Joshua 21:8
And the children of Israel gave by lot unto the Levites these cities with their suburbs, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses. And the children of Israel gave by lot unto the Levites these cities with their suburbs, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.
The allotment recorded in Joshua 21:1-42 gave Levi no single territorial inheritance like the other tribes, but forty-eight cities scattered throughout Israel. These cities with their suburbs were assigned to the Levites by lot, exactly as the Lord had commanded through Moses. This division and scattering of Levi fulfilled what had been foretold for the tribe. Because Levi served Jehovah faithfully when the other tribes apostatized, it was appointed to the sanctuary service, so the curse of scattering was turned into a blessing.