The casting of lots 21:1-8

Probably the leaders identified the towns first and then assigned the various groups of Levites to particular cities by lot (vv. 3-4). The priests (Aaron's descendants) received 13 cities within the tribal territories of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin (v. 4). The rest of the Kohathites--Aaron was a descendant of Kohath--obtained 10 cities in Ephraim, Dan, and western Manasseh (v. 5). The Gershonites lived in 13 cities in Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and eastern Manasseh (v. 6). The Merarites inherited 12 cities in Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun (v. 7). The names of these Levitical towns appear in the following verses (vv. 9-40).