Joshua 21:8

8 So the Israelites gave these cities and their pasturelands to the Levites by lot, exactly as the LORD had commanded through Moses.

Joshua 21:8 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 21:8

And the children of Israel gave by lot unto the Levites these
cities with their suburbs
Reaching two thousand cubits from the cities all around: these cities did not lie all together, and so could not be described by their coasts; but in the several tribes, and intermixed with their cities; which fulfilled Jacob's prophecy, that they should be divided and scattered in Israel, ( Genesis 49:7 ) ; as well as it was so ordered for the benefit of the several tribes, that they might have the assistance of the priests and Levites, to instruct them in the knowledge of the laws and commandments of God, and all divine things:

as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses;
( Numbers 35:2 ) .

Joshua 21:8 In-Context

6 The descendants of Gershon acquired thirteen cities by lot from the clans of the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and the half of Manasseh located in Bashan.

7 The descendants of Merari acquired twelve cities for their clans from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.

8 So the Israelites gave these cities and their pasturelands to the Levites by lot, exactly as the LORD had commanded through Moses.

9 They gave the following cities, identified here by name, from the tribe of the Judahites and the tribe of the Simeonites.

10 The cities belonged to the descendants of Aaron, one of the Kohathite clans of the Levites, because the lot had fallen to them first.