Joshua 20:8

_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._ No JFB commentary on this verse....

7-9 These cities, as those also on the other side Jordan, stood so that a man might in half a day reach one of them from any part of the country. God is ever a Refuge at hand. They were all Levites' cities. It was kindness to the poor fugitive, that when he might not go up to the house of the Lord, yet he had the servants of God with him, to instruct him, and pray for him, and to help to make up the want of public ordinances. Some observe a significance in the names of these cities with application to Christ our Refuge. Kedesh signifies holy, and our Refuge is the holy Jesus. Shechem, a shoulder, and the government is upon his shoulder. Hebron, fellowship, and believers are called into the fellowship of Christ Jesus our Lord. Bezer, a fortification, for he is a strong hold to all those that trust in him. Ramoth, high or exalted, for Him hath God exalted with his own right hand. Golan, jo...

EXPOSITION THE CITIES OF REFUGE.— JOSHUA 20:1 CITIES OF REFUGE. The original is more definite, the cities of refuge. So LXX. WHEREOF I SPAKE TO YOU. In Exodus 21:13; Numbers 35:9; Deuteronomy 19:2. Here, again, Joshua is represented as aware of the existence of the Pentateuch. It must, therefore, have existed in something like its present shape when the Book of Joshua was written. The words are partly quoted from Numbers and partly from Deuteronomy; another proof that these book

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, 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" c; they were now delivered up into the hands of the Levites for cities of refuge, for they were before severed for th

7. THE CITIES OF REFUGE CHAPTER 20 _ 1. The ordinance repeated (Joshua 20:1)_ 2. The cities named (Joshua 20:7) The reader will find the meaning of the ordinance of the cities of refuge in Numbers and Deuteronomy, so that we do not need to repeat it here. But only three cities are mentioned in the Pentateuch. Here the three cities in the land are added. Kedesh was in Naphtah, Kedesh means “sanctuary,” and Naphtali means “wrestler-struggler.” Christ is the refuge for the struggling sinner. Shechem means “shoulder,” and is the type of service. He who is the perfect servant, who ministered and gave His life, is the place of refuge. Kirjath-arba, which is Hebron, is the third, and Hebron means “communion.” This we find in Him. Bezer (defense), Ramoth (heights) and Golan (rejoicing) wer

JOSHUA 20. THE CITIES OF REFUGE. The cities of refuge (p. 113) were not appointed till after the Deuteronomic reform under Josiah in Joshua 6:21. In early times the asylum or refuge for the manslayer was the altar at the local sanctuary. This is seen from the Book of the Covenant (Exodus 21:14): If a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour to slay him with guile, thou shalt take him from my altar that he may die. See also 1 Kings 1:50, where Adonijah, in fear of his life, flees to the altar for safety. When the law of the single sanctuary was promulgated in Dt., other provision had to be made for asylum; hence the institution of the cities of refuge. As Dt. says that Moses commanded the institution of these cities, a later wr

The Selection of the Cities of Refuge 7. _And they appointed_ Rather, they SANCTIFIED, SET APART FOR A SACRED PURPOSE. The Cities of Refuge were intended to preserve the People and the Land of Jehovah from blood-guiltiness. Hence the appointment to so high a purpose carried with it also the idea of solemn consecration. "They seuerden," Wyclif translates it in the first edition, "thei ordeyneden" in the later edition. The cities selected were three on either side of the Jordan, almost equally remote from each other, (_a) On the West._ (_b) On the East._ 1. _Kedesh_, in Naphtali. 1. _Golan_, in Bashan. 2. _Shechem_, in Mount Ephraim. 2. _Ramoth-Gilead_, in Gad. 3. _Hebron_, in Judah. 3. _Bezer_, in Reuben. It requires only to look at the map to see how wisely these spots were marked out, so as to make a "City of Refuge" easy of access from all parts of the la

_The Appointment of the Cities of Refuge Joshua 20:7-9_ 7 And they appointed Kedesh in Gaililee 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. _7._ What three cities were selected west of the Jordan? Joshua 20:7 West of the Jo

20:8 from (b-5) See Numbers 22:1 , &c....

THE APPOINTMENT OF CITIES OF REFUGE The allotment of the tribal inheritance is followed by the appointment of six cities of refuge previously provided and in part assigned by Moses, according to the terms of the Sinaitic law concerning manslaughter: cp. Exodus 21:13; Numbers 35:6. These are enumerated in the following order:—W. of Jordan: Kedesh (N.), Shechem (central), Hebron (S.); E. of Jordan: Bezer (S.), Ramoth-Gilead (central), Golan (N.). Geographical considerations must have had the first place; the six cities are so placed as to give nearly equal facilities of access from all parts of Palestine. But it is interesting to observe that the three western cities were ancient traditional sanctuaries. This is inferred from the name of Kedesh (= Holy) and known of the other two. The same may be true of t