Joshua 20
20
Six Cities of Asylum
1-3Yahweh instructed Joshua: “A person who accidentally and unintentionally kills someone will need a place of asylum—a city where he can run for safety. Otherwise, the dead man’s relatives will kill him.” So now Yahweh said to Joshua, “Tell the people of Israel to choose these cities of asylum # 20:1–3 Or “cities of refuge.” The need for cities of asylum arose because it was the duty of the nearest relative of a man who had been killed to search out and kill the killer. When it was clearly not a murder (intentional killing) but manslaughter (accidental killing), then the killer could seek asylum in one of the six cities of asylum, three on the west side and three on the east side of the Jordan River. See Ex. 21:12–14; Num. 35:9–34. as I instructed you through Moses. 4The one who has committed manslaughter shall escape for protection to one of these cities and stand at the entrance to the city gates and explain his case to the leaders of the city. The leaders must then receive him into their city and grant him asylum. 5When the one looking for revenge # 20:5 Or “the blood-redeemer,” that is, a relative of the one killed. See Gen. 9:6. The avenger of blood is a picture of the law (see Rom. 5:9–11; 6:7; 7:1–4; Heb. 7:23–25). comes after him, the leaders of the city must protect him and not hand him over, for he killed the person accidentally and without premeditation. 6He must remain in the city until he has had a public trial; then he must remain protected in the city until the man who is high priest at that time has died. Afterward, he may return to his family and his own hometown.” # 20:6 The protection of the manslayer would be based on the killer being proven innocent (accidental death). If found innocent, he would remain in the city until the death of the ruling high priest. See Num. 35:25, 28. After the high priest’s death, the manslayer would receive amnesty and permission to return home. However, if he were found guilty of premeditated murder, there was no protection for him—the leaders would turn him over to the avenging relative of the dead man. See Num. 35:19.
7So they dedicated three cities on the west side of the Jordan River: Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah. 8And beyond the Jordan east of Jericho, they dedicated Bezer in the desert plain belonging to the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead, from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan, from the tribe of Manasseh. # 20:8 Although Moses had already designated these three cities east of the Jordan (see Deut. 4:41–43), they were not officially appointed until Joshua had the people of Israel select three cities on the west side of the Jordan River. 9These were the designated cities of refuge. # 20:9 The six cities of asylum all point to Christ and his tender mercy (see Neh. 9:27; Pss. 103:13; 119:156; Mic. 7:18). The positioning of these six cities was meant to provide access to everyone from wherever they lived. They built roads to these cities to help the one fleeing from vengeance. See Deut. 19. The cities of refuge were situated on hills and high places so that the manslayer could easily see them and find them. Similarly, Jesus has been exalted to the highest place as our Champion and Savior, and yet he is accessible to all by faith. Bezer means “cut off,” “fortification,” or “strong city,” and speaks of Christ as our secure refuge. Ramoth means “exaltation” or “heavenly,” and speaks of Christ as our high and exalted refuge. Golan means “their rejoicing” (see Rom. 5:11), and speaks of Christ as our perfect refuge. Kedesh means “holy place,” “sacred,” “sanctified,” or “holiness” (see Isa. 9:7), and speaks of Christ as our holy refuge. Shechem means “between the shoulders,” “burden bearer,” or “strength,” and speaks of Christ as our strong refuge (see Ps. 91:2; Nah. 1:7). Hebron means “united,” “fellowship,” “joined,” or “communion” and speaks of Christ as our loving refuge who has joined himself to us. We are safe forever, for our High Priest will never die. See Heb. 6:17–20. Any Israelite or any foreigner # 20:9 These refuge cities were to be available for all, even the gentiles (see Num. 35:15; Rom. 10:12). living among them who had accidentally killed someone could run to one of these cities for protection. He could live there safely until he had a fair trial, and unless he had been proven guilty, he could not be killed by the one seeking revenge.
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Joshua 20: TPT
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