American King James Version - AKJV - 1999
Joshua 20
1
The LORD also spoke to Joshua, saying,
2
Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spoke to you by the hand of Moses:
Reference
Parallel theme
Numbers 35:6
3
That the slayer that kills any person unawares and unwittingly may flee thither: and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood.
4
And when he that does flee to one of those cities shall stand at the entering of the gate of the city, and shall declare his cause in the ears of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city to them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them.
Reference
Parallel theme
Jeremiah 38:7
5
And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand; because he smote his neighbor unwittingly, and hated him not beforetime.
Reference
Parallel theme
Numbers 35:12
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 to his own city, and to his own house, to the city from from where he fled.
Reference
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.
Reference
8
And on the other side Jordan by Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness on 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.
Reference
9
These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojournes among them, that whoever kills any person at unawares might flee thither, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stood before the congregation.
Reference
References Israel
Numbers 35:15
Summary of Joshua 20
Joshua chapter 20 is about the cities of refuge in the land of Israel. They were places of protection for a person who accidentally caused the death of another person. The chapter speaks about where they were to be placed and what was to be done for a person who caused an accidental death to seek protection in one of the cities.
After dividing the land among the tribes, the Lord instructed Joshua to appoint cities of refuge. They were to be placed according to the commands of Moses. God commanded them to be placed in Israel as places of protection for someone who caused an accidental death of a person.
It was a well-known principle that murder and accidental death were two completely different things. Sometimes a person could cause the accidental death of another person through work, the use of tools, or travel. According to the law, a person who caused an accidental death should also be protected from a blood feud.
The person who caused an accidental death should seek refuge in one of the cities of refuge, where they could explain the circumstances of the death to the elders of the city.
However, they did not just take them in but had to investigate the details of the death and determine whether it was murder or not. The cities of refuge were a safe place for those who had caused accidental death to wait for the trial.
They were appointed both for the children of Israel and for the stranger and the sojourner among them. In other words, the cities were not only for the Israelites but also for anyone who had come to live in the land of Israel.
There were six cities of refuge appointed by Joshua, three on one side of Jordan and three on the other.
The first was Kedesh in the land of Naphtali in Galilee. The second was Shechem in the land of Ephraim, and the third was Hebron in the land of Judah. Hebron belonged to Caleb, and he had received it as his inheritance. The cities of refuge on the east of Jordan were Bezer in the land of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead belonging to Gad, and Golan in Bashan belonging to the half tribe of Manasseh.
The cities of refuge were strategically located so that a person could safely reach one of them without having to cover too great a distance. The chapter speaks of what was to be done when a person came to one of the cities. When the person arrived, they should appear before the elders of the city. The elders should then take them in and assign them a place to stay.
The person who had caused an accidental death had to stay there until the time came for the congregation of Israel to judge them. It served to ensure the most formal court procedure, not leaving the decision to avenge blood relatives or the family of the person whose death was caused.
When a person caused an accidental death and came to the city of refuge, it provided them with protection. That safety was justified since otherwise, it would be very difficult to live in societies without protection from blood feuds. A blood feud was a concept common to all peoples and all times, even today, despite the spread of human rights principles and international laws.
The cities of refuge serve to protect the lives of people and at the same time ensure that all murders are investigated and that people are not protected from the law of the land. In other words, the cities of refuge did not protect people from the courts but provided a safe place before the courts.
In the Torah, Joshua 20 is not presented as protection for those who murder. The chapter draws a fundamental distinction between murder and accidental death. Someone who did not mean to kill but killed could use the cities of refuge. In contrast, a person who murdered another person could not use the cities of refuge as a safe haven.
The cities of refuge are presented as a measure against blood feuds. They served to protect a person who caused an accidental death until such a person could stand before the court. However, the protection of the cities of refuge did not mean that a person who had caused death should walk free.
On the contrary, it was necessary to investigate the circumstances of the death and bring the person to justice. Accidental deaths would be investigated to find out whether they were murders or not. When a person intentionally caused another person to die, they would be brought before the congregation for judgment.
Joshua 20 follows up on the previous chapters that describe the division of the land among the tribes of Israel. The chapter refers to the fact that the cities had to be placed within the territory of the tribes. In other words, the tribes of Israel not only received land when dividing up the land but also appointed cities within their territory for the protection of people.
In fact, the whole narrative shows that the settlement of the people of Israel in the land of Canaan was a process much broader than just conquering the land and dividing it among the tribes. Having received a share of the land, the tribes of Israel needed protection, courts, altars, and communities.
The cities of refuge appoint a place where a person can turn for protection. The choice of Kedesh, Shechem, Hebron, Bezer, Ramoth, and Golan ensured that everyone had access to one of the cities of refuge. In addition, three of them were on one side of Jordan, and three – on the other. So that a person could reach the city of refuge without having to travel a long distance.
Joshua 20 is a short chapter, but it sheds light on an important part of the history of the people of Israel, namely the organization of protection and trial in cases of death caused accidentally. Such deaths could not be left unanswered since they destroyed people’s lives. On the other hand, people who caused such deaths had to be protected from the vengeance of blood relatives.
