The Levites were given no territorial allotment, Jehovah being their inheritance. (Nu 18:20; De 18:1, 2) But God directed that the other tribes of Israel give them a total of 48 cities and surrounding pasture grounds. (Nu 35:1-8) Such cities were ultimately assigned to the Levites (Jos 21:1-8), and 13 of them were priestly cities. (Jos 21:19; see PRIESTS’ CITIES.) Of the 48 cities, 6 were assigned as cities of refuge for unintentional manslayers.​—Jos 20:7-9; see CITIES OF REFUGE.

The scattering of the Levites among the other tribes of Israel was in fulfillment of Jacob’s deathbed prophecy.​—Ge 49:5-7.

The Levites had the right to repurchase at any time houses they sold within their cities, or these were restored to them during the Jubilee year. But the pasturelands adjacent to their cities were never to be sold.​—Le 25:32-34; see LEVITES.