How come the Levitical cities of Anathoth and Almon were not mentioned in Joshua 18?

Question

Joshua 21:18 notes two cities the Benjamites gave to the Levites:

"Anathoth with its common-land, and Almon with its common-land: four cities."

However, these cities were never mentioned in Joshua 18:21–28:

"Now the cities of the tribe of the children of Benjamin, according to their families, were Jericho, Beth Hoglah, Emek Keziz, Beth Arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel, Avim, Parah, Ophrah, Chephar Haammoni, Ophni, and Gaba: twelve cities with their villages; Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth, Mizpah, Chephirah, Mozah, Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah, Zelah, Eleph, Jebus (which is Jerusalem), Gibeath, and Kirjath: fourteen cities with their villages. This was the inheritance of the children of Benjamin according to their families."

Looking forward to reading why that was the case.

Answer 1

Preface: I misunderstood the question. I'll keep the answer that I wrote but will clarify here:

According to source critics, chapter 18 was written earlier than chapter 20. Both of them look back to a period several centuries previous to explain the origin of the levitical cities and the tribal allotments. Anathoth and Almon were insignificant places when ch. 18 was written but they had become important at the time of ch. 20. Thus the earlier source did not mention them. We can see this especially with Anathoth, which became famous as the birthplace of Jeremiah in the period between the supposed writing of the two sources (D and P, see below.)

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To understand the difference in the two lists, we should focus on the Aaronic cities vs. the Levitical ones. Chapter 18 does not included the cities given to Aaron's descendants. The Levitical cities are in the North and Transjordan, while the Aaronic ones are in the south within a day's walk from Jerusalem.

13 Thus to the descendants of Aaron the priest were given the city of refuge... at Hebron, with its pasture lands; also, Libnah (etc.)... 17 From the tribe of Benjamin they obtained Gibeon with its pasture lands, Geba with its pasture lands, 18 Anathoth with its pasture lands, and Almon with its pasture lands: four cities. 19 These cities which with their pasture lands belonged to the priestly descendants of Aaron, were thirteen in all.

This list includes southern cities/towns near Jerusalem that were given to the descendants of Aaron (priests as distinct from Levites) while the one from ch. 18 omits these.

The Interpreter's Bible says that Josh. 21

... shows P [priestly source] interests... the D [Deuteronomist's] view (is) expressed in 13:14; 18:7... (But ch 21) Is a more extensive version of the allotment. Most attention is given to the Levites, but vss. 13-19 list thirteen cities given to the descendants of Aaron.

Conclusion: Whether or not one is willing to entertain an explanation based on source criticism, the difference between the two lists can be understood by the fact that Ch. 21 contains cities given to the Aaronic priests, while Ch. 18 excludes these and lists only those cities given to the Levites.

Answer 2

The text itself does not state why certain cities were included or excluded from the lists.

On the other hand, some of the commentaries also note this exclusion. Such as:

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Anathoth with her suburbs,.... This is not mentioned among the cities of Benjamin, Joshua 18:11; it was the native place of the Prophet Jeremiah; see Gill on Jeremiah 1:1; it lay about two or three miles north of Jerusalem; three, says, Jerom (k). Rauwolff (l) speaks of it as a small village, when he travelled into those parts, and as lying on a height or eminence, and which was within twenty furlongs of Jerusalem, as Josephus writes (m): and Almon with her suburbs; this also is not mentioned among the cities of Benjamin, Joshua 18:11; it is called Alemeth, 1 Chronicles 6:60. Jarchi and Kimchi say it is the same with Bahurim, 2 Samuel 3:16; where the Targum renders it by Almeth, and both words signify the same thing, "youth":

four cities; which were a large number for so small a tribe as little Benjamin to give.

As well as, Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

In the tribe of Benjamin they received Gibeon (see Joshua 9:3), Geba (Joshua 18:24), also Anathoth and Almon, which are missing in the list of the towns of Benjamin (see at Joshua 18:24).

I would propose the possibility that the list in Joshua 18 was not exhaustive. Perhaps it only includes the more prominent or significant cities. Anathoth and Almon might have been important enough to note as having been given to be a Levitical city, however, it might not have been considered significant enough to be included in the initial list of Benjamin’s inheritance.