New English Translation
Joshua 20:2
2“Have the Israelites select the cities of refuge that I told you about 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 instructed Joshua: “Have the Israelites select the cities of refuge that I told you about through Moses. 3Anyone who accidentally kills someone can escape there; these cities will be a place of asylum from the avenger of blood. 4The one who committed manslaughter should escape to one of these cities, stand at the entrance of the city gate, and present his case to the leaders of that city. They should then bring him into the city, give him a place to stay, and let him live there.
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 21:13But if he does not do it with premeditation, but it happens by accident, then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee.
- Numbers 35:6Now from these towns that you will give to the Levites you must select six towns of refuge to which a person who has killed someone may flee. And you must give them forty-two other towns.
- Deuteronomy 4:41Then Moses selected three cities in the Transjordan, toward the east.
- Deuteronomy 19:2you must set apart for yourselves three cities in the middle of your land that the Lord your God is giving you as a possession.
- Romans 8:1There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
- Hebrews 6:18so that we who have found refuge in him may find strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us through two unchangeable things, since it is impossible for God to lie.
- Numbers 35:15These six towns will be places of refuge for the Israelites, and for the foreigner, and for the settler among them, so that anyone who kills any person accidentally may flee 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
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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