Joshua 21:40

40 and their suburbs round about these cities: a city and the suburbs round about the city to all these cities: and Joshua ceased dividing the land by their borders: and the children of Israel gave a portion to Joshua because of the commandment of the Lord: they gave him the city which he asked: they gave him Thamnasachar in mount Ephraim; and Joshua built the city, and dwelt in it: and Joshua took the knives of stone, wherewith he circumcised the children of Israel that were born in the desert by the way, and put them in Thamnasachar.

Joshua 21:40 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 21:40

So all the cities for the children of Merari by their
families
Which were distributed by lot to them, according to the number of their families, and were sufficient for them:

which were remaining of the families of the Levites;
the last division of them, besides those of the Kohathites, Levites, and the Gershonites:

were [by] their lot twelve cities;
four out of the tribe of Zebulun, four out of the tribe of Reuben, and four out of the tribe of Gad, whose names are before given,

Joshua 21:40 In-Context

38 All cities to the sons of Merari according to the families of them that were left out of the tribe of Levi; and their limits were the twelve cities.

39 All the cities of the Levites in the midst of the possession of the children of Israel, forty-eight cities,

40 and their suburbs round about these cities: a city and the suburbs round about the city to all these cities: and Joshua ceased dividing the land by their borders: and the children of Israel gave a portion to Joshua because of the commandment of the Lord: they gave him the city which he asked: they gave him Thamnasachar in mount Ephraim; and Joshua built the city, and dwelt in it: and Joshua took the knives of stone, wherewith he circumcised the children of Israel that were born in the desert by the way, and put them in Thamnasachar.

41 So the Lord gave to Israel all the land which he sware to give to their fathers: and they inherited it, and dwelt in it.

42 And the Lord gave them rest round about, as he sware to their fathers: not one of all their enemies maintained his ground against them; the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hands.