2 `Speak unto the sons of Israel, saying, Give for you cities of refuge, as I have spoken unto you by the hand of Moses,
`And the cities which ye give to the Levites `are' the six cities of refuge, which ye give for the fleeing thither of the man-slayer, and besides them ye give forty and two cities;
Then Moses separateth three cities beyond the Jordan, towards the sun-rising, for the fleeing thither of the man-slayer, who slayeth his neighbour unknowingly, and he is not hating him heretofore, and he hath fled unto one of these cities, and he hath lived: Bezer, in the wilderness, in the land of the plain, of the Reubenite; and Ramoth, in Gilead, of the Gadite; and Golan, in Bashan, of the Manassahite.
and have prepared to yourselves cities -- cities of refuge they are to you -- then fled thither hath a man-slayer, smiting a person unawares, and the cities have been to you for a refuge from the redeemer, and the man-slayer doth not die till his standing before the company for judgment. `As to the cities which ye give -- six `are' cities of refuge to you; the three of the cities ye give beyond the Jordan, and the three of the cities ye give in the land of Canaan; cities of refuge they are. To sons of Israel, and to a sojourner, and to a settler in their midst, are these six cities for a refuge, for the fleeing thither of any one smiting a person unawares. `And if with an instrument of iron he hath smitten him, and he dieth, he `is' a murderer: the murderer is certainly put to death. `And if with a stone `in' the hand, wherewith he dieth, he hath smitten him, and he dieth, he `is' a murderer: the murderer is certainly put to death. `Or with a wooden instrument `in' the hand, wherewith he dieth, he hath smitten him, and he dieth, he `is' a murderer: the murderer is certainly put to death. `The redeemer of blood himself doth put the murderer to death; in his coming against him he doth put him to death. `And if in hatred he thrust him through, or hath cast `anything' at him by lying in wait, and he dieth; or in enmity he hath smitten him with his hand, and he dieth; the smiter is certainly put to death; he `is' a murderer; the redeemer of blood doth put the murderer to death in his coming against him. `And if, in an instant, without enmity, he hath thrust him through, or hath cast at him any instrument, without lying in wait; or with any stone wherewith he dieth, without seeing, and causeth `it' to fall upon him, and he dieth, and he `is' not his enemy, nor seeking his evil; then have the company judged between the smiter and the redeemer of blood, by these judgments.
three cities thou dost separate for thee in the midst of thy land which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee to possess it. Thou dost prepare for thee the way, and hast divided into three parts the border of thy land which Jehovah thy God doth cause thee to inherit, and it hath been for the fleeing thither of every man-slayer. `And this `is' the matter of the man-slayer who fleeth thither, and hath lived: He who smiteth his neighbour unknowingly, and is not hating him heretofore, even he who cometh in with his neighbour into a forest to hew wood, and his hand hath driven with an axe to cut the tree, and the iron hath slipped from the wood, and hath met his neighbour, and he hath died -- he doth flee unto one of these cities, and hath lived, lest the redeemer of blood pursue after the man-slayer when his heart is hot, and hath overtaken him (because the way is great), and hath smitten him -- the life, and he hath no sentence of death, for he is not hating him heretofore; therefore I am commanding thee, saying, Three cities thou dost separate to thee. `And if Jehovah thy God doth enlarge thy border, as He hath sworn to thy fathers, and hath given to thee all the land which He hath spoken to give to thy fathers -- when thou keepest all this command to do it, which I am commanding thee to-day, to love Jehovah thy God, and to walk in His ways all the days -- then thou hast added to thee yet three cities to these three; and innocent blood is not shed in the midst of thy land which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee -- an inheritance, and there hath been upon thee blood. `And when a man is hating his neighbour, and hath lain in wait for him, and risen against him, and smitten him -- the life, and he hath died, and he hath fled unto one of these cities, then the elders of his city have sent and taken him from thence, and given him into the hand of the redeemer of blood, and he hath died; thine eye hath no pity on him, and thou hast put away the innocent blood from Israel, and it is well with thee.
as to him who hath not laid wait, and God hath brought to his hand, I have even set for thee a place whither he doth flee. `And when a man doth presume against his neighbour to slay him with subtilty, from Mine altar thou dost take him to die.
Who shall lay a charge against the choice ones of God? God `is' He that is declaring righteous, who `is' he that is condemning? Christ `is' He that died, yea, rather also, was raised up; who is also on the right hand of God -- who also doth intercede for us.
that through two immutable things, in which `it is' impossible for God to lie, a strong comfort we may have who did flee for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before `us', which we have, as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and entering into that within the vail,
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Joshua 20
Commentary on Joshua 20 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 20
Jos 20:1-6. The Lord Commands the Cities of Refuge.
1-3. The Lord spake unto Joshua … Appoint out for you cities of refuge—(See Nu 35:9-28; De 19:1-13). The command here recorded was given on their going to occupy their allotted settlements. The sanctuaries were not temples or altars, as in other countries, but inhabited cities; and the design was not to screen criminals, but only to afford the homicide protection from the vengeance of the deceased's relatives until it should have been ascertained whether the death had resulted from accident and momentary passion, or from premeditated malice. The institution of the cities of refuge, together with the rules prescribed for the guidance of those who sought an asylum within their walls, was an important provision, tending to secure the ends of justice as well as of mercy.
4. he that doth flee unto one of those cities shall stand at the entering of the gate of the city—It was the place of public resort, and on arriving there he related his tale of distress to the elders, who were bound to give him shelter and the means of support, until the local authorities (Jos 20:6), having carefully investigated the case, should have pronounced the decision. If found guilty, the manslayer was surrendered to the blood-avenger; if extenuating circumstances appeared, he was to remain in the city of refuge, where he would be safe from the vindictive feelings of his pursuers; but he forfeited the privilege of immunity the moment he ventured beyond the walls.
6. until the death of the high priest—His death secured the complete deliverance of the manslayer from his sin, only because he had been anointed with the holy oil (Nu 35:25), the symbol of the Holy Ghost; and thus the death of the earthly high priest became a type of that of the heavenly one (Heb 9:14, 15).
Jos 20:7-9. The Israelites Appoint by Name the Cities of Refuge.
7-9. 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; De 19:2). At the same time they were designed also typically to point out the sinner's way to Christ (Heb 6:18).