Joshua 20:8

8 And beyond the Jordan, east of Jericho, they designated Bezer on the wilderness plateau from the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan from the tribe 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.

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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 He is to stay in that city until he stands trial before the assembly and until the death of the high priest serving at that time. Then the manslayer may return to his own home in the city from which he fled.”

7 So they set apart Kedesh in 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.

8 And beyond the Jordan, east of Jericho, they designated Bezer on the wilderness plateau from the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan from the tribe of Manasseh.

9 These are the cities appointed for all the Israelites and foreigners among them, so that anyone who kills a person unintentionally may flee there and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood prior to standing trial before the assembly.