Joshua 20
The Cities of Refuge
1The LORD spoke to Joshua, saying,
2“Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘Assign the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you by Moses,
3that the man slayer who kills any person accidentally or unintentionally may flee there. They shall be to you for a refuge from the avenger of blood.
4He shall flee to one of those cities, and shall stand at the entrance of the gate of the city, and declare his case in the ears of the elders of that city. They shall take him into the city with them, and give him a place, that he may live among them.
5If the avenger of blood pursues him, then they shall not deliver up the man slayer into his hand; because he struck his neighbor unintentionally, and didn’t hate him before.
6He shall dwell in that city until he stands before the congregation for judgment, until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days. Then the man slayer shall return, and come to his own city, and to his own house, to the city he fled from.’”
7They set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath Arba (also called Hebron) in the hill country of Judah.
8Beyond the Jordan at Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness in the plain out of the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan out of the tribe of Manasseh.
9These were the appointed cities for all the children of Israel, and for the alien who lives among them, that whoever kills any person unintentionally might flee there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stands trial before the congregation.
God commands Joshua to establish cities of refuge throughout Israel, providing sanctuary for those who commit accidental manslaughter. These cities offer protection from blood avengers while ensuring proper legal proceedings, with the accused remaining in the city until trial and potentially until the high priest's death. Six cities are designated—three west of the Jordan and three east—creating a comprehensive system of justice that balances protection for the innocent with accountability for wrongdoing.
Context
This chapter follows the completion of tribal land allotments and precedes the designation of Levitical cities, establishing Israel's complete legal and social infrastructure.
Key Themes
Outline
- 1-3God's Command to Establish Cities of RefugeThe LORD instructs Joshua to designate cities of refuge as previously commanded through Moses for those who kill accidentally.
- 4-6Legal Procedures and ProtectionsDetailed process for seeking refuge, including presentation to city elders, protection from avengers, and conditions for eventual release.
- 7-8Six Cities DesignatedThree cities west of Jordan (Kedesh, Shechem, Hebron) and three east of Jordan (Bezer, Ramoth, Golan) are formally appointed.
- 9Universal Access ConfirmedThe cities of refuge are available to all Israelites and foreigners alike for cases of unintentional killing.
The Cities of Refuge
20:1–20:9God commands Joshua to establish cities of refuge where those who kill accidentally can flee for protection from blood vengeance. Six cities are designated across the land to provide sanctuary and ensure just legal proceedings for unintentional killers.
person_contrast
Joshua's role shifts from military conqueror to judicial administrator as he establishes cities of refuge, marking the only passage where he implements Moses' legal framework rather than divine conquest commands.
Joshua 20:3
Numbers 35:25lexicalThe congregation shall deliver the man slayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restor…
Numbers 35:11lexicalthen you shall appoint for yourselves cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the man slayer who kills any person un…
Numbers 35:27lexicaland the avenger of blood finds him outside of the border of his city of refuge, and the avenger of blood kills the man s…
Deuteronomy 19:4lexicalThis is the case of the man slayer who shall flee there and live: Whoever kills his neighbor unintentionally, and didn’t…
Deuteronomy 4:42lexicalthat the man slayer might flee there, who kills his neighbor unintentionally and didn’t hate him in time past, and that…
Joshua 20:4
Judges 9:40lexicalAbimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many fell wounded, even to the entrance of the gate.
Jeremiah 36:10lexicalThen Baruch read the words of Jeremiah from the book in the LORD’s house, in the room of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the…
Joshua 20:5
Deuteronomy 19:4lexicalThis is the case of the man slayer who shall flee there and live: Whoever kills his neighbor unintentionally, and didn’t…
Deuteronomy 4:42lexicalthat the man slayer might flee there, who kills his neighbor unintentionally and didn’t hate him in time past, and that…
Deuteronomy 19:6lexicalOtherwise, the avenger of blood might pursue the man slayer while hot anger is in his heart and overtake him, because th…
Numbers 35:25lexicalThe congregation shall deliver the man slayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restor…
Numbers 35:27lexicaland the avenger of blood finds him outside of the border of his city of refuge, and the avenger of blood kills the man s…
Joshua 20:6
Numbers 35:25lexicalThe congregation shall deliver the man slayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restor…
Numbers 35:12lexicalThe cities shall be for your refuge from the avenger, that the man slayer not die until he stands before the congregatio…
Deuteronomy 19:6lexicalOtherwise, the avenger of blood might pursue the man slayer while hot anger is in his heart and overtake him, because th…
Joshua 20:7
2 Kings 15:29lexicalIn the days of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath Pileser king of Assyria came and took Ijon, Abel Beth Maacah, Janoah, Kedes…
Joshua 21:32lexicalOut of the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee with its pasture lands, the city of refuge for the man slayer, Hammothdo…
Joshua 20:8
Deuteronomy 4:43lexicalBezer in the wilderness, in the plain country, for the Reubenites; and Ramoth in Gilead for the Gadites; and Golan in Ba…
Joshua 18:7lexicalHowever, the Levites have no portion among you; for the priesthood of the LORD is their inheritance. Gad, Reuben, and th…
Joshua 22:11lexicalThe children of Israel heard this, “Behold, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasse…
Numbers 34:15lexicalThe two tribes and the half-tribe have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan at Jericho eastward, toward the sunr…
Joshua 17:5lexicalTen parts fell to Manasseh, in addition to the land of Gilead and Bashan, which is beyond the Jordan;
Joshua 20:9
Numbers 15:26lexicalAll the congregation of the children of Israel shall be forgiven, as well as the stranger who lives as a foreigner among…
Numbers 15:29lexicalYou shall have one law for him who does anything unwittingly, for him who is native-born among the children of Israel, a…
Numbers 35:15lexicalThese six cities shall be refuge for the children of Israel, for the stranger, and for the foreigner living among them,…
Numbers 35:25lexicalThe congregation shall deliver the man slayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restor…
Leviticus 17:13lexical“‘Whatever man there is of the children of Israel, or of the strangers who live as foreigners among them, who takes in h…
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Historical Context
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