Joshua 20:2

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 also spoke to Joshua, saying, Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint for you cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you by the hand of Moses: 3That the slayer that killeth any person unintentionally and unknowingly may flee there: and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood. 4And when he that doth flee to one of those cities shall stand at the entrance of the gate of the city, and shall declare his cause in the ears of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city to them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them.

Joshua 20:2 word by word

דַּבֵּ֛ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר תְּנ֤וּ לָכֶם֙ אֶת־עָרֵ֣י הַמִּקְלָ֔ט אֲשֶׁר־דִּבַּ֥רְתִּי אֲלֵיכֶ֖ם בְּיַד־מֹשֶֽׁה׃Read the interlinear

• Speakדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
• Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Appointנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
• citiesעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• refugeמִקְלָטmiqlâţ · refugeH4733
• handיָדyâd · hand: byH3027
• Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872

Cross-references for Joshua 20:2

• Exodus 21:13And if a man shall not lie in wait, but God shall deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place where he shall flee.
• Numbers 35:6And among the cities which ye shall give to the Levites there shall be six cities for refuge, which ye shall appoint for the manslayer, that he may flee there: and to them ye shall add forty and two cities.
• Deuteronomy 4:41Then Moses set apart three cities on the side of Jordan toward the sunrising;
• Deuteronomy 19:2Thou shalt set apart three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it.
• Romans 8:1There istherefore now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
• Hebrews 6:18That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
• Numbers 35:15These six cities shall be a refuge, both for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them: that every one that killeth any person unintentionally 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

• Avenger of Blood
• Communion
• Homicide
• Refuge

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Moses
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Children of Israel
• Cities of Refuge
• Appoint
• Refuge
• Cruel; Cruelty
• Goel

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