Jos 20:3-9 - Commentary

Commentary

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Text -- Joshua 20:3-9 (NET)

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Context

20:3 Anyone who accidentally kills someone can escape there; these cities will be a place of asylum from the avenger of blood. 20:4 The one who committed manslaughter should escape to one of these cities, stand at the entrance of the city gate, and present his case to the leaders of that city. They should then bring him into the city, give him a place to stay, and let him live there. 20:5 When the avenger of blood comes after him, they must not hand over to him the one who committed manslaughter, for he accidentally killed his fellow man without premeditation. 20:6 He must remain in that city until his case is decided by the assembly and the high priest dies. Then the one who committed manslaughter may return home to the city from which he escaped.” 20:7 So they selected Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah. 20:8 Beyond the Jordan east of Jericho they selected Bezer in the desert on the plain belonging to the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead belonging to the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan belonging to the tribe of Manasseh. 20:9 These were the cities of refuge appointed for all the Israelites and for resident foreigners living among them. Anyone who accidentally killed someone could escape there and not be executed by the avenger of blood, at least until his case was reviewed by the assembly.

Parallel

Cross Reference (TSK)

ITL

Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics

Names, People and Places:

· Bashan a region east of Lake Galilee between Mt. Hermon and Wadi Yarmuk

· Bezer a city of refuge in Reuben, given to the Merarites,son of Zophah of Asher

· Ephraim the tribe of Ephraim as a whole,the northern kingdom of Israel

· Gad the tribe of Israel descended from Gad, the son of Jacob,the man; the son of Jacob and Zilpah,the tribe of Gad in Israel,a prophet and long time advisor to King David

· Galilee the region of Palestine north of Sameria and west of the upper Jordan River,a region west of Lake Galilee and north of the Jezreel Valley

· Gilead a mountainous region east of the Jordan & north of the Arnon to Hermon,son of Machir son of Manasseh; founder of the clan of Gilead,father of Jephthah the judge,son of Michael of the tribe of Gad

· Golan a city of refuge in Manasseh (Golan), given to the Gershonites

· Hebron a valley and town of Judah 25 km west of the dead sea,son of Kohath son of Levi,son of Mareshah of Judah

· Israel a citizen of Israel.,a member of the nation of Israel

· Jericho a town five miles west of the Jordan and 15 miles northeast of Jerusalem,a town of Benjamin 11 km NW of the mouth of the Jordan River

· Jordan the river that flows from Lake Galilee to the Dead Sea,a river that begins at Mt. Hermon, flows south through Lake Galilee and on to its end at the Dead Sea 175 km away (by air)

· Judah the son of Jacob and Leah; founder of the tribe of Judah,a tribe, the land/country,a son of Joseph; the father of Simeon; an ancestor of Jesus,son of Jacob/Israel and Leah; founder of the tribe of Judah,the tribe of Judah,citizens of the southern kingdom of Judah,citizens of the Persian Province of Judah; the Jews who had returned from Babylonian exile,"house of Judah", a phrase which highlights the political leadership of the tribe of Judah,"king of Judah", a phrase which relates to the southern kingdom of Judah,"kings of Judah", a phrase relating to the southern kingdom of Judah,"princes of Judah", a phrase relating to the kingdom of Judah,the territory allocated to the tribe of Judah, and also the extended territory of the southern kingdom of Judah,the Province of Judah under Persian rule,"hill country of Judah", the relatively cool and green central highlands of the territory of Judah,"the cities of Judah",the language of the Jews; Hebrew,head of a family of Levites who returned from Exile,a Levite who put away his heathen wife,a man who was second in command of Jerusalem; son of Hassenuah of Benjamin,a Levite in charge of the songs of thanksgiving in Nehemiah's time,a leader who helped dedicate Nehemiah's wall,a Levite musician who helped Zechariah of Asaph dedicate Nehemiah's wall

· Kedesh a city of refuge in Naphtali, given to the Levite descendants of Gershon; originally a Canaanite town,a town in Issachar given to the GershoniteLevites,a town of south-eastern Judah near the border of Edom (YC)

· Kiriath-arba a city of refuge in the hill country of Judah, 30 km SSW of Jerusalem

· Kiriath-Arba a city of refuge in the hill country of Judah, 30 km SSW of Jerusalem

· Manasseh the tribe of Manasseh.

· Naphtali region/territority and the tribe of Israel,the son of Jacob and Bilhah,the tribe of people descended from Naphtali,the territory of the people of Naphtali

· Ramoth a city of refuge in Gad (Gilead) given to the Merarites,a town of Simeon possibly 32 km east of Beersheba,a town in Issachar

· Reuben the tribe of Reuben

· Shechem member of the Shechem Clan and/or resident of Shechem

Table of Contents

Verse Notes / Footnotes NET Notes

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Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Jos 20:3 Heb “so that the one who kills, taking life accidentally without knowledge, may flee there.”

NET Notes: Jos 20:4 Heb “and they should gather him into the city to themselves, give to him a place, and he will live with them.”

NET Notes: Jos 20:5 Heb “for without knowledge he killed his neighbor, and he was not hating him prior to that.”

NET Notes: Jos 20:6 Heb “may return and enter his city and his house, the city from which he escaped.”

NET Notes: Jos 20:7 Heb “set apart.”

NET Notes: Jos 20:8 Or “set aside.”

NET Notes: Jos 20:9 Heb “until he stands before the assembly.” The words “at least” are supplied for clarification.

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