1-2. While the Israelites were still camped at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, the family leaders of the Levi tribe went to speak to the priest Eleazar, Joshua, and the family leaders of the other Israelite tribes. The leaders of Levi said, “The Lord told Moses that you have to give us towns and provide pastures for our animals.”
3. Since the Lord had said this, the leaders of the other Israelite tribes agreed to give some of the towns and pastures from their tribal lands to Levi.
4. The leaders asked the Lord to show them in what order the clans of Levi would be given towns, and which towns each clan would receive.The Kohath clans were first. The descendants of Aaron, Israel's first priest, were given thirteen towns from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.
5. The other members of the Kohath clans received ten towns from the tribes of Ephraim, Dan, and West Manasseh.
6. The clans that were descendants of Gershon were given thirteen towns from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and East Manasseh.
7. The clans that were descendants of Merari received twelve towns from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.
8. The Lord had told Moses that he would show the Israelites which towns and pastures to give to the clans of Levi, and he did.