Forty-Eight Cities for the Levites (Numbers 35:1–8; 1 Chronicles 6:54–81)
1 CPDV And the leaders of the families of Levi approached Eleazar, the priest, and Joshua, the son of Nun, and the rulers of the extended families of each of the tribes of the sons of Israel. BSB BSB: Now the family heads of the Levites approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the other tribes of Israel
2 CPDV And they spoke to them at Shiloh, in the land of Canaan, and they said, “The Lord instructed, by the hand of Moses, that cities should be given to us as habitations, with their suburbs to nourish our cattle.” BSB BSB: at Shiloh in the land of Canaan and said to them, “The LORD commanded through Moses that we be given cities in which to live, together with pasturelands for our livestock.”
3 CPDV And so the sons of Israel gave cities and their suburbs from their possessions, in accord with the order of the Lord. BSB BSB: So by the command of the LORD, the Israelites gave the Levites these cities and their pasturelands out of their own inheritance:
4 CPDV And the lot went out for the family of Kohath, of the sons of Aaron, the priest, from the tribes of Judah and Simeon and Benjamin: thirteen cities. BSB BSB: The first lot came out for the Kohathite clans. The Levites who were descendants of Aaron the priest received thirteen cities by lot from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.
5 CPDV And to the remainder of the sons of Kohath, that is, to the Levites who were left over, there went, from the tribes of Ephraim and Dan, and from the one half tribe of Manasseh, ten cities. BSB BSB: The remaining descendants of Kohath received ten cities by lot from the tribes of Ephraim, Dan, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.
6 CPDV And next the lot went out to the sons of Gershon, so that they would receive, from the tribes of Issachar and Asher and Naphtali, and from the one half tribe of Manasseh at Bashan: the number of thirteen cities. BSB BSB: The descendants of Gershon received thirteen cities by lot from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.
7 CPDV And to the sons of Merari, by their families, from the tribes of Reuben and Gad and Zebulun, there went twelve cities. BSB BSB: And the descendants of Merari received twelve cities from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.
8 CPDV And so the sons of Israel gave cities and their suburbs to the Levites, just as the Lord instructed by the hand of Moses, distributing to each by lot. BSB BSB: So the Israelites allotted to the Levites these cities, together with their pasturelands, as the LORD had commanded through Moses.
9 CPDV From the tribes of the sons of Judah and Simeon, Joshua gave cities, whose names are these: BSB BSB: From the tribes of Judah and Simeon, they designated these cities by name
10 CPDV to the sons of Aaron, of the families of Kohath of the stock of Levi, (for the first lot went out for them,) BSB BSB: to the descendants of Aaron from the Kohathite clans of the Levites, because the first lot fell to them:
11 CPDV the city of Arba, the father of Anak, which is called Hebron, on the mountain of Judah, and its surrounding suburbs. BSB BSB: They gave them Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), with its surrounding pasturelands, in the hill country of Judah. (Arba was the father of Anak.)
12 CPDV Yet truly, the fields and its villages he had given to Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, as a possession. BSB BSB: But they had given the fields and villages around the city to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his possession.
13 CPDV Therefore, he gave to the sons of Aaron the priest, Hebron as a city of refuge, as well as its suburbs, and Libnah, with its suburbs, BSB BSB: So to the descendants of Aaron the priest they gave these cities, together with their pasturelands: Hebron, a city of refuge for the manslayer, Libnah,
14 CPDV and Jattir, and Eshtemoa, BSB BSB: Jattir, Eshtemoa,
15 CPDV and Holon, and Debir, BSB BSB: Holon, Debir,
16 CPDV and Ain, and Juttah, and Beth-shemesh, with their suburbs: nine cities from two tribes, just as has been said. BSB BSB: Ain, Juttah, and Beth-shemesh—nine cities from these two tribes, together with their pasturelands.
17 CPDV Then, from the tribe of the sons of Benjamin, he gave Gibeon, and Geba, BSB BSB: And from the tribe of Benjamin they gave them Gibeon, Geba,
18 CPDV and Anathoth, and Almon, with their suburbs: four cities. BSB BSB: Anathoth, and Almon—four cities, together with their pasturelands.
19 CPDV All the cities together of the sons of Aaron, the priest, were thirteen, with their suburbs. BSB BSB: In all, thirteen cities, together with their pasturelands, were given to the priests, the descendants of Aaron.
20 CPDV Yet truly, the remainder of the families of the sons of Kohath, of the stock of Levi, were given this possession: BSB BSB: The remaining Kohathite clans of the Levites were allotted these cities: From the tribe of Ephraim
21 CPDV from the tribe of Ephraim, Shechem, one of the cities of refuge, with its suburbs, on mount Ephraim, and Gezer, BSB BSB: they were given Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim (a city of refuge for the manslayer), Gezer,
22 CPDV and Kibzaim, and Beth-horon, with their suburbs, four cities; BSB BSB: Kibzaim, and Beth-horon—four cities, together with their pasturelands.
