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The families of the children of Kehat, the Levites, even the rest of the children of Kehat, they had the cities of their lot out of the tribe of Efrayim.

All the cities of the families of the rest of the children of Kehat were ten with their suburbs.

To the children of Gershon, of the families of the Levites, out of the half-tribe of Menashsheh [they gave] Galon in Bashan with its suburbs, the city of refuge for the manslayer, and Be`eshterah with its suburbs; two cities.

To the families of the children of Merari, the rest of the Levites, out of the tribe of Zevulun, Yokne`am with its suburbs, and Kartah with its suburbs,

All [these were] the cities of the children of Merari according to their families, even the rest of the families of the Levites; and their lot was twelve cities.

All the cities of the Levites in the midst of the possession of the children of Yisra'el were forty-eight cities with their suburbs.

The children of Re'uven and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Menashsheh returned, and departed from the children of Yisra'el out of Shiloh, which is in the land of Kana`an, to go to the land of Gil`ad, to the land of their possession, whereof they were possessed, according to the mitzvah of the LORD by Moshe.

When they came to the region about the Yarden, that is in the land of Kana`an, the children of Re'uven and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Menashsheh built there an altar by the Yarden, a great altar to look on.

The children of Yisra'el heard say, Behold, the children of Re'uven and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Menashsheh have built an altar in the forefront of the land of Kana`an, in the region about the Yarden, on the side that pertains to the children of Yisra'el.

When the children of Yisra'el heard of it, the whole congregation of the children of Yisra'el gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up against them to war.

The children of Yisra'el sent to the children of Re'uven, and to the children of Gad, and to the half-tribe of Menashsheh, into the land of Gil`ad, Pinechas the son of El`azar the Kohen,

They came to the children of Re'uven, and to the children of Gad, and to the half-tribe of Menashsheh, to the land of Gil`ad, and they spoke with them, saying,

Then the children of Re'uven and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Menashsheh answered, and spoke to the heads of the thousands of Yisra'el,

and if we have not [rather] out of carefulness done this, [and] of purpose, saying, In time to come your children might speak to our children, saying, What have you to do with the LORD, the God of Yisra'el?

for the LORD has made the Yarden a border between us and you, you children of Re'uven and children of Gad; you have no portion in the LORD: so might your children make our children cease from fearing the LORD.

but it shall be a witness between us and you, and between our generations after us, that we may do the service of the LORD before him with our burnt offerings, and with our sacrifices, and with our peace-offerings; that your children may not tell our children in time to come, You have no portion in the LORD.

When Pinechas the Kohen, and the princes of the congregation, even the heads of the thousands of Yisra'el that were with him, heard the words that the children of Re'uven and the children of Gad and the children of Menashsheh spoke, it pleased them well.

Pinechas the son of El`azar the Kohen said to the children of Re'uven, and to the children of Gad, and to the children of Menashsheh, This day we know that the LORD is in the midst of us, because you have not committed this trespass against the LORD: now have you delivered the children of Yisra'el out of the hand of the LORD.

Pinechas the son of El`azar the Kohen, and the princes, returned from the children of Re'uven, and from the children of Gad, out of the land of Gil`ad, to the land of Kana`an, to the children of Yisra'el, and brought them word again.

The thing pleased the children of Yisra'el; and the children of Yisra'el blessed God, and spoke no more of going up against them to war, to destroy the land in which the children of Re'uven and the children of Gad lived.