The Historical Allotment
Yehoshua records a completed land allotment given to the descendants of Aharon within the territories of Yehudah, Shimon, and Binyamin.
What took place?
Yehoshua 21:13–21 lists thirteen cities assigned to the priestly families descended from Aharon. The cities were selected through the divine lot, גורל על פי השם, before Elazar HaKohen, Yehoshua bin Nun, and the leaders of the ancestral houses of Israel.
The drawing took place at the Mishkan in Shiloh. These were formally assigned cities together with their surrounding peripheral lands.
Biblical source
Yehoshua 21:13–21
Recipients
Descendants of Aharon
Number
Thirteen cities
Territories
Yehudah, Shimon, Binyamin
וַיִּתְּנוּ לִבְנֵי אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן
“They gave to the descendants of Aharon the Kohen.”
The drawing occurred in the Hebrew calendar year 2503, corresponding to 1257 BCE.
How Were the Priestly Cities Allotted?
Tanakh records an ordered process in which the command came from God, the cities were given from the tribal inheritances, and their distribution among the Levitical and priestly families was determined by lot.
The Command
In Bamidbar 35, God commands the Children of Israel to give the Levites cities from their own inheritances, together with open lands surrounding those cities. The total number was fixed at forty-eight.
Leadership of the Allotment
The Book of Yehoshua names Elazar HaKohen first in the process of apportioning the Land, followed by Yehoshua bin Nun and the heads of the ancestral houses. The account thus presents priestly leadership, national leadership, and tribal representation within one ordered process.
The Divine Lot
Yehoshua 21 states that the cities were distributed among the Levitical families by lot. The descendants of Aharon received thirteen cities by lot from the territories of Yehudah, Shimon, and Binyamin.
These were not “Yehoshua’s cities” in the sense of cities belonging to Yehoshua, nor was “Elazar’s cities” their customary name. They were the priestly cities described in the Book of Yehoshua, given from the tribal inheritances according to the word of God and allotted by divine lot under the sacred leadership of Elazar HaKohen, with Yehoshua bin Nun and the heads of the ancestral houses participating in the process. In this way, the allotment gave practical expression to the Torah’s established order of leadership: “וְלִפְנֵי אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן יַעֲמֹד, וְשָׁאַל לוֹ בְּמִשְׁפַּט הָאוּרִים לִפְנֵי ה׳”. Elazar stood at the head of the sacred framework through which divine direction was sought, while Yehoshua exercised the leadership of the people and the heads of the ancestral houses participated in carrying out the allocation.
Two Land Allotments Connected to the Kohanim
Tanakh presents one historical land allotment in Yehoshua and a different future sacred land order in Yechezkel. They are connected through the Torah vision of Kehuna, land, sacred service, and national order, but they are not identical.
Yehoshua’s Historical Allotment
- Thirteen dispersed priestly cities
- Located within tribal territories
- Assigned to descendants of Aharon
- Each accompanied by peripheral land
- Carried out after Israel entered the Land
Yechezkel’s Future Vision
- A centralized sacred contribution
- Arranged around the Mikdash
- Includes the sons of Tzadok
- Includes Levites, city, and Nasi
- Part of a future tribal order
The cities of Yehoshua were historical priestly settlements distributed within existing tribal territories. Yechezkel describes a future centralized sacred order surrounding the Mikdash.
The Cities and Their Peripheral Lands
Scripture repeatedly states that each city was accompanied by its migrash, the open land surrounding it.
וְאֶת מִגְרָשֶׁהָ
“And its peripheral land.”
1
The City
A defined settlement in which Kohanim and their families could live and maintain communal life.
2
The Migrash
Open land surrounding the city and included directly in the biblical allotment.
3
The Wider Fields
Wider fields and villages could remain part of the original tribal inheritance.
The Torah describes the surrounding lands of the Levitical cities in Bamidbar 35:2–5, including measurements of one thousand and two thousand amah. Their designated uses are explained in the teachings of Chazal.
The city and its peripheral land were assigned to the Kohanim, while the fields and surrounding villages remained part of the inheritance of Caleb ben Yefuneh.
Settlement, Exile, and Return
The biblical record shows the original priestly settlement, the disruption caused by the Babylonian exile, and renewed Kohen habitation following the return to the Land of Israel.
1
The Initial Allotment
The thirteen cities and their peripheral lands were assigned to the descendants of Aharon after Israel entered the Land.
2
Priestly Community Life
The cities formed a geographic framework for Kohen settlement, family life, education, and communal continuity.
3
Babylonian Exile
Priestly settlement was disrupted when the inhabitants of the Land were displaced during the Babylonian conquest.
