Jos 20:1 And Jehovah spoke to Joshua, saying,
The Lord also spake unto Joshua - the Lord had spoken to him before concerning dividing the land among the tribes, Jos_13:1; and this being done he speaks to him again:
Jos 20:2 Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of Moses:
After the distribution of the land by lot among the tribes of
Cities of refuge - Appoint out for you cities of refuge (See Num. 35:9-28; Deu_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.
Cities of refuge - An institution of this kind was essentially necessary wherever the patriarchal law relative to the right of redemption and the avenging of blood was in force; we have already seen that the nearest of kin to a deceased person had not only the right of redeeming an inheritance that had been forfeited or alienated, but had also authority to slay on the spot the person who had slain his relative. Now, as a man might casually kill another against whom he had no ill-will, and with whom he had no quarrel, and might have his life taken away by him who was called the avenger of blood, though he had not forfeited his life to the law; therefore these privileged cities were appointed, where the person might have protection till the cause had been fully heard by the magistrates, who certainly had authority to deliver him up to the avenger, if they found, on examination, that he was not entitled to this protection.
Jos 20:3 That the slayer that killeth any person unawares and unwittingly may flee thither: and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood.
Unwittingly - Who through mere accident, and without design, killed a person, friend or foe, one of his own kindred, or a stranger, without any malice against him, or intention to take away his life. Through ignorance, or error, or mistake, and without knowledge. The same thing twice repeated to cut off all the expectations that wilful murderers might have of protection here.
Avenger - The nearest kinsman, who had right or power to demand, or take vengeance of the slaughter.
Jos 20:4 And when he that doth flee unto one of those cities shall stand at the entering of the gate of the city, and shall declare his cause in the ears of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city unto them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them.
And when he that doth flee unto one of those cities - Any one of them, that was nearest to him: As soon as the manslayer presented himself at the city of refuge, the elders of the city were to hold an inquiry, and receive him provisionally into the city. Afterward, when the avenger of blood should have tracked his victim to the city, and appear to claim him, a more formal and thorough investigation Jos_20:6 was to be made. 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.
and shall declare his cause in the ears of the elders of that city - lay before them the whole matter, how that he had killed a person unawares, by what means it came about, and that it was merely through error, without any malicious design, and was a mere accident:
and give him a place, that he might dwell among them - until his death, or the death of the high priest, if that was first.
Jos 20:5 And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand; because he smote his neighbour unwittingly, and hated him not beforetime.
Jos 20:6 And he shall dwell in that city, until he stand before the congregation for judgment, and until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days: then shall the slayer return, and come unto his own city, and unto his own house, unto the city from whence he fled.
until the death of the high priest - Num_35:25-28 And the congregation shall deliver the one who kills out of the hand of the revenger of blood. And the congregation shall send him back to the city of his refuge, to which he had fled. And he shall stay in it until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil. But if the one who killed shall at any time come outside the border of the city of his refuge to which he had fled, and if the avenger of blood finds him outside the borders of the city of his refuge, and if the avenger of blood kills the slayer, he shall not be guilty of blood, because he should have remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high priest. But after the death of the high priest the one who killed shall return to the land of his possession. His death secured the complete deliverance of the manslayer from his sin, only because he had been anointed with the holy oil (Num_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 how much more shall the blood of Christ (who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God) purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this cause He is the Mediator of the new covenant, so that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, those who are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. Where he could live with his family in the enjoyment of his possessions and estates, honors, and privileges belonging to him, as before.
Jos 20:7 And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and Kirjatharba, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah.
The cities of refuge were distributed through the land at proper distances from each other that they might be convenient to every part of the land; and it is said they were situated on eminences, that they might be easily seen at a distance, the roads leading to them being broad, even, and always kept in good repair. In
Num_35:33 So you shall not defile the land in which you are . For blood defiles the land. And the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed in it, except by the blood of him that shed it, we can see that these cities were a type of our blessed Lord, and that the apostle refers to them as such, Heb_6:17-18 In this way desiring to declare more fully to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, God interposed by an oath, so that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.
Their names have been considered as descriptive of some character or office of Christ.
