Joshua 20:7-9

20:7 So they selected ¹  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 ²  they selected ³  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 ⁴  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 ⁵  the avenger of blood, at least until his case was reviewed by the assembly. ⁶ 

Luke 1:39

Mary and Elizabeth

1:39 In those days ⁷  Mary got up and went hurriedly into the hill country, to a town of Judah, ⁸ 

[20:7]  ¹ tn Heb “set apart.”

[20:8]  ² map For the location of Jericho see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.

[20:8]  ³ tn Or “set aside.”

[20:9]  ⁴ tn The Hebrew text reads simply “the cities.” The words “for refuge” are supplied for clarification.

[20:9]  ⁵ tn Heb “and not die by the hand of.”

[20:9]  ⁶ tn Heb “until he stands before the assembly.” The words “at least” are supplied for clarification.

[1:39]  ⁷ sn The expression In those days is another general time reference, though the sense of the context is that the visit came shortly after Mary miraculously conceived and shortly after the announcement about Jesus.

[1:39]  ⁸ sn The author does not say exactly where Elizabeth stayed. The location is given generally as a town of Judah. Judah is about a three day trip south of Nazareth.