And the lot came out for the families of the Kohathites: and the children of Aaron the priest, which were of the Levites, had by lot out of the tribe of Judah, and out of the tribe of Simeon, and out of the tribe of Benjamin, thirteen cities.
The lot came out for the families of the Kohathites. The Levites were divided into Kohathites, Gershonites, and Merarites. Among the former the family of Aaron were exclusively appointed to the priesthood, and all the rest were ranked in the common order of Levites. The first lot was drawn by the Kohathites; and the first of theirs, again, by the priests, to whom 13 cities were granted, and 10 to the rest of the Kohathites (Joshua 21:5); 13 to the Gershonites (Joshua 21:6), and 12 to the Merarites (Joshua 21:7).