Forty-Eight Cities for the Levites
(Numbers 35:1–8; 1 Chronicles 6:54–81)

1Then the chefe fathers amonge the Leuites came forth vnto Eleasar the prest and to Iosua the sonne of Nun, and to ye awncient fathers amoge the trybes of the children of Israel, 2and spake vnto them at Silo in the londe of Canaan, and sayde: The LORDE commaunded by Moses, that we shulde haue cities geuen vs to dwell in, and the suburbes of the same for oure catell. 3Then the children of Israel gaue of their enheritaunce these cities and the suburbes therof, vnto the Leuites, acordynge to the commaundement of the LORDE. 4And the lot fell vpon the kynred of the Kahathites, and the children of Aaron the prest amonge the Leuites, had by the lott thyrtene cities of the trybe of Iuda, of the trybe of Simeon, and of the trybe of Ben Iamin.

5The other childre of Kahath of the same kynred, had by the lot ten cities, of the trybe of Ephraim, of the trybe of Dan, and of the halfe trybe of Manasse.

6But the children of Gerson of the same kynred had by the lot thyrtene cities, of the trybe of Isachar, of the trybe of Asser, of ye trybe of Nepthali, and of the halfe trybe of Manasse at Basan.

7The children of Merari of their kynred had twolue cities, of the trybe of Ruben, of the trybe of Gad, and of the trybe of Zabulon.

8So the children of Israel gaue these cities and their suburbes vnto the Leuites by lott, as the LORDE commaunded by Moses.

9Of the trybe of the children of Iuda, and of the trybe of the children of Simeon, they gaue these cities (which they named by name) 10vnto the children of Aaron of the kynred of the Kahathites amonge the children of Leui: for the first lot was theyrs. 11So they gaue them Kiriatharba, which was the fathers of Enak, that is Hebron vpon the mount Iuda, and the suburbes therof rounde aboute. 12But the felde of the cite and the vyllages therof, gaue they vnto Caleb the sonne of Iephune for his possession.

13Thus gaue they vnto the children of Aaron the prest, the fre cite of the deed sleyers, Hebron and the suburbes therof, Libna and the suburbes therof, 14Iathir and the suburbes therof, Esthuma and the suburbes therof, 15Holon and the suburbes therof, Debir and the suburbes therof, 16Ain and the suburbes therof, Iuta and the suburbes therof, Beth Semes and the suburbes therof, euen nyne cities of these two trybes. 17But of the trybe of Ben Iamin they gaue foure cities, Gibeon and ye suburbes therof, Gaba, and the suburbes therof, 18Anathot and the suburbes therof, Almon and the suburbes therof: 19so that all the cities of the children of Aaron the prest were thirtene with their suburbes.

20The kynreds of the other children of Kahath the Leuites, had by their lott foure cities, of the trybe of Ephraim, 21and they gaue the the fre cite of the deedsleiers, Seche and the suburbes therof vpon mount Ephraim Gaser and the suburbes therof, 22Kibzaim and the suburbes therof, Bethron and the suburbes therof. 23Of the trybe of Dan foure cities, Eltheke and ye suburbes therof, Gibthon and the suburbes therof, 24Aialon and the suburbes therof, Gath Rimon and the suburbes therof. 25Of the halfe trybe of Manasses two cities, Thaenach and the suburbes therof, Gath Rimon and the suburbes therof: 26so that all the cities of the other children of ye kynred of Kahath, were ten with their suburbes.

27But vnto the children of Gerson amonge the kynreds of the Leuites were geuen, Of the halfe trybe of Manasse two cities, the fre cite for the deedslayer, Gola in Basan and the suburbes therof, Beasthra, and the suburbes therof. 28Of the trybe of Isachar foure cities, Kision and the suburbes therof, Dabrach and the suburbes therof, 29Iarmuth and the suburbes therof, Engannim and the suburbes therof. 30Of the trybe of Asser foure cities, Miseal, Abdon, 31Helkath and Rehob with the suburbes therof. 32Of the trybe of Nephtali thre cities, the fre cite Kedes (for the deedsleyer) in Galile, Hamoth, Dor, and Karthan with the suburbes therof: 33so that all the cities of the kynred of the Gersonites were thirtene wt their suburbes.

34Vnto the kynreds of Merari the other Leuites were geuen, Of the trybe of Zabulon foure cities, Iakneam, Kartha, 35Dimna and Nahalal wt ye suburbes therof. 36Of the trybe of Ruben foure cities, Bezer, Iahza, 37Kedemoth and Mephaat with their suburbes. 38Of the trybe of Gad foure cities, the fre cite for the deedsleyer, Ramoth in Gilead, Mahanaim, 39Hesbon and Iaeser with their suburbes: 40so that all the cities of the children of Merari amonge their kynreds of ye other Leuites, were twolue.

41Thus all the cities of the Leuites amonge ye possession of the children of Israel, were eight and fortye with their suburbes. 42And these cities were so dealte out, that euery one had their suburbes rounde aboute, the one as the other.

43Thus the LORDE gaue the children of Israel all the londe, which he had sworne vnto their fathers to geue: & they toke possession of it, and dwelt therin. 44And the LORDE gaue the rest before all those yt were aboute them like as he sware vnto their fathers, & none of their enemies stode agaynst the, but all their enmies delyuered he in to their hande. 45And their myssed nothinge of all the good that the LORDE had promysed vnto the house of Israel, it came euery whyt.