Forty-Eight Cities for the Levites (Numbers 35:1–8; 1 Chronicles 6:54–81)
1 UEB Then the tribal leaders of the Levites came to Eleazar the priest, to Joshua son of Nun, and to the leaders of the families of their ancestors within the people 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 UEB They said to them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, "Yahweh commanded you by the hand of Moses to give to us cities to live in, with the pasturelands for our livestock." 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 UEB So by the command of Yahweh, the people of Israel gave out of their inheritance the following cities, including their pasturelands, to the Levites. 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 UEB The casting of lots for the clans of the Kohathites gave this result: The priests—the descendants of Aaron who were from the Levites—received thirteen cities given from the tribe of Judah, from the tribe of the Simeon, and from the tribe of Benjamin. 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 UEB The rest of the Kohathites were allotted ten cities from the clans of the tribes of Ephraim, Dan, and from the half tribe of Manasseh. 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 UEB Then the people descended from Gershon were given, by the casting of lots, thirteen cities from the clans of the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and the half tribe of Manasseh in Bashan. 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 UEB The people who were descendants of Merari, clan by clan, received twelve cities from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun. BSB BSB: And the descendants of Merari received twelve cities from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.
8 UEB So the people of Israel gave, by casting lots, these cities (including their pasturelands) to the Levites, just as Yahweh had commanded by the hand of Moses. BSB BSB: So the Israelites allotted to the Levites these cities, together with their pasturelands, as the LORD had commanded through Moses.
9 UEB From the tribes of Judah and Simeon, they assigned land to the following cities, here listed by name. BSB BSB: From the tribes of Judah and Simeon, they designated these cities by name
10 UEB These cities were given to the descendants of Aaron, who were among the clans of the Kohathites, who in turn were from the tribe of Levi. For the first casting of lots had fallen to them. BSB BSB: to the descendants of Aaron from the Kohathite clans of the Levites, because the first lot fell to them:
11 UEB The Israelites gave them Kiriath Arba (Arba had been the father of Anak), the same place as Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, with the pasturelands around it. 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 UEB But the fields of the city, including their villages, were already given to Caleb son of Jephunneh, as his possession. BSB BSB: But they had given the fields and villages around the city to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his possession.
13 UEB To the descendants of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron with its pasturelands—which was a city of refuge for any who killed another unintentionally—and Libnah with its pasturelands, 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 UEB Jattir with its pasturelands, and Eshtemoa with its pasturelands. BSB BSB: Jattir, Eshtemoa,
15 UEB They also gave Holon with its pasturelands, Debir with its pasturelands, BSB BSB: Holon, Debir,
16 UEB Ain with its pasturelands, Juttah with its pasturelands, and Beth Shemesh with its pasturelands. There were nine cities that were given from these two tribes. BSB BSB: Ain, Juttah, and Beth-shemesh—nine cities from these two tribes, together with their pasturelands.
17 UEB From the tribe of Benjamin were given Gibeon with its pasturelands, Geba with its pasturelands, BSB BSB: And from the tribe of Benjamin they gave them Gibeon, Geba,
18 UEB Anathoth with its pasturelands, and Almon with its suburbs—four cities. BSB BSB: Anathoth, and Almon—four cities, together with their pasturelands.
19 UEB The cities given to the priests, the descendants of Aaron, were thirteen cities in all, including their pasturelands. BSB BSB: In all, thirteen cities, together with their pasturelands, were given to the priests, the descendants of Aaron.
20 UEB As for the rest of Kohathites who belong to the Kohathite clans of the Levites—they had cities given to them from the tribe of Ephraim by the casting of lots. BSB BSB: The remaining Kohathite clans of the Levites were allotted these cities: From the tribe of Ephraim
21 UEB To them were given Shechem with its pasturelands in the hill country of Ephraim—a city of refuge for any who killed a person unintentionally—Gezer with its pasturelands, BSB BSB: they were given Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim (a city of refuge for the manslayer), Gezer,
22 UEB Kibzaim with its pasturelands, and Beth Horon with its pasturelands—four cities in all. BSB BSB: Kibzaim, and Beth-horon—four cities, together with their pasturelands.
