Joshua 20:8

8 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.

Joshua 20:8 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 20:8

And on the other side Jordan by Jericho eastward
In the country possessed by the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh:

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;
of these places, and the signification of their names, and of the application of them to Christ, the antitype of the cities of refuge, (See Gill on Deuteronomy 4:43). These last cities were not appointed now, they were appointed in the times of Moses, and severed by him, ( Deuteronomy 4:41 ) ; nor are they here said to be appointed, but to be assigned or "given" ^F3; they were now delivered up into the hands of the Levites for cities of refuge, for they were before severed for that use; they were not, according to the Jews ^F4, made use of as such, until the other three were appointed.

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FOOTNOTES:

F3 (wntn) "dederunt", Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.
F4 Misn. Maccot, c. 2. sect. 4. Maimon. Hilchot Rotzeach, c. 8. sect. 2, 3.

Joshua 20:8 In-Context

6 The 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.'"

7 Kedesh 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.

8 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.

9 These 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.