Joshua 20:8
in Joshua 20And 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And beyond the Jordan at Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness in the plain out of the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan out of the tribe of Manasseh.
KJV
And on the other side Jordan by Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness upon the plain out of the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan out of the tribe of Manasseh.
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This verse in Joshua 20
Commentary
4 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
they appointed Kedesh in Galilee
on Joshua 20:7-9
Three cities stand west of Jordan and three east, spaced north, middle and south, which is what Deuteronomy 19:3 asked for when it required the roads prepared and the land divided in three. All six appear again in chapter 21 as Levite towns, so the men who take in the fugitive belong to the tribe with no inheritance of its own. The three eastern cities were already set apart by Moses at Deuteronomy 4:41-43 under these same names, Bezer and Ramoth and Golan, so half the appointment was made before the river was crossed. Verse 9 opens all six to the stranger that sojourneth among them on the same terms as the Israelite, which Numbers 35:15 had also said.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And this remedial law was a figure of good things to come. 1 The L ORD also spake unto Joshua, saying, 2 Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of Moses: 3 That the slayer that killeth any person unawares and unwittingly may flee thither: and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-run:53w-of-68
And on the other side Jordan by Jericho eastward,.... In the country possessed by the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh: they assigned Bezer in the wilderness, upon the plain, out of the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan out of the tribe of Manasseh; of these places, and the signification of their names, and of the application of them to Christ, the antitype of the cities of refuge; see Gill on Deu 4:
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
they appointed . . . cities--There were six; three on the west, and three on the east, of Jordan. In the first instance, they were a provision of the criminal law of the Hebrews, necessary in the circumstances of that people (see on Nu 35:11; At the same time they were designed also typically to point out the sinner's way to Christ (Heb 6:18).
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+unbalanced-parens
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
And on the other side of the Jordan, from Yericho eastward. [These cities were set aside] during the days of Moshe, as it is said, “Betzer in the wilderness.” 1 Devorim:43.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
That were set aside. They were prepared and set aside for this.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
21 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וּמֵעֵ֜בֶר | umeever | and from [the] other side | H5676 → | 90 times |
| לְיַרְדֵּ֤ן | leyarden | of [the] Jordan | H3383 → | 182 times |
| יְרִיחוֹ֙ | yericho | of Jericho | H3405 → | 57 times |
| מִזְרָ֔חָה | mizrachah | east -ward | H4217 → | 74 times |
| נָתְנ֞וּ | natenu | they assigned | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| בֶּ֧צֶר | betzer | Bezer | H1221 → | |
| בַּמִּדְבָּ֛ר | bamidbar | in the wilderness | H4057 → | 270 times |
| בַּמִּישֹׁ֖ר | bamishor | in the plain | H4334 → | 23 times |
| מִמַּטֵּ֣ה | mimateh | from [the] tribe of | H4294 → | 252 times |
| רְאוּבֵ֑ן | reuven | Reuben | H7205 → | 72 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| רָאמֹ֤ת | ramot | Ramoth | H7216 → | |
| בַּגִּלְעָד֙ | bagilad | in <the> Gilead | H1568 → | 134 times |
| מִמַּטֵּה־ | mimateh- | from [the] tribe of | H4294 → | 252 times |
| גָ֔ד | gad | Gad | H1410 → | 72 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| גּוֹלָ֥ן | galon | Golan | H1474 → | |
| בַּבָּשָׁ֖ן | babashan | in <the> Bashan | H1316 → | 60 times |
| מִמַּטֵּ֥ה | mimateh | from [the] tribe of | H4294 → | 252 times |
| מְנַשֶּֽׁה׃ | menasheh | Manasseh | H4519 → | 146 times |
וּמֵעֵ֜בֶרand from [the] other side
umeeverH5676 →90 times
לְיַרְדֵּ֤ןof [the] Jordan
leyardenH3383 →182 times
יְרִיחוֹ֙of Jericho
yerichoH3405 →57 times
מִזְרָ֔חָהeast -ward
mizrachahH4217 →74 times
נָתְנ֞וּthey assigned
natenuH5414 →2011 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
בֶּ֧צֶרBezer
betzerH1221 →
בַּמִּדְבָּ֛רin the wilderness
bamidbarH4057 →270 times
בַּמִּישֹׁ֖רin the plain
bamishorH4334 →23 times
מִמַּטֵּ֣הfrom [the] tribe of
mimatehH4294 →252 times
רְאוּבֵ֑ןReuben
reuvenH7205 →72 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
רָאמֹ֤תRamoth
ramotH7216 →
בַּגִּלְעָד֙in <the> Gilead
bagiladH1568 →134 times
מִמַּטֵּה־from [the] tribe of
mimateh-H4294 →252 times
גָ֔דGad
gadH1410 →72 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
גּוֹלָ֥ןGolan
galonH1474 →
בַּבָּשָׁ֖ןin <the> Bashan
babashanH1316 →60 times
מִמַּטֵּ֥הfrom [the] tribe of
mimatehH4294 →252 times
מְנַשֶּֽׁה׃Manasseh
menashehH4519 →146 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Joshua 21:36From the tribe of Reuben they were given Bezer, Jahaz,
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 4:43
Bezer in the wilderness on the plateau belonging to the Reubenites, Ramoth in Gilead belonging to the Gadites, or Golan in Bashan belonging to the Manassites.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Numbers 21:23
But Sihon would not let Israel pass through his territory. Instead, he gathered his whole army and went out to confront Israel in the wilderness. When he came to Jahaz, he fought against Israel.
- Deuteronomy 4:43
Through
1 Chronicles 6:80And from the tribe of Gad they were given Ramoth in Gilead, Mahanaim,
it leads to
- Genesis 32:2
When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is the camp of God.” So he named that place Mahanaim.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Kings 9:1
Now Elisha the prophet summoned one of the sons of the prophets and said to him, “Tuck your cloak under your belt, take this flask of oil, and go to Ramoth-gilead.
- 2 Samuel 17:24
Then David went to Mahanaim, and Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel.
- 2 Samuel 17:27
When David came to Mahanaim, he was met by Shobi son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, Machir son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim.
- Genesis 32:2
Through
Joshua 21:27This is what the Levite clans of the Gershonites were given: From the half-tribe of Manasseh they were given Golan in Bashan, a city of refuge for the manslayer, and Beeshterah—two cities, together with…
it leads to
- 1 Chronicles 6:71
The Gershomites received the following: From the clan of the half-tribe of Manasseh they were given Golan in Bashan and also Ashtaroth, together with their pasturelands.
- Deuteronomy 1:4
This was after he had defeated Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, and then at Edrei had defeated Og king of Bashan, who lived in Ashtaroth.
- 1 Chronicles 6:71
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Joshua

Who and where
3 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonLate monarchyManassehJudah's longest-reigning and worst king, who filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; the book names his apostasy as the cause of 586…
- PlaceJordan valleyJerichoThe city of palms whose walls fell flat at the seventh trumpet-circuit; Rahab's city, later rebuilt under a curse, and the road do…
- PlaceEast of the Sea of Galilee, north of GileadBashanThe fertile tableland east of the Sea of Galilee, the kingdom of Og and the giant clans, taken by Israel before the Jordan crossin…
This page draws on Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
