New Living Translation
Joshua 20:7
7The following cities were designated as cities of refuge: Kedesh of Galilee, in the hill country of Naphtali; Shechem, in the hill country of Ephraim; and Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), in the hill country of Judah.
Joshua 20:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and Kirjath–arba, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah.
- New International Version (NIV)So they set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah.
- English Standard Version (ESV)So they set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, and Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So they appointed Kedesh in Galilee, in the mountains of Naphtali, Shechem in the mountains of Ephraim, and Kirjath Arba (which is Hebron) in the mountains of Judah.
Context of Joshua 20:7
5If the relatives of the victim come to avenge the killing, the leaders must not release the slayer to them, for he killed the other person unintentionally and without previous hostility. 6But the slayer must stay in that city and be tried by the local assembly, which will render a judgment. And he must continue to live in that city until the death of the high priest who was in office at the time of the accident. After that, he is free to return to his own home in the town from which he fled.” The following cities were designated as cities of refuge: Kedesh of Galilee, in the hill country of Naphtali; Shechem, in the hill country of Ephraim; and Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), in the hill country of Judah. 8On the east side of the Jordan River, across from Jericho, the following cities were designated: Bezer, in the wilderness plain of the tribe of Reuben; Ramoth in Gilead, in the territory of the tribe of Gad; and Golan in Bashan, in the land of the tribe of Manasseh. 9These cities were set apart for all the Israelites as well as the foreigners living among them. Anyone who accidentally killed another person could take refuge in one of these cities. In this way, they could escape being killed in revenge prior to standing trial before the local assembly.
Read all of Joshua 20Joshua 20:7 word by word
וַיַּקְדִּ֜שׁוּ אֶת־קֶ֤דֶשׁ בַּגָּלִיל֙ בְּהַ֣ר נַפְתָּלִ֔י וְאֶת־שְׁכֶ֖ם בְּהַ֣ר אֶפְרָ֑יִם וְאֶת־קִרְיַ֥ת אַרְבַּ֛ע הִ֥יא חֶבְר֖וֹן בְּהַ֥ר יְהוּדָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And they appointedקָדַשׁqâdash · to consecrate: prepareH6942
- Kedeshקֶ֫דֶשׁqedesh · KedeshH6943
- in Galileeגָּלִילgâlîyl gâlîylâh · GalileeH1551
- in mountהַרhar · mountain: hill countryH2022
- Naphtaliנַפְתָּלִיnaphtâlîy · NaphtaliH5321
- and Shechemשְׁכֶםshekem · ShechemH7927
- Ephraimאֶפְרַ֫יִם'ephrayim · EphraimH669
- and Kirjath–arbaקִרְיַת אַרְבַּעqiryath 'arba‛ qiryath hâ'arba‛ · Kiriath-arbaH7153
- Hebronחֶבְרוֹןchebrôn · HebronH2275
- of Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
Cross-references for Joshua 20:7
- Joshua 21:32From the tribe of Naphtali they received the following towns with their pasturelands: Kedesh in Galilee (a city of refuge for those who accidentally killed someone), Hammoth-dor, and Kartan—three towns.
- 1 Chronicles 6:76From the territory of Naphtali, they were given Kedesh in Galilee, Hammon, and Kiriathaim, each with its pasturelands.
- Joshua 21:21Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim (a city of refuge for those who accidentally killed someone), Gezer,
- Genesis 33:18Later, having traveled all the way from Paddan-aram, Jacob arrived safely at the town of Shechem, in the land of Canaan. There he set up camp outside the town.
- 2 Chronicles 10:1Rehoboam went to Shechem, where all Israel had gathered to make him king.
- Joshua 14:15(Previously Hebron had been called Kiriath-arba. It had been named after Arba, a great hero of the descendants of Anak.) And the land had rest from war.
- Joshua 21:11Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), in the hill country of Judah, along with its surrounding pasturelands. (Arba was an ancestor of Anak.)
- Luke 1:39A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town
Commentaries on Joshua 20:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7They appointed Kedesh in Galilee - The cities of refuge were distributed through the land at proper distances from each other that they might be convenient to every part of the land; and it is said they were situated on eminences, that they might be easily seen at a distance, the roads leading to them being broad, even, and always kept in good repair. In the concluding note on Numbers 35:33; it has been stated that these cities were a type of our blessed…Read the comment
- 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 20:7
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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