Then came near the heads of the fathers of the Levites unto Eleazar the priest, and unto Joshua the son of Nun, and unto the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel;
Then came near the heads of the fathers of the Levites - the most venerable and distinguished members of the three Levitical families, who, on behalf of their tribe, applied for the special provision that had been promised them to be now awarded (see the note at Numbers 35:1-5). Their inheritance lay within the territory of every tribe. It was assigned in the same place and manner, and by the same commissioners, as the other allotments; and while the people, knowing the important duties these were to perform, are described (Joshua 21:3) as readily conceding this 'peculiar' to them, it had most probably been specified and reserved for their use, while the distribution of the land was in progress.