1. Kedesh, from kadash, to separate or set apart, because it implies the consecration of a person or thing to the worship or service of God alone; hence to make or be holy, and hence Kedesh, holiness, the full consecration of a person to God.
2. Shechem, from shacham, to be ready, forward, and diligent; hence Shechem, the shoulder, because of its readiness to bear burdens, prop up, sustain, etc.
3. chebron;
4. Bezer, from batsar, to restrain, enclose, shut up, or encompass with a wall; and hence the goods or treasure thus secured, and hence a fortified place, a fortress.
5. Ramoth, from raam, to be raised, made high or exalted, and hence Ramoth, high places, eminences.
6. Golan, from galah, to remove, transmigrate, or pass away; hence Golan, a transmigration or passage. Some derive it from gal, to rejoice, hence Golan, rejoicing or exultation.
As these cities of refuge were typical of Christ, as has been observed on Num_35:29; their names are applicable to him. "Kedesh" signifies "holy" or "holiness"; Christ is holy in both his natures, divine and human; and so abundantly qualified to be the Mediator, Savior, and Redeemer; and is the fountain of holiness to his people, and is made sanctification to them, Psa_16:10 1Co_1:30; and "Shechem" signifies the "shoulder"; and not only the government of the church and people of God is on the shoulder of Christ, but all their sins have been laid upon him, and bore by him; and every particular soul in conversion, every lost sheep, is looked up by him, and taken up and brought home on his shoulder, Isa_9:6 For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be on His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Luk_15:4. "Hebron" signifies "fellowship"; in the effectual calling, the saints are called into fellowship with Christ, and their fellowship is with the Father, and his Son Jesus Christ; through him they have access to God, and communion with him now, and shall have uninterrupted communion with him to all eternity, 1Co_1:9 God is faithful, by whom you were called to the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Joh_17:24. Bezer, a fortification, for he is a strong hold to all them that trust in him. "Bezer" signifies "a fortified place"; Christ is the fortress, mountain, and place of defence for his people, and strong hold to which the prisoners of hope turn, the strong tower whither the righteous run and are safe. Ramoth, high, or exalted, for him hath God exalted with his own right hand. "Ramoth" signifies "exaltations"; which may point both at the exaltation of Christ in human nature at the right hand of God, and the exaltation of his people by him, who are raised by him from a low estate to sit among princes, and to inherit the throne of glory, and by whom he is exalted in his person, office, and grace. Golan, joy, or exultation, for in him all the saints are justified, and shall glory. Jos_21:32; 1Ch_6:76. "Golan" signifies "revealed" or" manifested": so Christ has been manifest in the flesh, and is revealed to sinners, when they are called by his grace; to whom they flee for refuge, and lay hold on him, the hope set before them.
These cities stood so that a man might in half a day reach one of them from any part of the country. Kedesh and
and Shechem in
and Kirjatharba, which is
And they appointed - Firstly, they were a provision of the criminal law of the Hebrews, necessary in the circumstances of that people (Num_35:11; Deu_19:2). At the same time they were designed also typically to point out the sinner's way to Christ (Heb_6:18).
Jos 20:8 And on the other side Jordan by Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness upon the plain out of the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan out of the tribe of Manasseh.
The cities in the land on the other side had already been appointed by Moses Deu_4:41-43 Then Moses separated three cities on this side Jordan towards the sunrise, so that the slayer might flee there, he who should kill his neighbor through error and who did not hate him in times past, and he fleeing to one of these cities might live. They were Bezer in the wilderness, in the plain country, of the Reubenites; and Ramoth in
These last cities were not appointed now, they were appointed in the times of Moses, and severed by him, Deu_4:41; nor are they here said to be appointed, but to be assigned or "given"; they were now delivered up into the hands of the Levites for cities of refuge, for they were before severed for that use; they were not, according to the Jews, made use of as such, until the other three were appointed.
Jos 20:9 These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them, that whosoever killeth any person at unawares might flee thither, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stood before the congregation.
For all the children of
Until he stood before the congregation - The judges and elders of the people, in trying civil and criminal causes, always sat; the persons who came for judgment, or who were tried, always stood; hence the expressions so frequent in Scripture, Standing before the Lord, the judges, the elders, etc.
