Ver. 1-6. The Lord also spake unto Joshua, saying, &c.— The great work of distributing the lands being now finished, God orders Joshua to put the last hand to the settlement of the cities of refuge, upon the footing which he had specified to Moses. See on Numbers 35:0 and Deuteronomy 19:0. The slayer was to stand at the gate of the city, ver. 4 as being the place where the courts of justice were held. read more
1-3. The Lord spake unto Joshua . . . Appoint out for you cities of refuge—(See Numbers 35:9-28; Deuteronomy 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... read more
1. The cities of refuge ch. 20At this time, the tribal leaders formally designated the six cities of refuge, about which Moses had received instructions (Numbers 35). Three stood west of the Jordan: Kadesh in Naphtali, Shechem in Manasseh, and Hebron in Judah (Joshua 20:7). Three more were east of the Jordan: Bezer in Reuben, Ramoth in Gad, and Golan in Manasseh (Joshua 20:8). Their placement meant that no Israelite would have to travel far to reach one of them. [Note: See my notes on Numbers... read more
D. The special cities chs. 20:1-21:42God also set aside special cities for special purposes within the Promised Land. read more
The Appointment of Cities of RefugeThe allotment of the tribal inheritance is followed by the appointment of six cities of refuge previously provided and in part assigned by Moses, according to the terms of the Sinaitic law concerning manslaughter: cp. Exodus 21:13; Numbers 35:6. These are enumerated in the following order:—W. of Jordan: Kedesh (N.), Shechem (central), Hebron (S.); E. of Jordan: Bezer (S.), Ramoth-Gilead (central), Golan (N.). Geographical considerations must have had the first... read more
CHAPTER XXVII.THE CITIES OF REFUGE.Joshua 20:1-9.CITIES of refuge had a very prominent place assigned to them in the records of the Mosaic legislation. First, in that which all allow to be the earliest legislation (Exod. Chs. 20-23) intimation is given of God’s intention to institute such cities (Exodus 21:13); then in Numbers (Numbers 35:9-34) the plan of these places is given in full, and all the regulations applicable to them; again in Deuteronomy (Deuteronomy 19:1-13) the law on the subject... read more
7. The Cities of Refuge CHAPTER 20 1. The ordinance repeated (Joshua 20:1-6 ) 2. The cities named (Joshua 20:7-9 ) The reader will find the meaning of the ordinance of the cities of refuge in Numbers and Deuteronomy, so that we do not need to repeat it here. But only three cities are mentioned in the Pentateuch. Here the three cities in the land are added. Kedesh was in Naphtah, Kedesh means “sanctuary,” and Naphtali means “wrestler-struggler.” Christ is the refuge for the struggling... read more
JUSTICE FOR THE GUILTY REFUSED BY BENJAMIN (vv. 1-13) All the tribes were united in their insistence that judgment must be carried out against those who were guilty of criminal abuse and murder.They did not have the same zeal for God's glory in judging the idolatry of Dan. In fact, Dan was included in the stand against this moral wickedness. Dan wanted to cast out the speck in his brother's eye while ignoring the plank in this own eye! (Matthew 7:4) These tribes gathered at Mizpah (vv.1-2),... read more
SPECIAL CITIES ; ALTAR OF WITNESS THE CITIES OF REFUGE (Joshua 20:0 ) The decree concerning the cities of refuge was considered in its place. It will be well, however, again to notice that they were not instituted to shield criminals but innocent murderers. Whether innocent or guilty though, the murdered had an asylum until his case could be heard by the authorities (Joshua 20:6 ). If innocent he was permitted to remain in the city, immune from the legal avenger, until the death of the... read more
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Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Joshua 20:1
THE CITIES OF REFUGEThe cities of refuge have already been discussed in Numbers 35:9-33, in Deuteronomy 4:41-43, and in Deuteronomy 19. About the only information given in this chapter is that Joshua did as he was commanded and named the additional cities west of Jordan, enumerating the names of those and repeating the names given in Deuteronomy 4:43.There is hardly anything in the Bible about which there is more misinformation than is the matter of these six cities of refuge. The basic... read more