and commanded the people, saying, "When ye see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests that are Levites bearing it: then depart ye from your places and follow after it.

And all Israel and the elders thereof, and their officers and judges, stood part on this side the ark, and part on that side, before the priests: that were Levites which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD - as well the stranger, as they that were born among them: half of them on the forefront of the Mount of Gerizim, and half of them on the forefront of mount Ebal: as Moses the servant of the LORD commanded, first to bless the people of Israel.

For Moses had given inheritance unto two tribes and a half on the other side Jordan. But unto the Levites he gave none inheritance among them.

For the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. And therefore they gave no part unto the Levites in the land, save cities to dwell in and the suburbs of the same, for their beasts and cattle.

The Levites have no part among you, for the priestship of the LORD is their inheritance. And Gad, Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance beyond Jordan Eastward, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave them."

And then came the principal heads of the Levites unto Eleazar the priest, and unto Joshua the son of Nun and unto the ancient heads of the tribes of the children of Israel,

And the children of Israel gave unto the Levites out of their inheritances, at the bidding of the LORD, these cities following with their suburbs.

And the lot came out unto the kindreds of the Kohathites: and the children of Aaron the priest which were of the Levites had given them by lot, out of the tribe of Judah, out of the tribe of Simeon, out of the tribe of Benjamin, thirteen cities.

And the children of Israel gave by lot unto the Levites these cities with their suburbs as the LORD commanded by Moses.

And unto the children of Gershon which were of the kindreds of the Levites, they gave out of the other half tribe of Manasseh, the city of refuge for the slayer, Golan in Bashan with her suburbs; Beeshterah with her suburbs: Two cities.

And unto the kindreds of the children of Merari, the rest of the Levites, they gave out of the tribe of Zebulon: Jokneam with her suburbs; Kartah with her suburbs;

so that all the cities of the children of Merari in their kindreds, which were the rest of the kindreds of the Levites, were by their lot, twelve cities.

And all the cities that the Levites had in the possession of the children of Israel were forty eight with their suburbs.