The last verses of the chapter refer to how this was all organized. The cities appointed were to be a place of refuge for those who had caused an accidental death. The person whose death was caused by negligence also had the opportunity to flee to them and be protected from the avenger of blood until the congregation judged them.
The chapter shows that organizing the people of Israel in the land of Canaan was a complex process that went beyond just dividing up the land and going off to conquer. People needed protection and the rule of law. The cities of refuge appointed by Joshua ensured protection for those who had caused an accidental death but brought them before the courts for judgment.
After dividing the land among the tribes, the Lord instructed Joshua to appoint cities of refuge. They were to be placed according to the commands of Moses. God commanded them to be placed in Israel as places of protection for someone who caused an accidental death of a person.
It was a well-known principle that murder and accidental death were two completely different things. Sometimes a person could cause the accidental death of another person through work, the use of tools, or travel. According to the law, a person who caused an accidental death should also be protected from a blood feud.
The person who caused an accidental death should seek refuge in one of the cities of refuge, where they could explain the circumstances of the death to the elders of the city.
However, they did not just take them in but had to investigate the details of the death and determine whether it was murder or not. The cities of refuge were a safe place for those who had caused accidental death to wait for the trial.
They were appointed both for the children of Israel and for the stranger and the sojourner among them. In other words, the cities were not only for the Israelites but also for anyone who had come to live in the land of Israel.
There were six cities of refuge appointed by Joshua, three on one side of Jordan and three on the other.
The first was Kedesh in the land of Naphtali in Galilee. The second was Shechem in the land of Ephraim, and the third was Hebron in the land of Judah. Hebron belonged to Caleb, and he had received it as his inheritance. The cities of refuge on the east of Jordan were Bezer in the land of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead belonging to Gad, and Golan in Bashan belonging to the half tribe of Manasseh.
The cities of refuge were strategically located so that a person could safely reach one of them without having to cover too great a distance. The chapter speaks of what was to be done when a person came to one of the cities. When the person arrived, they should appear before the elders of the city. The elders should then take them in and assign them a place to stay.
The person who had caused an accidental death had to stay there until the time came for the congregation of Israel to judge them. It served to ensure the most formal court procedure, not leaving the decision to avenge blood relatives or the family of the person whose death was caused.
When a person caused an accidental death and came to the city of refuge, it provided them with protection. That safety was justified since otherwise, it would be very difficult to live in societies without protection from blood feuds. A blood feud was a concept common to all peoples and all times, even today, despite the spread of human rights principles and international laws.
The cities of refuge serve to protect the lives of people and at the same time ensure that all murders are investigated and that people are not protected from the law of the land. In other words, the cities of refuge did not protect people from the courts but provided a safe place before the courts.
In the Torah, Joshua 20 is not presented as protection for those who murder. The chapter draws a fundamental distinction between murder and accidental death. Someone who did not mean to kill but killed could use the cities of refuge. In contrast, a person who murdered another person could not use the cities of refuge as a safe haven.
The cities of refuge are presented as a measure against blood feuds. They served to protect a person who caused an accidental death until such a person could stand before the court. However, the protection of the cities of refuge did not mean that a person who had caused death should walk free.
On the contrary, it was necessary to investigate the circumstances of the death and bring the person to justice. Accidental deaths would be investigated to find out whether they were murders or not. When a person intentionally caused another person to die, they would be brought before the congregation for judgment.
Joshua 20 follows up on the previous chapters that describe the division of the land among the tribes of Israel. The chapter refers to the fact that the cities had to be placed within the territory of the tribes. In other words, the tribes of Israel not only received land when dividing up the land but also appointed cities within their territory for the protection of people.
In fact, the whole narrative shows that the settlement of the people of Israel in the land of Canaan was a process much broader than just conquering the land and dividing it among the tribes. Having received a share of the land, the tribes of Israel needed protection, courts, altars, and communities.
The cities of refuge appoint a place where a person can turn for protection. The choice of Kedesh, Shechem, Hebron, Bezer, Ramoth, and Golan ensured that everyone had access to one of the cities of refuge. In addition, three of them were on one side of Jordan, and three – on the other. So that a person could reach the city of refuge without having to travel a long distance.
Joshua 20 is a short chapter, but it sheds light on an important part of the history of the people of Israel, namely the organization of protection and trial in cases of death caused accidentally. Such deaths could not be left unanswered since they destroyed people’s lives. On the other hand, people who caused such deaths had to be protected from the vengeance of blood relatives.
The last verses of the chapter refer to how this was all organized. The cities appointed were to be a place of refuge for those who had caused an accidental death. The person whose death was caused by negligence also had the opportunity to flee to them and be protected from the avenger of blood until the congregation judged them.
The chapter shows that organizing the people of Israel in the land of Canaan was a complex process that went beyond just dividing up the land and going off to conquer. People needed protection and the rule of law. The cities of refuge appointed by Joshua ensured protection for those who had caused an accidental death but brought them before the courts for judgment.