Joshua 20:2

Joshua 20:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of Moses:
• New International Version (NIV)“Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses,
• English Standard Version (ESV)"Say to the people of Israel, 'Appoint the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses,
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘Appoint for yourselves cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses,

Context of Joshua 20:2

1The Lord spoke to Joshua, saying, “Speak to the Israelites, saying, ‘Designate the cities of refuge (asylum), of which I spoke to you through Moses, 3so that the person (manslayer) who kills any person unintentionally, without premeditation, may flee there, and they shall be your refuge from the blood avenger. 4He shall flee to one of these cities, and shall stand at the entrance of the gate of the city and explain his case to the elders of that city; and they shall take him into [the protection of] the city and give him a place [to stay], so that he may live among them.

Joshua 20:2 word by word

דַּבֵּ֛ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר תְּנ֤וּ לָכֶם֙ אֶת־עָרֵ֣י הַמִּקְלָ֔ט אֲשֶׁר־דִּבַּ֥רְתִּי אֲלֵיכֶ֖ם בְּיַד־מֹשֶֽׁה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Speakדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• to the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Appoint outנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
• for you citiesעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• of refugeמִקְלָטmiqlâţ · refugeH4733
• unto you by the handיָדyâd · hand: byH3027
• of Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872

Cross-references for Joshua 20:2

• Exodus 21:13However, if he did not lie in wait [for him], but God allowed him to fall into his hand, then I will establish for you a place to which he may escape [for protection until duly tried].
• Numbers 35:6[Among] the cities which you give to the Levites shall be the six cities of refuge, which you shall provide for the one who commits manslaughter to flee to; and in addition to them you shall give forty-two cities [to the Levites].
• Deuteronomy 4:41Then Moses set apart three cities [of refuge] beyond the Jordan toward the rising of the sun (eastward),
• Deuteronomy 19:2you shall designate three cities for yourself in the central area of the land, which the Lord your God is giving you to possess.
• Romans 8:1Therefore there is now no condemnation [no guilty verdict, no punishment] for those who are in Christ Jesus [who believe in Him as personal Lord and Savior].
• Hebrews 6:18so that by two unchangeable things [His promise and His oath] in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled [to Him] for refuge would have strong encouragement and indwelling strength to hold tightly to the hope set before us.
• Numbers 35:15These six cities shall be a refuge for the Israelites and for the stranger and the resident alien among them; so that anyone who kills a person unintentionally may escape there.

Commentaries on Joshua 20:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Cities 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…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-6These verses review the law about cities of refuge (see also Numbers 35:6–34).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-61-3. The Lord spake unto Joshua ... Appoint out for you cities of refuge--(See Nu 35:9-28; De 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…Read the comment

Topics related to Joshua 20:2

• Avenger of Blood
• Communion
• Homicide
• Refuge

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Moses
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Children of Israel
• Cities of Refuge
• Appoint
• Refuge
• Cruel; Cruelty
• Goel

Commentaries on Joshua 20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings