Joshua 20:7

7 So they made selection of Kedesh in Galilee in the hill-country of Naphtali, and Shechem in the hill-country of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba (which is Hebron) in the hill-country of Judah.

Joshua 20:7 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 20:7

And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in Mount Naphtali
Of which see ( Joshua 19:37 ) ; the appointment of this and the two cities following was made by the children of Israel at this time:

and Shechem in Mount Ephraim;
called Sichem, ( Genesis 12:6 ) ; and Shechem from a prince of that name that possessed it, ( Genesis 34:2 ) ; it fell to the lot of the tribe of Ephraim; its name in the New Testament is Sychar, ( John 4:5 ) ; and it is now called Neapolis, or Naplouse:

and Kirjatharba, which [is] Hebron, in the mountain of Judah;
it stood in the hill country of Judea, ( Luke 1:39 Luke 1:65 ) ; of which see ( Joshua 14:15 ) ( Joshua 15:54 ) . There seems to be a difficulty here, since this city was before given to Caleb, ( Joshua 14:13 Joshua 14:14 ) ; and yet afterwards given to the Levites, and appointed a city of refuge. The Jews reconcile this by observing, that the city and suburbs were given to the Levites, and fixed for a city of refuge; but the villages and fields, and country around it, and belonging to it, were given to Caleb, ( Joshua 21:12 ) ; and Abarbinel makes no doubt that the children of Judah gave something else to Caleb in lieu of it. As these cities of refuge were typical of Christ, as has been observed on ( Numbers 35:29 ) ; their names are applicable to him. "Kedesh" signifies "holy" or "holiness"; Christ is holy in both his natures, divine and human; and so abundantly qualified to be the Mediator, Saviour, and Redeemer; and is the fountain of holiness to his people, and is made sanctification to them, ( Psalms 16:10 ) ( Hebrews 7:26 ) ( 1 Corinthians 1:30 ) ; and "Shechem" signifies the "shoulder"; and not only the government of the church and people of God is on the shoulder of Christ, but all their sins have been laid upon him, and bore by him; and every particular soul in conversion, every lost sheep, is looked up by him, and taken up and brought home on his shoulder, ( Isaiah 9:6 ) ( 53:6 ) ( Luke 15:4 ) . "Hebron" signifies "fellowship"; in the effectual calling, the saints are called into fellowship with Christ, and their fellowship is with the Father, and his Son Jesus Christ; through him they have access to God, and communion with him now, and shall have uninterrupted communion with him to all eternity, ( 1 Corinthians 1:9 ) ( 1 John 1:3 ) ( Ephesians 2:18 ) ( John 17:24 ) .

Joshua 20:7 In-Context

5 And if the one who has the right of punishment comes after him, they are not to give the taker of life up to him; because he was the cause of his neighbour's death without designing it and not in hate.

6 And he is to go on living in that town till he has to come before the meeting of the people to be judged; (till the death of him who is high priest at that time:) then the taker of life may come back to his town and to his house, to the town from which he had gone in flight.

7 So they made selection of Kedesh in Galilee in the hill-country of Naphtali, and Shechem in the hill-country of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba (which is Hebron) in the hill-country of Judah.

8 And on the east side of Jordan at Jericho, they made selection of Bezer in the waste land, in the table-land, 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.

9 These were the towns marked out for all the children of Israel and for the man from a strange country living among them, so that anyone causing the death of another in error, might go in flight there, and not be put to death by him who has the right of punishment for blood till he had come before the meeting of the people.