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Joshua 20:8

in Joshua 20

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.

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.

This verse in Joshua 20

Commentary

5 notes on this verse

This site's exposition

they set apart Kedesh in Galilee

on Joshua 20:7-9

Three cities stand west of the Jordan and three east, spaced north, middle and south, as Deuteronomy 19:3 asked. Moses had already set apart the eastern three, Bezer, Ramoth and Golan, at Deuteronomy 4:41-43. Verse 9 opens all six to foreigners on the Israelite's terms, as Numbers 35:15 had said.

This site's exposition

Ramoth in Gilead from the tribe of Gad

Ramoth in Gilead later became a contested frontier town. Ahab went to battle there and died of his wound at 1 Kings 22:29-37, and Jehu was anointed king there at 2 Kings 9:1-6. Bezer on the plateau and Golan in Bashan complete the three on the eastern side.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

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 & Brown

1802–1910

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.
Rashi: France, 1040–1105 · Rashi on Joshua 20:8:1, via Sefaria, The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
That were set aside. They were prepared and set aside for this.
Rashi: France, 1040–1105 · Rashi on Joshua 20:9:1, via Sefaria, The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997

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 words

Every 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.

  • 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 stops

Each 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 21:36

    From 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.

  • Through

    1 Chronicles 6:80

    And 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.

  • Through

    Joshua 21:27

    This 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.

Where this verse is studied

About Joshua

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; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and The Berean Standard Bible, Joshua 20, with the verses cited in the note.