 In return, the landed tribes were expected to give tithe to support the Levites (), particularly the tithe known as the First tithe, "ma'aser rishon".The Kohanim, a subset of the Levites, were the priests, who performed the work of holiness in the Temple.The Levites, referring to those who were not Kohanim, were specifically assigned to 

When Joshua led the Israelites into the land of Canaan (), the Sons of Levi were the only Israelite tribe that received cities but were not allowed to be landowners "because the Lord the God of Israel Himself is their inheritance" ().