Joshua 20:2

2 "Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, 'Designate ¹the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses,

Joshua 20:2 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 20:2

Speak to the children of Israel, saying
Whom the affair concerned the Lord spake to Joshua about, they having now the whole land divided among them:

appoint out for you cities of refuge;
of the name, nature, use, and number of these cities, (See Gill on Numbers 35:6);

whereof I spake unto you by the hand of Moses:
( Numbers 35:1-34 ) ( Deuteronomy 19:1-21 ) .

Joshua 20:2 In-Context

1 Then the LORD spoke to Joshua, saying,

2 "Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, 'Designate the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses,

3 that the manslayer who kills any person unintentionally, without premeditation, may flee there, and they shall become your refuge from the avenger of blood.

4 'He shall flee to one of these cities, and shall stand at the entrance of the gate of the city and state his case in the hearing of the elders of that city; and they shall take him into the city to them and give him a place, so that he may dwell among them.

5 'Now if the avenger of blood pursues him, then they shall not deliver the manslayer into his hand, because he struck his neighbor without premeditation and did not hate him beforehand .

Cross References

• 1. Numbers 35:6-34; Deuteronomy 4:41-43; Deuteronomy 19:2f

Footnotes

• [a] Lit "Set for yourselves"
• [b] Lit "by the hand of"