Verse 8
8. Many… many… few… few According to Joshua xxi, Judah and Simeon, whose territorial allotments seem to have been blended very early, as predicted by Jacob, (Genesis 49:5; Genesis 49:7,) gave to the Levites nine of their cities, the other tribes gave four each, except Naphtali, who gave only three, making thirty-eight cities west of the Jordan. The eastern tribes gave ten. The thirteen given by Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin were assigned to the priests, being near the tabernacle and temple, and thirty-five to the three Levitical families. “Called out of the whole nation to be the peculiar possession of Jehovah, to watch over his covenant, and teach Israel his rights and his law, (Deuteronomy 31:9-13; Deuteronomy 33:8-10; Leviticus 10:11,) the Levites were to form and set forth among all the tribes the εκλογη ( election) of the nation of Jehovah’s possession, and, by their walk as well as by their calling, to remind the Israelites continually of their own divine calling, to foster and preserve the law and testimony of the Lord in Israel, and to awaken and spread the fear of God and piety among all the tribes.” Keil and Delitzsch. If the Levitical families had been completely isolated, they would have been in danger of spiritual declension. Their association was a safeguard against this evil.
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