Joshua 21:10
“and they were for the children of Aaron, of the families of the Kohathites, who were of the children of Levi; for theirs was the first lot.”
What does Joshua 21:10 mean?
The Levites were set apart as priests and temple workers, and this verse describes how the land was divided among them. The Kohathites were one of the three main Levite families, and Aaron's descendants (the priests who would lead worship) received their cities first because they had the primary responsibility for caring for the tabernacle and its holy objects. This wasn't favoritism, but recognition that their sacred duties required them to be strategically distributed throughout Israel so they could serve all the people. The "first lot" meant they drew their portion before the other Levite families, honoring their central role in Israel's spiritual life.