Joshua 21:7
The children of Merari by their families had out of the tribe of Reuben, and out of the tribe of Gad, and out of the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities. The children of Merari by their families had out of the tribe of Reuben, and out of the tribe of Gad, and out of the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities.
Unlike the other tribes, Levi was given no distinct tribal territory of its own but was assigned forty-eight cities dispersed throughout the land. Within that arrangement the families descended from Merari were allotted twelve cities taken from Reuben and Gad and Zebulun. This scattering fulfilled the ancient prophecy that Levi would be divided and scattered within Israel.
That scattering had first been spoken as a curse, yet after Levi stood loyal to God while the other tribes turned aside into apostasy it was transformed into a blessing. The cities spread among the tribes became centers from which Levites carried forward their appointed service connected with the sanctuary.