Joshua 21:3

3 So the children of Israel gave to the Levites in their inheritance by the command of the Lord the cities and the country round.

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 And the heads of the families of the sons of Levi drew near to Eleazar the priest, and to Joshua the of Naue, and to the heads of families of the tribes of Israel.

2 And they spoke to them in Selo in the land of Chanaan, saying, The Lord gave commandment by Moses to give us cities to dwell in, and the country round about for our cattle.

3 So the children of Israel gave to the Levites in their inheritance by the command of the Lord the cities and the country round.

4 And the lot came out for the children of Caath; and the sons of Aaron, the priests the Levites, had by lot thirteen cities out of the tribe of Juda, and out of the tribe of Symeon, and out of the tribe of Benjamin.

5 And to the sons of Caath that were left were lot ten cities, out of the tribe of Ephraim, and out of the tribe of Dan, and out of the half tribe of Manasse.