-
Genesis 48:5
“ Now, as for your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, they will be mine. Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine just as Reuben and Simeon are.
-
1 Chronicles 5 1-1 Chronicles 5 2
The sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn–( Now he was the firstborn, but when he defiled his father’s bed, his rights as firstborn were given to the sons of Joseph, Israel’s son. So Reuben is not listed as firstborn in the genealogical records.Though Judah was the strongest among his brothers and a leader descended from him, the right of the firstborn belonged to Joseph.)
-
1 Chronicles 6 54-1 Chronicles 6 81
These were the areas where Aaron’s descendants lived: The following belonged to the Kohathite clan, for they received the first allotment:They were allotted Hebron in the territory of Judah, as well as its surrounding pasturelands.( But the city’s land and nearby towns were allotted to Caleb son of Jephunneh.)The descendants of Aaron were also allotted as cities of refuge Hebron, Libnah and its pasturelands, Jattir, Eshtemoa and its pasturelands,Hilez and its pasturelands, Debir and its pasturelands,Ashan and its pasturelands, and Beth Shemesh and its pasturelands.Within the territory of the tribe of Benjamin they were allotted Geba and its pasturelands, Alemeth and its pasturelands, and Anathoth and its pasturelands. Their clans were allotted thirteen cities in all.The rest of Kohath’s descendants were allotted ten cities in the territory of the half-tribe of Manasseh.The clans of Gershom’s descendants received thirteen cities within the territory of the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Manasseh( in Bashan).The clans of Merari’s descendants were allotted twelve cities within the territory of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.So the Israelites gave to the Levites these cities and their pasturelands.They allotted these previously named cities from the territory of the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.The clans of Kohath’s descendants also received territory within the tribe of Ephraim.They were allotted as cities of refuge Shechem and its pasturelands( in the hill country of Ephraim), Gezer and its pasturelands,Jokmeam and its pasturelands, Beth Horon and its pasturelands,Aijalon and its pasturelands, and Gath Rimmon and its pasturelands.Within the territory of the half-tribe of Manasseh, the rest of Kohath’s descendants received Aner and its pasturelands and Bileam and its pasturelands.The following belonged to Gershom’s descendants: Within the territory of the half-tribe of Manasseh: Golan in Bashan and its pasturelands and Ashtaroth and its pasturelands.Within the territory of the tribe of Issachar: Kedesh and its pasturelands, Daberath and its pasturelands,Ramoth and its pasturelands, and Anem and its pasturelands.Within the territory of the tribe of Asher: Mashal and its pasturelands, Abdon and its pasturelands,Hukok and its pasturelands, and Rehob and its pasturelands.Within the territory of the tribe of Naphtali: Kedesh in Galilee and its pasturelands, Hammon and its pasturelands, and Kiriathaim and its pasturelands.The following belonged to the rest of Merari’s descendants: Within the territory of the tribe of Zebulun: Rimmono and its pasturelands, and Tabor and its pasturelands.Within the territory of the tribe of Reuben across the Jordan River east of Jericho: Bezer in the desert and its pasturelands, Jahzah and its pasturelands,Kedemoth and its pasturelands, and Mephaath and its pasturelands.Within the territory of the tribe of Gad: Ramoth in Gilead and its pasturelands, Mahanaim and its pasturelands,Heshbon and its pasturelands, and Jazer and its pasturelands.
-
Joshua 21:2-42
in 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.”So the Israelites assigned these cities and their grazing areas to the Levites from their own holdings, as the LORD had instructed.The first lot belonged to the Kohathite clans. The Levites who were descendants of Aaron the priest were allotted thirteen cities from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.The 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.Gershon’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.Merari’s descendants by their clans were allotted twelve cities from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.So the Israelites assigned to the Levites by lot these cities and their grazing areas, as the LORD had instructed Moses.They assigned from the tribes of Judah and Simeon the cities listed below.They were assigned to the Kohathite clans of the Levites who were descendants of Aaron, for the first lot belonged to them.They 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.( Now the city’s fields and surrounding towns they had assigned to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his property.)So to the descendants of Aaron the priest they assigned Hebron( a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter), Libnah,Jattir, Eshtemoa,Holon, Debir,Ain, Juttah, and Beth Shemesh, along with the grazing areas of each– a total of nine cities taken from these two tribes.From the tribe of Benjamin they assigned Gibeon, Geba,Anathoth, and Almon, along with the grazing areas of each– a total of four cities.The priests descended from Aaron received thirteen cities and their grazing areas.The rest of the Kohathite clans of the Levites were allotted cities from the tribe of Ephraim.They assigned them Shechem( a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter) in the hill country of Ephraim, Gezer,Kibzaim, and Beth Horon, along with the grazing areas of each– a total of four cities.From the tribe of Dan they assigned Eltekeh, Gibbethon,Aijalon, and Gath Rimmon, along with the grazing areas of each– a total of four cities.From the half-tribe of Manasseh they assigned Taanach and Gath Rimmon, along with the grazing areas of each– a total of two cities.The rest of the Kohathite clans received ten cities and their grazing areas.They assigned to the Gershonite clans of the Levites the following cities: 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;from the tribe of Issachar: Kishon, Daberath,Jarmuth, and En Gannim, along with the grazing areas of each– a total of four cities;from the tribe of Asher: Mishal, Abdon,Helkath, and Rehob, along with the grazing areas of each– a total of four cities;from 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.The Gershonite clans received thirteen cities and their grazing areas.They assigned to the Merarite clans( the remaining Levites) the following cities: from the tribe of Zebulun: Jokneam, Kartah,Dimnah, and Nahalal, along with the grazing areas of each– a total of four cities;from the tribe of Reuben: Bezer, Jahaz,Kedemoth, and Mephaath, along with the grazing areas of each– a total of four cities;from the tribe of Gad: Ramoth in Gilead( a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter), Mahanaim,Heshbon, and Jazer, along with the grazing areas of each– a total of four cities.The Merarite clans( the remaining Levites) were allotted twelve cities.The Levites received within the land owned by the Israelites forty-eight cities in all and their grazing areas.Each of these cities had grazing areas around it; they were alike in this regard.
-
Numbers 35:2-8
“ Instruct the Israelites to give the Levites towns to live in from the inheritance the Israelites will possess. You must also give the Levites grazing land around the towns.Thus they will have towns in which to live, and their grazing lands will be for their cattle, for their possessions, and for all their animals.The grazing lands around the towns that you will give to the Levites must extend to a distance of 500 yards from the town wall.“ You must measure from outside the wall of the town on the east 1,000 yards, and on the south side 1,000 yards, and on the west side 1,000 yards, and on the north side 1,000 yards, with the town in the middle. This territory must belong to them as grazing land for the towns.Now from these towns that you will give to the Levites you must select six towns of refuge to which a person who has killed someone may flee. And you must give them forty-two other towns.“ So the total of the towns you will give the Levites is forty-eight. You must give these together with their grazing lands.The towns you will give must be from the possession of the Israelites. From the larger tribes you must give more; and from the smaller tribes fewer. Each must contribute some of its own towns to the Levites in proportion to the inheritance allocated to each.