Joshua 21:3

3 The children of Yisra'el gave to the Levites out of their inheritance, according to the mitzvah of the LORD, these cities with their suburbs.

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 Then came near the heads of fathers' [houses] of the Levites to El`azar the Kohen, and to Yehoshua the son of Nun, and to the heads of fathers' [houses] of the tribes of the children of Yisra'el;

2 and they spoke to them at Shiloh in the land of Kana`an, saying, the LORD commanded Moshe to give us cities to dwell in, with the suburbs of it for our cattle.

3 The children of Yisra'el gave to the Levites out of their inheritance, according to the mitzvah of the LORD, these cities with their suburbs.

4 The lot came out for the families of the Kehati: and the children of Aharon the Kohen, who were of the Levites, had by lot out of the tribe of Yehudah, and out of the tribe of the Shim`oni, and out of the tribe of Binyamin, thirteen cities.

5 The rest of the children of Kehat had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Efrayim, and out of the tribe of Dan, and out of the half-tribe of Menashsheh, ten cities.