Numbers 35:8

8 As to the cities you will give from those the people of Isra'el possess, from the many you will take many, and from the few you will take few - each tribe will contribute from its cities to the L'vi'im in accordance with the size of its inheritance."

Numbers 35:8 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 35:8

And the cities which ye shall give shall be of the possession
of the children of Israel
What shall fall by lot for their inheritance, and they shall be possessed of; and though they are, shall not refuse, nor grudge to give them, according to the direction of God, whose the land is, they holding it under him:

from [them that have] many ye shall give many, but from [them that
have] few ye shall give few;
which rule was observed; for out of Judah, whose lot was large, and out of Simeon, whose inheritance was within that of Judah, because it was so large, nine cities were given, whereas out of the other tribes only four cities out of each were given, and out of one of them but three, see ( Joshua 21:1-45 ) ,

everyone shall give of his cities unto the Levites, according to his
inheritance which he inheriteth;
and the Levites, being thus dispersed among the several tribes, were of great advantage to them, to instruct them in the knowledge of divine things; so that though hereby Jacob's curse on this tribe had its fulfilment, that it should be divided in Jacob, and scattered in Israel, yet that became a blessing to the rest of the tribes; see ( Genesis 49:7 ) .

Numbers 35:8 In-Context

6 The cities you give to the L'vi'im are to be the six cities of refuge to which you permit the person who kills someone to flee to; plus an additional forty-two cities.
7 Thus you will give the L'vi'im forty-eight cities, with their surrounding open land.
8 As to the cities you will give from those the people of Isra'el possess, from the many you will take many, and from the few you will take few - each tribe will contribute from its cities to the L'vi'im in accordance with the size of its inheritance."
9 ADONAI said to Moshe,
10 "Tell the people of Isra'el, 'When you cross the Yarden into the land of Kena'an,
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.