Joshua 21:3

3 So in accordance with the Lord's command the people of Israel gave the Levites certain cities and pasture lands out of their own territories.

Joshua 21:3 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 21:3

And the children of Israel gave unto the Levites out of their
inheritance
Knowing full well there was such a command, made no objection to their motion, but freely gave them cities out of the portion of inheritance allotted to them; this they did

at the commandment of the Lord, and in obedience to it, even gave
these cities and suburbs;
after mentioned: this was done by the tribes themselves; as there were a certain number fixed by the commandment of God, they agreed among themselves how many and what cities should be given out of each tribe; and then lots were cast for them by Joshua, what and which cities should be appropriated to their several divisions, as the Kohathites that sprang from Aaron, and the rest of them that did not, and the Gershonites and Merarites, as follows.

Joshua 21:3 In-Context

1 The leaders of the Levite families went to Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and to the heads of the families of all the tribes of Israel.

2 There at Shiloh in the land of Canaan they said to them, "The Lord commanded through Moses that we were to be given cities to live in, as well as pasture land around them for our livestock."

3 So in accordance with the Lord's command the people of Israel gave the Levites certain cities and pasture lands out of their own territories.

4 The families of the Levite clan of Kohath were the first to be assigned cities. The families who were descended from Aaron the priest were assigned thirteen cities from the territories of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.

5 The rest of the clan of Kohath was assigned ten cities from the territories of Ephraim, Dan, and West Manasseh.