Command the children of Israel, that they give unto the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and ye shall give also unto the Levites suburbs for the cities round about them.
Give unto the Levites ... cities to dwell in. Since the Levites were to have no territorial domain allocated to them, like the other tribes, on the conquest of Canaan (Numbers 18:20), they were to be distributed throughout the land (cf. Genesis 47:7) in certain cities appropriated to their use; and these cities were to be surrounded by extensive suburbs. There is an apparent discrepancy between Numbers 35:4-5 with regard to the extent of the suburbs; but the statements in the two verses refer to totally different things-the one to the extent of the suburbs from the walls of the city, the other to the space of 2,000 cubits from their extremity. In point of fact, there was an extent of ground, amounting to 3,000 cubits, measured from the wall of the city. One thousand were most probably occupied with out-houses for the accommodation of shepherds and other servants, with gardens, vineyards, or oliveyards. And these which were portioned out to different families (1 Chronicles 6:60) might be sold by one Levite to another, but not to any individual of another tribe (Jeremiah 32:7). The other 2,000 cubits remained a common for the pasturing of cattle (Leviticus 25:34); and, considering their number, that space would be fully required.
The Levites being ministers supported at the public expense (Deuteronomy 12:19; Deuteronomy 14:27-29; Deuteronomy 18:3-5; Deuteronomy 26:12), and devoted to the service of God, would be expected to employ their spare time from the direct services of the sanctuary in promoting the cause of religion; and, indeed, their establishment in various districts of the country seems to have been subservient to such sacred occupations-nay, to act in a civil as well as an ecclesiastical respect. 'The Levites and priests were the appropriate juris-consults of the nation. They did not go round and preach, and teach in a public capacity; but it was their business to settle and adjudicate all controversies between man and man; to declare the law in all cases of trespasses or injury; to decide all dubious cases of conscience about rites and ceremonies; to give counsel, whenever asked, about anything which pertained to duty; and, in a word, to perform the office of judges and of religious as well as civil ministers (cf. Leviticus 10:10-11; Deuteronomy 17:8-10; 2 Chronicles 19:8; Ezekiel 44:23-24; Malachi 2:7). Ordinarily, to say the least, and at any rate according to strict rule, the Levites were to abide in the cities assigned to them, and not go elsewhere to reside' (Moses Stuart 'On Canon,' p. 81).