In all, twelve cities were allotted to the clans of Merari, the remaining Levite clans.
We have here a particular account of the cities which were given to the children of Levi out of the several tribes, not only to be occupied and inhabited by them, as tenants to the several tribes in which they lay - no, their interest in them was not dependent and precarious, but to be owned and possessed by them as lords and proprietors, and...
Commenting on Joshua 21:9-42
So all the cities for the children of Merari by their families,.... Which were distributed by lot to them, according to the number of their families, and were sufficient for them: which were remaining of the families of the Levites; the last division of them, besides those of the Kohathites, Levites, and the Gershonites: were by their lot twelve cities; four out of the tribe...
THE CITIES OF THE PRIESTS. (Jos. 21:9-42) they gave . . . these cities which are here mentioned by name--It was overruled by the unerring providence of the Divine Lawgiver that the cities of the priests lay within the territories of Judah and Benjamin. This was a provision, the admirable wisdom and propriety of which were fully manifested on the schism that took place in the reign of Rehoboam.
Commenting on Joshua 21:9-42