Joshua, 20

Name: Joshua
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Law Community Judgment Punishment Blood Almighty Protection

Joshua sets aside cities of refuge for those who have killed someone unintentionally.

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Bible version

The Cities for the Strangers

1 The LORD also spake unto Joshua, saying,

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:

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Commentary

Joshua chapter 20 is a continuation of the narrative from the previous chapter, in which God commands Joshua to set aside cities of refuge for those who have committed unintentional manslaughter. In this chapter, Joshua follows God's command and sets aside six cities of refuge, three on each side of the Jordan River. The cities of refuge were intended to provide a safe haven for those who had committed unintentional manslaughter. The cities were to be a place of refuge for those who had killed someone unintentionally, so that they could be protected from the vengeance of the victim's family. This was a way of ensuring justice and protecting the innocent from the consequences of their actions. The cities of refuge were also a reminder of God's mercy and grace. Even though the person had committed a crime, God was still willing to provide a place of refuge and safety. This was a reminder that God is a God of justice and mercy, and that He is willing to forgive and provide a way of escape for those who have sinned. The cities of refuge were also a reminder of the importance of justice and mercy. The cities were a reminder that justice must be served, but that mercy must also be shown. This is a reminder that justice and mercy must go hand in hand, and that justice must be tempered with mercy. Overall, Joshua chapter 20 is a reminder of God's justice and mercy, and of the importance of justice and mercy in our lives. It is a reminder that God is willing to forgive and provide a way of escape for those who have sinned, and that justice and mercy must go hand in hand.