23 UEB From the tribe of Dan, the clan of Kohath was given Eltekeh with its pasturelands, Gibbethon with its pasturelands, BSB BSB: From the tribe of Dan they were given Elteke, Gibbethon,
24 UEB Aijalon with its pasturelands, and Gath Rimmon with its pasturelands—four cities in all. BSB BSB: Aijalon, and Gath-rimmon—four cities, together with their pasturelands.
25 UEB From the half tribe of Manasseh, the clan of Kohath was given Taanach with its pasturelands and Gath Rimmon with its pasturelands—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 UEB There were ten cities in all for the rest of the clans of the Kohathites, including their pasturelands. BSB BSB: In all, ten cities, together with their pasturelands, were given to the rest of the Kohathite clans.
27 UEB From the half tribe of Manasseh, to clans of Gershon, these were other Levite clans, and they gave Golan in Bashan with its pasturelands—a city of refuge for anyone who killed another unintentionally, along with Be Eshterah with its pasturelands—two cities in all. 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 UEB To the clans of Gershon they also gave Kishion from the tribe of Issachar, along with its pasturelands, Daberath with its pasturelands, BSB BSB: From the tribe of Issachar they were given Kishion, Daberath,
29 UEB Jarmuth with its pasturelands, and En Gannim with its pasturelands—four cities. BSB BSB: Jarmuth, and En-gannim—four cities, together with their pasturelands.
30 UEB From the tribe of Asher, they gave Mishal with its pasturelands, Abdon with its pasturelands, BSB BSB: From the tribe of Asher they were given Mishal, Abdon,
31 UEB Helkath with its pasturelands, and Rehob with its pasturelands—four cities in all. BSB BSB: Helkath, and Rehob—four cities, together with their pasturelands.
32 UEB From the tribe of Naphtali, they gave the clans of Gershon Kedesh in Galilee with its pasturelands—a city of refuge for anyone who killed another unintentionally; Hammoth Dor with its pasturelands, and Kartan with its pasturelands—three cities in all. 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 UEB There were thirteen cities in all, out of the clans of Gershon, including their pasturelands. BSB BSB: In all, thirteen cities, together with their pasturelands, were given to the Gershonite clans.
34 UEB To the rest of the Levites—the clans of Merari—were given out of the tribe of Zebulun: Jokneam with its pasturelands, Kartah with its pasturelands, 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 UEB Dimnah with its pasturelands, and Nahalal with its pasturelands—four cities in all. BSB BSB: Dimnah, and Nahalal—four cities, together with their pasturelands.
36 UEB To the clans of Merari were given from the tribe of Reuben: Bezer with its pasturelands, Jahaz with its pasturelands, BSB BSB: From the tribe of Reuben they were given Bezer, Jahaz,
37 UEB Kedemoth with its pasturelands, and Mephaath with its pasturelands—four cities. BSB BSB: Kedemoth, and Mephaath—four cities, together with their pasturelands.
38 UEB Out of the tribe of Gad they were given Ramoth in Gilead with its pasturelands—a city of refuge for any who killed another unintentionally—and Mahanaim with its pasturelands. BSB BSB: And from the tribe of Gad they were given Ramoth in Gilead, a city of refuge for the manslayer, Mahanaim,
39 UEB The clans of Merari were also given Heshbon with its pasturelands, and Jazer with its pasturelands. These were four cities in all. BSB BSB: Heshbon, and Jazer—four cities in all, together with their pasturelands.
40 UEB All these were the cities of the several clans of Merari, who were from the tribe of Levi—twelve cities in all were given to them by the casting of lots. BSB BSB: In all, twelve cities were allotted to the clans of Merari, the remaining Levite clans.
41 UEB The cities of the Levites taken from the middle of the land possessed by the people of Israel were forty-eight cities, including their pasturelands. BSB BSB: For the Levites, then, there were forty-eight cities in all, together with their pasturelands, within the territory of the Israelites.
42 UEB These cities each had its surrounding pasturelands. It was this way with all these cities. BSB BSB: Each of these cities had its own surrounding pasturelands; this was true for all the cities.
43 UEB So Yahweh gave to Israel all the land that he swore to give to their ancestors. The Israelites took possession of it and settled there. 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 UEB Then Yahweh gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their ancestors. Not one of their enemies could defeat them. Yahweh gave all their enemies into their hand. 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 UEB Not one thing among all the good promises that Yahweh had spoken to the house of Israel failed to come true. All of them came to be. 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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