23 CPDV and from the tribe of Dan, Elteke and Gibbethon, BSB BSB: From the tribe of Dan they were given Elteke, Gibbethon,
24 CPDV and Aijalon and Gath-Rimmon, with their suburbs, four cities; BSB BSB: Aijalon, and Gath-rimmon—four cities, together with their pasturelands.
25 CPDV then, from the one half tribe of Manasseh, Taanach and Gath-Rimmon, with their suburbs, two cities. BSB BSB: And from the half-tribe of Manasseh they were given Taanach and Gath-rimmon—two cities, together with their pasturelands.
26 CPDV All the cities were ten, with their suburbs; these were given to the sons of Kohath, of the lesser degree. BSB BSB: In all, ten cities, together with their pasturelands, were given to the rest of the Kohathite clans.
27 CPDV Likewise, to the sons of Gershon, of the stock of Levi, from the one half tribe of Manasseh, went Golan in Bashan, one of the cities of refuge, and Bosra, with their suburbs, two cities; BSB BSB: This is what the Levite clans of the Gershonites were given: From the half-tribe of Manasseh they were given Golan in Bashan, a city of refuge for the manslayer, and Beeshterah—two cities, together with their pasturelands.
28 CPDV also, from the tribe of Issachar, Kishion, and Daberath, BSB BSB: From the tribe of Issachar they were given Kishion, Daberath,
29 CPDV and Jarmuth, and Engannim, with their suburbs, four cities; BSB BSB: Jarmuth, and En-gannim—four cities, together with their pasturelands.
30 CPDV then, from the tribe of Asher, Mishal and Abdon, BSB BSB: From the tribe of Asher they were given Mishal, Abdon,
31 CPDV and Helkath and Rehob, with their suburbs, four cities; BSB BSB: Helkath, and Rehob—four cities, together with their pasturelands.
32 CPDV likewise, from the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee, one of the cities of refuge, and Hammoth-Dor, and Kartan, with their suburbs, three cities. BSB BSB: And from the tribe of Naphtali they were given Kedesh in Galilee (a city of refuge for the manslayer), Hammoth-dor, and Kartan—three cities, together with their pasturelands.
33 CPDV All the cities of the families of Gershon were thirteen, with their suburbs. BSB BSB: In all, thirteen cities, together with their pasturelands, were given to the Gershonite clans.
34 CPDV Then, to the sons of Merari, Levites of the lesser degree, by their families, were given, from the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam and Kartah, BSB BSB: This is what the Merarite clan (the rest of the Levites) were given: From the tribe of Zebulun they were given Jokneam, Kartah,
35 CPDV and Dimnah and Nahalal, four cities with their suburbs; BSB BSB: Dimnah, and Nahalal—four cities, together with their pasturelands.
36 CPDV from the tribe of Reuben, beyond the Jordan, opposite Jericho, Bezer in the wilderness, one of the cities of refuge, Misor and Jazer, and Jethson and Mephaath, four cities with their suburbs; BSB BSB: From the tribe of Reuben they were given Bezer, Jahaz,
38 CPDV from the tribe of Gad, Ramoth of Gilead, one of the cities of refuge, and Mahanaim and Heshbon and Jazer, four cities with their suburbs. BSB BSB: And from the tribe of Gad they were given Ramoth in Gilead, a city of refuge for the manslayer, Mahanaim,
40 CPDV All the cities of the sons of Merari, by their families and extended families, were twelve. BSB BSB: In all, twelve cities were allotted to the clans of Merari, the remaining Levite clans.
41 CPDV And so all the cities of the Levites, in the midst of the possession of the sons of Israel, were forty-eight, BSB BSB: For the Levites, then, there were forty-eight cities in all, together with their pasturelands, within the territory of the Israelites.
42 CPDV with their suburbs, each distributed by families. BSB BSB: Each of these cities had its own surrounding pasturelands; this was true for all the cities.
43 CPDV And the Lord God gave to Israel all the land that he had sworn he would deliver to their fathers. And they possessed it, and they lived in it. BSB BSB: Thus the LORD gave Israel all the land He had sworn to give their fathers, and they took possession of it and settled in it.
44 CPDV And he gave them peace with all the surrounding nations. And none of their enemies dared to stand against them; instead, they were brought under their sovereignty. BSB BSB: And the LORD 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.
45 CPDV Indeed, not so much as one word that he had promised to provide for them was left empty; instead, everything was fulfilled. BSB BSB: Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to the house of Israel had failed; everything was fulfilled.
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