4
The Return from Exile
The books of Ezra and Nechemia record renewed Kohen settlement following the return from the Babylonian exile. Malbim explains these passages in relation to the earlier priestly cities and settlements.
Priestly settlement in the Land was not treated merely as a closed event belonging to the initial entry into Israel. Following exile and displacement, Kohanim again established communal life in the Land.
The Thirteen Priestly Cities
The cities are grouped according to the tribal territories from which they were assigned.
9
Cities from Yehudah and Shimon
Hebron and its peripheral land
אֶת חֶבְרוֹן וְאֶת מִגְרָשֶׁהָ
Livna and its peripheral land
וְאֶת לִבְנָה וְאֶת מִגְרָשֶׁהָ
Yatir and its peripheral land
וְאֶת יַתִּר וְאֶת מִגְרָשֶׁהָ
Eshtemoa and its peripheral land
וְאֶת אֶשְׁתְּמֹעַ וְאֶת מִגְרָשֶׁהָ
Holon, or Hilez in the Koren Tanach, and its peripheral land
וְאֶת חֹלֹן וְאֶת מִגְרָשֶׁהָ
Devir and its peripheral land
וְאֶת דְּבִר וְאֶת מִגְרָשֶׁהָ
Ayin and its peripheral land
וְאֶת עַיִן וְאֶת מִגְרָשֶׁהָ
Yutah and its peripheral land
וְאֶת יֻטָּה וְאֶת מִגְרָשֶׁהָ
Bet Shemesh and its peripheral land
אֶת בֵּית שֶׁמֶשׁ וְאֶת מִגְרָשֶׁהָ
4
Cities from Binyamin
Givon and its peripheral land
אֶת גִּבְעוֹן וְאֶת מִגְרָשֶׁהָ
Geva and its peripheral land
אֶת גֶּבַע וְאֶת מִגְרָשֶׁהָ
Anatot and its peripheral land
וְאֶת עֲנָתוֹת וְאֶת מִגְרָשֶׁהָ
Almon and its peripheral land
וְאֶת עַלְמוֹן וְאֶת מִגְרָשֶׁהָ
Map of the Priestly Cities
The map assists with the study of the biblical locations and their relationship to the modern geography of the Land of Israel.
The map can display cardinally aligned squares and optional distance circles calculated with an amah of 18.897 inches. The 1,000-amah extent is approximately 480 metres and the 2,000-amah extent approximately 960 metres in each direction from the displayed point. Because the precise ancient city walls are not known, these overlays are centred on proposed research locations and are not surveyed historical, legal, municipal, archaeological, or authoritative Torah boundaries.
Interactive map
Preservation and Development Today
Igud HaKohanim views the historical allotment as an important precedent for preserving Kohen history and strengthening renewed Kohen community life in the Land of Israel.
Preserving the Historical Record
Identifying ancient locations, preserving their priestly history, studying their surrounding lands, and developing educational materials.
Renewed Kohen Community Life
Exploring lawful opportunities for Kohanim and their families to live, learn, and build community in areas connected to this inheritance.
Lawful Stewardship
Igud HaKohanim and Admath HaKohanim Inc. may pursue lawful purchase, donation, lease, partnership, or cooperation with authorities and landowners.
What This Does Not Mean
It does not mean claiming ownership over entire modern cities, ignoring existing legal ownership, or displacing present residents.
To preserve the historical connection of the Kohanim to these places and, where possible, establish educational, communal, agricultural, residential, or heritage projects connected to Kehuna.
From the Priestly Cities Allotted by Lot to Yechezkel’s Vision
The two passages belong to one larger Torah history while describing different periods and different forms of priestly land.
Historical Allotment
Thirteen cities assigned to the descendants of Aharon.
Preserved Priestly Connection
Settlement, exile, return, study, and lawful stewardship.
Future Sacred Order
Yechezkel’s measured contribution centered on the Mikdash.
Contemporary property activity connected to the thirteen historical cities is distinct from Yechezkel’s prophetic allocation. Igud HaKohanim does not present its Yechezkel maps as current survey boundaries, governmental claims, or declarations that the future order can be established through ordinary property acquisition.
A Living Historical Connection
The cities of the Kohanim are not merely names in an ancient list. They testify that Kehuna in the Land of Israel included community, family life, education, settlement, and a defined relationship to land.
Studying these cities restores an important dimension of Kohen history and invites serious consideration of how that heritage may be preserved and strengthened through Torah learning, historical research, lawful stewardship, and renewed community life.
Contact Igud HaKohanim
Contact us to share source material, historical information, family traditions, property opportunities, or research connected to the thirteen priestly cities.