Joshua 20:8

8 And on the other side Jordan by Jericho eastward, 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.

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, until he stand before the congregation for judgment, and until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days: then shall the slayer return, and come unto his own city, and unto his own house, unto the city from whence he fled.

7 And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and Kirjatharba, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah.

8 And on the other side Jordan by Jericho eastward, 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.

9 These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them, that whosoever killeth any person at unawares might flee thither, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stood before the congregation.