Joshua 20:8

8 And beyond (the) Jordan, against the east coast of Jericho (And on the eastern side of the Jordan River, east of Jericho), they ordained Bezer, that is set in the field wilderness of the lineage of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead, of the lineage of Gad, and Golan in Bashan, of the lineage of Manasseh.

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.


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 And he shall dwell in that city, till he stand before the doom, and yield, or show, the cause of his deed. And he that killed a man, dwell in that city, till the great priest die, which is in that time; then the manslayer shall turn again, and he shall enter into his city, and house, from which he fled. (And he shall remain in that city, until he stand before the judge, and show the reason for his deed. And he who killed someone, shall stay in that city, until the High Priest die, who is in office at that time; then the man-killer shall return, and he shall enter into his city, and into his house, from which he fled.)
7 And they ordained Kedesh in Galilee, of the hill of Naphtali, and Shechem in the hill of Ephraim, and Kiriatharba, that is Hebron, in the hill of Judah. (And they ordained Kedesh in Galilee, in the hill country of Naphtali, and Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriatharba, that is Hebron, in the hill country of Judah.)
8 And beyond (the) Jordan, against the east coast of Jericho (And on the eastern side of the Jordan River, east of Jericho), they ordained Bezer, that is set in the field wilderness of the lineage of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead, of the lineage of Gad, and Golan in Bashan, of the lineage of Manasseh.
9 These cites were ordained to all the sons of Israel, and to the comelings that dwell among them, that he that killed unwittingly a man, should flee to those cities; and he should not die in the hand of the neighbour, coveting to venge the blood shed out, till he stood before the people, to declare his cause. (These cities were ordained to all the Israelites, and to the newcomers who live among them, so that he who unwittingly killed someone, could flee to them; and so that he would not die at the hand of the neighbour, coveting to avenge the blood shed out, until he first had stood before the people to declare his case.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.