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Joshua

Joshuachapter 20

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A.Cities of refuge for the man who kills unawaresvv. 1-6

1 Then the LORD said to Joshua, 2 “Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses, 3 so that anyone who kills another unintentionally or accidentally may flee there. These will be your refuge from the avenger of blood. 4 When someone flees to one of these cities, stands at the entrance of the city gate, and states his case before its elders, they are to bring him into the city and give him a place to live among them. 5 Now if the avenger of blood pursues him, they must not surrender the manslayer into his hand, because that man killed his neighbor accidentally without prior malice. 6 He is to stay in that city until he stands trial before the assembly and until the death of the high priest serving at that time. Then the manslayer may return to his own home in the city from which he fled.”

B.Six cities named on both sides of Jordanvv. 7-9

7 So they set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah. 8 And beyond the Jordan, east of Jericho, they designated Bezer on the wilderness plateau from the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan from the tribe of Manasseh. 9 These are the cities appointed for all the Israelites and foreigners among them, so that anyone who kills a person unintentionally may flee there and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood prior to standing trial before the assembly.

Commentary on this chapter: read the Exposition
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Chapter summary

Six cities of refuge are appointed at Jehovah's word through Moses (Kedesh in Galilee, Shechem, and Kiriath-arba (Hebron) west of Jordan; Bezer, Ramoth in Gilead, and Golan in Bashan to the east) so that the manslayer who kills any person unwittingly may flee there.

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Six cities of refuge are appointed at Jehovah's word through Moses (Kedesh in Galilee, Shechem, and Kiriath-arba (Hebron) west of Jordan; Bezer, Ramoth in Gilead, and Golan in Bashan to the east) so that the manslayer who kills any person unwittingly may flee there. He stands at the entrance of the gate and states his cause in the ears of the elders, is taken in, and is not delivered to the avenger of blood until he has stood before the congregation for judgment; he dwells there until the death of the high priest. The church has long read the arrangement as a picture of refuge secured by a priest's death.

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary, John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament and John Calvin, Commentaries.

Context

History · Joshua — Joshua overview

  • A. 1–6 Cities of refuge for the man who kills unawares
  • B. 7–9 Six cities named on both sides of Jordan
Top cross-references8 chapters ▾
  • Numbers 355 verses
    • Numbers 35:6Six of the cities you give the Levites are to be appointed as cities of refuge, to which a manslayer may flee. In addition to these, give the Levites forty-two other cities.
    • Numbers 35:12You are to have these cities as a refuge from the avenger, so that the manslayer will not die until he stands trial before the assembly.
    • Numbers 35:15These six cities will serve as a refuge for the Israelites and for the foreigner or stranger among them, so that anyone who kills a person unintentionally may flee there.
    • Numbers 35:24then the congregation must judge between the slayer and the avenger of blood according to these ordinances.
    • Numbers 35:25The assembly is to protect the manslayer from the hand of the avenger of blood. Then the assembly will return him to the city of refuge to which he fled, and he must live there until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.
    • Read Numbers 35 →
  • Joshua 214 verses
    • Joshua 21:11They gave them Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), with its surrounding pasturelands, in the hill country of Judah. (Arba was the father of Anak.)
    • Joshua 21:32And from the tribe of Naphtali they were given Kedesh in Galilee (a city of refuge for the manslayer), Hammoth-dor, and Kartan—three cities, together with their pasturelands.
    • Joshua 21:36From the tribe of Reuben they were given Bezer, Jahaz,
    • Joshua 21:38And from the tribe of Gad they were given Ramoth in Gilead, a city of refuge for the manslayer, Mahanaim,
    • Read Joshua 21 →
  • Joshua 202 verses
    • Joshua 20:4When someone flees to one of these cities, stands at the entrance of the city gate, and states his case before its elders, they are to bring him into the city and give him a place to live among them.
    • Joshua 20:6He is to stay in that city until he stands trial before the assembly and until the death of the high priest serving at that time. Then the manslayer may return to his own home in the city from which he fled.”
    • Read Joshua 20 →
  • Joshua 71 verse
4 more chapters this one speaks with
  • Joshua 131 verse
    • Joshua 13:1Now Joshua was old and well along in years, and the LORD said to him, “You are old and well along in years, but very much of the land remains to be possessed.
    • Read Joshua 13 →
  • Joshua 51 verse
    • Joshua 5:14“Neither,” He replied. “I have now come as Commander of the LORD’s army.” Then Joshua fell facedown in reverence and asked Him, “What does my Lord have to say to His servant?”
    • Read Joshua 5 →
  • Deuteronomy 191 verse
  • Deuteronomy 41 verse

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.