New Living Translation
Joshua 20:8
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.
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
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.” 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. On 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 20:8 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 21:36From the tribe of Reuben they received the following towns with their pasturelands: Bezer, Jahaz,
- Deuteronomy 4:43These were the cities: Bezer on the wilderness plateau for the tribe of Reuben; Ramoth in Gilead for the tribe of Gad; Golan in Bashan for the tribe of Manasseh.
- 1 Chronicles 6:78From the territory of Reuben, east of the Jordan River opposite Jericho, they received Bezer (a desert town), Jahaz,
- Joshua 21:38From the tribe of Gad they received the following towns with their pasturelands: Ramoth in Gilead (a city of refuge for those who accidentally killed someone), Mahanaim,
- 1 Kings 22:3During the visit, the king of Israel said to his officials, “Do you realize that the town of Ramoth-gilead belongs to us? And yet we’ve done nothing to recapture it from the king of Aram!”
- 1 Chronicles 6:80And from the territory of Gad, they received Ramoth in Gilead, Mahanaim,
- Joshua 21:27The descendants of Gershon, another clan within the tribe of Levi, received the following towns with their pasturelands from the half-tribe of Manasseh: Golan in Bashan (a city of refuge for those who accidentally killed someone) and Be-eshterah—two towns.
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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