All the cities of the Gershonites according to their families were thirteen cities with their suburbs.
Joshua 21:33 stands within the settlement in which Levi was given no compact tribal territory of its own but was distributed in cities set apart throughout the rest of Israel. The Levites in all received forty-eight cities with their surrounding lands, placed in different parts of the country rather than in one inheritance. That scattering fulfilled what Jacob had spoken concerning Levi, that he would be divided and dispersed among his brethren. When Israel fell into apostasy the Levites proved loyal to God, and by that faithfulness the appointed scattering was changed from a curse into a blessing, for it fitted them for their consecrated service in the sanctuary.
Joshua 21:33 stands within the settlement in which Levi was given no compact tribal territory of its own but was distributed in cities set apart throughout the rest of Israel. The Levites in all received forty-eight cities with their surrounding lands, placed in different parts of the country rather than in one inheritance. That scattering fulfilled what Jacob had spoken concerning Levi, that he would be divided and dispersed among his brethren. When Israel fell into apostasy the Levites proved loyal to God, and by that faithfulness the appointed scattering was changed from a curse into a blessing, for it fitted them for their consecrated service in the sanctuary.