen towns that were originally assigned to the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.
The other families of the Kohathite clan were allotted ten towns from the territories of Ephraim, Dan, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.
The clan of Gershon received thirteen towns from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.
The clan of Merari received twelve cities from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.
So the Israelites obeyed the LORD's command to Moses and assigned these towns and pasturelands to the Levites by casting sacred lots.
The Israelites gave the following towns from the tribes of Judah and Simeon
to the descendants of Aaron, who were members of the Kohathite clan within the tribe of Levi, since the sacred lot fell to them first:
Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), in the hill country of Judah, along with its surrounding pasturelands. (Arba was an ancestor of Anak.)
But the fields beyond the city and the surrounding villages were given to Caleb son of Jephunneh.
The following towns with their pasturelands were given to the descendants of Aaron the priest: Hebron (a city of refuge for those who accidentally killed someone), Libnah,
Jattir, Eshtemoa,
Holon, Debir,
Ain, Juttah, and Beth-shemesh--nine towns from these two tribes.
From the tribe of Benjamin the priests were given the following towns with their surrounding pasturelands: Gibeon, Geba,
Anathoth, and Almon--four towns.
So thirteen towns were given to the priests, the descendants of Aaron.
The rest of the Kohathite clan from the tribe of Levi was allotted these towns and pasturelands from the tribe of Ephraim:
Shechem (a city of refuge for those who accidentally killed someone), Gezer,
Kibzaim, and Beth-horon--four towns.
The following towns and pasturelands were allotted to the priests from the tribe of Dan: Eltekeh, Gibbethon,
Aijalon, and Gath-rimmon--four towns.
The half-tribe of Manasseh allotted the following towns with their pasturelands to the priests: Taanach and Gath-rimmon--two towns.
So ten towns with their pasturelands were given to the rest of the Kohathite clan.
The descendants of Gershon, another clan within the tribe of Levi, received two towns with their pasturelands from the half-tribe of Manasseh: Golan in Bashan (a city of refuge) and Be-eshterah.
From the tribe of Issachar they received Kishion, Daberath,
Jarmuth, and En-gannim--four towns with their pasturelands.
From the tribe of Asher they received Mishal, Abdon,
Helkath, and Rehob--four towns and their pasturelands.
From the tribe of Naphtali they received Kedesh in Galilee (a city of refuge), Hammoth-dor, and Kartan--three towns with their pasturelands.
So thirteen towns and their pasturelands were allotted to the clan of Gershon.
The rest of the Levites--the Merari clan--were given the following towns from the tribe of Zebulun: Jokneam, Kartah,
Dimnah, and Nahalal--four towns with their pasturelands.
From the tribe of Reuben they received Bezer, Jahaz,
Kedemoth, and Mephaath--four towns with their pasturelands.
From the tribe of Gad they received Ramoth in Gilead (a city of refuge), Mahanaim,
Heshbon, and Jazer--four towns with their pasturelands.
So twelve towns were allotted to the clan of Merari.
The total number of towns and pasturelands within Israelite territory given to the Levites came to forty-eight.
Every one of these towns had pasturelands surrounding it.
So the LORD gave to Israel all the land he had sworn to give their ancestors, and they conquered it and settled there.
And the LORD gave them rest on every side, just as he had solemnly promised their ancestors. None of their enemies could stand against them, for the LORD helped them conquer all their enemies.
All of the good promises that the LORD had given Israel came true.