God’s Word Translation
Joshua 20:2
2“Tell the people of Israel, ‘Now choose for yourselves the cities of refuge about which I spoke to you through Moses.
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 said to Joshua, “Tell the people of Israel, ‘Now choose for yourselves the cities of refuge about which I spoke to you through Moses. 3Choose them so that anyone who unintentionally kills someone may run to them. They will be a place of refuge from any relative who can avenge the death. 4“ ‘A person who kills someone accidentally can run to one of these cities. There he will stand at the entrance to the city, where court is held, and present his case to the leaders of that city. Then they will take him into their city and give him a place to live with them.
Read all of Joshua 20Joshua 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 21:13If it wasn’t done intentionally, but God let it happen, the killer should flee to a place I will set aside for you.
- Numbers 35:6“Six of the cities you give the Levites will be cities of refuge. You must allow murderers to escape to these cities. In addition, you must also give the Levites 42 other cities.
- Deuteronomy 4:41Then Moses set aside three cities on the east side of the Jordan River.
- Deuteronomy 19:2When all this is done, set aside three cities in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
- Romans 8:1So those who are believers in Christ Jesus can no longer be condemned.
- Hebrews 6:18God did this so that we would be encouraged. God cannot lie when he takes an oath or makes a promise. These two things can never be changed. Those of us who have taken refuge in him hold on to the confidence we have been given.
- Numbers 35:15These six cities will be places of refuge for Israelites, foreigners, and strangers among you. Anyone who unintentionally kills another person may flee to these cities.
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
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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