And unto the children of Gershon, of the families of the Levites, out of the other half tribe of Manasseh they gave Golan in Bashan with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Beeshterah with her suburbs; two cities.
To the descendants of Gershon, who were part of the Levite families, they gave cities from the other half of the tribe of Manasseh: Golan in Bashan with its surrounding pasturelands (which served as a city of refuge for someone who accidentally killed another person), and Beeshterah with its pasturelands—two cities in total.
This verse describes how the Gershonite Levites received two cities from the tribe of Manasseh, including one that served as a safe place for people who had accidentally caused someone's death.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs during the distribution of the Promised Land after Israel's conquest under Joshua. The Levites, as the priestly tribe, didn't receive a large territory like other tribes but instead were given specific cities scattered throughout Israel to serve the religious needs of all the people. Cities of refuge were designated safe places where someone who accidentally killed another person could flee for protection from revenge.
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