Joshua 20:2 - Forerunner Commentary

Joshua 20:2

The Cities of Refuge

1 The Lord also spoke to Joshua, saying,

2 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ^a‘Appoint for yourselves cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses,

3 that the slayer who kills a person accidentally or unintentionally may flee there; and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood.

4 And when he flees to one of those cities, and stands at the entrance of the gate of the city, and¹ declares his case in the hearing of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city as one of them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them.

5 ^aThen if the avenger of blood pursues him, they shall not deliver the slayer into his hand, because he struck his neighbor unintentionally, but did not hate him beforehand.

6 And he shall dwell in that city ^auntil he stands before the congregation for judgment, and until the death of the one who is high priest in those days. Then the slayer may return and come to his own city and his own house, to the city from which he fled.’ ”

7 So they appointed ^aKedesh in Galilee, in the mountains of Naphtali, ^bShechem in the mountains of Ephraim, and ^cKirjath Arba (which is Hebron) in ^dthe mountains of Judah.

8 And on the other side of the Jordan, by Jericho eastward, they assigned ^aBezer in the wilderness on the plain, from the tribe of Reuben, ^bRamoth in Gilead, from the tribe of Gad, and ^cGolan in Bashan, from the tribe of Manasseh.

9 ^aThese were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel and for the stranger who¹ dwelt among them, that whoever killed a person accidentally might flee there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood ^buntil he stood before the congregation.

Verse Comparison: Joshua 20:2

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American Standard Version
Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Assign you the cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by Moses,

Amplified® Bible
Say to the Israelites, Appoint among you cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses,

Contemporary English Version
When Moses was still alive, I had him tell the Israelites about the Safe Towns. Now you tell them that it is time to set up these towns.

Darby English Version
Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint for yourselves the cities of refuge, whereof I spoke unto you through Moses,

Good News Bible
to say to the people of Israel, "Choose the cities of refuge that I had Moses tell you about.

King James Version
Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of Moses:

New American Standard Bible
"Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, `Designate the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses,

New International Version
"Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses,

New King James Version
“Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘Appoint for yourselves cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses,

N.A.S.B. in E-Prime
"Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, 'Designate the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses,

Revised Standard Version
"Say to the people of Israel, 'Appoint the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses,

Young's Literal Translation
`Speak unto the sons of Israel, saying, Give for you cities of refuge, as I have spoken unto you by the hand of Moses,

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The Cities of Refuge

A Verse and a Thought,Every Morning

A Verse and a Thought,
Every Morning