יהושע, פרק כ״א, פסוק ז׳

The distribution of cities across the land provided the Levites with homes among the other tribes. The final group to receive their portion is the family of Merari, the third main branch of the Levite tribe. They were assigned a total of twelve cities, drawn from the territories of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

This settlement process was highly organized. Rather than mixing together, the cities were distributed so that each individual family unit within the broader clan would live separately in its own designated area. While this specific method of organized settlement is detailed regarding the family of Merari, the same principle applied to all the other Levite families throughout the land [מצודת דוד].

A question arises regarding the exact count of these locations. While the total is clearly stated as twelve, the detailed list that follows names only eight cities—four from the territory of Zebulun and four from Gad. The four cities belonging to the tribe of Reuben are noticeably absent. This missing information led to variations in different manuscripts over time. In some versions, the text was amended to include two additional lines specifying the names of Reuben's cities: Bezer, Jahaz, Kedemoth, and Mephaath, along with their surrounding open lands. However, the oldest and most accurate manuscripts do not contain these additions. Addressing this missing information, the explanation is offered that while the four cities of Reuben are omitted from the list here, they are explicitly recorded in a parallel account found in the Book of Chronicles [רד"ק].