According to the author of the book of Joshua, God gave four special cities to a group of people called the Levites. These cities, including Anathoth and Almon, were places where the Levites could live and have land around them for their animals.
Joshua 21:18: Anathoth with her suburbs, and Almon with her suburbs; four cities. [Almon: also called, Alemeth]
States that the total number of Levitical cities was forty-eight, not consistent with the context of individual city listings like in Joshua 21:18.
Joshua 21:41: All the cities of the Levites within the possession of the children of Israel [were] forty and eight cities with their suburbs.