God’s Word Translation
Joshua 20:8
8Bezer on the desert plateau from the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan from the tribe of Manasseh were chosen as cities of refuge on the east side of the Jordan River, east of Jericho.
Joshua 20:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)East of the Jordan (on the other side from Jericho) they designated Bezer in the wilderness on the plateau in the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead in the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan in the tribe of Manasseh.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And beyond the Jordan east of Jericho, they appointed Bezer in the wilderness on the tableland, from the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead, from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan, from the tribe of Manasseh.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And on the other side of the Jordan, by Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness on the plain, from the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead, from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan, from the tribe of Manasseh.
Context of Joshua 20:8
6The accused person may remain in that city until he can stand trial in front of the congregation or until whoever is chief priest at that time dies. Then he may go back to his home in the city from which he ran away.’ ” 7Kedesh in Galilee in the mountains of Naphtali, Shechem in the mountains of Ephraim, and Kiriath Arba (now called Hebron) in the mountains of Judah were chosen as cities of refuge. Bezer on the desert plateau from the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan from the tribe of Manasseh were chosen as cities of refuge on the east side of the Jordan River, east of Jericho. 9These are the cities chosen as cities of refuge for all Israelites, including the foreigners living among them. Anyone who accidentally kills someone may escape to these cities. Then he will not be handed over to the relative who can avenge a death before he stands trial in front of the congregation.
Read all of Joshua 20Joshua 20:8 word by word
וּמֵעֵ֜בֶר לְיַרְדֵּ֤ן יְרִיחוֹ֙ מִזְרָ֔חָה נָתְנ֞וּ אֶת־בֶּ֧צֶר בַּמִּדְבָּ֛ר בַּמִּישֹׁ֖ר מִמַּטֵּ֣ה רְאוּבֵ֑ן וְאֶת־רָאמֹ֤ת בַּגִּלְעָד֙ מִמַּטֵּה־גָ֔ד וְאֶת־גּוֹלָ֥ן בַּבָּשָׁ֖ן מִמַּטֵּ֥ה מְנַשֶּֽׁה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And on the other sideעֵ֫בֶר‛êber · side: beyondH5676
- Jordanיַרְדֵּןyardên · JordanH3383
- by Jerichoיְרִיחוֹyerîychô yerêchô yerîychôh · JerichoH3405
- eastwardמִזְרָחmizrâch · eastH4217
- they assignedנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
- Bezerבֶּ֫צֶרbetser · BezerH1221
- in the wildernessמִדְבָּרmidbâr · wildernessH4057
- upon the plainמִישׁוֹרmîyshôr mîyshôr · plainH4334
- out of the tribeמַטֶּהmaţţeh maţţâh · tribeH4294
- of Reubenרְאוּבֵןre'ûbên · ReubenH7205
- and Ramothרָאמוֹתrâ'môth râ'môth · RamothH7216
- in Gileadגִּלְעָדgil‛âd · GileadH1568
- of Gadגָּדgâd · GadH1410
- and Golanגּוֹלָןgôlân · GolanH1474
- in Bashanבָּשָׁןbâshân · BashanH1316
- of Manassehמְנַשֶּׁהmenashsheh · ManassehH4519
Cross-references for Joshua 20:8
- Joshua 21:36The tribe of Reuben also gave them four cities with pasturelands: Bezer, Jahaz,
- Deuteronomy 4:43The cities were Bezer on the desert plateau for the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead for the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan for the tribe of Manasseh.
- 1 Chronicles 6:78From the tribe of Reuben, Merari’s descendants received land east of the Jordan River and across from Jericho: Bezer in the wilderness with its pastureland, Jahzah with its pastureland,
- Joshua 21:38The tribe of Gad also gave them four cities with pasturelands: Ramoth in Gilead (a city of refuge for murderers), Mahanaim,
- 1 Kings 22:3The king of Israel asked his staff, “Do you know that Ramoth in Gilead belongs to us, and we are doing nothing to take it back from the king of Aram?”
- 1 Chronicles 6:80From the tribe of Gad, they received Ramoth in Gilead with its pastureland, Mahanaim with its pastureland,
- Joshua 21:27They gave the families of Gershon’s descendants, who were in the tribe of Levi, two cities with pasturelands from half of the tribe of Manasseh: Golan in Bashan (a city of refuge for murderers) and Ashtaroth.
Commentaries on Joshua 20:8
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-9Verses 7-9 These cities, as those also on the other side Jordan, stood so that a man might in half a day reach one of them from any part of the country. God is ever a Refuge at hand. They were all Levites' cities. It was kindness to the poor fugitive, that when he might not go up to the house of the Lord, yet he had the servants of God with him, to instruct him, and pray for him, and to help to make up the want of public ordinances. Some observe a…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7-9Joshua chose six cities of refuge. Three were on the east side of the Jordan River and three were on the west side. From anywhere in the land, people could reach one of these well-known Levitical cities within two days of travel.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 7-97-9. they appointed ... cities--There were six; three on the west, and three on the east, of Jordan. In the first instance, they were a provision of the criminal law of the Hebrews, necessary in the circumstances of that people (see on Nu 35:11; De 19:2). At the same time they were designed also typically to point out the sinner's way to Christ (He 6:18).Read the comment
Topics related to Joshua 20:8
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
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